Discover amazing facts about some of the world's most popular songs
Austin Butler was selected to portray one of history’s most influential performers: Elvis Presley. Discussing Butler's screen test, director Baz Luhrmann said, “I knew unequivocally that I had found someone who could embody the spirit of one of the world's most iconic musical figures.”
Bridget Jones is nowhere in sight in the the biopic 'Judy,' in which Zellweger takes on the role of the legendary Judy Garland. She doesn’t just look the part either, as she lent her real voice to the production.
Not only do they have the same first name, the two actors also have some physical similarities. No wonder Franco was cast to portray the legendary icon.
The late actor transformed himself into Truman Capote in the biopic 'Capote' (2005). Even though he hesitated to take the role at first, reading the script convinced him. "When I started studying him and then became semi-obsessed with him I saw the parallels," he said.
Demetrius Shipp made his debut in Tupac Shakur's biopic 'All Eyez On Me' (2017), thanks to his uncanny resemblance to Shakur.
Denzel Washington has played many memorable characters during his career, one of them being Malcolm X in Spike Lee's 1992 movie. The actor received his first Oscar nomination as Best Actor, but lost to Al Pacino.
For his portrayal of John Lennon's murderer, Mark David Chapman, Leto underwent an impressive physical transformation. It turns out, he looked very similar to Chapman after gaining 30 lbs (13 kg), which he did by stuffing himself with melted Häagen-Dazs ice cream mixed with... soy sauce and olive oil!
Kitsch wasn't too thrilled about portraying the cult leader. "I almost pulled out a month and a half [before the filming began]," he told Rolling Stone. However, you have to admit, they look pretty similar.
The movie is about the life of American baseball player, Babe Ruth. To play the part of Ruth, John Goodman just had to lose some weight.
Kidman underwent a slight transformation for the film 'The Hours' (2002), in which she wore a fake nose to interpret English writer Virginia Woolf. The rest of her features seem pretty perfect though.
Streep endured some prosthetics to age her face and neck to portray the former British stateswoman, but the base was already there. Her performance earned her a third Oscar, 29 years after winning her second one.
Rachel Weisz takes on the role of Elizabeth Taylor in the biopic 'A Special Relationship.'
Elizabeth Debicki was cast as Diana, Princess of Wales, in the final two seasons of 'The Crown.' The Australian actress wrote on Twitter, "It is my true privilege and honour to be joining this masterful series, which has had me absolutely hooked from episode one."
Nicole Kidman took on one of her most challenging roles to date when she played Lucille Ball in the 2021 movie 'Being the Ricardos.' She starred as the legendary female comedian opposite Javier Bardem, who played Ball's husband and co-star, Desi Arnaz. In addition to being a dead ringer for Ball, Kidman did an exceptional job at mimicking her unique gestures and speech.
Lily James and Sebastian Stan might not seem like the obvious choices to star as Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee in the Hulu series 'Pam & Tommy,' but they both fit the parts surprisingly well.
The hit show sent fans into a frenzy, and understandably so. Anderson and Lee, who were married from 1995 to 1998 and have two children, represent a huge pop culture moment in history.
Known for her work on 'The Walking Dead,' Christian Serratos plays the late Selena Quintanilla in 'Selena,' a scripted Netflix show about the Mexican-American pop star. The singer was also famously brought to the screen in a 1997 biopic starring Jennifer Lopez.
The lead actors—Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon—had been chosen by Johnny Cash and June Carter themselves. Unfortunately, they didn't get to see the end result. The singer died on September 12, 2003, following complications from diabetes, while June Carter died on May 15 of the same year.
Hitler is a character that many German-speaking actors have refused to interpret over the years, but Bruno Ganz, who was born in Zurich, recognized that being Swiss made it possible to feel a certain distance from the character.
'Grey's Anatomy' star Justin Chambers has been cast as Marlon Brando in a Paramount+ limited series. 'The Offer' tells the story of the making of 'The Godfather,' Brando's most iconic movie. When you see them side by side, Chambers' resemblance to a young Marlon Brando is astonishing.
Gary Oldman suited up as the musical genius that was Ludwig van Beethoven. His intense performance has been widely acclaimed.
This biopic about the eccentric comedian Weird Al Yankovic stars Daniel Radcliffe as Weird Al himself. This might take some imagination, but Evan Rachel Wood in the role of Madonna is a perfect match. Madonna features in the movie due to Yankovic's famous parody of her song 'Like a Virgin.' The Queen of Pop gave him permission to play with her song, which he turned into 'Like a Surgeon.'
James Franco has been cast as Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro in an Indie flick called 'Alina of Cuba.' The movie is named after Castro's daughter, Alina Fernandez, who is played by actress Ana Villafañe. The real-life Fernandez is involved in the production as a biographical consultant, and reportedly approved of Franco's casting! The actor bears a striking resemblance to the communist leader, particularly when he lets his beard go natural.
Playing a Hollywood icon is a risky task, but not for Michelle Williams, who really got into character for her role as Marilyn Monroe in 'My Week With Marilyn' (2011). Williams successfully captured the vulnerability and the charisma of the star.
Singer and actress Teyana Taylor confirmed on April 3, 2023, that she's landed the perfect role. Taylor has been cast to play music legend Dionne Warwick in an upcoming biopic, which is as of yet untitled. In an interview with Tamron Hall, Taylor revealed that she's been getting her character notes straight from the source! "We talk almost every day," she said, referring to Warwick. "That's my girl. Me, her, and her son, yeah." When it comes to her priorities in portraying the 'Walk On By' singer, Taylor says she wants to make Warwick feel safe to tell her story, "because a lot of these stories get misconstrued or extremely dramatized to an extent, and that's not like where we really want to go."
Hopkins took his role as Pablo Picasso very seriously. The Academy Award-winning actor shaved his head and wore brown contact lenses to deliver a convincing depiction of the painter. He honestly didn't need much else.
Many historical figures have been given new life onscreen by some of Hollywood’s most talented actors. From Marilyn Monroe to Albert Einstein, these figures' influence will be felt, and embodied, for generations to come.
While many actors have had to undergo a huge physical transformation to fully embody a character, there are also quite a few actors who are lucky enough to show an uncanny resemblance to the character they’re portraying. It’s a blessing for the production, but it also adds so much to their performance.
Check out this gallery to see side-by-side photos of other actors who look strikingly similar to the people they played on screen.
Actors who look just like their real-life characters
These actors transformed with minimal makeup for their roles
CELEBRITY Roles
Many historical figures have been given new life onscreen by some of Hollywood’s most talented actors. From Marilyn Monroe to Albert Einstein, these figures' influence will be felt, and embodied, for generations to come.
While many actors have had to undergo a huge physical transformation to fully embody a character, there are also quite a few actors who are lucky enough to show an uncanny resemblance to the character they’re portraying. It’s a blessing for the production, but it also adds so much to their performance.
Check out this gallery to see side-by-side photos of other actors who look strikingly similar to the people they played on screen.