# Actor/Actress is LESS good looking than the real thing **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 7, 2014, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-actress-is-less-good-looking-than-the-real-thing/695019 "2014-08-07T09:57:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-actress-is-less-good-looking-than-the-real-thing/695019/1 "2014-08-07T09:57:09Z")
Its usually this way that a real life individual is played by some heartthrob or sex kitten, much more attractive than the original. I know its subjective, Cases where this is reversed. Some of the actors in Tom Hanks space projects, the real astronauts seem better looking and in better shape than the actors (Lovell, Frank Borman, David Scott especially). I thought the cast of the Social Network was on average less good looking than their real life couterparts. ---
**Author:** ![blue\_infinity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_infinity/32/2817_2.png) [@blue\_infinity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blue_infinity)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-actress-is-less-good-looking-than-the-real-thing/695019/2 "2014-08-07T10:22:25Z")
Grace Kelly \> Nicole Kidman. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-actress-is-less-good-looking-than-the-real-thing/695019/3 "2014-08-07T10:29:07Z")
Not “better looking,” necessarily, but I can think of two examples where the real-life character had an objectively hotter _body_ than the actress who later played her: that pinup girl who got murdered/Mariel Hemingway (who played her in _Star 80_); and, Marilyn Monroe/Michelle Williams. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-actress-is-less-good-looking-than-the-real-thing/695019/4 "2014-08-07T11:27:27Z")
Such questions will always be a matter of personal taste, but the real [Erin Brockovich](http://www.aceshowbiz.com/images/wennpic/wenn5237463.jpg) could give Julia Roberts a run for her money. ---
**Author:** ![infinitii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e8c25b/32.png) [@infinitii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infinitii)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-actress-is-less-good-looking-than-the-real-thing/695019/5 "2014-08-07T14:16:10Z")
Back when the movie “Factory Girl” came out, I remember thinking that even though I think Sienna Miller is very attractive, Edie Sedgwick was just stunning in her prime. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-actress-is-less-good-looking-than-the-real-thing/695019/6 "2014-08-07T14:44:48Z")
In the book _Pride and Prejudice_, oldest sister Jane was remarked as being the most beautiful of the Bennet sisters, one of the most beautiful girls in the county. Susannah Harker, who played her in the BBC miniseries didn’t meet that, IMHO.[In this picture](http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1499445760/nm0363117?ref_=nmmi_mi_all_sf_1), she’s the one wearing the cross in the back. StG ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-actress-is-less-good-looking-than-the-real-thing/695019/7 "2014-08-07T15:02:53Z")
[Naomi Watts](http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2997933568/nm0915208?ref_=nmmi_mi_all_evt_25) played CIA agent [Valerie Plame](http://ww1.prweb.com/prfiles/2012/04/24/9440131/Valerie-Plame-Wilson-photo.jpg) in _Fair Game_. I don’t know if Valerie Plame is _more_ attractive, but she is really, really good looking. Too close to call. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-actress-is-less-good-looking-than-the-real-thing/695019/8 "2014-08-07T15:11:01Z")
Muhammad Ali better looking than Will Smith ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-actress-is-less-good-looking-than-the-real-thing/695019/9 "2014-08-07T15:25:09Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > That pinup girl who got murdered/Mariel Hemingway (who played her in _Star 80_). Dorothy Stratten. She was a thousand times hotter than Mariel Hemingway, who has never done much for me (though I did once have a Russian girlfriend who looked remarkably like her): [http://iv1.lisimg.com/image/2478576/600full-dorothy-stratten.jpg](http://iv1.lisimg.com/image/2478576/600full-dorothy-stratten.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-actress-is-less-good-looking-than-the-real-thing/695019/10 "2014-08-07T16:42:30Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Dorothy Stratten. She was a thousand times hotter than Mariel Hemingway, who has never done much for me (though I did once have a Russian girlfriend who looked remarkably like her): > > [http://iv1.lisimg.com/image/2478576/600full-dorothy-stratten.jpg](http://iv1.lisimg.com/image/2478576/600full-dorothy-stratten.jpg) So, the boob job didn’t help Mariel? Sad… ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-actress-is-less-good-looking-than-the-real-thing/695019/11 "2014-08-07T16:45:20Z")
British generals [Allenby,](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Allenby,_1st_Viscount_Allenby#/image/File:Allenby.jpg) as good looking or better than Jack Hawkins [Charles Gordon,](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_George_Gordon#/image/File:Charles_Gordon_Pasha.jpg) as good looking or better than Charleton Heston. [The Duke of Wellington,](http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_of_Wellington#/image/File:Sir_Arthur_Wellesley,_1st_Duke_of_Wellington.png) as good looking or better than Christopher Plummer. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-actress-is-less-good-looking-than-the-real-thing/695019/12 "2014-08-07T17:19:06Z")
In 1981, there was a TERRIBLE made-for-TV movie called _ **Miracle on Ice** _, all about the 1980 Men’s Olympic hockey team. Coach Herb Brooks was 42 years old and halfway decent looking when his team won the gold medal. But Brooks was played by… Karl Malden!!! Malden was 69 years old and, er, considerably less handsome than Brooks. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-actress-is-less-good-looking-than-the-real-thing/695019/13 "2014-08-07T17:20:32Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Such questions will always be a matter of personal taste, but the real [Erin Brockovich](http://www.aceshowbiz.com/images/wennpic/wenn5237463.jpg) could give Julia Roberts a run for her money. The real Erin Brockovich looks like she could be Meg Ryan’s sister. In fact, I’ve often wondered if they considered Ryan to play the role before Roberts. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-actress-is-less-good-looking-than-the-real-thing/695019/14 "2014-08-07T17:23:36Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > . . . Marilyn Monroe/Michelle Williams. \*Anyone \*portraying Marilyn. There’s no way to recapture the qualities of the original. I don’t know why people think all you need is some makeup and a wig, and maybe some padding in the obvious places. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-actress-is-less-good-looking-than-the-real-thing/695019/15 "2014-08-07T19:28:57Z")
I have nothing against Gretchen Mol, but she does not beat Bettie Page. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-actress-is-less-good-looking-than-the-real-thing/695019/16 "2014-08-07T23:06:51Z")
Fanny Brice wasn’t exactly gorgeous, but when she wasn’t making funny faces, she was closer to it than Barbra Streisand. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-actress-is-less-good-looking-than-the-real-thing/695019/17 "2014-08-07T23:26:18Z")
Kate Blanchett is no slouch, but she’s no young Katharine Hepburn either. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-actress-is-less-good-looking-than-the-real-thing/695019/18 "2014-08-07T23:27:42Z")
Jennifer Love Hewitt and Emmy Rossum are certainly both good looking women but they’re not at Audrey Hepburn’s level. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-actress-is-less-good-looking-than-the-real-thing/695019/19 "2014-08-07T23:42:59Z")
Seems like lots of these are Hollywood biopics where someone is portraying a famously hot movie star. That’s kind of cheating. It should be something like the poor bastard playing Richard Nixon is much less hot than the real Richard Nixon. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-actress-is-less-good-looking-than-the-real-thing/695019/20 "2014-08-07T23:44:59Z")
Marcia Gay Harden, Deborah Kara Unger and Kate Beckinsdale have all played Ava Gardner. MGH, to her credit, didn’t rely on the makeup department, but used her talents as a better actor but lesser beauty to portray a lesser actress but greater beauty. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actor-actress-is-less-good-looking-than-the-real-thing/695019.md?page=2)