The stars earning from beyond the grave
Many historical figures have been given new life on-screen by some of Hollywood’s most talented actors. From Marilyn Monroe to Albert Einstein, these figures’ influence will be felt for generations to come.
Their legacies have especially inspired, and been reproduced by, directors and actors around the world. 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 makeup crew, but it also adds so much to their performance.
Actress Christian Serratos ('The Walking Dead') may soon join these ranks, as she's in serious talks to portray iconic singer Selena Quintanilla in an upcoming Netflix series.
To have a look at the similarities between those two and more, you can check out this gallery to see side-by-side photos of all the actors who look strikingly similar to the people they played on-screen.
(Photo: Flickr/CC BY-ND 2.0)
Known for her work on 'The Walking Dead,' Christian Serratos is in talks to play the late Selena Quintanilla in 'Selena: The Series,' a scripted Netflix show about the Mexican-American pop star. The singer was also famously brought to the screen in the 1997 biopic starring Jennifer Lopez.
(Photo: Flickr/CC BY-ND 2.0)
Austin Butler has been 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 trailer for the upcoming biopic 'Judy,' in which Zellweger takes on the role of the legendary Judy Garland. She doesn’t just look the part either, as she’ll be lending 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.
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.
(Right Photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 4.0)
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.
(Right photo: Wikimedia/CC BY-SA 3.0 de)
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.
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.
Actors who look like their real-life character
A rising star looks set to portray songstress Selena Quintanilla
CELEBRITY Actors
Many historical figures have been given new life on-screen by some of Hollywood’s most talented actors. From Marilyn Monroe to Albert Einstein, these figures’ influence will be felt for generations to come.
Their legacies have especially inspired, and been reproduced by, directors and actors around the world. 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 makeup crew, but it also adds so much to their performance.
Actress Christian Serratos ('The Walking Dead') may soon join these ranks, as she's in serious talks to portray iconic singer Selena Quintanilla in an upcoming Netflix series.
To have a look at the similarities between those two and more, you can check out this gallery to see side-by-side photos of all the actors who look strikingly similar to the people they played on-screen.