Name the best portayal of a real person by an actor in a film

[Jara sang]

I thought Val Kilmer did a convincing job of Jim Morrison, but Johnny Depp's portayal of Hunter Thompson was out of this world.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Um I liked the movies Radio and Rudy

[joeybee12]

2. Daniel Day lewis' portrayal of Christie Brown

[bleedingheart]

28. That was my first Day film....from that day on...I loved him

A guy who can play a man with severe cerebral palsy, who can then play the sexy Hawkeye in Last of the Mohicans...and then the Edwardian Dork in A Room with a View....that is talent.

[joeybee12]

30. Yeah..and he was the best thing about The Age of Innocence...

...one of the best out there.

[bleedingheart]

32. he was the best thing about that movie..

[joeybee12]

44. I was going to say the only thing good!

Probably the only Martin Scorcese film I don't like!

[NewHampshireDem]

3. Jon Voight as Howard Cosell in 'Ali'

I thought he was outstanding ... I also liked the movie overall, so what do I know? :shrug:

[LynneSin]

20. I thought Will Smith did a great job as Ali

He was awesome!

[NewHampshireDem]

42. I did too, but we seem to be in the minority opinion

:shrug:

[xmas74]

4. George C. Scott in Patton

Incredible performance!

[Zuni]

59. seconded

except for the voice, he got George Patton down to a T

[youthere]

5. Sally Fields as Norma Rae

and Anthony Hopkins as CS Lewis in Shadowlands.

[KingOfLostSouls]

6. Denzel Washington as John Coltrane...

one can wish...

[imenja]

46. He was awesome as Malcom X too

[liberalitch]

68. This gets part of my vote....

I have heard that when he showed up on the set for the first day of filming.... Mrs. Shabazz fainted.

[Texasgal]

7. Jamie Foxx

In Ray.... In my opinion..amazing, simply amazing!

[belladonna]

8. Jamie Foxx in Ray

There were times when I had to remind myself that it was Jamie and not Ray Charles on the screen.

[smbolisnch]

17. Definitely agree....

He did an amazing job :)

[Seabiscuit]

66. Here's a fourth vote for Jamie Foxx in Ray. Simply amazing performance.

[punpirate]

9. While the production bothered me...

... I thought George C. Scott was a very convincing Patton. Equally, I thought Sam Waterston as Oppenheimer was very, very good. Vanessa Redgrave made an excellent Isadora Duncan.

[BrklynLiberal]

10. Ray Charles by Jamie Foxx

[MrSandman]

11. George C. Scott as George S. Patton

[imenja]

47. definitely a great one

Maybe the best.

[DODI]

12. I loved Bill Murray as Hunter.

[youthere]

13. Depp did a great Sir James Barry in Finding Neverland too.

[MrSlayer]

14. John Goodman as Babe Ruth in "The Babe"

You would have thought it was 1927 again.

[terrya]

15. Stephen Fry was very good as Oscar Wilde.

The physical resembalance was there, and Fry thoroughly embodied the wit and spirit of Wilde.

[joeybee12]

16. Because of the likeness, Fry said it was the role he was born to

play--shoulda nabbed an oscar nom for that.

[tjwmason]

50. He really did capture that person magnificently

That said, for much of the film I was distracted by Jude Law and so missed a fair deal...

[terrya]

71. Well, I don't blame you. Not to mention Ioan Gruffud.

Yes, Jude naked...flashing that nice looking bum...was a bit of a distraction.

And poor Stephen Fry...having to be naked in bed with both? :-)

[Ruffhowse]

18. Patty Duke as Helen Keller in "The Miracle Worker"

[hickman1937]

19. I thought James Cagny was great as George M Cohen. n/t

[bluetrain]

21. some that impressed me

Jennifer Jason Leigh as Dorothy Parker in Mrs. Parker & The Vicious Circle
Isabella Adjani as Camille Claudel in Camille Claudel
Robert Downey, Jr. as Charlie Chaplin in Chaplin
Ed Harris as Jackson Pollack in Pollack
Hilary Swank as Brandon Teena in Boys Don't Cry
Jessica Lange as Frances Farmer in Frances
Angelina Jolie as Gia Carangi in Gia

[BrklynLiberal]

52. forgot about Downey as Chaplin. That was superb.

[Seabiscuit]

Downey's best performance ever - no one else could have done it as well.

[BrklynLiberal]

84. I agree.

[chelsea0011]

22. Ben Kingsley as Ghandi

and Jane Fonda as Barbarella

[stopbush]

25. I agree on Kingsley.

[democracyindanger]

40. Me too. Didja know

that Kingsley's family came from the same village in India as Gandhi? True story.

[liberalitch]

70. Yup, The other half of my tie vote.....

[TroubleMan]

23. Gotta also vote for Jamie Foxx as Ray

nt

[Historic NY]

24. Gregory Peck as MacArthur & Sam Waterstone as Lincoln.

[stopbush]

26. Jack Nicholson as

Jack Nicholson in just about every movie he's made.

Flame away!

[kodi]

27. robert deniro- jake lamotta.

one of the paramount acting roles in film. only brando in on the waterfront, or a street car named desire are in that league.

[MissMillie]

57. agreed (n/t)

.

[CatWoman]

29. let's not forget Martin Landau's Bela Lugosi

[BurtWorm]

85. I'm voting with you!

:rofl:

Bela Lugosi: Karloff? Sidekick? FUCK YOU! Karloff did not deserve to smell my shit! That limey cocksucker can rot in Hell for all I care!

Edward D. Wood, Jr.: What happened?

Bela Lugosi: How dare that asshole bring up Karloff? You think it takes talent to do Frankenstein? It's all makeup and grunting.

<Mocks Frankenstein>

Edward D. Wood, Jr.: Bela, I agree with you 100%. Now, "Dracula," that's a role that requires talent.

Bela Lugosi: Of course. Dracula requires presence. It's all in the eyes, and the voice, and the hands...

Edward D. Wood, Jr.: <interrupting> That's right. That's right. You seem a little agitated. You wanna to go outside and get some air?

Bela Lugosi: Bullshit! I'm ready now! Roll the camera!

[Roland99]

31. Andy Kaufman by Jim Carey

[Catchawave]

38. Good one !

[underpants]

61. I forgot what Andy actually looked like half way through that film

Kilmer as Morrison had the same effect.

[MrScorpio]

33. Geoffrey Rush as Peter Sellars. Apparently, he struck a nerve

http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/ekland%20threatens%20legal%20action%20over%20sellars%20film

[Texasgal]

34. I completely forgot

Faye Dunnaway as Joan Crawford in "MOmmy's Dearest" !

Brilliant!

[u4ic]

35. Albert Finney as Winston Churchill

Brilliant!

[Floogeldy]

36. Eddie Murphy as Buckwheat

B-)

[Calliope]

37. Hang Noor as Dith Pranh inThe Killing Fields

Not sure of the spelling. I also agree with Stephen Fry as Oscar Wilde. One of the saddest movies I have ever seen. He was BRILLIANT!!!

[NewJeffCT]

43. I think it's Dr. Haing S. Ngor

Great movie... really left me drained when it was over.

[freethought]

39. How 'bout Gary Sinise as Harry Truman? n/t

[Lindsey]

41. Two

Jamie Fox - Ray
Ben Kingsley - Ghandi

[Seabiscuit]

73. Funny - that's the first one that popped in my head.

Sinise was very convincing.

[Sugar Smack]

45. Sid and Nancy!

OY!

[JimmyJazz]

74. Excellent choice! - Courtney Love would have made a good Nancy, too.

[khashka]

48. Jessica Lange as Frances Farmer

Well, I cried.

Khash.

[maddiejoan]

88. definately agree

That movie just will not let me go --it's in my system now.

[tjwmason]

49. Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins

And if any of you dare to suggest that Miss Poppins isn't a real person......

[freestyle]

51. Denzel Washington as Malcolm X

Although Jamie Foxx and Will Smith are right up there, and I can't let this go without at least mentioning Angela Basset and Laurence Fishburne as Tina and Ike Turner.

[DelawareValleyDem]

53. Jeff Daniels in Gettysburg

as Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. Sam Elliot as Buford and Martin Sheen as Lee were also excellent. The movie Nixon also had a number of good performances of real people by Tony Hopkins, Dave Paymer, Paul Sorvino, Jeff Woods, Mary Steenburgen and a few others.

[Magrittes Pipe]

54. Dreadful movie....

But Robert Downey, Jr. was a brilliant Chaplin.

[Shell Beau]

55. I think Jamie Foxx as Ray and Jim Carrey as Andy Kauffman (Man on

the Moon)

[Richardo]

56. Jason Robards as Ben Bradlee...

...in All the President's Men.

Dead spot on.

[yvr girl]

58. Sissy Spacek as Loeratta Lynn

[edbermac]

60. Jack Palance as Fidel Castro...

In the movie Che! And second runner up is Omar Sharif playing the title role...

[underpants]

62. * ~ *** Robert Downey Jr. as Chaplin ** ~ *****

It was an absolute shame he didn't win an Oscar for that. Kilmer as Morrison and Carey as Kaufman too.

[JimmyJazz]

63. I don't know about "best" - but Dan Hedaya rocked as Nixon in "Dick"

[newfaceinhell]

69. He sure is!

Not to mention Saul Rubinek as Kissinger and Harry Shearer as G. Gordon Liddy- that is some casting!

[JimmyJazz]

72. That is one seriously underrated movie! It's funny to watch

All the Presidents Men and then watch Dick!

:hi: - Welcome to DU, newfaceinhell! It's nice to have you here!

[newfaceinhell]

78. "You suck, Dick!"

:rofl:

Thanks for the welcome- it's good to be here! :hi:

[JimmyJazz]

79. Okay - now I know what I'm renting this weekend!

:hi:

[JimmyJazz]

83. Psst!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x3222587

[Seabiscuit]

Anothony Hopkins as Dick in "Nixon". :)

[Samurai_Writer]

64. Cuba Gooding Jr. as Carl Brashear

In Men of Honor. If you haven't seen it, it's a wonderful movie. Robert De Niro and Charlize Theron are great in it too.

On the DVD they have special features with interviews with the real Carl Brashear. That man did more for blacks in the military than anyone could have imagined.

[Lisa0825]

65. before I even opened this, I was going to say Val Kilmer!!!

I was absolutely entranced by him as Jim Morrison!!!

[supernova]

67. Johnny Depp as Georg Jung in "Blow"

Johnny's portrayal of George Jung is phenominal as well.




Here's the real George Jung:

[DS1]

80. How do you know what George Jung acted like in the first place?

It was a good performance, but true to what?

[Kerrytravelers]

75. Liam Neeson as Kinsey.

I love Liam!



Growwwwllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Seabiscuit]

76. Kevin Kline as Cole Porter in "De-Lovely"

[calico1]

77. Ben Kingsley as Ghandi.

I think "Patton" was one of George C. Scott's best movies but I think that rather than do a superb imitation of Patton he more like overtook the Patton personna or at least what most people think of when they think of Patton. For example, most people think Patton had a deep, gravely voice because George C. Scott did. In reality, Patton had a high pitched, nasely voice but how many people think of him that way? When most people think Patton they think George C. Scott. On the other hand, when most people think of Ghandi, they think of Ghandi, not Ben Kinsley, although Kinsley's performance of him was quite convincing.

[graywarrior]

81. Jonathan Rhys Meyers is doing a great job as Elvis

cept I can't wtch the final because it's on the same time as Lost.

[Love Bug]

82. Jeff Daniels as George Washington

Made me forget all about "Dumb and Dumber"!

[Ithuilwen]

86. Colonel Lawrence Chamberlain by Jeff Daniels. nt

[chickenscratching]

87. kickage

[luvLLB]

89. Will Smith as Ali