Doug Jones' first fan convention a few years ago was an eye-opening experience.

"I didn’t know this convention scene existed," the actor told CNN Geek Out. "I had no idea it had branched out so much (from 'Star Trek') and become this phenomenon! Oh my gosh, was I opened up to this world!"

Jones' best-known acting roles have been under extraordinary amounts of elaborate makeup. His indelible monster performances, which have been compared to "Phantom of the Opera" silent film star Lon Chaney, afford Jones a busy schedule of convention appearances in between jobs.

Since the late 1990s, he's made memorable impressions  in fantasy and horror films like "Pan's Labyrinth" (as the Faun and grotesque Pale Man,)  both "Hellboy" movies (the heroic fish-like Abe Sapien) as well as the classic "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" episode, "Hush" (as one of the ghoulish Gentlemen). Jones also stepped into less creepy-crawly territory as Silver Surfer (who was voiced by Laurence Fishburne) in "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer."

“I never went to Hollywood saying, ‘I wanna be a monster!’" Jones joked. "I actually (thought) I would be the next big sitcom star."

But at 6-foot-3 and 140 pounds, with a small face, Jones turned out to be a creature effects/makeup artist's dream. FULL POST