# When actors in historical films/biopics convinced you they were the real thing (or not)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-actors-in-historical-films-biopics-convinced-you-they-were-the-real-thing-or-not/572713>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [February 26, 2011, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-actors-in-historical-films-biopics-convinced-you-they-were-the-real-thing-or-not/572713 "2011-02-26T17:31:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2011, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-actors-in-historical-films-biopics-convinced-you-they-were-the-real-thing-or-not/572713/41 "2011-02-28T23:35:41Z")

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Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela in _Invictus_

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**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:** [February 28, 2011, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-actors-in-historical-films-biopics-convinced-you-they-were-the-real-thing-or-not/572713/42 "2011-02-28T23:44:02Z")

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> [@Marley23](#):
>
> “Convincing” doesn’t do justice to Denzel Washington as Malcolm X. That was an amazing performance.

Watch some videos of Malcolm X speaking, and then watch Denzel. It’s uncanny how close they are.

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**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-actors-in-historical-films-biopics-convinced-you-they-were-the-real-thing-or-not/572713/43 "2011-03-01T00:31:04Z")

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Another vote for Bruno Ganz as Hitler. As far as I’m concerned, it’s over: the role’s his.

One not mentioned yet is Frank Langella’s portrayal of Richard Nixon in both the play and movie of [Frost/Nixon](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0870111/). That Sean Penn in _Milk_ beat out Langella for Best Actor should be added to the list of all-time Academy screw-ups. If not Langella, then give it to Mickey Rourke already…

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**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2011, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-actors-in-historical-films-biopics-convinced-you-they-were-the-real-thing-or-not/572713/44 "2011-03-01T02:49:38Z")

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Derek Jacobi as the emperor Claudius in “I, Claudius”. In fact, pretty much the whole cast (Sian Phillips, George Baker, John Hurt) although I doubt if Augustus was anything like Brian Blessed.

Of course there is the “Beverly Hillbillies” episode “Jethro in the Reserves” where William Mimms plays U S Grant so well in a film shot near the Clampett mansion that Granny mistakes him for the real thing. “He must have a liver made out of cast iron”.

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