I got 2 more honorable mentions. First, Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody. The movie was admittedly just kinda okay, and really not as great as it could've been, but his performance was truly something incredible. It really elevated the source material. Second, Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour. This is admittedly kind of a lifetime achievement type of Oscar, but he was still really good. He truly gave a rousing performance. The makeup artists absolutely deserve all the praise for their work, but he still owned every minute he was on screen.

Boys Don't Cry is still, to this day, one of my favorite movies. Swank's heartwrenching performance portraying Brandon Teena won her a well-deserved Oscar.

@WrenFaithBridger

3 жыл бұрын

As many times as I've seen this movie, I'm always surprised at the job she does in it.

The way ALL these actors were able to embody a whole different person and take on that person’s mannerisms and speech real is just a testament of what it means to get lost in a role

Jamie Foxx's portrayal of Ray Charles was absolutely outstanding. It was like watching the real Charles.

@teacherdayanne7218

3 жыл бұрын

I think the same! Great movie!

@klash813

3 жыл бұрын

I walked out of the theater thinking that I wasn't watching Jamie Foxx, but Ray Charles himself. He should have been #1 on the list.

@amymurphy721

3 жыл бұрын

i agree

@alejandroplazas9711

3 жыл бұрын

+Rebecca McDermott you knew him?

@brycematthews2784

3 жыл бұрын

Yes the best

What happened to Ben Kingsley's performance as Mahatma Gandhi??

Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill - Darkest Hour (2017), Christian Bale as Dicky Eklund - The Fighter (2010), Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth ll - The Queen (2006), Hilary Swank as Brendon Teena - Boys Don't Cry (1999), Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher - The Iron Lady (2011), Ben Kingsley as Mahatma Ghandi - Ghandhi (1982), Will Smith as Richard Williams - King Richard (2021), Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury - Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) and Leonardo DiCaprio as Hugh Glass - The Revenant (2015).

Good List! Let's Make it Top 30. 21. Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody) 22. Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady) 23. Helen Mirren (The Queen) 24. Hilary Swank (Boys Don't Cry) 25. Ben Kingsley (Gandhi) 26. Gary Oldman (The Darkest Hour) 27. Olivia Colman (The Favourite) 28. Sally Field (Norma Rae) 29. Leonardo di Caprio (The Revenant) 30. Allison Janney (I, Tonya) ❤❤❤

@binondoprincedone-j4008

9 ай бұрын

PHILIP SEYMOR HOFFMAN, CAPOTE NICOLE KIDMAN, THE HOURS

@elijahalbiston

3 ай бұрын

You could absolutely make a case for DiCaprio's win with The Revenant... but that should not have been his first Oscar. The man is quite literally almost always incredible in his role. Very few misses.

I wouldn't have expected Gary Oldman not to be on here but his performance as Winston Churchill was utterly brilliant. He really deserved his Oscar.

Thank you, Mojo, for finally recognizing the brilliance of Marion Cotillard's portrait of Edith Piaf!!!!!

@slystone4892

3 жыл бұрын

Who hasn’t though? It’s just marvelous.

I still can't get over Matthew Mcconaughey's portrayal of Ron Woodroof in Dallas Buyers Club. I watched it multiple times and it gets more intense and heartbreaking in equal measures. Stubborn yet determined all the same.

Robert De Niro's performance as Jake Lamotta, the Italian-American boxer and then became a comedian. In 1981, Mr. De Niro deserved a 2nd Oscar.

Marion Cotillard as Edith Piaf is just one of the best performances of all time. PURE TALENT!

@dela909

3 жыл бұрын

Iddd dd

@patrickmorgan4006

2 жыл бұрын

To paraphrase someone else's line, she cold read the phone book (do they still print them?) and I wouldn't be able to take my eyes off of her.

Daniel Day Lewis' performance as the 16th US President Abraham Lincoln was absolutely impressive.

@ultimatum6786

3 жыл бұрын

His all performances are incredible He is a master of acting and he is the greatest actor of all time

@lexkanyima2195

3 жыл бұрын

@@ultimatum6786 he is very innovated

@ultimatum6786

3 жыл бұрын

@@lexkanyima2195 Yeah off course

Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody. I know it's lost fans over time, but I still love that movie, and think he did an incredible job.

@roxy5588

3 жыл бұрын

Rami's performance was perfection! I hate Watch Mojo for not putting him on this list they should be ashamed of themselves.

@irmanalaric8107

3 жыл бұрын

I still prefer sacha baron Cohen as Freddie Mercury

@newthrash1221

3 жыл бұрын

That’s because it was trash.

@B-Mag

3 жыл бұрын

His performance was good but shouldnt be on this list. Honorable mention maybe

@nordiz557

3 жыл бұрын

@@B-Mag Maybe u watched the wrong movie? Rami Malek´s performance as Freddie Mercury is one of the best performances of the 2000s, maybe of all time

Denzel Washington should have won the oscar for the portrayal of Malcolm X, where he truly is the epitome of the figure. Also Meryl Streep's Margeret Tatcher should have got a mention.

@WrenFaithBridger

3 жыл бұрын

I'm sorry, but Streep robbed Glenn Close of an Oscar that year. It should have gone to Close.

@donaldclay9535

2 жыл бұрын

Hear-Here!

@miketurns202

2 жыл бұрын

It’s a joke that Malcolm X isn’t on this list let alone an honorable mention🤦🏾‍♂️

@nancyealo1044

2 жыл бұрын

So true and Al Pacino in Scarface

@mariovaccarella6854

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah. I've always said that, too.

I absolutely loved Colin Firth as king George VI due to how you could hear how his lessons with Lional Logue improved his stammering over time and how he learned to be more confident

I would have at least mentioned Hilary Swank for her role as Brandon Teena/Teena Brandon in Boys Don't Cry. She was phenomenal and deserved that Oscar.

Even though he didnt win(he should have)Ralph Fiennes as Amon Goeth in Schindlers List was perfection.

Meryl Streep has played so many real life people. She deserves her own list

Congratulations to those, including Sean Penn and Matthew McConaughey who became Oscar winners. 🙂

For more Oscar videos, check out our playlist!: @kzread.info/dash/bejne/i2ig06p_fLy2h7w.html What’s your favorite Oscar-winning portrayal of a real-life person? Did we miss any?

@roxy5588

3 жыл бұрын

You bloody well did read my words RAMI MALEK AS FREDDIE MERCURY IN BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY! He won Best Actor for his performance and he well and truly deserved it PURE AND SIMPLE! Rami embodied the front man of Queen and his stage presence including his movements. Rami was so mesmerizing in this film. He truly blew me away. And can I just say the critics have a special place in hell for their harsh reviews for this movie.

@m.donez8

3 жыл бұрын

@@roxy5588 seriously! He wasn’t even in the honorable mentions😭

@garden_benjamin

3 жыл бұрын

You missed Gandhi portrayed by Ben Kingsley

I can't believe that Val Kilmer wasnt even mentioned for his portrayal of Jim Morrison. He basically became Jim.

@amierulbaharin765

3 жыл бұрын

Val Kilmer never win an Oscar!

@samkresil6011

2 жыл бұрын

Or even nominated

@bellewhitmire4067

Ай бұрын

That crazy thats why I clicked on this because I just knew Val would be in here for the doors... Surprised he wasn't..

Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles is one of my favorite film performances of all time.

Right on Watchmojo, that’s how I was introduced to Marion Cotillard and most importantly to the wonderful artist Edith Piaf, such a wonderful beautiful movie and performance.

Susan Sarandon did a great job as Sister Helen Prejean. She brought the emotion and kindness of Prejeans experience in “Dead Man Walking” to the utmost degree

Maybe because of the age I was when I saw the movie I always love Patty Duke's portrayal of Helen Keller.

@brendaduncan4347

2 жыл бұрын

I forgot about her, but I think she should have made the top 20.

Definitely feel that Christian Bale deserves a spot for The Fighter...

@billdupuis5000

2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely. Unreal performance

Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady, Dame Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth in The Queen.

Jamie Foxx portrayal as Ray Charles was totally amazing. Whoever chose Jamie to play Ray Charles, made the absolute best choice. So props that person. Jamie was totally outstanding as Ray Charles. Love that movie...!! I luvvv true story movies.

Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady and Hilary Swank in Boys Don’t Cry

It's almost always the case every year where at least one acting Oscar goes to a performance of a real-life person. This year, it's Daniel Kaluuya.

Did Val Kilmer not win anything for The Doors? Because his portrayal was scary accurate

@allaboutmusicmovies9606

3 жыл бұрын

He even sang and the real group members thought it was Morrinson :)

@katwhelan5822

3 жыл бұрын

@Reginald Wilson what a shame. He deserved more than a nomination!yet still was not nominated. the doors movie is iconic!

I can't believe Angela Basset (who portrayed Tina Turner) didn't make this list. She was absolutely incredible.

@chukwumafodayemeh8330

Жыл бұрын

They are counting down on biopic roles that won an Oscar for that role. Basette did well but didn't win an Oscar, hence her absence from the list.

@anthonybirkholz6104

Жыл бұрын

she did not win the Oscar for that role.

I can't believe you only gave Haing S'nor an honourable mention considering he had never acted before his role in the Killing Fields, it's such a powerfully emotional performance even more so if you know his story.

@WrenFaithBridger

3 жыл бұрын

True! Imagine someone going up to you & saying, "I know you're not an actor, but how about coming over and reenacting the absolute worst, most nightmarish period of your life...in front of millions?"

Anybody who has seen 'The Pianist' knows that Adrien Brody should be #1 on this list.

@melanieheath9829

3 жыл бұрын

We had to watch that movie in middle school and man were we upset. It's such an important movie and yes I agree, Brody absolutely did an amazing job.

@patrickmorgan4006

2 жыл бұрын

I saw it. I think the two top picks were about right (possibly not in that order), but he was awfully good.

Blanchet really got Hepburn’s accent down pat! She deserved an Oscar.

20 Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking 19 Sean Penn as Harvey Milk 18 Julia Roberts as Erin Brockovich 17 Matthew McConaughey as Ron Woodruff 16 Sissy spacek as Loretta Lynn 15 Nicole Kidman as Virginia Woolf 14 Martin Landau as Bela Lugosi 13 Forest Whitaker as Idi Amin 12 Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn 11 F. Murray Abraham as Antonio Salieri 10 Marion Cotillard as Edith Piaf 9 Susan Sarandon as Helen Prejean 8 Jeremy Irons as Claus von Bulow 7 Philip Seymour Hoffman as Truman Capote 6 Barbra Streisand as Fanny Brice 5 George C. Scott as George S. Patton 4 Charlize Theron as Aileen Wuornos 3 Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles 2 Daniel Day Lewis as Christy Brown 1 ROBERT DENIRO AS JAKE LAMOTTA Mahershala Ali as Doc Don Shirley Having S. Ngor as Dith Pran Adrien Brody as Wladyslaw Szpilman Colin Firth as King George VI Renee Zellweger as Judy Garland

@arekay191

3 жыл бұрын

I love u

@milesmorales1789

3 жыл бұрын

Ashton Kutcher as Steve Jobs

I really think you should have ranked Daniel Day Lewis for Lincoln instead of My Left Foot

Rebeca, so good to see you and hear your voice again! WatchMojo is not the same without you!

@TheJFerg24

3 жыл бұрын

Go hang out at Ms. Mojo.

@arekay191

3 жыл бұрын

agreed

And what about Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury and Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill?

@pazuzu2068

11 ай бұрын

Lol

Jamie Foxx, comedy legend and TV/film actor did an amazing job as Ray Charles Robinson, and won an Oscar for "Best Actor" in 2005. The real Ray Charles (may he rest in peace) was already proud of Mr. Foxx. 'Ray' is still one of my 40+ most favorite Hollywood movies of all time.

Loved val Kilmer in the doors. Wow amazing movie.

Sissy Spacek was amazing in Coal Miners Daughter ❤

@ManuelCasanovaAlvarado

3 жыл бұрын

Actually I came here just to check out if she was included.

I was blown away but Martin Landau as Bela Lugosi. So good!

I agree with all the performances mentioned, but surprised no one mentioned Geoffrey rush in shine. That was pretty amazing.

I can't believe Cate Blanchette portrayed Katherine Hepburn and did a phenomenal job!

455: Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury, Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin, Taron Egerton as Elton John and Austin Butler as Elvis Presley

'The Last King of Scotland' is an interesting movie, if it's on Netflix, then I'm about to see it.

@pyrotheevilplatypus

3 жыл бұрын

If you're in the US, only HBO Max has it right now.

@varunsrinidhi2618

3 жыл бұрын

So will I, Forest is such an under-rated actor.

@ocean4152

3 жыл бұрын

Amazing film.

Anthony Hopkins as Richard Nixon - very powerful portrayal... ah yes Haing S. Ngor - yes yes - I remembered the Killing Fields. .

Thank you for the update, WatchMojo..!! 10:32 The Aviator was an awesome movie..!! I live in the city where Howard Hughes spent most of his time in his hotel room back in the 60s. Not the usual hotel room in Las Vegas, but the one up in North. My school teachers used to tell me a story about how Howard Hughes ordered his workers to use a construction crane to lift a Hughes 500 (MD 500) helicopter in development, so he can peek out from his hotel room's window curtains. Apparently, the bodyguards who lived in the floor below his penthouse never saw his face, and he just took off to Las Vegas one day and never came back.

Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury??

I like Martin Landau as Bela Lugosi in ED WOOD, but why isn’t Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury in BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY not on here?

Man Denzel Washington as Malcolm X should have won an Oscar.

Leonardo DiCaprio as Hugh Glass - The Revenant (2015), Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill - Darkest Hour (2017) and Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury - Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)

As a kid who grew up in the late '80s to early '90s every time I see Philip Seymour Hoffman I can't help but think of him as Dusty in Twister. It's the _suck zone,_ man.

Great picks. Deniro definitely should be #1. Great film, all great performances in it. Classic.

Nobody could've played that part but Forrest Whitaker. He was magically horrifying! Damn fine acting

One of the best videos of watchmojo. Please make a video of those who didn’t win.

Gary Oldman's brilliant portrayal of Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour should have made the cut here. The makeup helped, but Oldman absolutely disappears into the character.

love the background music

You forgot Angela Bassett who played Tina Turner in What's Love Got to Do With It

I love the movie Selena, and thanks to my boyfriend and his family, I am starting to like her music, too.

Great list, but where is Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill, who was incredible, i didnt even know ot was him at first. And where is Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury, who was also incredible, he made be believe that Freddie was still alive within him.

@varunsrinidhi2618

3 жыл бұрын

I know right, maybe they should do a top 50 portrayals and guarantee Gary Oldman's Winstin Churchill and Rami Malik's Freddy Mercury would be mentioned.

Holy snap, it the lady with the voices 😍. Really took me a second to process this.

Rebecca, you look so pretty with this hair, makeup and the sweater!

What about Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury

Great video mojo

'Dallas Buyers Club' was an impressive movie. Both Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto deserve to be Oscar winners. 🙂👏👏👏👏👏

@TimmyD3085

3 жыл бұрын

Best performances that year. They truly earned their wins

Should have included Reese Witherspoon as June Carter in Walk the Line.

@alexmeyer5260

3 жыл бұрын

Yes!

What about Rami Malek?!?!? How could you forget him?

Whether it was Oscar winning or not my favorites will always be Denzel Washington as Malcolm X and Mahershala Ali in Green Book. I have heard about Renee zellweger as Judy Garland and Ray Charles portrayal by Jamie Foxx and Dallas buyers club which I had no idea was actually a thing. Most of these I don't think I knew about them though

It is okay to have sympothy for a broken woman like Eileen. Her life was tragic no exuse for what she did , but she was not born bad. She did bad things because she gave up on herself and on life. she was dragged through hell throughout her life

...not even an honourable mention for Christian Bale as Dicky Eklund in ‘The Fighter’...??...tough crowd...!!...

I Like Rami Malek As Freddie Mercury.

I was glad to see DeNiro as LaMotta for #1, but SHOCKED that Bale wasn’t on here for his win as Dicky Ecklund!!

Can't believe Helen Mirren wasn't mentioned at all for her well-deserved win for portraying Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen!

Ray what a beautiful movie what an impressive portrait from Fox, this a film that I enjoy thoroughly no matter how times I have watched it.

These actors did a terrific job playing these real life people, they were so excellent

Good list. Sissy Spacek is something to behold, as Loretta Lynn and every damn role she steps into

Can you do comic book origin of DC Ray Terrill AKA the Ray?

The Hours was amazing!

So many great portrayals of real people, both on this list and those mentioned in comments. I would like to see a list of the most accurate portrayals of real people. So many are more fiction than fact.

I was hoping you would show a clip of the real life ppl even though I've familiar with each person

What about Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher! that was one powerhouse performance if I've ever seen one.

Rami Malik as Freddie Mercury!!

Marion Cotillard should be number one. He delivered the best acting work on this century.

Great work Rebecca

Awesome video but I felt my main man Matthew deserved #1. Love you WatchMojo! 🤗✌️

@alexmeyer5260

3 жыл бұрын

Watch Raging Bull if you've never seen it, because Robert De Niro gives one of the greatest performances in film history in that movie.

Finally I get to meet the best voice on watch mojo you are the best

@jimbo9208

3 жыл бұрын

she have shown her self before

Have you decide to make a top 10 list that kids love and adluts don't

No Rami Malek? He made Freddie Mercury come alive and was the highlight of the movie..

What about 10 greatest hidden gem movies of this year so far

@TheREALHugo4

3 жыл бұрын

It will be done soon.

@ultimatum6786

3 жыл бұрын

@@TheREALHugo4 great suggestion

Where’s Leo’s interpretation of wolf of Wall Street

@Lion_Warrior2187

3 жыл бұрын

He won for his performance in The Revenant

@blackguyofthesouth2161

3 жыл бұрын

Aj, a two letter name is perfect name for someone who can't read.

@jimbo9208

3 жыл бұрын

this is just for winning not nominations

Spacek, Scott, Landau, and Foxx (Not necessarily in that order) are my favorites.

Susan Hayward as Barbara Graham is absolutely outstanding in I Want To Live! Her only Oscar win, but she had two other nomantions for portraying living ladies. Jane Froman in With A Song In My Heart. Lillian Roth in I'll Cry Tomorrow both Oscar worthy.

There are lots of real people that i would like to see being portrayed in Oscar winning roles. For instance: -Irena Sendler -Gary Ridgway -Richard Ramirez -John Rabe -Harold Shipman -David and Louise Turpin (the marriage who tortured their 12 children) -Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle -Jeffrey Epstein (some day, when we know the whole truth) -Stanley Kubrick -Peter Kudzinowski -Leopold Stokowski -Bob Hope -John Wilkes Booth -Samuel Little -Frank Herbert (maybe) -Leo Tolstói -Gilles de Rais -James Cagney -Ian Fleming -The Lumiere Brothers -William Hanna and/or Joseph Barbera

One of my all time favorite performances was Patty Duke playing Helen Keller. Also, Hilary Swank as Brandon Teena and Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth. Plus. Ben Kingsley as Ghandi. Many others did not win but have great performances. Joaquin Phoenix-Johnny Cash, Angela Bassett-Tina Turner, Denzel Washington-Malcolm X, Val Kilmer-Jim Morrison, Jennifer Lopez-Selena, Faye Dunaway-Joan Crawford, and Ralph Fiennes in Schindler's List. Diana Ross-BiIlie Holliday. I will end with the Great Oscar Winner: Meryl Streep.

Not even a mention for Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury

You should do top 20 real life portrayals but nominees