Despite face masks being an essential public health accessory in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, studies have still shown that men are less likely to wear the masks than women. A recent New York Post story said that men were, in fact, less likely to wear face masks because they're "not cool" and a "sign of weakness." One quick response to that is simply asking....why? Some of the most memorable and characters in movies, TV, coolest musicians, and more have rocked face masks through the years. You try telling...well, just about every Tom Hardy character that wearing a face mask isn't cool.
That's why it was important that we set the facts straight. Throughout years of watching movies, binging TV, and listening to music, we've seen cultural icons and characters not only wear masks because they can help to control the outbreak of a literal deadly virus, but because they can help to make the person wearing them look cool. And this is everywhere. Here, you can find a few favorites, and a few of the most notable examples of face mask icons for your viewing pleasure.
One important point to consider: not all masks are created equal. Yes, Batman and Zorro have iconic looks that you're surely picturing in your head right now. And in your head, you probably see that neither mask covers their mouth. No good! At that point, it's just for style. And while we're sure Robert Pattinson's Batman will be extra stylish (and probably out there in a few other ways, too), it doesn't particularly make him a good fit for this list.
We're mostly keeping the list to characters based here on earth; while Star Wars stalwarts like Darth Vader, Boba Fett, The Mandalorian, and Kylo Ren (sometimes) keep their faces covered in style (and surely have no germs coming in through those helmets), a galaxy far, far away is something of a different ball game here, right?
So, sit back, relax, and take a good look at some of the iconic figures who've kept their faces covered through the years. You're in good company—trust us.
Tom Hardy in 'The Dark Knight Rises' (2012)
Starting here with what is best called "The Tom Hardy Region." The man loves covering his face for a role just as much as he loves giving his characters an indecipherable accent (a lot). The most iconic of these has got to be Bane, the main villain from Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises. "No one cared who I was until I put on the mask," he says. And now it lands him a prime spot on a list of face mask icons. Bonus points for rocking that mask with a sweet coat.
Tom Hardy in 'Mad Max: Fury Road' (2015)
The next entry in The Tom Hardy Region comes via his titular role in 2015's Mad Max: Fury Road. While the mask here doesn't totally cover his face like yours should, it's pretty undeniable that (like everything else in Mad Max: Fury Road) it looks very cool. Another Hardy masked man for the record books.
Tom Hardy in 'Dunkirk' (2017)
Re-teaming with Nolan for his 2017 war movie, Hardy once again obscured his face to play a WWII pilot. This guy knows what works, and he sticks with it. If you wear a face mask like Hardy in Dunkirk, you'll be doing yourself a major solid.
Tom Hardy in 'Venom' (2018)
OK. This one is cheating a little bit for the sake of our holy 'Tom Hardy Region.' But bear with it for just a moment. Once again, Hardy is covering his face, this time with an alien symbiote who is merging with his entire body. Not a mask...but you won't see any germs getting through that alien mask, either.
Sebastian Stan in 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' (2014)
Not only is Captain America: The Winter Soldier one of the best movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it features without a doubt the MCU's greatest face mask icon. Sebastian Stan has got a look going here, and even if his character's brain has been scrambled, rendering him into a killing machine for the bad guys, you can just look at him and feel confident that he's not contributing to any public health hazard. Looking at the Winter Soldier, really, is comforting.
Anthony Hopkins in 'The Silence of the Lambs' (1991)
OK, so you probably don't want to be friends with Hannibal Lecter. But you definitely want to watch him in movies and on TV (don't sleep on the Hannibal series, where he's played by Mads Mikkelson—coming soon to Netflix!). And yeah, this version played by Anthony Hopkins is absolutely terrifying and might, you know, eat you if you slight him. But you know what he won't do? Spread germs. Great face mask. Icon.
Regina King in 'Watchmen' (2019)
HBO's Watchmen brought us a number of face mask icons last year, but one that stands above the rest is Regina King's Angela Abar, also known as Sister Night. In an alternate world where cops need their identities protected after a violent incident, they all rock masks. But there are only a few others on a tier with Sister Night, one of the greatest lead television characters of the last decade.
Daft Punk (1993 - present)
True face covering icons. Believe it or not, these two frenchmen are actually human underneath those helmets and not robots programmed by some greater power to make the grooviest music possible. But as their various productions and songs over the years have proven, you don't need your face exposed to be rad.
Tim Blake Nelson in 'Watchmen' (2019)
While Angela Abar/Sister Night was Watchmen's central character and one of TV's coolest leads, there's little debate about the impact that Tim Blake Nelson had when playing Looking Glass, a no-nonsense cop who completely wraps his head with a mirror-faced mask. No mouth holes, no eye holes, no problem.
Jackie Earle Haley in 'Watchmen' (2009)
If there's any character that Looking Glass might be modeled off of, it might just be Rorschach, the quasi-lead detective character from Alan Moore's original Watchmen graphic novel. Brought to life by Jackie Earle Haley in Zack Snyder's 2009 film adaptation, he was one of the only parts of the movie that really felt true to the comic. But all that aside, this is a mask that looks like it'll really do the trick. Good work.
Hera Hilmar in 'Mortal Engines' (2019)
You might not have seen this big-budget blockbuster that flopped at the box office back in 2018. It's about post-apocalyptic battles between entire countries, except they are now on wheels. It's like Mad Max meets Death Race. Also along for the ride is Hera Hilmar as Hester Shaw, a fugitive assassin with a grudge against the movie's villain (The Matrix's Hugo Weaving!) and a very cool face covering, which you can clearly see.
Hugh Keays-Byrne in 'Mad Max: Fury Road' (2015)
Mad Max: Fury Road's villain is Immortan Joe: an old man with powdered skin, long hair, and an insanely wild mask that somehow adds to how cool/sinister he looks. Lots of mask action happening in Mad Max: Fury Road, as if you needed any other excuse to watch one of the coolest action movies of all time. Find the biggest screen you can.
Billie Eilish (2015 - present)
Eilish may be relatively new to music superstardom but she's certainly experienced in the face mask game. She masked up for her set at England's massive Glastonbury festival in 2019, and wore a similar face covering on the red carpet at the Grammys earlier this year (where she cleaned up, winning awards for Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist).
Alec Baldwin as Dennis in 'The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie' (2004)
Alec Baldwin's smooth voice was a perfect choice for this nautical hitman in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, and while he's clearly modeled on a bandit from the wild wild west, it doesn't hurt to commend a great mask wearer.
Various as Ghostface in 'Scream' 1, 2, 3, and 4
Secret identities? Yes. Murderers? Yes. Scaring teenagers? Yes. Keeping safe behind a mask? Also yes. A new Scream movie is in the works, and it cannot come soon enough.
Marshmello (2015 - present)
We now move on to the electronic music portion of the list. Marshmello has seen his profile grow over the last few years with a number of pop crossover hits, but all along he's stayed behind his mask/helmet/head. Marshmello, right now, is probably thriving.
Deadmau5 predates Marshmello by a decent bit of time, and clearly has had a bit more time to work the technology into his trademark helmet (look at those lights!). But if Deadmau5 wanted to take a walk to grab some takeout food right now and looked like that, he'd be doing everyone around him a solid. Maybe he'd even bring a dance party with him? Who's to say.
Ryan Gosling in 'The Place Beyond The Pines' (2012)
Not a mask as much as a motorcycle helmet paired with sunglasses, Gosling kept his face covered in The Place Beyond The Pines while...yes, robbing a bank. So, while it's not exactly the most moral of choices, he did cover his face. So we can't be all mad.
Kanye West During the 'Yeezus' Tour (2014)
Remember this? Before Kanye entered into whatever this current era he's in right now is, and even before the strange Life of Pablo era of 2016-ish, he had his harsh, industrial Yeezus era. Included? A portion of his tour that saw him wearing a different mask covering his entire face every night. Kanye takes big swings with his fashion, and while this one might not have 100% landed, it does land him a spot on this list of mask icons.
Janelle Monaé in her 'Dirty Computer' Era (2018)
Janelle Monaé is a woman of many talents; not only is she an incredible recording artist, but she's also an amazing actress (Moonlight, Homecoming Season 2, the upcoming Antebellum) and a fashion icon. On the cover of Dirty Computer, her most recent album, she rocked a mask of jewels that covered her entire face (sans her eyes). Respect.
Adèle Haenel and Noémie Merlant in 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire' (2019)
These two ladies rocked the face mask look (actually, they're scarves to protect their faces from winds near the sea) in Portrait of a Lady on Fire only slightly before it went mainstream, as the movie hit theaters not long before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States, and is now streaming on Hulu. Bonus points for looking the closest to any of us look when leaving the house.
Kane Hodder as Jason Voorhees in the 'Friday the 13th' Series
Maybe the most famous masked man on this list? Jason Voorhees has been terrorizing teenagers for decades—at camp, in Manhattan, in space—but has always been kind enough to do it with, you know, a machete and not through germs omitted from his mouth. You ever see this dude without the mask? You want no part of those germs, believe it.
Yeah, they're covered. Also, prime members of the legendary 'songs that are bad but actually good' genre, if you think about it.
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