Daniel Bruhl spent 7 hours in make-up for Rush

Daniel Bruhl says it took seven hours to create the burns on his face for ‘Rush’.

The 35-year-old actor – who plays Niki Lauder in the Formula 1 racing car biopic – fell asleep in the make-up chair while the artist covered his head and facial features with fake scars because it took so long to complete.

Speaking to E! News, he said:  »The first time, I think I fell asleep because it took six to seven hours. When I woke up it was shocking, really shocking. »

The German hunk admits the reaction he got from other members of the cast allowed him to really get into role and understand what Niki Lauder – whose face was disfigured after suffering extensive burns in a near fatal accident during the 1976 German Grand Prix – went through.

He explained:  »The shocking experience was sometimes I would go on set and there were extras who didn’t realise it was prosthetic make-up and they were afraid when they looked at me. That made me understand what Niki had gone through. »

Bruhl and Niki built up a rapport during the shooting of the film directed by Ron Howard, based on the real-life rivalry between Niki and British driver James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) in the 1970s, but he admits he never expected to get on with him so well.

He said:  »When he [Lauder] first called me, he said, ‘I guess we have to meet now’ and I said, ‘Well, Niki, that would be very helpful.’

 »He said, ‘Just bring hand luggage to Vienna in case we don’t like each other you can piss off right away.’ I went to Vienna but…I had to buy some extra clothes because he liked me. »’