Anthony Carrigan Reveals He Was Told to Quit Acting Due to Alopecia: “Not Attractive Anymore”
Anthony Carrigan, known for playing Metamorpho in James Gunn’s new Superman movie, recently opened up about his battle with alopecia and how it shaped both his life and his acting career. Speaking on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Carrigan talked honestly about what it was like trying to make it as an actor while dealing with a condition that causes hair loss.
He explained that he had alopecia from a young age. At first, it only showed up in small spots, so he used to hide it. “It was obviously quite a journey,” Carrigan told Colbert. “Because when I had it – you know, I’ve had it since I was a kid – I would cover it up because it was just spots at that time. So it started as something I would cover up and there was a lot of shame over. I didn’t really like anyone knowing I had alopecia.”
As he got older and more of his hair fell out, Carrigan faced more struggles. He shared that people in the industry actually told him to give up on acting. “After being told I was never going to act again… you’re not attractive anymore, you should stop. And this was when my hair was really going,” Carrigan said.
Despite this, he kept going. Over time, he stopped feeling ashamed of his appearance. Instead, he started seeing it as something positive. He explained that what once felt like a weakness became his own kind of superpower. Carrigan said that embracing his condition helped him land unique roles and stand out in Hollywood.
Before becoming known as Metamorpho in Superman, Carrigan had several roles in both TV and movies. He first appeared in The Forgotten and gained attention as Victor Zsasz in Gotham. But his big break came when he played NoHo Hank in the show Barry. He also appeared in movies like Bill & Ted Face the Music and Death of a Unicorn.
Now, Carrigan is starring in what he called the biggest movie of his career, James Gunn’s Superman. Talking to Colbert, he showed pride in how far he’s come. Instead of seeing his alopecia as something to hide, Carrigan now sees it as part of his identity and success.
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