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22 Famous Actors Who Looked So Much Like The Historical Figures They Played, I Had To Do A Double Take
Now, whenever I see a picture of Abraham Lincoln, I immediately see Daniel Day-Lewis.

22 Famous Actors Who Looked So Much Like The Historical Figures They Played, I Had To Do A Double Take

1. This is Marilyn Monroe, an actor, singer, and sex symbol best known for embodying the “blonde bombshell” trope.

Historical / Corbis via Getty Images

Here’s Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham in the movie Lincoln (2012).

20thcentfox / Courtesy Everett Collection

And here’s a side-by-side of Abraham and Daniel in the movie.

Historical / Corbis via Getty Images, 20thcentfox / Courtesy Everett Collection

3. This is Elvis Presley, who was dubbed “the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.”

Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images

Here’s Austin Butler as Elvis in Elvis (2022).

Warner Bros.

And here’s a side-by-side of Elvis and Austin in the movie.

Getty Images, Warner Bros.

4. This is Emily Dickinson, one of the most important figures in American poetry.

Boston Globe / Boston Globe via Getty Images

Here’s Hailee Steinfeld as Emily on the TV show Dickinson (2019–21).

Apple TV+

And here’s a side-by-side of Emily and Hailee in the series.

Boston Globe / Getty Images, Apple TV+

5. This is Frida Kahlo, a Mexican painter best known for her portraits.

Getty Images

Here’s Salma Hayek as Frida in the movie Frida (2002).

Miramax / Courtesy Everett Collection

And here’s a side-by-side of Frida and Salma in the movie.

Getty Images, Miramax / Everett

6. This is Salvador Dalí, a Spanish surrealist artist best known for his technical skill and precision.

Donaldson Collection / Getty Images

Here’s Adrien Brody as Salvador in the movie Midnight in Paris (2011).

Sony Pictures Classics / Everett

And here’s a side-by-side of Salvador and Adrien in the movie.

Donaldson Collection / Getty Images, Sony Pictures Classics / Everett

7. This is Jimi Hendrix, a singer, songwriter, guitarist, and “the most gifted instrumentalist of all time.”

David Redfern / Redferns / Getty Images

Here’s André 3000 as Jimi in the movie Jimi: All Is by My Side (2014).

Open Road Films / Everett Collection

And here’s a side-by-side of Jimi and André in the movie.

Getty Images, Open Road Films / Everett

8. This is Amelia Earhart, the first female aviator to fly solo over the Atlantic Ocean.

Bettmann / Bettmann Archive / Getty Images

And here’s Hilary Swank as Amelia in the movie Amelia (2009).

Fox Searchlight / Courtesy Everett Collection

And here’s a side-by-side of Amelia and Hilary in the movie.

Bettmann / Getty Images, Fox Searchlight / Courtesy Everett Collection

9. This is Ray Charles, a singer-songwriter, pianist, and composer often regarded as “the Genius.”

Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images

Here’s Jamie Foxx as Ray in the movie Ray (2004).

Universal / Courtesy Everett Collection

And here’s a side-by-side of Ray and Jamie in the movie.

Getty Images, Universal / Everett Collection

10. This is Sharon Tate, an actor and model who was murdered by members of the Manson Family cult.

Getty Images

Here’s Margot Robbie as Sharon in the movie Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).

Andrew Cooper / Columbia Pictures / Everett Collection

And here’s a side-by-side of Sharon and Margot in the movie.

Getty Images, Columbia

11. This is Coco Chanel, a French fashion designer and namesake for the brand Chanel.

Keystone-France / Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

Here’s Audrey Tautou as Coco in the movie Coco Before Chanel (2009).

Sony Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

And here’s a side-by-side of Coco and Audrey in the movie.

Keystone-France / Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images, Sony Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

12. This is Muhammad Ali, a professional boxer who has been dubbed the greatest heavyweight of all time.

The Stanley Weston Archive / Getty Images

Here’s Eli Goree as Muhammad in the movie One Night in Miami (2020).

Prime Video

And here’s a side-by-side of Muhammad and Eli in the movie.

The Stanley Weston Archive / Getty Images, Prime Video

13. This is Jackie Robinson, the first Black baseball player to play in the major leagues.

Bettmann / Bettmann Archive / Getty Images

Here’s Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson in the film 42 (2013).

Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

And here’s a side-by-side of Jackie and Chadwick in the movie.

Bettmann / Bettmann Archive / Getty Images, Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

14. This is Babe Ruth, who was the single most famous baseball player in the entire world.

Bettmann / Bettmann Archive / Getty Images

Here’s John Goodman as Babe in the movie The Babe (1992).

Universal / Courtesy Everett Collection

And here’s a side-by-side of Babe and John in the movie.

Bettmann / Bettmann Archive / Getty Images, Universal / Courtesy Everett Collection

15. This is Virginia Woolf, an English writer who has been dubbed the most important modernist writer of the 20th century.

Evening Standard / Getty Images

Here’s Nicole Kidman as Virginia in the movie The Hours (2002).

Paramount / Courtesy Everett Collection

And here’s a side-by-side of Virginia and Nicole in the movie.

Evening Standard / Getty Images, Paramount / Courtesy Everett Collection

16. This is Charlie Chaplin, a comedian, actor, and filmmaker who gained fame during the era of silent film.

Archive Photos / Getty Images

Here’s Robert Downey Jr. as Charlie in the movie Chaplin (1992).

Tristar Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

And here’s a side-by-side of Charlie and Robert in the movie.

Archive Photos / Getty Images, Tristar Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

17. This is Nelson Mandela, a South African anti-apartheid activist who also became the country’s first Black head of state and first president.

Louise Gubb / Corbis via Getty Images

Here’s Morgan Freeman as Nelson in the movie Invictus (2009).

Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

And here’s a side-by-side of Nelson and Morgan in the movie.

Louise Gubb / Corbis via Getty Images, Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

18. This is Malcolm X, a Muslim minister and human rights activist best known for his work during the American civil rights movement.

Richard Saunders / Getty Images

Here’s Denzel Washington as Malcolm in the movie Malcolm X (1992).

Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

And here’s a side-by-side of Malcolm and Denzel in the movie.

Getty Images, Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

19. This is Alfred Hitchcock, an influential filmmaker known for iconic thriller movies like Psycho, The Birds, and Vertigo.

Bettmann / Bettmann Archive / Getty Images

Here’s Anthony Hopkins as Alfred in the movie Hitchcock (2012).

Fox Searchlight / Courtesy Everett Collection

And here’s a side-by-side of Alfred and Anthony in the movie.

Bettmann / Bettmann Archive / Getty Images, Fox Searchlight / Courtesy Everett Collection

20. This is Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to public office in California.

Bettmann / Bettmann Archive / Getty Images

Here’s Sean Penn as Harvey in the movie Milk (2008).

Focus Features / Courtesy Everett Collection

And here’s a side-by-side of Harvey and Sean in the movie.

Bettmann / Bettmann Archive / Getty Images, Focus Features / Courtesy Everett Collection

21. This is Dalton Trumbo, a screenwriter who was blacklisted because of his support for the Communist Party.

John Swope / Getty Images

Here’s Bryan Cranston as Dalton in the movie Trumbo (2015).

Bleecker Street Media / Courtesy Everett Collection

And here’s a side-by-side of Dalton and Bryan in the movie.

John Swope / Getty Images, Bleecker Street Media / Courtesy Everett Collection

22. And finally, this is Margaret Thatcher, the UK’s first female prime minister and the longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century.

Bettmann / Bettmann Archive / Getty Images

Here’s Meryl Streep as Margaret in the movie The Iron Lady (2011).

Weinstein Co. / Courtesy Everett Collection

And here’s a side-by-side of Margaret and Meryl in the movie.

Bettmann / Bettmann Archive / Getty Images, Weinstein Co. / Courtesy Everett Collection
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