#PennywiseSmileChallenge Has 'It' Fans Attempting Bill Skarsgård's Creepy Grin

Pennywise actor Bill Skarsgård stopped by Colbert to give a tutorial on how to pull off his insanely creepy smile, and now 'It' fans are inspired.

Bill Skarsgård
Getty

Image via Getty/Kevin Winter

Bill Skarsgård

Following the debut of It: Chapter Two, which currently sits at No. 1 in the domestic box office, Pennywise actor Bill Skarsgård stopped by Colbert to give a tutorial on how to pull off his insanely creepy smile. Explaining his method has resulted in people attempting to copy his performance in the film. 

Horror-based publication Bloody Disgusting put out a call to get It fans to impersonate the evil dancing clown's smile with the hashtag #PennywiseSmileChallenge. 

Can you do the Pennywise Smile? If so, creep us out by commenting below with a picture or video and be sure to use #PennywiseSmileChallenge. We'll RT everyone who participates. Don't be shy! #Pennywise #ItChapter2 pic.twitter.com/iUIdFHifGY

— Bloody Disgusting (@BDisgusting) September 10, 2019

While some of the results missed the mark almost completely, some were blessed with elastic-enough faces that they were able to nail Pennywise's look.

#PennywiseSmileChallenge clown status! pic.twitter.com/VxFSp3Iate

— Caleb Pitts (@Braingetter) September 10, 2019

Always been a clown at heart I guess. #PennywiseSmileChallenge pic.twitter.com/fbjvBd244m

— Heeere’s Johnny Berchtold 🎃🔪 (@JohnnyBerchtold) September 11, 2019

Halloween 2017, couldn’t get the smile down but the costume was a lot of fun #Pennywisesmilechallenge pic.twitter.com/O9OjSzAms7

— 🦇K🦇 (@morsbat) September 10, 2019

Just saw It 2! 🤡😈👿😱 #ITChapter2 #ITMovie #PennywiseSmileChallenge pic.twitter.com/orHnu6C5M1

— OhSomeBlossom (@OhSomeBlossom1) September 11, 2019

Some attempts definitely need more work than others.

IM FUCKING DYING pic.twitter.com/ViNYmiNxzi

— amber🌙 (@babygurlgreg) September 7, 2019

Nothing quite beats the real thing, as Bill Hader learned while filming the sequel.

Speaking on the genesis of the look he went for with Pennywise's smile, Skarsgård told Colbert he was inspired by animal documentaries and Tim Curry's performance as the shapeshifting monster. 

"Obviously, Tim Curry did this iconic performance of Pennywise and we were remaking it and I got to fill these huge clown shoes, and they're big shoes to fill," he explained. "And so we were like, 'OK, how can we make this different?' ... As I was preparing the character, I was like, 'Oh, I guess he's a little bit hyena and a little bit grizzly bear."

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