# The Actor is WAY better looking than the real life person being portrayed in the film **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 6, 2009, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-actor-is-way-better-looking-than-the-real-life-person-being-portrayed-in-the-film/488508 "2009-03-06T10:33:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-actor-is-way-better-looking-than-the-real-life-person-being-portrayed-in-the-film/488508/41 "2009-03-06T19:49:30Z")
I ran across a neat website with photos of actors and the real persons they portrayed: [Reel Faces](http://www.chasingthefrog.com/reelfaces/americangangster.php). ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-actor-is-way-better-looking-than-the-real-life-person-being-portrayed-in-the-film/488508/42 "2009-03-06T21:05:59Z")
Johnny Depp played George Jung[/](http://www.flickr.com/photos/40546794@N00/294052121/) in Blow and at the end of the movie there is a photo of the real George Jung and it is quite horrifying. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-actor-is-way-better-looking-than-the-real-life-person-being-portrayed-in-the-film/488508/43 "2009-03-06T21:06:29Z")
How about [Jonathan Rhys Meyers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:JonathanRhysMeyersApr06.jpg) as [Henry VIII](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Henry-VIII-kingofengland_1491-1547.jpg)? Actually any modern actor is going to have much better teeth and skin than any historical figure prior to the twentieth century. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-actor-is-way-better-looking-than-the-real-life-person-being-portrayed-in-the-film/488508/44 "2009-03-06T21:18:02Z")
Joaquin Phoenix (pre-beard)/ Johnny Cash ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stafford_cripps/32/7167_2.png) [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stafford_Cripps)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-actor-is-way-better-looking-than-the-real-life-person-being-portrayed-in-the-film/488508/45 "2009-03-06T21:39:13Z")
[Anne Hathaway](http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Film/Pix/pictures/2007/04/10/austen.jpg) as [Jane Austen](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/CassandraAusten-JaneAusten(c.1810).jpg) This one is particularly daft since Jane Austen’s art was largely based on the difficult choices women in her society had to make when they couldn’t get by on their looks. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-actor-is-way-better-looking-than-the-real-life-person-being-portrayed-in-the-film/488508/46 "2009-03-06T21:56:19Z")
[Paul Newman](http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3485179392/tt0051849) [Kris Kristofferson](http://www.rudywurlitzer.com/Images/Pat%20Garrett%20and%20Billy%20the%20Kid-%20Director's%20Cut,%201991.jpg) [Emilio Estevez](http://www.aboutbillythekid.com/emilio_closeup.JPG) [Val Kilmer](http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2303039744/tt0097450) Heck, probably _even_ [Michael J. Pollard](http://www.ericenders.com/images/pollard.jpg) and just about anyone else who has played [Billy the Kid](http://www.irelandinformationguide.com/images/d/d4/Billy_the_Kid.jpg). William Bonney was not a real looker. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-actor-is-way-better-looking-than-the-real-life-person-being-portrayed-in-the-film/488508/47 "2009-03-06T22:13:28Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > How about [Jonathan Rhys Meyers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:JonathanRhysMeyersApr06.jpg) as [Henry VIII](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Henry-VIII-kingofengland_1491-1547.jpg)? The _young_ Henry VIII was actually famous for his good looks and athleticism. My problem with casting JRM is that Henry VIII was tall and imposing even before his massive weight gain. There’s no disguising the fact that RhysMyers is a puny sort. Maria Doyle Kennedy, however, was much prettier than Catherine of Aragon. [File:Catherine aragon.jpg - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Catherine_aragon.jpg) Also, Angelina Jolie as Mariane Pearl, the wife of the slain WSJ reporter, Daniel Pearl. [File:Marianne Pearl.jpg - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Marianne_Pearl.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-actor-is-way-better-looking-than-the-real-life-person-being-portrayed-in-the-film/488508/48 "2009-03-06T22:17:54Z")
I mentioned this in another thread: **Robert Redford** was far too handsome to play John Dortmunder in _The Hot Rock._ ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-actor-is-way-better-looking-than-the-real-life-person-being-portrayed-in-the-film/488508/49 "2009-03-06T22:27:15Z")
So far, IMHO, Garbo as Queen Christina wins the thread. And that’s without considering the fact that the painting was undoubtedly intended to flatter Queen Christina. I’ve seen better-looking basset hounds. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-actor-is-way-better-looking-than-the-real-life-person-being-portrayed-in-the-film/488508/50 "2009-03-06T22:39:15Z")
Johnny Depp plays John Dillinger in a movie that’s coming out soon. Joseph Fiennes was a pretty idealized representation of William Shakespeare. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-actor-is-way-better-looking-than-the-real-life-person-being-portrayed-in-the-film/488508/51 "2009-03-06T23:00:26Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Similarly, Nicole Kidman vs [Virginia Woolf](http://www.tkinter.smig.net/QueenMarie/VirginiaWoolf/images/VirginiaWoolf.jpg). They did a good job of uglifying Nicole. If that picture’s typical, Virginia Woolf was pretty hot. ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2009, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-actor-is-way-better-looking-than-the-real-life-person-being-portrayed-in-the-film/488508/52 "2009-03-06T23:36:58Z")
[Chris Cooper](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0401997/) seems to be a much better looking guy than the real-life [Robert Hanssen](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Robert_Hanssen.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2009, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-actor-is-way-better-looking-than-the-real-life-person-being-portrayed-in-the-film/488508/53 "2009-03-07T01:37:14Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > The _young_ Henry VIII was actually famous for his good looks and athleticism. My problem with casting JRM is that Henry VIII was tall and imposing even before his massive weight gain. There’s no disguising the fact that RhysMyers is a puny sort. Rhys Meyers was puny once upon a time. (Largely because of a long undiagnosed stomach ulcer for which he had to have surgery several years ago.) [Now, not so much](http://www.obliquity65.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/031907.jpg). But there’s no question that [Joss Stone](http://rodrigojames.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/joss_stone.jpg) is no [Anne of Cleves](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Anne_of_Cleves,_by_Hans_Holbein_the_Younger.jpg) who was known as Henry’s plainest/homeliest wife (said to have a horse face, IIRC). But for that matter, Anne Boleyn and her alleged polydactyly wouldn’t have held a candle to either Natalie Dormer nor Natalie Portman. And though the movie itself (let alone the casting) is still a rumor, I think it’s being extremely generous to [Vivienne Westwood](http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/FqsMdC83ooQ/Vivienne+Westwood+Presents+Manifesto+Arrivals) (on the left) to suggest that she should be played by [Kate Winslet](http://jezebel.com/5163695/kate-winslet-is-de+glovely) who is a complete glamour puss walking down the street in the cold. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2009, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-actor-is-way-better-looking-than-the-real-life-person-being-portrayed-in-the-film/488508/54 "2009-03-07T02:11:32Z")
It was said many times, but T.E. Lawrence “of Arabia” was not at all good looking: [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Ljidda.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Ljidda.jpg) Peter O’Toole and Alec Guinness (who played him on stage) were infinitely more photogenic ---
**Author:** ![Linty\_Fresh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Linty\_Fresh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linty_Fresh)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2009, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-actor-is-way-better-looking-than-the-real-life-person-being-portrayed-in-the-film/488508/55 "2009-03-07T03:06:23Z")
Liam Neeson looks quite a bit better than [Oskar Schindler](http://www.chhooi.com/mrh/images/schindler1_web.jpg). ---
**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:** [March 7, 2009, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-actor-is-way-better-looking-than-the-real-life-person-being-portrayed-in-the-film/488508/56 "2009-03-07T03:25:47Z")
From _Eight Men Out_: [John Cusack](http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/54/039_28893~John-Cusack-Posters.jpg) played [George ‘Buck’ Weaver](http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/baseball/images/thumb/d/d4/GeorgeBuckWeaver55.jpg/200px-GeorgeBuckWeaver55.jpg) [Charlie Sheen](http://www.cognacscorner.tv/news/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/charlie-sheen.jpg) played [Oscar ‘Happy’ Felsch](http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/blacksox/felsch.jpg) [David Strathairn](http://www.frameonline.it/FotoArticoli/ArtN28_DavidStrathairn-map-of-the-world.jpg) played [Eddie Cicotte](http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/blacksox/cicotte.jpg) [D.B. Sweeney](http://www.exposay.com/celebrity-photos/db-sweeney-2004-abc-all-stars-summer-party-4sMTm4.jpg) played [Joseph ‘Shoeless Joe’ Jackson](http://www.theinterneteducator.com/enlightenment/whoisit.jpg) [Michael Rooker](http://images.starpulse.com/Photos/pv/Michael%20Rooker-3.jpg) played [Arnold ‘Chick’ Gandil](http://bioproj.sabr.org/bp_ftp/images2/GandilChick.jpg) [Don Harvey](http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2860816896/nm0367496) played [Charles ‘Swede’ Risberg](http://a.abcnews.com/images/Sports/ap_white_sox_060210_ssv.jpg) [James Read](http://wildfireunited.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/jamesken.jpg) played [Claude ‘Lefty’ Williams](http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/blacksox/williams.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2009, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-actor-is-way-better-looking-than-the-real-life-person-being-portrayed-in-the-film/488508/57 "2009-03-07T04:12:46Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > From _Eight Men Out_: > > [John Cusack](http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/54/039_28893~John-Cusack-Posters.jpg) played [George ‘Buck’ Weaver](http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/baseball/images/thumb/d/d4/GeorgeBuckWeaver55.jpg/200px-GeorgeBuckWeaver55.jpg) > [Charlie Sheen](http://www.cognacscorner.tv/news/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/charlie-sheen.jpg) played [Oscar ‘Happy’ Felsch](http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/blacksox/felsch.jpg) > [David Strathairn](http://www.frameonline.it/FotoArticoli/ArtN28_DavidStrathairn-map-of-the-world.jpg) played [Eddie Cicotte](http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/blacksox/cicotte.jpg) > [D.B. Sweeney](http://www.exposay.com/celebrity-photos/db-sweeney-2004-abc-all-stars-summer-party-4sMTm4.jpg) played [Joseph ‘Shoeless Joe’ Jackson](http://www.theinterneteducator.com/enlightenment/whoisit.jpg) > [Michael Rooker](http://images.starpulse.com/Photos/pv/Michael%20Rooker-3.jpg) played [Arnold ‘Chick’ Gandil](http://bioproj.sabr.org/bp_ftp/images2/GandilChick.jpg) > [Don Harvey](http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2860816896/nm0367496) played [Charles ‘Swede’ Risberg](http://a.abcnews.com/images/Sports/ap_white_sox_060210_ssv.jpg) > [James Read](http://wildfireunited.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/jamesken.jpg) played [Claude ‘Lefty’ Williams](http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/blacksox/williams.jpg) The Black Sox really were an extraordinarily ugly bunch of guys, weren’t they? You could have picked almost anyone to play them and they would have had to be better looking. ---
**Author:** ![Bender44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b487fb/32.png) [@Bender44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bender44)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2009, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-actor-is-way-better-looking-than-the-real-life-person-being-portrayed-in-the-film/488508/58 "2009-03-07T04:31:45Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Johnny Depp plays John Dillinger in a movie that’s coming out soon. Eh…I always thought that [Dillinger](http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/crime/criminals/john-dillinger/dillinger_face_shrunk.jpg) was a pretty decent looking guy by 1930’s gangster standards. The problem isn’t that Johnny Depp is so much better looking than him (which he probably is), but that he doesn’t really look anything like Dillinger Christian Bale is playing [Melvin Purvis](http://blogue.canoe-inc.com/mediam/Melvin.Purvis.jpg) in the same movie. Now thats a real stretch. ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2009, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-actor-is-way-better-looking-than-the-real-life-person-being-portrayed-in-the-film/488508/59 "2009-03-07T04:47:59Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > It was said many times, but T.E. Lawrence “of Arabia” was not at all good looking: > > [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Ljidda.jpg](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Ljidda.jpg) > Peter O’Toole and Alec Guinness (who played him on stage) were infinitely more photogenic Really? He looks [quite](http://geraldlcampbell.typepad.com/impact/images/2007/09/07/lawrenceofarabia.jpg) [handsome](http://imagesource.allposters.com/images/pic/MEPOD/10013387~T-E-Lawrence-Lawrence-of-Arabia-in-Desert-Robes-Posters.jpg) in these pictures. He’s at least the equal of Peter O’Toole. And I also have to disagree on Jesse James. He looks nothing like Brad Pitt, but he is very handsome, especially considering that photography in those days made pretty much everyone look like a goofball. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2009, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-actor-is-way-better-looking-than-the-real-life-person-being-portrayed-in-the-film/488508/60 "2009-03-07T05:56:19Z")
On the far end of the curve, Paul Giamatti [is still a lot better looking than](http://cache.gettyimages.com/xc/2394494.jpg?v=1&c=ViewImages&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF1934A2752006EF5F0EDFC206171F9A6F37F5A5397277B4DC33E) Harvey Pekar [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-actor-is-way-better-looking-than-the-real-life-person-being-portrayed-in-the-film/488508.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-actor-is-way-better-looking-than-the-real-life-person-being-portrayed-in-the-film/488508.md?page=4)