# Shakespeare Look-alike? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 9, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-look-alike/488840 "2009-03-09T16:30:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-look-alike/488840/1 "2009-03-09T16:30:51Z")
Yahoo! has a story of a newly found portrait [here.](http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/William-Shakespeare/photo//090309/481/51741ffe8582497e9994f49d3afed7a7//s:/ap/20090309/ap_en_ot/eu_britain_shakespeare_portrait) Assuming the situation will crop up again, now that we have > [@](#): > > The portrait, believed to be almost the only authentic image of the writer made from life, who is most likely to get cast by looks alone (independent of any acting chops) for the role? Post a link to the picture of your choice, please. ---
**Author:** ![Oswald\_Bastable](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oswald_bastable/32/214_2.png) [@Oswald\_Bastable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oswald_Bastable)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-look-alike/488840/2 "2009-03-09T16:59:12Z")
While I don’t have any casting suggestions, from what I’ve read it seems that the attribution of this portrait as being Shakespeare is all based on circumstantial evidence - that it’s from the right period, that it once belonged to Henry Wriothesley and that it looks a bit like the Droeshout print (which I don’t see myself, but I’m not an art expert) . Yes, it’s quite possible it is Shakespeare, but then it’s also possible it could be someone else entirely. OB ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-look-alike/488840/3 "2009-03-09T17:22:08Z")
The nose is my only real reason for thinking of [Alan Rickman](http://www.dreuzels.com/films/acteurs/alanrickman/alanrickman1.jpg) and this shot is about as close as I have found to Billy’s pic. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-look-alike/488840/4 "2009-03-09T17:25:28Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > The nose is my only real reason for thinking of [Alan Rickman](http://www.dreuzels.com/films/acteurs/alanrickman/alanrickman1.jpg) and this shot is about as close as I have found to Billy’s pic. Works for me. Except that he’s 11 years older than Shakespeare was when he died. Otherwise, I like it. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-look-alike/488840/5 "2009-03-09T17:26:34Z")
The Bard looks a bit like Jason “My Name Is Earl” Lee. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Just1Lurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c0e974/32.png) [@Just1Lurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just1Lurk)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-look-alike/488840/6 "2009-03-09T17:49:39Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > The Bard looks a bit like Jason “My Name Is Earl” Lee. 🙂 If only the portrait had been painted with his eyes closed, then we’d know for sure! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-look-alike/488840/7 "2009-03-09T18:35:18Z")
Dare I say it . . . [Keanu Reeves](http://tonicgossip.com/wp-content/keanu-reeves.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-look-alike/488840/8 "2009-03-09T19:14:04Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Dare I say it . . . > > [Keanu Reeves](http://tonicgossip.com/wp-content/keanu-reeves.jpg) I swear to God, Forbidden Hollywood has Keanu singing: “Hey, I studied Shakespeare, and he said he liked me.” _shudder_ :eek: I would love to see Hugh Laurie do the role. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-look-alike/488840/9 "2009-03-09T19:49:09Z")
I see [Alan](http://www.watchingbones.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/alan-cummings.jpg) [Cumming](http://www.troikatalent.com/images/large_images/Cumming_Alan.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-look-alike/488840/10 "2009-03-09T19:50:18Z")
> [@singular1](#): > > I see [Alan](http://www.watchingbones.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/alan-cummings.jpg) [Cumming](http://www.troikatalent.com/images/large_images/Cumming_Alan.jpg). Oohhhhh, that’s a good one! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-look-alike/488840/11 "2009-03-09T19:55:29Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > The nose is my only real reason for thinking of [Alan Rickman](http://www.dreuzels.com/films/acteurs/alanrickman/alanrickman1.jpg) and this shot is about as close as I have found to Billy’s pic. He was my first thought, even before scrolling down to see your post. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-look-alike/488840/12 "2009-03-09T19:57:39Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Oohhhhh, that’s a good one! Agreed. Best so far. I withdraw Rickman. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-look-alike/488840/13 "2009-03-09T19:59:01Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > He was my first thought, even before scrolling down to see your post. Thanks for that, but don’t you think Cumming is closer? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-look-alike/488840/14 "2009-03-09T20:26:01Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Thanks for that, but don’t you think Cumming is closer? I think Cumming’s nose is closer, but Rickman has a better cheek/jowl match match. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-look-alike/488840/15 "2009-03-09T20:39:25Z")
I always thought that the traditional image of Shakespeare (goatee, bald forehead with long hair in the back) kind of looked like a Klingon, except without the bumps on his head. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-look-alike/488840/16 "2009-03-09T21:03:23Z")
[You may be right.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TheKlingonHamlet.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-look-alike/488840/17 "2009-03-09T23:15:03Z")
Tim Roth ---
**Author:** ![Blue\_Mood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@Blue\_Mood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blue_Mood)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-look-alike/488840/18 "2009-03-10T10:20:28Z")
From American Idol: [Alex Wagner](http://i43.tinypic.com/nmjls6.jpg) [Another shot.](http://www.zap2it.com/media/photo/2009-02/44850175.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-look-alike/488840/19 "2009-03-10T11:55:32Z")
> [@Blue\_Mood](#): > > From American Idol: > > [Alex Wagner](http://i43.tinypic.com/nmjls6.jpg) > > [Another shot.](http://www.zap2it.com/media/photo/2009-02/44850175.jpg) Remarkable. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-look-alike/488840/20 "2009-03-10T13:11:01Z")
[Jean Luc Bilodeau](http://j.bdbphotos.com/pictures/S/4L/S4Y9R4_large.jpg) (Josh Trager from _Kyle XY_) is still quite young, but I think he has a [similarity](http://static.tvguide.com/MediaBin/Galleries/Shows/G_L/Kq_Kz/kyleXY/season3/crops/kyle-xy-bilodeau95.jpg). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shakespeare-look-alike/488840.md?page=2)