10 Actors Who Look Exactly Like Historical People

Actors portraying historical people in biopic movies have become a trend in modern cinema. Due to technological advancements and cinematography skills, portraying historical people and legends have become easier. Apart from technology facial identity is very important for looking like historical character. There are many movies based upon historical figures and great personalities. In which of those movies have the actors look exactly like the character they are acting for? There are very few such movies where the actors look identical to their historical character. In some movies, the actors and the crew have done really well to portray the character perfectly. Let’s see some of those great portrayals of past celebrities in the perfect way possible. It is amazing that these actors look flawlessly like real life personalities.

Here is the list of 10 actors portrayed exactly like historical people in their movies:

10. Cate Blanchett as Bob Dylan (I’m Not There)

Cate Blanchett, being a female actor portrayed the great Bob Dylan perfectly in the movie I’m Not There (2007). Bob Dylan himself plays the music for the movie. Cate Blanchett has done a great job in the movie and she won several awards for her acting. Bob Dylan is an active musician, influential in popular music and culture for more than 5 decades. The story is about the life of Bob Dylan and the music surrounding it. The male portrayal with a female character was a surprise and is a great success.

9. Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison (The Doors)

Val Kilmer is a great actor who is notable for acting as Jim Morrison in the movie The Doors (1991) and as Doc Holliday in the movie Tombstone (1993). Val Kilmer is an American actor who is portrayed as Jim Morrison (American singer, writer and poet). Jim Morrison was known for his lead in the American band The Doors. The film The Doors is a biography of Jim Morrison. The story takes us through the successful career of Jim and as a result his addiction to drugs. Val Kilmer has done a good job and matches the character Jim.

8. Andre 3000 as Jimi Hendrix (Jimi: All Is By My Side)

Andre 3000 is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and actor. Andre 3000 looks ditto like one of the greatest rock guitarist in history – Jimi Hendrix. The movie is based on the story of Jimi Hendrix. The drama showcases Hendrix leaving New York to London where his career took off. Jimi: All Is By My Side (2013) is a rustic and antique look of the great Jimi Hendrix. Andre’s performance is appreciated and his depiction as Hendrix is nicely done.

7. Denzel Washington as Malcolm X (Malcolm X)

Malcolm X is known for his work as a courageous advocate fighting for the rights of blacks. The African-American Muslim minister and human rights activist is known as the greatest and most influential African-Americans in history. Denzel Washington amazingly portrayed himself as Malcolm X in the movie Malcolm X (1992). The film dramatizes key events in Malcolm X’s life. Denzel Washington’s makeup and portrayal matches well with Malcolm X.

6. Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles (Ray)

Jamie Foxx magically looks like Ray Charles in the movie Ray (2004). When you look at the above two images, it is hard to identify who is the actor and who is the historical figure. Jamie Foxx is an American actor, singer, songwriter, and comedian. Jamie Foxx won the Academy Awards for Best Actor, BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, and Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy, for his work in the biographical movie Ray. The great musician, song-writer and singer Ray Charles was sometimes referred to as “The Genius”. Charles expired before attending the opening of the completed film Ray.

5. Jennifer Lopez as Selena Quintanilla Perez (Selena)

The 1997 movie Selena depicts Jennifer Lopez fantastically like an identical twin of singer Selena Quintanilla Perez. Billboard magazine mentions Selena as the “top Latin artist of the ’90s. In the biopic movie Jennifer Lopez, as a singer replaced Selena who was also a singer. The musical dram film is about the life and career of the late Tejano music star Selena. The story takes us through the touching and memorable events in the life, career and murder of Selena.

4. Robert Downey as Charlie Chaplin (Chaplin)

Robert Downey’s character in the movie Chaplin (1992) is a picture perfect comeback of the legendary comedian Charlie Chaplin. It is hard to identify Robert Downey Jr in the film, famous for his Iron Man superhero character. The movie Chaplin is an adaption from books such as My Autobiography by Chaplin and Chaplin: His Life and Art by film critic. The role as the British comedian Charlie Chaplin by Robert Downey Jr in the biographical comedy-drama film won him the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

3. Ashton Kutcher as Steve Jobs (Jobs)

In 2013, Ashton Kutcher portrayed Steve Jobs in the biographical film Jobs. The movie is an inspiration from the life-events of Steve Jobs. Kutcher’s portrayal as Steve Jobs is just amazing. As you can see from the above image, Steve Jobs at the age of 26 sitting in his Los Angles office looks exactly similar to Kutcher. Even the office set up is recreated perfectly. The film opens in 2001 with a middle-aged Steve Jobs introducing the iPod at an Apple Town Hall meeting.

2. Bruno Ganz as Adolf Hitler (Downfall)

Bruno Ganz is a perfect replacement of the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. Bruno Ganz is a Swiss actor famous for his role in the German historical war film. The film depicts the final ten days of Adolf Hitler’s rule over Nazi Germany in 1945. The aged look of Hitler is excellent in the movie. The story takes us through Führer’s birthday, during the Battle of Berlin. Bruno Ganz is the one you must see if you ever wanted to see Hitler once again.

1. Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln (Lincoln)

Daniel Day-Lewis looks exactly like the 16th President of United States Abraham Lincoln in the movie Lincoln (2012). The American epic historical drama film directed by Steven Spielberg was a great success. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times said “The hallmark of the man, performed so powerfully by Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln, is calm self-confidence, patience and a willingness to play politics in a realistic way.” Daniel Day-Lewis perfectly matches to Abraham Lincoln’s character and takes the audience to an immersive experience.