Special Report

Major Historical Figures Played by More Than One Famous Actor

Historical figures always make for compelling drama. How they shaped history, as well as their colorful, sometimes flawed personalities fascinate audiences.

It’s not surprising actors love the challenge of playing these icons. Whether on the big or small screen, these thespians have taken these historical figures and made them real – someone viewers can relate to. That’s not an easy task considering that the audience is already familiar with many of history’s most famous players. Some of these celebrated real-life characters have been so impactful, in fact, that they’ve gotten the cinematic treatment more than once, enabling several actors to embody the same person – on several occasions winning Oscars for their performances.

To determine a list of some of the actors who have played the same historical figure, 24/7 Tempo drew on information from IMDb, an online movie and TV database owned by Amazon, as well as rankings from other sources including the New York Times, The Guardian, the BBC, Hollywood Reporter, and Variety. This does not purport to be a definitive list of actors who have played the same historical figure, but rather a list of some of those who have given audiences the most compelling performances. (While the majority of the performances appearing here were in theatrical films, a few TV movies and series are included.)

Countless actors have portrayed Abraham Lincoln over the years, beginning with Joseph Henabery in D.W. Griffith’s controversial 1915 silent film “The Birth of a Nation”, and including such luminaries as Gregory Peck, Jason Robards, and Kris Kristofferson, but the three listed here are among the best-known interpreters – with one, Daniel Day-Lewis, winning an Oscar for his performance.

Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman are among those who embodied civil rights Icon Malcolm X, while Paul Winfield and Jeffrey Wright translated the movement’s leader, Martin Luther King Jr., to the screen.

Helen Mirren had the distinct honor of playing both Queen Elizabeths – I and II. In fact, she earned an Academy Award for her portrayal of the recently deceased monarch. (These are the best movies about the Queen and British royalty.)

Click here to see more famous actors who played major historical figures

Against the backdrop of World War II, three actors – John Lithgow, Gary Oldman, and Albert Finney – were among the more than 30 who have played Winston Churchill. (Other big-name Churchill interpreters include Christian Slater, Richard Burton, Brian Cox, and Bob Hoskins.) Oldman won an Oscar for playing the British leader in the “Darkest Hour.” (Oldman is a sterling example of actors who cross the most genres.)

Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Coco Chanel played by Audrey Tautou
> Movie: “Coco Before Chanel” (2009)

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Gabriela Maj / Stringer / Getty Images Entertainment

Coco Chanel played by Shirley MacLaine
> Movie: “Coco Chanel” (2008)

Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Coco Chanel played by Anna Mouglalis
> Movie: “Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky” (2009)

Courtesy of The Weinstein Company

Thomas Edison played by Benedict Cumberbatch
> Movie: “The Current War” (2017)

Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Thomas Edison played by Spencer Tracy
> Movie: “Edison, the Man” (1940)

Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Thomas Edison played by Mickey Rooney
> Movie: “Young Thomas Edison” (1940)

Courtesy of United Artists

Theodore Roosevelt played by Brian Keith
> Movie: “The Wind and the Lion” (1975)

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Courtesy of TNT

Theodore Roosevelt played by Tom Berenger
> Movie: “Rough Riders” (1997)

Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

Theodore Roosevelt played by Robin Williams
> Movie: “Night at the Museum” (2006)

Courtesy of Newmarket Films

Adolf Hitler played by Bruno Ganz
> Movie: “Downfall” (2004)

Courtesy of CBS

Adolf Hitler played by Anthony Hopkins
> Movie: “The Bunker” (1981)

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Courtesy of CBS

Adolf Hitler played by Robert Carlyle
> Mini series: “Hitler: The Rise of Evil” (2003)

Courtesy of Gramercy Pictures

Queen Elizabeth I played by Cate Blanchett
> Movie: “Elizabeth” (1998)

Courtesy of Home Box Office

Queen Elizabeth I played by Helen Mirren
> Movie: “Elizabeth I” (2005)

Courtesy of Miramax

Queen Elizabeth I played by Judi Dench
> Movie: “Shakespeare in Love” (1998)

 

Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

Cleopatra played by Elizabeth Taylor
> Movie: “Cleopatra” (1963)

Courtesy of United Artists

Cleopatra played by Vivian Leigh
> Movie: “Caesar and Cleopatra” (1945)

Courtesy of Ultra Pictures Corporation

Cleopatra played by Sophia Loren
> Movie: “Due notti con Cleopatra” (1954)

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Courtesy of RKO Radio Pictures

Joan of Arc played by Ingrid Bergman
> Movie: “Joan of Arc” (1948)

Courtesy of CBS

Joan of Arc played by LeeLee Sobieski
> Mini series: “Joan of Arc” (1999)

Courtesy of Société Générale des Films

Joan of Arc played by Renée Jeanne Falconetti
> Movie: “The Passion of Joan of Arc” (1928)

Courtesy of Netflix

Winston Churchill played by John Lithgow
> TV series: “The Crown” (2019)

Courtesy of Focus Features

Winston Churchill played by Gary Oldman
> Movie: “Darkest Hour” (2017)

Courtesy of HBO Home Entertainment

Winston Churchill played by Albert Finney
> Movie: “The Gathering Storm” (2002)

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Gabe Ginsberg / Contributor / Getty Images Entertainment

George Washington played by Kelsey Grammar
> Movie: “Benedict Arnold: A Question of Honor” (2003)

Courtesy of A&E Home Video

George Washington played by Jeff Daniels
> Movie: “The Crossing” (2000)

Courtesy of MGM Television Distribution

George Washington played by Barry Bostwick
> Mini series: “George Washington” (1984)

Courtesy of American Broadcasting Company

Elvis Presley played by Kurt Russell
> Movie: “Elvis” (1979)

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Courtesy of Warner Bros.

Elvis Presley played by Austin Butler
> Movie: “Elvis” (2022)

Courtesy of Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions

Elvis Presley played by Michael Shannon
> Movie: “Elvis & Nixon” (2016)

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Catherine the Great played by Marlene Dietrich
> Movie: “The Scarlet Empress” (1934)

Courtesy of A&E

Catherine the Great played by Catherine Zeta-Jones
> Movie: “Catherine the Great” (1995)

Courtesy of HBO

Catherine the Great played by Helen Mirren
> TV series: “Catherine the Great” (2019)

Courtesy of National Broadcasting Company

John F. Kennedy played by Martin Sheen
> Mini series: “Kennedy” (1983)

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Kris Connor / Stringer / Getty Images Entertainment

John F. Kennedy played by Rob Lowe
> Movie: “Killing Kennedy” (2013)

Courtesy of New Line Cinema

John F. Kennedy played by Bruce Greenwood
> Movie: “Thirteen Days” (2000)

Courtesy of The Weinstein Company

Margaret Thatcher played by Meryl Streep
> Movie: “The Iron Lady” (2011)

Courtesy of Netflix

Margaret Thatcher played by Gillian Anderson
> TV series: “The Crown” (2020)

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Courtesy of BBC Four

Margaret Thatcher played by Patricia Hodge
> Movie: “The Falklands Play” (2002)

Courtesy of Universal Pictures

Steve Jobs played by Michael Fassbender
> Movie: “Steve Jobs” (2015)

Courtesy of Inferno Distribution

Steve Jobs played by Ashton Kutcher
> Movie: “Jobs” (2013)

Ethan Miller / Getty Images

Steve Jobs played by Noah Wyle
> Movie: “Pirates of Silicon Valley” (1999)

Courtesy of Netflix

Queen Elizabeth II played by Oliva Colman
> TV series: “The Crown” (2019-2020)

Courtesy of Netflix

Queen Elizabeth II played by Imelda Staunton
> TV series: “The Crown” (2022)

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Courtesy of Miramax

Queen Elizabeth II played by Helen Mirren
> Movie: “The Queen” (2006)

Courtesy of Home Box Office

John Adams played by Paul Giamatti
> Mini series: “John Adams” (2008)

Courtesy of MGM Television Distribution

John Adams played by Hal Holbrook
> Mini series: “George Washington” (1984)

 

Courtesy of National Broadcasting Company

Martin Luther King Jr. played by Paul Winfield
> Mini series: “King” (1978)

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Martin Luther King Jr. played by David Oyelowo
> Movie: “Selma” (2014)

Courtesy of Home Box Office

Martin Luther King Jr. played by Jeffrey Wright
> Movie: “Boycott” (2001)

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Courtesy of RKO Radio Pictures

Abraham Lincoln played by Raymond Massey
> Movie: “Abe Lincoln in Illinois” (1940)

Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Abraham Lincoln played by Daniel Day-Lewis
> Movie: “Lincoln” (2012)

Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

Abraham Lincoln played by Henry Fonda
> Movie: “Young Mr. Lincoln” (1939)

Courtesy of Universal Pictures

Henry VIII played by Richard Burton
> Movie: “Anne of a Thousand Days” (1969)

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Courtesy of United Artists

Henry VIII played by Charles Laughton
> Movie: “The Private Life of Henry VIII” (1933)

Courtesy of Blue Sky Media

Henry VIII played by Eric Bana
> Movie: “The Other Boleyn Girl” (2008)

 

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Napoleon Bonaparte played by Rod Steiger
> Movie: “Waterloo” (1970)

Courtesy of A+E Networks

Napoleon Bonaparte played by Christian Clavier
> Mini series:Napoléon” (2002)

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Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Napoleon Bonaparte played by Charles Boyer
> Movie: “Conquest” (1983)

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

Muhammad Ali played by Will Smith
> Movie: “Ali” (2001)

Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

Muhammad Ali played by Terrence Howard
> Movie: “King of the World” (2000)

Courtesy of Amazon Prime Video
Muhammad Ali played by Eli Goree
> Movie: “One Night in Miami…” (2020)

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