They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and nowhere is that more evident than in the world of film and television. From royals to music legends, the screen has brought to life a host of famous personalities, often with an uncanny resemblance to the originals. In this piece, we’ll take a closer look at 20 actors who have left us stunned with their portrayal of real-life icons.
1. Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret, The Crown
2. Salma Hayek as Frida Kahlo, Frida
3. Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury, Bohemian Rhapsody
4. Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking, The Theory of Everything
5. Cate Blanchett as Bob Dylan, I’m Not There
6. Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln, Lincoln
7. Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill, Darkest Hour
8. Steve Carell as Bobby Riggs, Battle of the Sexes
9. Geoffrey Rush as Alberto Giacometti, Final Portrait
10. Christian Bale as Dick Cheney, Vice
11. Sissy Spacek as Loretta Lynn, Coal Miner’s Daughter
12. James Franco as James Dean, James Dean
13. Gwilym Lee as Brian May, Bohemian Rhapsody
14. Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin, Game Change
15. Sean Penn as Harvey Milk, Milk
16. Adrien Brody as Salvador Dalí, Midnight in Paris
17. Robert Downey Jr. as Charlie Chaplin, Chaplin
18. Joe Mazzello as John Deacon, Bohemian Rhapsody
19. Jennifer Lopez as Selena Quintanilla, Selena
20. Elizabeth Debicki as Diana, Princess of Wales, The Crown