Hollywood’s Best-Kept Secret: How Actors Stay Sweat-Free

When the cameras roll and the lights blaze hot, there’s one thing actors can’t afford: sweat. 

But with no pit stains in sight in movies and TV shows, you might be curious: Are our favorite stars superhuman, sweat-free specimens? Are they just built different? 

Of course not. They’re definitely breaking a sweat under the hot lights—we just can’t see it. Why?

Film stylists have a secret. It’s not special antiperspirant or post-production magic. It’s sweat proof undershirts. Specially-made, patented threads that aren’t just available on film sets.

The Problem No One Talks About

As the audience, we rarely think about the realities of making a film or TV show while we’re watching. In fact, that’s kind of the point; if you’re thinking about how an actor’s hair stays in perfect place during a high-speed convertible ride, you’re probably not as engrossed in the story as the filmmakers would have hoped. 

Actors have to look perfect on screen—it helps viewers suspend disbelief enough to buy into the narrative. If our eyes have time to wander to distractions like flyaways and underarm sweat stains, it might take us out of the story. 

But while actors may look polished, airbrushed and sweat-free on screen, they aren’t immune to major challenges:

  • Film lights are hot.
  • Outfits are complex (and sometimes feature multiple layers).
  • Nailing a scene usually requires multiple takes—potentially double-digit attempts. 
  • The pressure is on to deliver lines correctly, get to blocks and embody a director’s vision. 

While all of this is going on, actors are sweating—they’re human, after all. But making films and TV shows would be much more time-consuming and expensive if editing teams had to blur out every single pit stain. 

Instead, stylists and costume designers have a secret weapon: a discreet, simple solution to sweat. 

The Industry’s Silent MVP

That solution? Sweat proof undershirts. 

Thompson Tee’s line of sweat mark-free undershirts is a staple of Hollywood film and TV sets. But their patented Hydro-Shield® technology wasn’t originally invented for actors—this product was intended for regular folks battling excessive underarm sweat. 

Brand founders Billy Thompson and Randy Choi both struggled with hyperhidrosis (a medical term for excessive sweating). In search of a solution that didn’t require invasive surgeries or an endless supply of antiperspirant, the duo created the Thompson Tee: the first ever patented, sweat proof undershirt made entirely in the USA. 

Since it hit the market in 2012, the Thompson Tee has earned over 100,000 fans in more than 135 countries. Why? Because it works.

The Thompson Tee doesn’t make you stop sweating. Instead, it hides underarm sweat with Hydro-Shield® technology:

  • Hydro-Shield® is a clinical-grade sweat proof material designed to keep sweat from showing through outer layers of clothes. 
  • Thompson Tee’s proprietary stitching and layering design uses reverse osmosis to pull sweat away from your skin. From there, sweat evaporates—without leaving wet marks. 
  • Hydro-Shield® is integrated into every garment. And there aren’t any awkward, thick sweat pads to adjust—the sweat proof tech is sewn right into the fabric. 

    It’s a subtle, elegant and effective solution to excessive underarm sweat—one that Hollywood wardrobe experts have already added to their toolboxes (err, armoires.) 

    Roll Credits: Shows and Productions That Use Thompson Tee

    Where has the hidden magic of the Thompson Tee worked its magic on screen? Recently, costume designer Alex Bovaird brought it to the set of The White Lotus Season 3. 

    When asked about their biggest costuming challenges, Bovaird said, “All the sweat.” While the whole cast struggled to stay cool in the South Asian heat, the costume designer says that one actor was especially sweaty: 

    “Walton Goggins, who plays Rick, was profuse. We brought Thompson Tees from the U.S. to soak up everyone’s sweat; we cut out the necks so you couldn’t see them underneath clothes.”

    But this isn’t the only set where the Thompson Tee came in clutch. 

    • Euphoria: Tense conversations, teen party scenes, high school drama—sounds like sweaty business.
    • Lucifer: Outrunning the flames of hell? Not a sweat stain in sight, thanks to Thompson Tee.
    • Law and Order: A long-running show deserved a long-lasting solution to sweat stains—one that works wash after wash. Case closed. 
    • Outer Banks: Not even the summer heat and a search for a shipwreck could best Hydro-Shield® sweat proof tech. 
    • The Righteous Gemstones: A little sweat couldn’t slow down iconic cast members like John Goodman and Danny McBride—with Thompson Tee, on-set sweat didn’t stand a chance.
    • Godfather of Harlem: In full 1960s-era duds, Forest Whitaker’s “Bumpy” Johnson never broke a sweat (even in a high-stakes Harlem turf war). 

    And this is just the beginning of Thompson Tee’s IMDb page. This game-changing wardrobe staple has hundreds of Hollywood credits, from streaming hits to game shows. 

    From Soundstage to Streetwear

    The TV and film industry has found a solution to underarm sweat—and it’s available to more than just costume designers. That’s because sweat proof undershirts are useful beyond the red carpet. In fact, they’re ideal for:

    • A stressful workplace – Presenting to the Board of Directors? Auditioning for a solo? Serving a ten-top that walked in five minutes before close? You need to make a lasting impression (and not because of pit stains).
    • Sleek styling – From date nights to job interviews, don’t let sweat stains hold you back from serving.

    Tackling underarm sweat is the ticket to improved confidence—with specially-made undershirts designed to wick away sweat, you can take on the world with your head (and your arms) held high. 

    The Secret’s Out

    Hollywood stars are just like us: They get nervous, they work under pressure, and, yes, they even sweat. But with sweat proof undershirts, costume designers rein in underarm perspiration and help actors perform at their best. 

    They may not shout out their secret weapon against sweat at the Oscars. But that’s kind of the point. Subtle confidence, sweat free polish—that’s what good styling is all about. 

    With designs for men and women, Thompson Tee’s Hydro-Shield® technology traps sweat before it stains your clothes. That means midday wardrobe changes, expensive dry cleaning bills and extra deodorant are things of the past.

    The best part? Thompson Tee is available to the public—no talent agent required.