15 Actors Who Are The Spitting Images Of The Historical Figures They Play

An actor's job is to bring the character they’re portraying to life. Convincing the viewers that what they’re watching is more than just script but the life of a real person is no easy feat. A great actor is one who gives a performance so realistic that it can fool the audience into thinking that it’s real. However, these movie stars nail it. They truly became the spitting images of the historical figures they were playing.
Taking the images of the historical figures we all know from textbooks and turning them into real people on the silver screen takes a lot of effort. Not only does it require a lot of acting talent from the stars, but it also demands a lot from the makeup and costume departments. The actors need to nail their characters’ personas and they also have to nail their looks, otherwise, their portrayals won’t be realistic.
So let’s see how accurate these stars can be when they take on the roles of famous people in history. Here are 15 actors and actresses who successfully transformed themself into spitting images of the historical figures they played.

1. Will Smith as Muhammad Ali, Ali

Source: © Ali / Columbia Pictures and co-producers/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

2. Shirley MacLaine as Coco Chanel, Coco Chanel

Source: © Coco Chanel / Lux Vide and co-producers/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

3. Robert Downey Jr. as Charlie Chaplin, Chaplin

Source: © Chaplin / Canal+ and co-producers/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

4. Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana, Spencer

Source: © Spencer / Fabula and co-producers/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

5. Jack Farthing as Charles, Prince of Wales, Spencer

Source: © Spencer / Fabula and co-producers/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

6. Adam Driver as Maurizio Gucci, House of Gucci

Source: © House of Gucci / Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and co-producers/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

7. Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani, House of Gucci

Source: © House of Gucci / Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and co-producers/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

8. Emma Stone as Billie Jean King, Battle of the Sexes

Source: © Batlle of the Sexes / Fox Searchlight Pictures and co-producers/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

9. Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking, The Theory of Everything

Source: ©The Theory of Everything/ IMBd/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

10. Lily James as Pamela Anderson, Pam & Tommy miniseries

Source: © Pam & Tommy / Hulu and co-producers/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

11. Sebastian Stan as Tommy Lee, Pam & Tommy miniseries

Source: © Pam & Tommy / Hulu and co-producers/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

12. Gwilym Lee as Brian May, Bohemian Rhapsody

Source: © mrgwilymlee / Instagram

13. Taron Egerton as Elton John, Rocketman

Source: © Rocketman / Paramount Pictures and co-producers/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

14. Michael Douglas as Liberace, Behind the Candelabra

Source: © Behind the Candelabra / HBO and co-producers/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

15. Reese Witherspoon as June Carter Cash, Walk the Line

Source: © Walk the Line / 20th Century Studios and co-producers/ Courtesy of Everett Collection

Do you agree that these famous actors and actresses nail the images of the historical figures that they play, or do you think they’re just doing an okay job? Speaking of people who played famous historical figures, there are other movie stars who also portrayed real people with an insane amount of accuracy. If you aren’t impressed with our list here, then these guys will definitely make you go WOW.