15 actors who played cult figures

For any actor to play a cult personality - not only great honor, but also a huge responsibility, because the role in the biopic requires intense and intensive work. In addition, there is always the risk of being booed by the public, who very meticulously compares the artist's similarity with the original.

In our collection of 15 brave souls who dared to live someone else's life on the screen.

Penelope Cruz and Donatella Versace

Penelope Cruz will play the famous designer Donatella Versace in the new season of the series "American History of Crimes", which will deal with the murder of fashion designer Gianni Versace, Donatella's brother. The first photos from the filming site already appeared, where the Spanish actress appeared in an unusual image of a blonde. Many fans of the series felt that Penelope is not suitable for this role; under the photos there were numerous comments like:

"Oh, how flattered Donatella!"
"They lost that they took Penelope for this role ..."
"Mimo"

However, to make a final conclusion about whether Penelope had coped with the role or not, it will be possible only after the release of the series on the screens, and this will happen only in 2018.

Natalie Portman and Jacqueline Kennedy

Natalie Portman was honored to play the most famous first lady of America in the movie "Jackie", which tells about a few days in the life of the newly lost husband Jacqueline Kennedy. The director of the picture Pablo Larraín defined the genre of the film as a "portrait of a woman", accordingly Portman faced a difficult task - to penetrate the inner world of the first lady and try to convey the feelings that she experienced at the most difficult moment of her life. According to critics, the actress masterfully coped with this task, while Natalie herself called the work on Jacqueline's image "extreme."

Ashton Kutcher and Steve Jobs

Directors of the picture "Jobs: The Empire of temptation" had long persuaded Ashton Kutcher to play a major role in the biopic about the founder of Apple. The actor did not agree for a long time, afraid that he could not convincingly portray the image of computer genius on the screen, but eventually accepted the offer and so responsibly approached the work that during the filming nearly ditched his health. He not only rehearsed Jobs's gait and gestures for hours, but also sat down on the fruit diet that the billionaire adhered to. As a result, the actor was hospitalized with a serious pancreatic disorder.

Michelle Williams and Marilyn Monroe

To get the lead role in the film "7 Days and Nights with Marilyn," actress Michelle Williams did not even have to go through the casting. Directed by Simon Curtis immediately invited her to the shooting, believing that no one else could better than Michelle, get used to the image of the legendary blonde. Still, the actress had to work very long on the role: she reread all the books about Monroe, long and hard rehearsed her walk, studied her manner of speech and even the most unpleasant, gained a few extra pounds. The result has surpassed all expectations: in some scenes Michelle is simply impossible to distinguish from Marilyn.

Anthony Hopkins and Alfred Hitchcock

Being by nature a perfectionist, Anthony Hopkins long and hard prepared for filming in the film "Hitchcock", where he played the role of the famous film director. The actor reviewed all of Hitchcock's paintings and studied his biography to the smallest detail. Huge work had to be done and make-up artists of the film, because Hopkins and the director of the cult "Psycho" are completely different. The process of makeup took several hours, and the actor jokingly said:

"I was replaced by almost all parts of the body. The nose, ears, eyes, teeth - everything was Hitchcock »

In addition, in order to mimic Hitchcock's obesity, Hopkins had to wear a special suit.

Marion Cotillard and Edith Piaf

The main role in the biopic "Life in the Pink Light" was a huge casting. Thousands of actresses wanted to reincarnate in the legendary Edith Piaf, but luck smiled to the talented Frenchwoman Marion Cotillard. Embodying the image of her compatriot on the screen, Cotillard became the second actress in history who won an Oscar for her role in the film in a foreign language (the first was Sophia Loren).

Jesse Eisenberg and Mark Zuckerberg

Jesse Eisenberg got a role in the film "Social Network", because it looks very similar to Facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg. The film tells the story of the creation of the famous network. The director forbade the actors to communicate with the prototypes of the main characters until the end of filming, so the acquaintance of Eisenberg and Zuckerberg took place after the premiere of the film. They met on the air of one of the shows and shook hands.

Helen Mirren and Elizabeth II

For the main role in the movie "The Queen", which was released in 2006, actress Helen Mirren was awarded the "Oscar". By the way, the very Queen Elizabeth liked the picture.

Meryl Streep and Margaret Thatcher

Meryl Streep played the role of Britain's most famous prime minister in the film "The Iron Lady". Despite the fact that the actress received an Oscar for her work, Margaret Thatcher's inner circle was extremely unhappy with the film. The former adviser of the "iron lady" Lord Bell said:

"This is a rare muck, which claims a sensation. The film is intended only for Meryl Streep and his creators to make money "

Lindsay Lohan and Elizabeth Taylor

The fact that Lindsay Lohan got a role in the film "Lizzie and Dick" was a complete surprise for everyone. Nobody expected that the filmmakers would trust the actress, known for her scandals and addictions, to play Elizabeth Taylor herself. However, it happened that way. By the way, the role of kinodivy claimed and the beautiful Megan Fox, but Lindsay seemed to directors more suitable candidate. Unfortunately, the picture was a failure, and the game Lohan is recognized as frankly weak.

Nicole Kidman and Grace Kelly

The famous Australian has the honor to play an equally famous American woman in the film "Princess of Monaco". The picture tells about the fate of Grace Kelly - Hollywood actress, who, for the sake of marriage with Prince of Monaco Renier, refused to film career. Nicole Kidman was preparing for the role for more than 5 months: she reviewed all the films with Grace Kelly, talked with people who personally knew the princess, rehearsed her gait and gestures. All efforts were in vain: at the premiere in Cannes, the film was mercilessly booed, and the royal family of Monaco stated that the picture was "completely fictional" and distorted reality. To the credit of Nicole, it should be said that she coped well with the role, and the film owes its failure to a weak script.

Salma Hayek and Frida Kahlo

Mexican actress has always dreamed of playing her favorite artist and compatriot Frida Kahlo. This opportunity presented itself to her in 2002, when Salma was invited to shoot the film "Frida." To enter the image of the artist, the actress had to do a titanic work: she learned to paint, mastered the gait of a man who injured the spine in a car accident (Frida became disabled after the bus she was driving crashed into a tram), and even tried to copy the handwriting of Frida. The film was a great success, but some critics have found that Hayek is too beautiful and glamorous for the role of a man-like artist-invalid.

Sienna Miller and Tippi Hedren

The film "The Girl" is devoted to the history of the relationship between the director Alfred Hitchcock and the actress Tippi Hedren, which he shot in the pictures "Birds" and "Marni". According to Hedren, the cult director was literally obsessed with her, constantly persecuted and did not give her a pass. Tippy did not want to give in to Hitchcock, and as a result, her career very quickly ended. In the film, Tippi played the role of Sienna Miller. Hedrun herself was pleased with this choice:

"I think she is the same actress who ideally suits this role"

Audrey Tautou and Coco Chanel

The director of the film "Coco before Chanel" Anne Fontaine for a moment did not doubt that the main role in her picture should be performed by Audrey Tautou. According to the director, the actress and the great couturier are incredibly similar in appearance: the same dark eyes, the same half-smile and fragility. As for Tota herself, she admitted that while working on the film, she was shocked at how much in common her character has with the character of Chanel.

Adrien Brody and Salvador Dali

In the film Midnight in Paris, Adrien in Brody, reincarnated as the legendary artist Salvador Dali, appears only for three minutes, but the episode with his participation became one of the most striking in the film. That's what talent means!