Raised By Wolves' Android Costumes Weren't Exactly Comfortable
Aaron Guzikowski's "Raised By Wolves" may have been cut short by HBO Max after season 2, but the Ridley Scott-produced sci-fi affair was a breath of fresh air for the genre. It was a philosophical horror extravaganza with androids at the center of its narrative: two wannabe parents named, you guessed it, Mother (Amanda Collin) and Father (Abubakar Salim). Sure, convoluted world-building inhabits the series almost to its detriment, but the overwhelming sense of being swept away into a futuristic world fraught with religious and ideological conflict was enticing enough to warrant a watch.
The series' penchant for crafting unique character designs and environments is part of what made "Raised By Wolves" so compelling. From the Mithraic faction attire to the sleek grey bodysuits covering Mother and Father's robot bodies, the sci-fi show utilized a very specific bleak and minimalistic aesthetic. But according to the series' stars, those android costumes were not at all easy to wear and caused some pretty uncomfortable scenarios.
'It was a lot, man'
Collin and Salim admitted to EW that those skin-tight grey suits were no fun to put on work during production. In the series, Mother and Father almost constantly wear them and even provide their adopted children with identical clothing. Salim was not a fan of it, stating that "It was a lot, man ... the suits made you sweat so much, so you kind felt like you were constantly working out." This happened no matter how hot or cold the shooting day was. He detailed:
"Honestly, it's one of those suits where when it's cold, it's freezing. When it's hot, you're cooking. There's no right temperature, except when you're inside. I used to love studio days. Those were the best."
But perhaps worst of all, the leads of "Raised by Wolves" had trouble going to the bathroom while wearing the unitards, mainly because the only zipper was on their back, according to Salim.
"One thing I don't understand, and I never will understand, is why they don't have a zip down there. You know what I mean? It's like, they have a zip at the back. Why don't they have a zip in the front?"
However, Collin recognized Salim's suggestion may not work either: "Imagine how many people that it would require to paint that zip away in a very uncomfortable area." If it's any consolation for the cast and crew, I think the simplistic design did wonders to ground the characters in the dystopian world.
Simple yet effective
In a featurette straight from HBO Max, veteran costume designer Janty Yates ("The Martian," "Alien: Covenant") talked about how she wanted to explore new creative avenues with "Raised By Wolves," particularly with the androids. After experimenting with some pretty complicated space suits in her previous work, the first step this time around was introducing latex to the mix. And although it's more than clear that the actors did not fall in love with it, they understood why it worked for the story. In the same video, Salim says:
"It's an intense costume. There is a sci-fi element to the suits, but it doesn't need all the flashy lights or anything that would say, 'this is a different time.'"
As the actor notes, the reason for the shiny rubber outfits was so that they don't scream "futuristic robot alien." Within the post-war reality of the series, it's vital that the character designs don't distract from what is a dire situation. The unique task of creating a new planet and mythology is nothing new for producer Ridley Scott, but "Raised by Wolves" served as an interesting subversion that worked more often than not.