10 Picture Comparisons of Iconic Book Characters That Were Portrayed By Actors and Were Described By The Author

It is true that the battle between books and their film adaptions is an age-old debate. On the one hand, many people love the experience of flipping a book and engaging with the printed text so that they can fire their imagination. On the other hand, many argue that a cinematic experience is more interesting and absorbing because it provides vivid images and sounds that make you temporarily forget reality for hours.
So, when a book is adapted into a film, it grabs the huge attraction of book lovers and movie buffs. They will pay attention to the cast who embody the literary characters. While some chosen actors really fit the book’s description, others look nothing like their characters when it comes to age or appearance. Of course, some actors and actresses do a good job playing the role but it is not enough to meet the expectations of tough book lovers. Anyway, we always believe that talented actors will overshadow the absence of the resemblance between them and the characters they are portraying.
Today, we show you how different book characters that were portrayed by actors and were described by the aurthor. If you're looking for more, read these articles: Compare 13 Book Characters Portrayed By Different Actors, 11 Books Characters That Were Portrayed in Movies in A Completely Different Light, and 10 Characters From Movie Adaptations Versus Their Book Versions.

#1 Katniss Everdeen, The Hunger Games

Source: © The Hunger Games / Lionsgate, © The Hunger Games / Lionsgate

Katniss Everdeen is originally described as a girl with dark curly hair, dark-gray eyes and olive skin. Despite her thin and short body, she is physically strong and can provide food for her entire family by hunting in the woods. However, Jennifer Lawrence, who portrayed the character has a nice body shape and she’s tall.

#2 Becky Sharp, Vanity Fair

Source: © Vanity Fair / ITV, © Vanity Fair / ITV

According to William Thackeray’s novel Vanity Fair, Becky Sharp has reddish hair and green eyes. But, Amelia Sedley, who took over the part, has shy blue ones that seemingly oppose the boldness of Becky Sharp. In another movie adaptation, the character was given to Olivia Cooke, who owns brown eyes and dark hair.

#3 Petunia Dursley, Harry Potter

Source: © Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets / Warner Bros., © Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets / Warner Bros.

Some loyal fans of Harry Potter feel unhappy with the dramatic metamorphosis of Petunia Dursley. A slim blonde woman with a long neck turned into a woman with dark hair, a normal neck, and a fit body.

#4 Alice, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Source: © Alice in Wonderland / Walt Disney Pictures, © Alice in Wonderland / Walt Disney Pictures

Alice in the novel is originally depicted as a girl with a short dark-brown bob with bangs. But in the movie, the character, portrayed by Mia Wasikowska, appeared as a little girl with long blonde hair.

#5 Natasha Rostova, War and Peace

Source: © War and Peace / BBC, © War and Peace / BBC

People just find a few things in common between Natasha Rostova and her character in “War and Peace”. The character Natasha has black eyes and a large mouth that were not pretty. She was not a child and not yet a maiden.

#6 Jo, Little Women

Source: © Little Women / Columbia Pictures, © Little Women / Columbia Pictures

The character Jo of Louisa May Alcott’s novel Little Women is described as a tall and brow girl with dark skin, like a colt while Saoirse Ronan who embodied Jo, has pale skin. Despite that, the rest of the description fits the actress’ look, “She had a decided mouth, a comical nose, and sharp, gray eyes, which appeared to see everything, and were by turns fierce, funny, or thoughtful.”

#7 Emma Bovary, Madame Bovary

Source: © Madame Bovary / MK2 Productions, © Madame Bovary / MK2 Productions

According to the novel, Emma Bovary is a woman with incredibly white skin and dark eyes and hair. But, Isabelle Huppert, who embodied the femme fatale in the 1991 movie has a different color type. Anyway, the actress fulfilled the part perfectly.

#8 Hermione, Harry Potter

Source: © Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone / Warner Bros., © Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone / Warner Bros.

JK Rowling’s Hermione is an “ugly duckling, owning bushy brown hair and rather large front teeth. But eventually, the role was portrayed by the attractive Emma Watson.

#9 George Duroy, Bel Ami

Source: © Bel Ami / StudioCanal UK, © Bel Ami / StudioCanal UK

Robert Pattinson got the main role in the screen version of Guy de Maupassant’s novel Bel Am. However, his appearance is rather different from the author’s George Duroy who has blonde hair and a twirled mustache.

#10 Bella, Twilight

Source: © Twilight / Summit Entertainment, © Twilight / Summit Entertainment

Despite the common appearance between Kristen Stewart and her character, Bella, there are still some differences. According to the book, Bella whose “lips are a little out of proportion, a bit too full for her jawline.” Her eyebrows are darker than her hair and she never uses cosmetics.