Photo Source: Warner Bros.
Sonderbergh told reporters at a press conference for the virus thriller (via "USA Today") that Paltrow donned a skin-like tissue "that looked like pizza on one end without the sauce" and a wig for the scene.
Before filming, Paltrow -- who is patient zero -- questioned the movie's consulting medical examiner about how her face should look during the grisly procedure.
"The medical examiner told her that her tongue would be extruded just a bit and that she would have a yellowish fluid coming out of her nose," said Soderbergh. "[Gwyneth] wanted it to be exactly right."
Paltrow stayed "stock still" for 40 minutes as they filmed the scene, Sonderberg said.
"Gwyneth is a trooper," he added. "I think she had a feeling this was going to be some sort of weird iconic image somehow."
"And she was right," joked Damon.
"There really isn't a vain part in the cast," added Damon.
This isn't the first time Paltrow has lost her head in a movie. For 1995's "Se7en," she was beheaded and her on-screen partner Brad Pitt received it in a box.
"Contagion" won the box office war this weekend with $23.1 million.
– The Hollywood Reporter
