Oscar Roles: Actors Nominated for Playing Real-Life Actors

Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe, ‘Blonde’ (2022)

Andrew Dominik’s Blonde presents a highly fictionalized take on Marilyn Monroe’s life, chronicling her rise to stardom, turbulent relationships and eventual demise.

The was criticized for its lack of historical accuracy and Dominik’s subsequent comments about Monroe.

However, de Armas’ committed and raw performance earned rave reviews. Even the film’s harshest detractors praised her work in the film, allowing her to earn her Oscar nomination. Still, de Armas is playing Monroe in name only because the character has little to do with the real-life woman.

When the casting of Nicole Kidman as Lucile Ball was announced, fans reacted with skepticism. Alas, the result was better than expected, mainly due Kidman’s commitment (even if she was miscast).

The film wasn’t as universally praised, with many criticizing its failure to accurately capture its larger-than-life subjects.

And yet, Kidman shines as Ball. The actor delivers a hoot of a performance, mastering Aaron Sorkin‘s notoriously challenging dialog while still capturing Ball’s essence. And while Kidman can’t quite match Ball’s comedic genius, she delivers a comprehensive take on the legendary actor, earning a well-deserved Oscar nomination.

David Fincher’s Mank follows screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz as he writes the screenplay for Citizen Kane while dealing with a rapidly-changing Hollywood, pressures from Orson Welles, and personal probems.

Amanda Seyfried shines as the iconic Marion Davies, a close friend of Mankiewicz and William Randolph Hearst’s long-time partner.

Mank is far from Fincher’s best effort, but it’s still a solid entry into the Hollywood biopic genre. Seyfried is luminous as Davies, delivering a fresh and effortless performance and stealing every scene she’s in. The film lags throughout most parts, but Seyfried rescues it from despair in each appearance. The actor earned acclaim from critics, culminating in her first-ever Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Renée Zellweger as Judy Garland, ‘Judy’ (2019)–Winner

Renée Zellweger was one of the biggest stars of the 2000w who disappeared in the 2010s. She earned acclaim and three consecutive Oscar nominations for her work in the first half of the noughties, culminating in a victory for her mediocre supporting work in Cold Mountain.

After a years-long hiatus, Zellweger returned in 2019, playing Hollywood and LGBTQ+ icon Judy Garland in the biopic Judy. The film earned mainly positive reviews, with most agreeing that Zellweger’s performance elevated an otherwise by-the-numbers plot. The actor received universal acclaim for her portrayal of Garland, sweeping the 2020 awards season and winning her second Oscar 16 years after her first win.

After the ending of his groundbreaking series Breaking Bad, Bryan Cranston starred in the 2015 biographical film Trumbo.  The plot centers on the eponymous character and his time being blacklisted in Hollywood because of his political beliefs.

Trumbo received positive reviews from critics, with most praise going to Cranston’s lead performance. The accomplished actor gives a tremendous and layered performance as the embattled Trumbo, blending charisma with the necessary gravitas to tell the writer’s unique story. Cranston earned nominations at every major guild, including his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor.

Ana de Armas isn’t the only actor who earned an Oscar nomination for playing Marilyn Monroe. In 2012, Michelle Williams earned her third Oscar nod for her take on Marilyn in the 2011 biopic My Week with Marilyn.

Unlike Blonde, My Week with Marilyn is a loving and overly-sanitized look at Marilyn during the shooting of The Prince and the Showgirl.

Williams’ portrayal of Marilyn was universally-acclaimed. Indeed, the actor looks and sounds like Marilyn, delivering a vulnerable performance that stands as the film’s highlight. Williams won a Golden Globe for her work and received nominations for many major accolades, including the Oscar.

Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn – ‘The Aviator’ (2004)

Martin Scorsese‘s 2004 biopic The Aviator stars Leonardo DiCaprio as eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes. The film chronicles his venture into motion pictures and explores his relationship with larger-than-life acting legend Katharine Hepburn, played by Blanchett.

Playing Hepburn is no easy task, and Blanchett wisely chooses to evoke rather than imitate. The actor nails Hepburn’s distinctive voice and manner of speech and captures her over-the-top persona to the tee. Her efforts were rewarded with the 2005 Oscar for Best Supporting Actress; to this day, Blanchett is the only performer to have won an Oscar for playing another Oscar winner.

Willem Dafoe as Max Schreck, ‘Shadow Of The Vampire’ (2000)

John Malkovich and Willem Dafoe star in the period comedy-horror film Shadow of the Vampire. A fictionalized take on the making of the horror classic Nosferatu, the film centers on director F. W. Murnau, who hires a real-life vampire to play the title role, thus adding more realism to his vision.

Shadow of the Vampire received praise for its unique premise and humorous yet chilling tone. Dafoe’s performance as the vampire Max Schrek attracted major praise, particularly for his faithful recreations of Nosferatu‘s most iconic scenes. Shadow of the Vampire was Dafoe’s first Oscar nomination in fourteen years; he would receive his third seventeen years later.

Charlie Chaplin is one of the most recognizable and celebrated actors in cinematic history; however, not many biopics have been made about him. The most notable is Richard Attenborough’s 1992 comedy-drama Chaplin, starring Robert Downey Jr. in the title role.

Although Chaplin received mixed reviews, Downey Jr.’s performance was greatly acclaimed. His portrayal of Chaplin was so uncanny that the real man’s daughter, Geraldine Chaplin, was said to have been “impressed and unnerved” by his work. Downey Jr. won the BAFTA Award and earned his first Oscar nomination for his performance.

Jessica Lange received two Oscar nominations in 1982: one for her supporting work in Tootsie and the other for her lead role in Frances. The latter sees her playing troubled actor Frances Farmer in a story about her turbulent 1930s career and her mental health.

Frances was criticized for exploiting Farmer’s sufferings, but Lange’s performance received widespread acclaim. The actor delivers a jarring, tour-de-force portrayal that would’ve won her the Oscar in any other year. However, she had the misfortune of competing against Meryl Streep in Sophie’s Choice. However, Lange didn’t go home empty-handed because she won the Best Supporting Oscar for Tootsie.