# Which current actresses would be best suited to play these icons? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 31, 2013, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-current-actresses-would-be-best-suited-to-play-these-icons/654421 "2013-03-31T13:55:22Z")\ **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 31, 2013, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-current-actresses-would-be-best-suited-to-play-these-icons/654421/1 "2013-03-31T13:55:22Z")
Of all the actresses working today who would be best suited to play these women in biopics: 1. Sophia Loren 2. Marilyn Monroe 3. Rita Hayworth 4. Bette Davis 5. Joan Crawford 6. Elizabeth Taylor 7. Lauren Bacall 8. Vivien Leigh 9. Brigitte Bardot 10. Katharine Hepburn Feel free to add others… ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-current-actresses-would-be-best-suited-to-play-these-icons/654421/2 "2013-03-31T14:06:37Z")
The way Hollywood works Emma Stone will get all of them. Unless Zooey Deschanel is back to movies. Lucky Dorothy Dandridge wasn’t on your list though. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-current-actresses-would-be-best-suited-to-play-these-icons/654421/3 "2013-03-31T14:17:15Z")
I’ll just point out that Cate Blanchett won an Oscar fairly recently for playing Katherine Hepburn in “The Aviator”. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-current-actresses-would-be-best-suited-to-play-these-icons/654421/4 "2013-03-31T14:22:00Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > I’ll just point out that Cate Blanchett won an Oscar fairly recently for playing Katherine Hepburn in “The Aviator”. And Lindsey Lohan turned in a comment worthy performance as Elizabeth Taylor. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-current-actresses-would-be-best-suited-to-play-these-icons/654421/5 "2013-03-31T14:45:05Z")
1. Sophia Loren lets go with Scarlett Johansson for the bustiness and acting chops. 2. Marilyn Monroe -\> Well Michelle Williams did well enough. 3. Rita Hayworth -\> Katherine Heigl 4. Bette Davis = tough one as her look is out of style but Amanda Seyfried. 5. Joan Crawford = again so odd looking I don’t know. 6. Elizabeth Taylor, not a great match but Mila Kunis could work. 7. Lauren Bacall = Let’s just say Emma Stone 8. Vivien Leigh probably [Keira Knightley](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0461136/?ref_=tt_cl_t4) with green contacts. See shots of her from [Anna Karenina](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1781769/) 9. Brigitte Bardot = I wish Kim Basinger was younger, so Sienna Miller 10. Katharine Hepburn was done well by [Cate Blanchett](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000949/?ref_=tt_cl_t2) in the _Aviator_ 11. Audrey Hepburn -\> Natalie Portman ---
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-current-actresses-would-be-best-suited-to-play-these-icons/654421/6 "2013-03-31T14:46:24Z")
[Somaya Reece](https://www.google.com/search?q=somaya+reece&hl=en&newwindow=1&safe=off&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ei=bktYUZzvG6muyQHsgYGAAQ&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=659) would be my first pick for Racquel Welch. Oh, I see that Racquel isn’t on your list. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-current-actresses-would-be-best-suited-to-play-these-icons/654421/7 "2013-03-31T14:47:55Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > And Lindsey Lohan turned in a comment worthy performance as Elizabeth Taylor. Sherilyn Fenn did a competent job as Liz, too. I prefer her to LiLo. In fact, I prefer Lassie to LiLo. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-current-actresses-would-be-best-suited-to-play-these-icons/654421/8 "2013-03-31T14:49:00Z")
> [@BMax](#): > > [Somaya Reece](https://www.google.com/search?q=somaya+reece&hl=en&newwindow=1&safe=off&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ei=bktYUZzvG6muyQHsgYGAAQ&sqi=2&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=659) would be my first pick for Racquel Welch. > > Oh, I see that Racquel isn’t on your list. I did say “feel free to add…” ---
**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 31, 2013, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-current-actresses-would-be-best-suited-to-play-these-icons/654421/9 "2013-03-31T14:54:08Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > 1. Audrey Hepburn -\> Natalie Portman Has anyone seen the Jennifer Love Hewitt movie? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-current-actresses-would-be-best-suited-to-play-these-icons/654421/10 "2013-03-31T14:59:37Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Has anyone seen the Jennifer Love Hewitt movie? I have and while I like Jennifer Love Hewitt she was terrible as Audrey. ---
**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 31, 2013, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-current-actresses-would-be-best-suited-to-play-these-icons/654421/11 "2013-03-31T15:00:53Z")
She wasn’t in the OP, but [Jean Simmons](https://www.google.com/search?q=jean+simmons&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=R09YUa--PM-y0QHdl4HQDA&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=677) has an uncannily similar doppleganger in [Krysten Ritter](https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1024&bih=677&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=Krysten+Ritter&oq=Krysten+Ritter&gs_l=img.12..0l10.26957.26957.0.29021.1.1.0.0.0.0.103.103.0j1.1.0...0.0...1c.1.7.img.ZEtGgGS-fk8). ---
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-current-actresses-would-be-best-suited-to-play-these-icons/654421/12 "2013-03-31T15:51:38Z")
I liked Kate Beckinsale as Ava Gardner in **The Aviator** as well ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-current-actresses-would-be-best-suited-to-play-these-icons/654421/13 "2013-03-31T17:00:11Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > 1. Marilyn Monroe -\> Well Michelle Williams did well enough. I’ll just reemphasize this one. I wouldn’t have thought anyone could pull this off without descending too far into parody, but as slight as I thought [My Week with Marilyn](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Week_with_Marilyn) was in general, Michelle Williams mostly knocked her role out of the park. I’m not sure it could be done better ( or if so by who ). She thoroughly deserved her Oscar nomination. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-current-actresses-would-be-best-suited-to-play-these-icons/654421/14 "2013-03-31T17:29:27Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > And Lindsey Lohan turned in a comment worthy performance as Elizabeth Taylor. Were they FAVORABLE comments? I hadn’t heard that they were. I didn’t see it, but I’m genuinely curious. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-current-actresses-would-be-best-suited-to-play-these-icons/654421/15 "2013-03-31T17:40:49Z")
Kate Upton would make a great Marilyn Monroe. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-current-actresses-would-be-best-suited-to-play-these-icons/654421/16 "2013-03-31T20:45:54Z")
Perhaps [Maria Grazia Cucinotta](https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&gs_rn=7&gs_ri=psy-ab&tok=7SCodRX2ajhAElqyFY1zSg&cp=8&gs_id=u&xhr=t&q=maria+grazia+cucinotta&safe=off&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.44442042,d.eWU&biw=1066&bih=570&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=n59YUZXBAoa08ATH0oGgDg) as Sophia Loren. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-current-actresses-would-be-best-suited-to-play-these-icons/654421/17 "2013-03-31T23:44:54Z")
Depending on the nature of the movie I might cast [Eva Mendes](http://shechive.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/eva-mendes-5.jpg?w=500&h=750) as Sophia Loren [Hayden Panettiere](http://img.phombo.com/img1/photocombo/368/hayden-panettiere-1920x1200-26507.jpg) could probably be coaxed into a reasonable portrayal of Brigitte Bardot. I can imagine [Connie Britton](http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/connie-britton-yall.jpg) as a convincing Rita Hayworth. Yes I did just watch the latest episode of Nashville… ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2013, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-current-actresses-would-be-best-suited-to-play-these-icons/654421/18 "2013-03-31T23:56:47Z")
> [@gwendee](#): > > I can imagine [Connie Britton](http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/connie-britton-yall.jpg) as a convincing Rita Hayworth. I could buy this one. Maybe 60% looks and 40% skillz. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-current-actresses-would-be-best-suited-to-play-these-icons/654421/19 "2013-04-01T01:20:30Z")
Courteney Cox as Vivien Leigh, although much more beautiful. Then again, most young people today may understandably never have heard of these actresses; perhaps it might be better to suggest those who could play Lindsey Lohan and Jennifer Love Hewitt in forthcoming biopics. ---
**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:** [April 1, 2013, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-current-actresses-would-be-best-suited-to-play-these-icons/654421/20 "2013-04-01T02:36:24Z")
> [@Claverhouse](#): > > Then again, most young people today may understandably never have heard of these actresses; perhaps it might be better to suggest those who could play Lindsey Lohan and Jennifer Love Hewitt in forthcoming biopics. Lindsay Lohan is _26_. How young an actress do you figure we need to play her in her biopic? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-current-actresses-would-be-best-suited-to-play-these-icons/654421.md?page=2)