It by no means ceases to amaze me when an actor is the spitting picture of the actual particular person they’re chosen to play. I don’t suppose a historic portrayal essentially lives or dies by the performer’s resemblance to the topic, however I believe it’s one thing to understand, particularly when you think about the quantity of biopics starring actors who bear completely no resemblance to their position. Listed below are just a few notable examples of actors who had been clearly employed for his or her skills above something else.
Michael Shannon As Elvis Presley (Elvis & Nixon)
Essentially the most requested picture within the Nationwide Archives depicts Elvis Presley shaking fingers with Richard Nixon within the Oval Workplace, and the occasions surrounding this historic assembly on the White Home are dramatized in 2016’s Elvis & Nixon. Kevin Spacey makes for a visually plausible depiction of the thirty seventh United States President, however the in any other case splendidly gifted Michael Shannon merely doesn’t lower it because the one many name the King of Rock ‘n Roll, even with an honest jumpsuit and wig.
John Wayne As Genghis Khan (The Conqueror)
Oh, boy, the place do we start with this one? The one visible proof we now have of what Genghis Khan seemed like is artist renderings, but it surely doesn’t take an professional to note that John Wayne was not Asian. Nonetheless, the legendary Western film star was forged because the Mongol chief in 1956’s The Conqueror, which has since been thought to be one of many worst movies ever made.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson As John Lennon (Nowhere Boy)
Director Sam Taylor-Johnson’s 2009 music biopic Nowhere Boy focuses on the pre-Beatles lifetime of John Lennon, as portrayed by Aaron Taylor-Johnson. In the event you ask me, the Golden Globe-winning actor might need been a greater match to play, maybe, Paul McCartney or, higher but, George Harrison.
Tom Cruise As Barry Seal (American Made)
If extra folks knew about Barry Seal and what he seemed like, I consider Tom Cruise’s portrayal in 2017’s American Made would have been criticized as one of the egregious miscastings in Hollywood historical past. The in any other case gifted film star did completely nothing to change his look and cross for the ill-fated, heavy-set CIA smuggler, save what I regard as an embarrassing Southern accent.
Julia Roberts As Erin Brockovich (Erin Brockovich)
Julia Roberts provides, arguably, the best efficiency of her profession as a single mom and paralegal who uncovers a small city air pollution scandal in Steven Soderbergh’s Erin Brockovich from 2000. Nonetheless, if a resemblance to the particular person an actor is portraying had been a part of the Academy’s voting standards, she won’t have gained the Oscar.
Denzel Washington As Frank Lucas (American Gangster)
Ridley Scott’s 2007 biopic American Gangster dramatizes the profession of mobster Frank Lucas, performed by Denzel Washington, and likewise stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Lucas’ brother, Huey. Curiously, Ejiofor really seems a complete lot extra like the actual Frank than the two-time Oscar winner. Nonetheless, Washington was a very good good friend and frequent collaborator of the director’s brother, Tony Scott, so he in all probability had the position within the bag for that, amongst different causes.
Johnny Depp As J.M. Barrie (Discovering Neverland)
Oddly sufficient, J.M. Barrie boasted a putting resemblance to a different influential creator, Edgar Allan Poe, along with his tall brow and small moustache. Nonetheless, Johnny Depp, who performed the Peter Pan creator in 2004’s Discovering Neverland, doesn’t boast a resemblance to both of them, when you ask me.
Hugh Jackman As P.T. Barnum (The Biggest Showman)
Let’s not even trouble speaking in regards to the many historic inaccuracies from The Biggest Showman, 2017’s musical retelling of the origins of the circus, and even ignore the truth that P.T. Barnum was not the kindhearted man Hugh Jackman portrayed him as. All that issues to this checklist is whether or not or not the Wolverine star seemed the half, and the famously enticing Australian actor most undoubtedly was not a match for Barnum in that regard.
Michael Fassbender As Steve Jobs (Steve Jobs)
Michael Fassbender’s Oscar-nominated efficiency in director Danny Boyle and author Aaron Sorkin’s Steve Jobs from 2015 is extensively thought to be superior to Ashton Kutcher’s portrayal in Jobs from two years earlier. Nonetheless, a minimum of the previous That ’70s Present forged member can say he resembled the tech pioneer extra intently.
Jesse Eisenberg As Mark Zuckerberg (The Social Community)
Mark Zuckerberg as soon as made a shock SNL cameo, throughout which he stood proper subsequent to host Jesse Eisenberg on the Studio 8H stage, proving that they’re actually not a visible match. The actor doesn’t even trouble to mimic the Fb founder’s distinctly low voice when portraying him in 2010’s The Social Community, however his Oscar nomination proves that that’s not what actually issues ultimately.
Tom Hanks As Fred Rogers (A Lovely Day In The Neighborhood)
Casting a universally beloved actor comparable to Tom Hanks to play a universally beloved youngsters’s tv character like Fred Rogers, of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood fame, is sensible in concept. Nonetheless, even giving the Oscar winner the icon’s signature haircut and sweaters just isn’t fairly sufficient to distract from the truth that you might be nonetheless unmistakably watching Hanks on display screen.
Leonardo DiCaprio As Howard Hughes (The Aviator)
A significant inspiration for Marvel’s Tony “Iron Man” Stark was Howard Hughes, whose resemblance is definitely a putting match for each Robert Downey Jr. and Dominic Cooper, who performs Howard Stark in his early years within the MCU. In reality, I believe both of them would have been a greater visible match for the eccentric millionaire in The Aviator than Leonardo DiCaprio, even when his efficiency within the 2005 biopic makes it one in all his finest collaborations with the director, Martin Scorsese.
Warren Beatty And Faye Dunaway As Clyde Barrow And Bonnie Parker (Bonnie And Clyde)
From a efficiency standpoint, Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway make an excellent onscreen duo portraying the titular infamous financial institution robbers in 1967’s Bonnie and Clyde. Nonetheless, the display screen legends’ casting doesn’t earn the movie any factors for historic accuracy, contemplating Beatty doesn’t have Clyde Barrow’s jug ears, nor does Dunaway boast Bonnie Parker’s sharp, skinny face.
Taraji P. Henson As Katherine G. Johnson (Hidden Figures)
Taraji P. Henson provides an undeniably commanding efficiency in 2016’s Hidden Figures as Katherine G. Johnson, a mathematician who was pivotal in serving to NASA work out area journey. But, when evaluating the Empire star to pictures of the actual Johnson, it’s clear the actor doesn’t resemble her a lot in any respect.
Anthony Hopkins As Richard Nixon (Nixon)
Reportedly, Anthony Hopkins had some hesitation about taking up the lead position of Oliver Stone’s 1995 biopic about Richard M. Nixon. In the end, I’d say the Academy Award winner went on to offer an excellent efficiency in Nixon, however I discover myself distracted by his battle to cover his accent and his apparent faux tooth and hairpiece that basically don’t assist make him look any nearer in resemblance to the disgraced U.S. president.
Margot Robbie As Queen Elizabeth I (Mary Queen Of Scots)
Cate Blanchett beforehand gave an Academy Award-nominated efficiency because the lead of 1998’s Elizabeth, and even bore a robust resemblance to the royal primarily based on artist renderings. I can’t say the identical about Margot Robbie, even when the Australian actor’s portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in Mary Queen of Scots was nonetheless worthy of reward.
Benedict Cumberbatch As Alan Turing (The Imitation Sport)
Benedict Cumberbatch has such a definite look, making it tough for him to resemble anybody else with out heavy alterations. Nonetheless, nothing was performed to make him look any nearer to World Battle II-era laptop scientist Alan Turing in The Imitation Sport.
Javier Bardem As Desi Arnaz (Being The Ricardos)
Oscar winner Nicole Kidman went above and past to bodily turn out to be Lucille Ball for author and director Aaron Sorkin’s dramatization of what went on behind the scenes of the beloved TV sitcom, I Love Lucy. Nonetheless, enjoying her onscreen husband is Oscar winner Javier Bardem, who doesn’t cross for Desi Arnaz within the slightest.
Ray Liotta As Shoeless Joe Jackson (Subject Of Goals)
Technically, Ray Liotta performs the ghost of Shoeless Joe Jackson in Subject of Goals, however even an individual’s spectral remnant ought to look one thing like them. The notorious MLB participant had a a lot narrower face and wider ears, to not point out that he pitched left-handed, whereas the actor did the other within the beloved sports activities film.
Beyoncé As Etta James (Cadillac Information)
Nobody might probably deny that Beyoncé has the pipes to match Etta James, which needed to have been the rationale why she was forged in 2008’s Cadillac Information. Nonetheless, the “At Final” singer was quick and round-faced, and the previous Future’s Little one member is neither.
Dominic West As Prince Charles III (The Crown)
I imply no disrespect to Prince Charles III, however is it simply me, or was The Wire star Dominic West just a bit too good-looking to play the Royal Member of the family on The Crown? Then once more, anybody forged member’s portrayal on the historic Netflix collection may pale compared to Elizabeth Debicki’s putting resemblance to Princess Diana.
Kane Hodder As Ed Gein (Ed Gein: The Butcher Of Plainfield)
Essentially the most well-known actor to put on Jason Voorhees’ hockey masks within the Friday the thirteenth movies should have appeared like an impressed option to play one of the infamous serial killers in historical past in 2007’s Ed Gein: The Butcher of Plainfield. Nonetheless, the 6’2″, broadly constructed Kane Hodder doesn’t boast Gein’s narrower face and small stature.
Clive Owen As Invoice Clinton (Impeachment: American Crime Story)
Most often, prosthetics may be very useful in making an actor look extra much like the particular person they’re portraying, comparable to when Charlize Theron grew to become Megyn Kelly for Bombshell. Clive Owen adopted this methodology to play Invoice Clinton on Impeachment: American Crime Story, however the make-up solely brought about the English actor to resemble the Nineteen Nineties-era President even much less.
Angelina Jolie As Christine Collins (Changeling)
Christine Collins is the topic of Clint Eastwood’s 2008 interval movie, Changeling, which relies on the true story of when her lacking son was changed by an impostor. Had she been a good better-known historic determine, there might need been extra criticism over casting Angelina Jolie, an actor recognized for her voluptuous lips, because the thin-lipped Nineteen Twenties lady.
Fred Armisen As Barack Obama (Saturday Evening Stay)
Contemplating the truth that the in any other case extraordinarily gifted SNL star Fred Armisen is a white man with a subpar impersonation of the forty fourth. U.S. President, I am going to simply say that I’m glad Jay Pharoah finally took over as Barack Obama.
Tom Hulce As Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Amadeus)
Simply primarily based on artist renderings of the seminal composer, Tom Hulce was nowhere close to a match to play the title position of director Milos Forman’s Finest Image Oscar winner, Amadeus, from 1984. Nonetheless, the actor is extensively admired for his efficiency as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, which earned him a well-deserved Academy Award nomination.
Robert Redford As Harry Longabaugh (Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Child)
I ponder what number of others like me had no concept that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Child was primarily based on a real story, which could be how the movie was capable of get away with casting actors who look nothing just like the Western outlaws they play. As an example, Robert Redford’s mustache works simply high-quality for the position, however Harry Longabaugh, a.okay.a. “The Sundance Child,” didn’t have lengthy blonde locks.
Diana Ross As Billie Vacation (Woman Sings The Blues)
Most would agree that 1972’s Woman Sings the Blues is the superior biopic in regards to the trailblazing “Unusual Fruit” singer over The US vs. Billie Vacation from 2021. Nonetheless, those self same folks may also agree that Andra Day was a greater match to play Vacation, bodily talking, than the in any other case splendidly gifted Diana Ross within the earlier movie.
Robin Williams As Patch Adams (Patch Adams)
The actual Patch Adams hates Tom Shadyac’s biopic primarily based on his life, which has nothing to do with the truth that Robin Williams seems nothing just like the influential physician. Nonetheless, it is nonetheless unimaginable to disregard, particularly with how they don’t even trouble to offer the Oscar winner Adams’ signature mustache.
Mel Gibson As William Wallace (Braveheart)
In probably the most well-known illustrations of William Wallace, the Scottish warrior is depicted as having quick hair and a beard. Why director Mel Gibson opted in opposition to this look when he portrayed Wallace in Braveheart is past me.
Serena Scott Thomas As Princess Diana (Diana: Her True Story)
Many actors have portrayed Princess Diana to various levels of success, however most take into account Serena Scott Thomas from the 1993 two-part miniseries, Diana: Her True Story, to be one of many weakest matches, purely when it comes to her bodily resemblance.
Zoe Saldaña As Nina Simone (Nina)
The 2016 biopic, Nina, sparked controversy when Zoe Saldaña donned skin-darkening make-up and a prosthetic nostril to raised resemble singer Nina Simone, which the actor would later admit she regretted.