Historical figures always make for compelling drama. How they shaped history, as well as their colorful, sometimes flawed personalities fascinate audiences.
It’s not surprising actors love the challenge of playing these icons. Whether on the big or small screen, these thespians have taken these historical figures and made them real – someone viewers can relate to. That’s not an easy task considering that the audience is already familiar with many of history’s most famous players. Some of these celebrated real-life characters have been so impactful, in fact, that they’ve gotten the cinematic treatment more than once, enabling several actors to embody the same person – on several occasions winning Oscars for their performances.
To determine a list of some of the actors who have played the same historical figure, 24/7 Tempo drew on information from IMDb, an online movie and TV database owned by Amazon, as well as rankings from other sources including the New York Times, The Guardian, the BBC, Hollywood Reporter, and Variety. This does not purport to be a definitive list of actors who have played the same historical figure, but rather a list of some of those who have given audiences the most compelling performances. (While the majority of the performances appearing here were in theatrical films, a few TV movies and series are included.)
Countless actors have portrayed Abraham Lincoln over the years, beginning with Joseph Henabery in D.W. Griffith’s controversial 1915 silent film “The Birth of a Nation”, and including such luminaries as Gregory Peck, Jason Robards, and Kris Kristofferson, but the three listed here are among the best-known interpreters – with one, Daniel Day-Lewis, winning an Oscar for his performance.
Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman are among those who embodied civil rights Icon Malcolm X, while Paul Winfield and Jeffrey Wright translated the movement’s leader, Martin Luther King Jr., to the screen.
Helen Mirren had the distinct honor of playing both Queen Elizabeths – I and II. In fact, she earned an Academy Award for her portrayal of the recently deceased monarch. (These are the best movies about the Queen and British royalty.)
Click here to see more famous actors who played major historical figures
Against the backdrop of World War II, three actors – John Lithgow, Gary Oldman, and Albert Finney – were among the more than 30 who have played Winston Churchill. (Other big-name Churchill interpreters include Christian Slater, Richard Burton, Brian Cox, and Bob Hoskins.) Oldman won an Oscar for playing the British leader in the “Darkest Hour.” (Oldman is a sterling example of actors who cross the most genres.)
Coco Chanel played by Audrey Tautou
> Movie: “Coco Before Chanel” (2009)
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Coco Chanel played by Shirley MacLaine
> Movie: “Coco Chanel” (2008)
Coco Chanel played by Anna Mouglalis
> Movie: “Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky” (2009)
Thomas Edison played by Benedict Cumberbatch
> Movie: “The Current War” (2017)
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Thomas Edison played by Spencer Tracy
> Movie: “Edison, the Man” (1940)
Thomas Edison played by Mickey Rooney
> Movie: “Young Thomas Edison” (1940)
Theodore Roosevelt played by Brian Keith
> Movie: “The Wind and the Lion” (1975)
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Theodore Roosevelt played by Tom Berenger
> Movie: “Rough Riders” (1997)
Theodore Roosevelt played by Robin Williams
> Movie: “Night at the Museum” (2006)
Adolf Hitler played by Bruno Ganz
> Movie: “Downfall” (2004)
Adolf Hitler played by Anthony Hopkins
> Movie: “The Bunker” (1981)
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Adolf Hitler played by Robert Carlyle
> Mini series: “Hitler: The Rise of Evil” (2003)
Queen Elizabeth I played by Cate Blanchett
> Movie: “Elizabeth” (1998)
Queen Elizabeth I played by Helen Mirren
> Movie: “Elizabeth I” (2005)
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Queen Elizabeth I played by Judi Dench
> Movie: “Shakespeare in Love” (1998)
Cleopatra played by Elizabeth Taylor
> Movie: “Cleopatra” (1963)
Cleopatra played by Vivian Leigh
> Movie: “Caesar and Cleopatra” (1945)
Cleopatra played by Sophia Loren
> Movie: “Due notti con Cleopatra” (1954)
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Joan of Arc played by Ingrid Bergman
> Movie: “Joan of Arc” (1948)
Joan of Arc played by LeeLee Sobieski
> Mini series: “Joan of Arc” (1999)
Joan of Arc played by Renée Jeanne Falconetti
> Movie: “The Passion of Joan of Arc” (1928)
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Winston Churchill played by John Lithgow
> TV series: “The Crown” (2019)
Winston Churchill played by Gary Oldman
> Movie: “Darkest Hour” (2017)
Winston Churchill played by Albert Finney
> Movie: “The Gathering Storm” (2002)
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George Washington played by Kelsey Grammar
> Movie: “Benedict Arnold: A Question of Honor” (2003)
George Washington played by Jeff Daniels
> Movie: “The Crossing” (2000)
George Washington played by Barry Bostwick
> Mini series: “George Washington” (1984)
Elvis Presley played by Kurt Russell
> Movie: “Elvis” (1979)
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Elvis Presley played by Austin Butler
> Movie: “Elvis” (2022)
Elvis Presley played by Michael Shannon
> Movie: “Elvis & Nixon” (2016)
Catherine the Great played by Marlene Dietrich
> Movie: “The Scarlet Empress” (1934)
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Catherine the Great played by Catherine Zeta-Jones
> Movie: “Catherine the Great” (1995)
Catherine the Great played by Helen Mirren
> TV series: “Catherine the Great” (2019)
John F. Kennedy played by Martin Sheen
> Mini series: “Kennedy” (1983)
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John F. Kennedy played by Rob Lowe
> Movie: “Killing Kennedy” (2013)
John F. Kennedy played by Bruce Greenwood
> Movie: “Thirteen Days” (2000)
Margaret Thatcher played by Meryl Streep
> Movie: “The Iron Lady” (2011)
Margaret Thatcher played by Gillian Anderson
> TV series: “The Crown” (2020)
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Margaret Thatcher played by Patricia Hodge
> Movie: “The Falklands Play” (2002)
Steve Jobs played by Michael Fassbender
> Movie: “Steve Jobs” (2015)
Steve Jobs played by Ashton Kutcher
> Movie: “Jobs” (2013)
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Steve Jobs played by Noah Wyle
> Movie: “Pirates of Silicon Valley” (1999)
Queen Elizabeth II played by Oliva Colman
> TV series: “The Crown” (2019-2020)
Queen Elizabeth II played by Imelda Staunton
> TV series: “The Crown” (2022)
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Queen Elizabeth II played by Helen Mirren
> Movie: “The Queen” (2006)
John Adams played by Paul Giamatti
> Mini series: “John Adams” (2008)
John Adams played by Hal Holbrook
> Mini series: “George Washington” (1984)
Martin Luther King Jr. played by Paul Winfield
> Mini series: “King” (1978)
Martin Luther King Jr. played by David Oyelowo
> Movie: “Selma” (2014)
Martin Luther King Jr. played by Jeffrey Wright
> Movie: “Boycott” (2001)
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Abraham Lincoln played by Raymond Massey
> Movie: “Abe Lincoln in Illinois” (1940)
Abraham Lincoln played by Daniel Day-Lewis
> Movie: “Lincoln” (2012)
Abraham Lincoln played by Henry Fonda
> Movie: “Young Mr. Lincoln” (1939)
Henry VIII played by Richard Burton
> Movie: “Anne of a Thousand Days” (1969)
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Henry VIII played by Charles Laughton
> Movie: “The Private Life of Henry VIII” (1933)
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Henry VIII played by Eric Bana
> Movie: “The Other Boleyn Girl” (2008)
Napoleon Bonaparte played by Rod Steiger
> Movie: “Waterloo” (1970)
Napoleon Bonaparte played by Christian Clavier
> Mini series: “Napoléon” (2002)
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Napoleon Bonaparte played by Charles Boyer
> Movie: “Conquest” (1983)
Muhammad Ali played by Will Smith
> Movie: “Ali” (2001)
Muhammad Ali played by Terrence Howard
> Movie: “King of the World” (2000)
> Movie: “One Night in Miami…” (2020)
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