Zach Galifianakis Shows Off Quite The Transformation At The SAG Awards

Zach Galifianakis debuted a new clean-shaven look at the SAG Awards on Sunday night, appearing almost unrecognizable.

Galifianakis, best known for his bearded, chubby alter-ego in The Hangover trilogy, shocked viewers when he appeared at the SAG Awards looking noticeably slimmer, with his long hair neatly pulled back into a small man-bun and his face devoid of scruff.

Zach Galifianakis lost weight and shaved his face. Or – alternative theory – it’s Joaquin Phoenix being method again. pic.twitter.com/lJkp0BbcZR

— Lisa B (@lisab7us) January 26, 2015

Galifianakis has been losing weight steadily for over a year now, something he credits to cutting down on alcohol. “I stopped drinking and I just kind of put the weight off… I was having a lot of vodka with sausage… delicious but bad for you,” he told Conan O’Brien in May 2013.

While audiences have gotten used to a slimmer Galifianakis, the absence of his usual bushy beard caught many off guard when the actor took the stage as part of the cast of Birdman.

Viewers immediately took to Twitter to express their confusion, surprise and joy.

Was that Zach Galifianakis in the SAG opener? He looks amazing!!!

— Mary Green (@MaryGreen1969) January 26, 2015

Zach Galifianakis lost about 80 pounds of beard hair. #SAGAwards #ETSAG

— Michelle Collins (@michcoll) January 26, 2015

Biggest shock of the night? @galifianakisz‘s face! #WhereHasThatBeen

— Irrelevant Actor (@schreiber_pablo) January 26, 2015

Is #ZachGalifianakis slowly morphing into #BradleyCooper ? #TransformationTuesday pic.twitter.com/LcMUuGf20H

— Mauricio Ginestra (@MauricioGR_Edit) January 27, 2015

My goal for 2015 is to make physical (sexual) contact with Zach Galifianakis’ man bun.

— Chloe Bennet (@ChloeBennet4) January 27, 2015

As to the reason for Galifianakis’ clean-shaven look, some suggest that it’s for his next project, an FX series Baskets, in which the comedian plays a clown.