10 Reasons Why Hellboy II: The Golden Army Is Still ICONIC
3. Doug Jones As Abe Sapien
Guillermo del Toro's secret weapon.
For decades now, del Toro has been working alongside actor Doug Jones, who's unique physical stature and acting abilities lend themselves exceedingly well to bringing some of del Toro's most uniquely monstrous visions to life. He was the Pale Man in Pan's Labyrinth, he was the Asset in The Shape of Water, and in these films, he was Abe Sapien.
The first film saw Jones performing the physical part, while David Hyde Pierce provided the voice. But in Hellboy II, Jones gets to take over vocal duties as well and delivers an astounding performance all-around.
Del Toro's script even makes a conscious effort to get Jones out from behind all of the prolific costuming and prosthetics, writing in a way for Abe to walk around outside of his tank without his breathing apparatus or goggles. This allows Jones' performance the range and breadth to reach new heights, as audiences are able to see even more of the minutiae of his incredible work.
Jones has delivered tons of inimitable performances over the years but his work as Abe Sapien, in this film specifcally, will always be a high-water mark.