Billy Crystal went back to his thirties to avoid double casting his character on Before, thanks to deepfake AI technology from South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. The 76-year-old actor starred as Eli in the psychological thriller, with Friday’s episode shocking viewers with his younger self.
Billy explained how they arrived at de-aging him during an interview with Yahoo! Entertainment, admitting that the company Deep Voodoo helped make it happen. He also recalled having to wear uncomfortable prosthetics to look older for Mr. Saturday Night two decades ago.
How did Billy Crystal look younger on ‘Before?’
Billy narrated how a crew from Trey and Matt’s company took a sample of his face and then created a digital mask from it. He asked to look like himself from 1986’s Running Sacred, as it was his desired age for younger Eli in Before. All he had to do was wear a black sample wig, and the computer took care of the rest.
Billy and his wife Janice Goldfinger got to see the reveal together and were both blown away by the results. He expressed gratitude for the Artificial Intelligence, noting that it has helped him save money on his project. Per refusing to let someone else play him, Billy also cited that the audience recognizes a different actor and may not connect with his character as much as he would like.
Billy Crystal says Eli in ‘Before’ is one of his favorite roles
Billy says he enjoyed playing Eli in Before because it was a chance to try something different and grow with the times. His character was a child psychiatrist whose patient has a connection to his past, with more mysteries unraveling with each episode.
Aside from work, Billy is enjoying being a grandparent with his high school sweetheart Janice, who is a film producer. They share two children, Jennifer and Lindsay, both of whom have taken after their parents’ show business careers. Jennifer is an actress, while Lindsay works as a filmmaker.