Beyoncé as Etta James – Cadillac Records
While it’s easy to criticize the casting of Beyoncé as Etta James in 2008’s Cadillac Records, it should also be acknowledged that there probably weren’t many other viable options. Granted, Beyoncé looks absolutely nothing like James, but it’s not like there’s a long list of actresses with both the vocal talent and acting ability to convincingly pull off the role.
Michael Fassbender as Steve Jobs – Steve Jobs
Unfortunately for Michael Fassbender, all the faded jeans, black turtlenecks and rimless glasses in the world couldn’t make him look like Steve Jobs. Before Fassbender landed the role, the part was almost offered to Christian Bale, with many critics agreeing that he would have been a much better choice.
Milla Jovovich as Joan of Arc – The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc
Medieval art wasn’t exactly photorealistic, but the images that exist of Joan of Arc look absolutely nothing like Milla Jovovich. For one thing, portraits of Joan depict her with dark hair, which should have been an easy fix for movie’s hair and makeup department. Instead, Jovovich appears in The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc with platinum blonde locks that look completely out of place.
Tom Hanks as Mister Rogers – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Tom Hanks might have nailed Mister Rogers’ gently paternal manner in 2019’s A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, but there’s no escaping the fact that he looks nothing like the man he’s meant to be portraying. Even Hanks’ immense acting talents weren’t enough to prevent the glaring visual difference from being distracting, although the film was still critically acclaimed.
Tom Cruise as Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg – Valkyrie
Apart from a select few history buffs, before 2008’s Valkyrie no one even knew who Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg was, let alone what he looked like. This probably made producers feel like they had the leeway to prioritize star power over accuracy, with the role going to Tom Cruise, who looks absolutely nothing like Stauffenberg.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson as John Lennon – Nowhere Boy
While not many people could pick Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg out of a lineup, everyone knows what John Lennon looks like, and there was widespread disappointment when Aaron Taylor-Johnson was cast as the legendary musician. It didn’t help that zero effort was made to make Taylor-Johnson look the part, with the hair and makeup department not even bothering to recreate Lennon’s signature hairstyle.
Emilio Estevez as Billy the Kid – Young Guns, Young Guns II
The single existing photo of Billy the Kid isn’t exactly clear, but it’s still enough to tell that Emilio Estevez looks nothing like the infamous outlaw. The real-life Billy looked like the tough, ruthless gunslinger that he was, while Estevez looks like he’s about to film a moisturizer commercial.
Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum – The Greatest Showman
Hardly anyone knew who P.T. Barnum was before watching The Greatest Showman, which meant that Hugh Jackman’s complete lack of resemblance to the circus master wasn’t too distracting. That said, while Jackman’s vocal talents made him a great choice for the part, there are plenty of other actors who look much more like Barnum.
Benjamin Walker as Abraham Lincoln – Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Historical accuracy was never going to be high on the list of priorities when it came to making 2012’s Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, but the producers could at least have picked an actor bearing a passing resemblance to the great American President. Someone, for example, like Daniel Day-Lewis, who turned in a much more convincing performance as the legendary president later the same year.
Joel Edgerton as Ramses II – Exodus: Gods and Kings
Ridley Scott’s biblical epic Exodus: Gods and Kings is considered one of the worst examples of Hollywood whitewashing. While the existence of some of the movie’s characters – like Moses, for example – is debated by historians, the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II was definitely a real historical figure, and he would have looked nothing like Joel Edgerton.
Michael Shannon as Elvis Presley – Elvis and Nixon
Michael Shannon has one of the most distinctive faces in Hollywood, which is why the decision to cast him as Elvis Presley in 2016’s Elvis and Nixon was baffling, to say the least. Fortunately, fans of The King of Rock and Roll would only have to wait a few years for a much more convincing portrayal, with Austin Butler going to extreme lengths to become the singer in 2022’s Elvis.
Will Smith as Muhammad Ali – Ali
As part of his preparation to play Muhammad Ali, Will Smith diligently stuck to the legendary boxer’s gruelling training regimen. As a result, Smith’s physique undeniably looked the part. Unfortunately, no amount of training could have changed the fact that Smith just doesn’t resemble Ali facially.
Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra – Cleopatra
The Egyptian Queen Cleopatra was supposedly the most beautiful woman in history, so the choice to cast Hollywood sex-symbol Elizabeth Taylor in 1963’s Cleopatra would have made sense to producers. While the actress’s looks might have qualified her for the role, however, her skin tone should have excluded her.
Ray Liotta as Joe Jackson – Field of Dreams
When Ray Lotta was cast as Joe Jackson – the baseball star who attained infamy after he was banned from the sport for throwing the World Series – in 1989’s Field of Dreams, it didn’t take long for people to point out the lack of resemblance. Jackson also batted with his left hand, and Liotta hits with his right in the movie.
Julia Roberts as Erin Brockovich – Erin Brockovich
Julia Roberts performance as the American paralegal Erin Brockovich was met with critical acclaim, with the actress winning an Oscar for the role. When you look at pictures of Roberts and Brockovich side by side, however, it’s hard to see much of a resemblance, although this wasn’t too much of a problem since most moviegoers didn’t know who Brockovich was to begin with.
Cuba Gooding Jr. as O.J. Simpson – The People vs. O.J. Simpson
While John Travolta was widely seen as a great choice to play Robert Shapiro in The People Vs. O.J. Simpson, not all of the show’s casting decisions were met with praise. In particular, Cuba Gooding Jr. was called out for looking nothing like Simpson, although most critics gave him high marks for his overall performance.
Cate Blanchett as Bob Dylan – I’m Not There
2007’s I’m Not There was experimental enough that it could get away with casting Cate Blanchett as Bob Dylan and still win widespread praise. That said, there’s no getting around the fact that Blanchett really doesn’t look like the musician (even if you overlook the minor difference of them being different genders).
Leonardo DiCaprio as J. Edgar Hoover – J. Edgar
J. Edgar Hoover wasn’t a handsome man by any stretch of the imagination, so casting Leonardo DiCaprio – an actor famous for being easy on the eye – as the founder of the FBI was a baffling move. DiCaprio wore extensive makeup and prosthetics to make him appear older, but the results were more unnerving than convincing.
Tom Hulce as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Amadeus
While no photos of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart exist, assuming his portraits were accurate it can be safely said that Tom Hulce was a rather baffling casting choice. Although the resemblance certainly is lacking, Hulce arguably made up for it by turning in a critically acclaimed performance.
Taraji P. Henson as Katherine G. Johnson – Hidden Figures
The story of NASA’s pioneering female scientists and engineers, 2016’s Hidden Figures didn’t take historical accuracy too seriously, with a bunch of characters completely made up for the movie. Katherine G. Johnson did exist, but she looked nothing like Taraji P. Henson, who was chosen to portray her in the film.
John Wayne as Genghis Khan – The Conqueror
While Genghis Khan lived hundreds of years before the invention of the camera, it’s completely safe to say the Mongolian warlord would have looked nothing like John Wayne. In addition to its blatant whitewashing, 1956’s The Conqueror also led to the deaths of many of its cast and crew – including Wayne himself – as a result of being filmed in a still-radioactive nuclear test site.
Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing – The Imitation Game
Considered the father of modern computing, Alan Turing was instrumental to the defeat of the Nazis in The Second World War. He also looked nothing like Benedict Cumberbatch, who was chosen to portray him in 2014’s The Imitation Game. Still, Cumberbatch’s performance was so good that the lack of resemblance is only likely to bother history professors.
Mel Gibson as William Wallace – Braveheart
Due to the obvious lack of photos, it’s hard to tell quite how different Mel Gibson looks to the real William Wallace. However, judging by a poem that describes Wallace as seven-foot-tall, it’s safe to say the difference is quite striking. The movie even riffs on this, with a Scottish soldier pointing out that Wallace’s physical appearance doesn’t match his description.
Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe – My Week with Marilyn
While Michelle Williams did a great job of capturing Marilyn Monroe’s mannerisms in 2011’s My Week With Marilyn, the complete lack of resemblance posed a problem for suspension of disbelief. Exacerbating the problem is the fact that Monroe’s face is one of the most famous in history, and virtually everybody knows exactly what she looks like.
Nicolas Cage as Charlie Kaufman – Adaptation
When Charlie Kaufman wrote 2002’s Adaptation – which chronicles his own struggles with writer’s block – he wasn’t overly concerned with historical accuracy, writing in a twin brother he doesn’t have in real life. He also clearly wasn’t concerned about being portrayed by an actor who looks like him. While Nicolas Cage’s performance in the movie is praiseworthy, the actor just doesn’t look like Kaufman.
Angelina Jolie as Christine Collins – Changeling
2008’s Changeling conclusively proves that dowdy cardigans and a bad haircut simply aren’t enough to conceal the fact that Angelina Jolie is a Hollywood bombshell. Fortunately, Jolie’s powerful, agonized performance meant that the movie turned out great anyway, but there’s no denying that the actress bears no resemblance to the real-life Christine Collins.
Colin Farrell as Alexander the Great – Alexander
Arguably the most revered military general of all time, Alexander the Great was famed for his innovative battlefield tactics. As a native Greek, Alexander would have had olive-colored skin and dark hair, nothing like the decidedly fair-skinned Colin Farrell who portrayed him (in a blond wig!) in 2004’s historical epic Alexander.
Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort – The Wolf of Wall Street
Leonardo DiCaprio’s portrayal of former-stockbroker and convict Jordan Belfort is considered one the greatest performances of his career. However, while DiCaprio did a phenomenal job of capturing Belfort’s smarminess and manipulative charisma, in reality the two men barely resemble each other, with noticeable differences in hairstyle and facial features.
Gary Cooper as Lou Gehrig – The Pride of the Yankees
Lou Gehrig was one of the most famous sports stars of the 20th century, both due to his talent on the field and his tragic demise from ALS. While Gary Cooper did a good job of mastering Gehrig’s mannerisms in 1942’s The Pride of the Yankees, there was no getting around the fact that he simply looked nothing like him.
Johnny Depp as Sir James Matthew Barrie – Finding Neverland
2004’s Finding Neverland was never supposed to be an exercise in historical accuracy, so the fact that Johnny Depp looks nothing like the playwright Sir James Matthew Barrie can be forgiven. Ultimately, Depp was clearly the best actor for the role, and it’s unlikely that the disparity bothered anyone.
Denzel Washington as Frank Lucas – American Gangster
Ridley Scott’s 2007 crime epic American Gangster saw Denzel Washington cast as infamous New York mobster Frank Lucas. While Washington certainly brought the necessary menace to the role, he definitely looked a bit too fresh-faced, with the real-life Lucas displaying a notably more grizzled visage.
Robin Williams as Hunter ‘Patch’ Adams – Patch Adams
It’s hard to imagine another actor who could have captured the spirit of eccentric physician Patch Adams quite like Robin Williams. That being said, there wasn’t much in the way of physical resemblance between the two men. One of the main problems was the fact that Williams was missing Adams’ signature mustache, although this was a deliberate move to avoid hiding Robin’s face.
Jon Voight as Howard Cosell – Ali
Jon Voight is known for playing historical figures, having previously portrayed both George Washington and Pope John Paul II. While the actor certainly looked the part in those roles, the same cannot be said for his turn in 2001’s Ali. Voight portrayed legendary sportscaster Howard Cosell, but the prosthetics and makeup used to get him into character were unconvincing at best, creepy at worst.
Martin Sheen as John F. Kennedy – Kennedy
The casting of Danish actor Caspar Phillipson as JFK in 2016’s Jackie was widely hailed as a brilliant choice, further highlighting quite how bad of a pick Martin Sheen was in the 1993 series Kennedy. Even though Sheen captured the ill-fated president’s accents and mannerisms to perfection, it simply wasn’t enough to sell the performance.
Margot Robbie as Elizabeth I – Mary Queen of Scots
While Margot Robbie looked convincing as disgraced figure skater Tonya Harding in 2017’s I, Tonya, the same cannot be said for her portrayal of Elizabeth I in Mary Queen of Scots. While the hair and makeup department made admirable efforts to transform Robbie into the iconic monarch, nothing could be done about the radical differences in facial features.
Robert Redford as Harry Longabaugh – Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
With his fair hair and chiselled facial features, Robert Redford bears little resemblance to Harry Longabaugh, more commonly known as the Sundance Kid. Still, Redford’s turn as the legendary outlaw is considered one of the most iconic performances in any Western, and most fans are willing to overlook the lack of historical accuracy.
Nick Nolte as Thomas Jefferson – Jefferson in Paris
While Thomas Jefferson was long-dead by the time photography was invented, there are plenty of portraits of the American President and Founding Father. None of them look even slightly like Nick Nolte. The lack of resemblance might have been overlooked if the movie was actually good, but, alas, it wasn’t.
Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani – House of Gucci
While 2021’s House of Gucci was met with middling reviews, Lady Gaga’s portrayal of Patrizia Reggiani was generally praised. Not everyone was a fan, though, with Reggiani herself reportedly upset with the fact that Gaga looks absolutely nothing like her. Looking at side-by-side photos, you can’t help but concede that she’s got a point.
Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury – Bohemian Rhapsody
According to reports, Sasha Baron Cohen was the first actor in the running to play Freddie Mercury in 2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody. While Rami Malek was certainly a better choice, many still complained that the actor didn’t exactly bear a striking resemblance to the Queen frontman, although the prosthetic teeth certainly helped.
Madonna as Eva Perón – Evita
Released in 1996, Evita stars Madonna as Eva Perón, the actress and activist who ended up becoming the First Lady of Argentina. While Madonna’s casting makes a lot of sense in light of the fact that Evita is a musical, it still has to be noted that the pop star looks nothing like the real-life Perón, with her pale complexion proving particularly problematic.
