Actors who look identical to their real-life characters

Selena Gomez as Linda Ronstadt

In a 2015 interview, Selena Gomez shared that she has always been told she looks like music legend Linda Ronstadt. This prompted Gomez to start listening to her music, and now, she's been cast to play the 'Blue Bayou' singer in an upcoming biopic about her life. Gomez appeared to confirm her role by resharing reports from Variety and Rolling Stone about her rumored casting. Music producer John Boylan, Ronstadt's longtime collaborator and manager, also confirmed that Gomez will be taking on the role. The website of his publishing company Great Eastern Music announced the news, writing, "The long-rumored Linda Ronstadt biopic is now up-and-running. Selena Gomez is attached to play Linda; the two recently spent a few hours at Linda's home discussing the project and getting to know each other." 

Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking in 'The Theory of Everything'

Eddie Redmayne's performance in the movie 'The Theory of Everything' was acclaimed by both critics and audiences. He portrayed the renowned physicist Stephen Hawking, who passed away in 2018. He captured both his physical evolution and his passion for science. His sensitive and authentic portrayal earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2015.

Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher in 'The Iron Lady'

Streep used some prosthetics to age her face and neck to portray the infamous British prime minister, but the base was already there. Her performance earned her a third Oscar, 29 years after winning her second.

Taron Egerton as Elton John in 'Rocketman'

Taron Egerton won several awards for his portrayal of Elton John in the biographical film "Rocketman." He received the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical for his role and was also nominated for a BAFTA in the Best Actor category. His performance received praise from both critics and audiences.

Nicole Kidman as Virginia Woolf in 'The Hours'

Kidman underwent a slight change for the film 'The Hours,' in which she wore a fake nose to play English writer Virginia Woolf. The rest of her features seem pretty perfect though.

Anthony Hopkins as Pablo Picasso in 'Surviving Picasso'

Hopkins took his role as Pablo Picasso very seriously. The Academy Award-winning actor shaved his head and wore brown contact lenses to deliver a convincing depiction of the painter. He honestly didn't need much else.

Jamal Woolard as The Notorious B.I.G in 'Notorious'

Woolard portrayed Christopher Wallace, aka The Notorious B.I.G, in 'Notorious' (2009) and in the Tupac Shakur biopic 'All Eyez On Me' (2017). Just like his character, Woolard is also a rapper.

John Goodman as Babe Ruth in 'The Babe'

The movie is about the life of American baseball player, Babe Ruth. To play the part of Ruth, John Goodman just had to lose some weight.

Taylor Kitsch as David Koresh in 'Waco'

Kitsch wasn't too thrilled about portraying the cult leader. "I almost pulled out a month and a half [before the filming began]," he told Rolling Stone. However, you have to admit, they look pretty similar.

Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe in 'My Week With Marilyn'

Playing a Hollywood icon is a difficult task, but not for Michelle Williams, who really got into character for her role as Marilyn Monroe in 'My Week With Marilyn' (2011). Williams expertly captured the vulnerability and the charisma of the star, and already had her cherubic face. 

Denzel Washington as Malcolm X in 'Malcolm X'

Denzel Washington has played many memorable characters during his career, one of them being Malcolm X in Spike Lee's 1992 movie about the civil rights activist. The actor received his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor, but lost to Al Pacino.

Gary Oldman and Chloe Webb as Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen in 'Sid and Nancy'

Gary Oldman and Chloe Webb portrayed Sid Vicious, bassist of the Sex Pistols, and his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen, in the British biopic 'Sid and Nancy' (1986).

Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash in 'Walk The Line'

The lead actors—Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon—had been chosen by Johnny Cash and June Carter themselves. Unfortunately, they didn't get to see the end result. June Carter died on May 15, 2003, and Cash died a few months later On September 12 following complications from diabetes.

Robert Downey Jr. as Charlie Chaplin in 'Chaplin'

Robert Downey Jr. played the legendary Charlie Chaplin in the 1992 movie 'Chaplin.' Downey Jr. spent a year studying Chaplin's movies and iconic movements to prepare for his role.

Gary Oldman as Ludwig van Beethoven in 'Immortal Beloved'

Gary Oldman suited up as the musical genius that was Ludwig van Beethoven. His intense performance has been widely acclaimed.

Ben Kingsley as Mahatma Gandhi in 'Gandhi'

Kingsley portrayed Mahatma Gandhi in the movie 'Gandhi' (1982), and describes it as one of the most difficult roles of his life. However, it did earn him an Oscar for Best Actor.

Walter Matthau as Albert Einstein in 'I.Q.'

The late actor really made us believe that he might be the reincarnation of the German physicist.

Demetrius Shipp as Tupac Shakur in 'All Eyez On Me'

Demetrius Shipp made his debut in Tupac Shakur's biopic 'All Eyez On Me' (2017), thanks to his uncanny resemblance to Shakur.

Philip Seymour Hoffman as Truman Capote in 'Capote'

The late actor transformed himself into Truman Capote in the biopic 'Capote' (2005). Even though he hesitated to take the role at first, reading the script convinced him. "When I started studying him and then became semi-obsessed with him I saw the parallels," he said. 

Renée Zellweger as Judy Garland in 'Judy'

Bridget Jones is nowhere in sight in the biopic 'Judy' (2019), in which Zellweger takes on the role of the legendary Judy Garland. She doesn’t just look the part either, as she lent her real voice to the production.

Christian Serratos as Selena Quintanilla in 'Selena'

Known for her work on 'The Walking Dead,' Christian Serratos plays the late Selena Quintanilla in 'Selena,' a scripted Netflix show about the Mexican-American pop star. The singer was also famously brought to the screen in a 1997 biopic starring Jennifer Lopez.

Clive Owen as Bill Clinton in 'Impeachment: American Crime Story'

The British actor plays former US President Bill Clinton in the FX limited series 'Impeachment: American Crime Story.'

Teyana Taylor as Dionne Warwick

Singer and actress Teyana Taylor confirmed on April 3, 2023, that she's landed the perfect role. Taylor has been cast to play music legend Dionne Warwick in an upcoming biopic, which is as of yet untitled.

Evan Rachel Wood as Madonna in 'Weird: The Al Yankovic Story'

This biopic about the eccentric comedian Weird Al Yankovic stars Daniel Radcliffe as Weird Al himself. This might take some imagination, but Evan Rachel Wood in the role of Madonna is a perfect match. Madonna features in the movie due to Yankovic's famous parody of her song 'Like a Virgin.' The Queen of Pop gave him permission to play with her song, which he turned into 'Like a Surgeon.' 

Nicole Kidman as Lucille Ball in 'Being the Ricardos'

Nicole Kidman took on one of her most challenging roles to date when she played Lucille Ball in the 2021 movie 'Being the Ricardos.' She starred as the legendary female comedian opposite Javier Bardem, who played Ball's husband and co-star, Desi Arnaz. In addition to being a dead ringer for Ball, Kidman did an exceptional job at mimicking her unique gestures and speech. 

Lily James as Pamela Anderson in 'Pam & Tommy'

Lily James and Sebastian Stan might not seem like the obvious choices to star as Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee in the Hulu series 'Pam & Tommy,' but they both fit the parts surprisingly well. 

Kingsley Ben-Adir as Barack Obama in 'A Higher Loyalty'

British actor Kingsley Ben-Adir ('The OA') played former US President Barack Obama in a CBS Studios miniseries adaptation of James Comey's bestseller 'Higher Loyalty.'