Biopics and historical dramas come with a host of issues unique to the genre, such as preserving historical accuracy and honoring the wishes of the estates of more contemporary figures. One of the most challenging facets can be casting actors who both physically resemble the real-life people being portrayed as well as the ability to mimic their mannerisms, bringing a level of depth and understanding to these complicated personalities.
With a whole slew of new biopics in recent years focusing mainly on figures in the entertainment industry (Elton John, Freddie Mercury, Aretha Franklin, and now an announced Fred Astaire biopic) there have been mixed receptions regarding casting. Not all biopics satisfy, but there are certainly a few that managed to find the perfect actors for the historical figures in question.
Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash in ‘Walk the Line’
Chronicling Johnny Cash’s (Joaquin Phoenix) ascension to fame, Walk The Line is a romantic drama that centers Cash’s image as a rebel while offering context by showing his struggles with substance abuse. However, the true focus of the film is the love story between him and fellow country music star and member of the Carter Family, June Carter (Reese Witherspoon). Phoenix was widely praised for his portrayal as Cash and won multiple awards alongside a nomination for Best Actor at the Academy Awards for his role.
Phoenix nails Cash’s distinctive drawl and gives a complex performance as a man tortured by various addictions as he battles against his inner demons. He does all this while navigating a crumbling marriage with his first wife Vivan and a passionate new love affair with June. It's not his most well-known role, but one for which he certainly deserves more credit.
Denzel Washington as Malcolm X in ‘The Autobiography of Malcolm X’
Winning an Oscar for his portrayal of the civil rights activist, Denzel Washington brings Malcolm X into stunning relief, both as a dogmatic preacher and as a man simply seeking peace after a lifetime of struggle, racism, and abuse. X’s character comes into focus slowly as the film relays his early years, showing how his principles were forged.
Washington deftly navigates the multitudinous and sometimes contradictory qualities that made the movie's subject such an enigmatic and controversial leader. Perhaps more than anything else, Malcolm X is about finding power in solidarity, and Washington provides the fiery energy that put X at the center of the Black liberation movement of the 1960s.
Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler in ‘Schindler’s List’
Schindler’s List is one of Steven Spielberg’s most notable films in a legendary career. It tells the story of a con artist during the Holocaust. Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) is an enterprising capitalist who runs sham factories behind the Nazis' backs and manages to save the lives of over 1,000 Jewish citizens condemned to perish in death camps.
Liam Neeson is a compelling Schindler, portraying both the man’s calculated deception and his journey to realizing the necessary sacrifices he must make to follow his convictions. It’s a haunting film, but our star grounds it with the humanity of his portrayal. the focal character is not presented as a hero, but one of the very ordinary Germans forced to make choices in the face of evil about how much they were willing to lose.
Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher in ‘The Iron Lady’
Playing the formidable and deeply controversial figure, Margaret Thatcher, Meryl Streep reveals the former UK Prime Minister at a vulnerable point in her life. At the end of her career and mourning her recently deceased husband, the story of The Iron Lady is told through a series of flashbacks as Thatcher relives her childhood and rise to political power.
While the film has been criticized for its lack of historical accuracy, Streep’s turn as Thatcher outshines the story many times. This performance perfectly captures Thatcher’s mannerisms, her authority, and her decline into dementia.
Salma Hayek as Frida Kahlo in ‘Frida’
A Mexican-born artist famous for her passionate beliefs, odd lifestyle, Marxist ideals, and open bisexuality, Salma Hayek does Frida Kahlo justice in the biopic, Frida. The biopic over-focuses on Kahlo’s romantic affair with (and marriage to) Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina), but Hayek injects a lot of humanity into the legend of this extraordinarily difficult-to-define woman.
At a time when most Latina artists were being represented one-dimensionally, Hayek’s Kahlo is provocative and demanding, pushing the attention back towards her unnerving self-portraits and fits of creative exploration when the film threatens to stray towards sexualization. Too multifaceted a character to be thoroughly explored in one film, Hayek comes as close as anyone can to capturing Kahlo’s chaotic genius.
Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana in ‘Spencer’
Princess Diana (Kristen Stewart) wanders inconsolably through the halls of the Queen's Sandringham Estate, contemplating the impending implosion of her marriage to the wayward Prince Charles (Jack Farthing), and her struggles with bulimia. Diana is tortured and suffering from a near-mental collapse, and the film's eerie cinematography and score transform simple acts such as dressing or sitting through dinner into acts of horror.
Crushed on every side by the Royal Family's overbearing rules, Stewart plays an endlessly sympathetic Diana, lost in her own mind but still gentle and kind with her sons. Grasping for rare moments of freedom when her real spirit can shine through, Spencer is one of Kristen Stewart's best performances.
Morgan Freeman as Mandela in ‘Invictus’
Morgan Freeman's turn as Nelson Mandela in Invictus is nothing short of perfection. With the gravitas of the calculating and shrewd leader whose celebrity had already been solidified by his years in prison, the film shows Mandela endeavoring to run the South African state without inflaming the racial tensions of a post-apartheid nation.
Freeman portrays both Mandela’s political brilliance as well as his loneliness when he's not performing for the public. Charming, elegant, and wise far beyond his time, Freeman’s Mandela is imposing but not ostentatious, illustrating why such a fearsome man was loved by so many.
Queen Latifah as Bessie Smith in ‘Bessie’
A gritty and underrated biopic, Bessie tells the story of the openly bisexual blues singer Bessie Smith (Queen Latifah) in the 1920s. Known as the “Empress of Blues”, Bessie struggles against racist attacks, alcoholism, and various tumultuous affairs throughout her career.
Queen Latifah elevates the role above a mediocre script, showing Smith as glamorous, proud, occasionally volatile, and fiercely independent. Latifah credits Bessie Smith for influencing her music, so it’s no wonder that she can portray the "Empress" and her indomitable spirit so convincingly.
Stephen Fry as Oscar Wilde in ‘Wilde’
A popular playwright of the 19th century, Oscar Wilde’s (Stephen Fry) stardom is challenged by damning evidence against him of “sodomy,” when his affairs with men are made public. The film follows Wilde’s feud with the Marquess of Queensbury (Tom Wilkinson), his love affair with the arrogant and spiteful Lord Alfred Douglas (Jude Law), leading up to his infamous trial.
Fry is perfect for the role of the enigmatic writer, possessing a similar wit and charm. He manages to play Wilde’s renowned flamboyance with intelligence and panache, illustrating not only his charisma but also his gentle nature and genuine love for his family and wife.
Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln in ‘Lincoln’
Portraying one of America’s most beloved presidents, Daniel Day-Lewis not only bears a striking resemblance to Abraham Lincoln but also captures his humility and quiet strength. The film takes place after Lincoln’s re-election, with his power already solidified but contested by those who oppose the ratification of the 13th Amendment.
Day-Lewis’ Lincoln commands the room with eloquence, despite his humble beginnings. He is fiery and commanding when he needs to be, giving resounding speeches that hardly feel merely written for the screen. Day-Lewis received the Academy Award for Best Actor, among other accolades, for this superb role.