Matthew Hagen was an actor whose face was badly damaged in an accident. In order to keep a continued supply of the restoration cream Renuyu coming to him, Hagen worked for the malicious manufacturer of the cream, Roland Daggett. After failing in a mission, Daggett shoved massive amounts of Renuyu down Hagen's throat. Hagen was transformed into a giant amorphous blob who called himself Clayface.