What The Troll In The Bathroom From Harry Potter Looks Like In Real Life
Mountain trolls aren't exactly known for their beauty. In "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," J.K. Rowling describes the one that Professor Quirrell sets loose within the walls of Hogwarts as a towering, misshapen boulder with a small head, stumpy legs, and lanky arms. As if that weren't enough to leave the creature with crippling self-esteem issues, it also possesses an "incredible" smell, something that even the kindest reader could not interpret as a compliment.
Warner Bros.' 2001 live-action adaptation of Rowling's novel re-creates almost every detail of the mountain troll as the author wrote it. The film adds a pair of exaggerated ears, a dull-eyed expression, and a cute little vest, but otherwise, both versions of the monster are the same, which is to say they're both intentionally grotesque, so it's bonkers to know that a human being was hired to serve as a body reference for its digital model.
Enter Michael Q. Schmidt, an actor and model who's built a multi-decade career by leaning into his physique. Exact measurements tend to fluctuate, so suffice it to say that Schmidt is neither a short man nor a small one. His film roles include characters such as "Obese Russian Airline Passenger," "Big Fat Jessica," "Huge Naked Guy," and "Fat Tony."
Michael Q. Schmidt wants to represent a body less seen in media
While this is only a sampling of Michael Q. Schmidt's résumé — a résumé that features almost 200 indie-level projects since 2001 — it's a fair indicator of the style of work he provides. In "John Dies at the End," a film starring Paul Giamatti and Clancy Brown, Schmidt's role is simply listed as "Mmm Bacon." In "Safety First: The Rise of Women!," his role is "Overweight Naked Runner." In "Left 4 Dead: Impulse 76 Fan Film," he portrays a famously overweight video game zombie known as the Boomer. He's released several projects in which he plays the physical manifestation of the sin of gluttony. He's also donned Santa's red suit at least five times. The pattern speaks for itself.
During a 2014 interview with Noiseless Chatter, Schmidt offered some insight into why he does what he does. When asked about his proclivity for nude modeling, he replied, "From the very first time I (nervously) stood in front of a room full of strangers, and then had them thank me for sharing my body, I was hooked. Apparently artists are mainly concerned with capturing the human form in its many varieties — tall, short, thin, fat, smooth, wrinkled, young, old — and I found a niche. ... My professionalism allows me to be the model they want and appreciate. They'd far rather draw curves and character than draw GQ gym rats."