Top 10 Best Biopic Casting Decisions

so what I say to you now is your queen and as a grandmother I say from my heart welcome to miss Mojo and today we're counting down our picks for the top 10 best casting decisions for biopics [Music] for this list we'll be looking at actors who are the absolute perfect choice to play the on-screen versions of real life people did our picks have you seen double let us know which performance is your favorite in the comments below number 10. Philip Seymour Hoffman as Truman Capote Capote the erudite Southern author of In Cold Blood and Breakfast at Tiffany's was known for his flamboyant personality and his wild and sometimes dubious anecdotes how do I look so young quite simple a complete vegetable diet 12 hours sleeping night and lots and lots of makeup in the 2005 biopic directed by Bennett Miller Philip Seymour Hoffman embodies the author through the vocal tics and mannerisms that made him such a luminous character folks if that they had me pig because of the way I do it again but the oscar-winning performance is more than just mimicry Hoffman also brings to life the late capote's Showmanship and unfailing ability to Dazzle any audience before him whether it's a crowd of admirers in a lecture hall or a family in a small town Kansas kitchen Hoffman shows what made the real life Truman Capote so irresistibly Charming I didn't know it all I felt was a cool breeze 9. Austin Butler as Elvis Elvis up until 2022 Austin Butler was mostly known for his appearances in teen and young adult television shows with some sparse movie and theater work in between but with his portrayal of Elvis Presley and baslerman's frenetic biopic the young actor came almost fully made Butler embodies the king of rock and roll nailing his distinctive vocal delivery and enchanting stage presence [Applause] where are you as impressive as spotless performance is the most surprising thing about it is he never feels like an impersonator his Elvis is not a collection of cliches and quirks but a complex well-rounded human portrayal by the end of the movie you just can't help falling in love with Austin Butler [Music] number eight O'Shea Jackson Jr as Ice Cube Straight Outta Compton [Music] [Applause] when the NWA biopic was announced in 2009 rumor soon spread that some members of the rap group would be played by their real life children this rumor came true with the casting of Ice Cube's son O'Shea Jackson Jr how did you feel when I first asked you nervous although it might be easy to assume an actor has a leg up when asked to play their own parents Jackson Jr proves that a captivating performance is a lot more than just resemblance the gifted performer who made his film debut in Straight Outta Compton felt protective over the role because he didn't want another actor making his dad look crazy his electrifying portrayal was praised by critics and earned him along with the other cast members a sag award nomination when you get out that for me we can continue on this topic until then I'm here to talk about the beating of an unarmed motorist Rodney King number seven Marion Cotija as it is Pia La Vie En Rose [Music] the legendary French shantus edifier was known for her small stature and big voice that's why she was often called La more Piaf or the Little Sparrow [Music] foreign [Music] underwent an extensive makeup transformation and several months of shooting to fully embody Pierre she later admitted this experience made it difficult for her to leave the character behind which is not hard to believe considering how she totally disappears into the role from the singer's teenage years to her early death at the age of 47. the actress is tasked with playing a woman who's suffering slowly catches up with her and just like the real Piaf gotyard's performance stays at a 10 throughout the entire film [Music] number six Kate Blanchett as Bob Dylan I'm not there Todd Haynes I'm not there is far from the standard biopic you know we all have our own definitions of all those words kind of care and people in order to capture the many areas and personalities of the elusive Bob Dylan Haynes took an unconventional approach he casted six different actors to play the iconic singer-songwriter at various stages of his life portraying Dylan of the mid-60s when he infamously played an electric guitar at the Newport Folk Festival Kate Blanchett offers an image of the singer at his angriest and most embattled this just like I am but everybody wants you to be just like them they say sing while you slave I just get bored she somehow manages to accurately capture his disillusionment and vulnerability in the same breath it's a baffling casting choice that works not just because Blanchette is a woman playing a male character but because she's so good she makes you forget that completely fantastic imagination [Music] I think it's very lonesome number five Spacek as Loretta Lynn Coal Miner's Daughter not every biopic actor is lucky enough to be chosen by the film's subject but for 1980s Coal Miner's Daughter Spacek was hand-picked by Loretta Lynn herself we were born the country Superstar was so gung-ho that she prematurely announced SpaceX casting before she had even accepted the part even if the performer wasn't sure she could do the role Justice the eventual movie certainly proves that she had nothing to worry about Told You Lately That I Love You well done I'm telling you has spunk and energy in the film are contagious a fact that critics award bodies and the public were all on board with not only that but after some first-hand coaching by Lynn SpaceX took on the daunting task of doing her own singing in the movie an absolutely crushed it [Music] in a cabin number four walking in Phoenix as Johnny Cash Walk the Line speaking of actors who had to sing in biopics Joaquin Phoenix not only played Johnny Cash in 2005's Walk the Line he also had to master his distinctive base baritone voice is the burning thing and it makes a fiery ring after reading the film's script Phoenix initially thought there were several other actors who might be better suited for the role still he was cast in the part a decision that certainly did the film a lot of good Phoenix Rises to the challenge here portraying the rebellious Southern boy from Arkansas with an unmistakable Swagger when I was just a baby my mama told me son always be a good boy people who knew the country music giant even said the lines became so blurred sometimes they could hardly tell it was Joaquin Phoenix and not Johnny Cash on the soundtrack number three Denzel Washington as Malcolm X Malcolm X the leaders were as passionate and controversial as Malcolm X who taught you to heat yourself from the top of your head to the soles of your feet who taught you to hate your own kind who taught you to hate the race that you belong to to capture the true essence of such a figure on screen Spike Lee required an actor who could equal the activist in power and intensity needless to say he found his guy in Denzel Washington for 400 years I think it's time to stand up juggling the various sides of a character is every actor's burden and when it's won as complex and visible as this the task is twice as hard but Washington brings such an ease to the performance that he practically becomes Malcolm X the actor earned accolades and critical praise for the role but even more important his portrayal helped reframe and even dispel long-held Notions about one of America's most complicated activists before there was any such thing as a Republican or a Democrat we were black before there was any such thing as a mason or an elk we were black number two Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II the queen my first of course was Winston Churchill he sat in your chair and froth coat and top hat a decade before the Netflix series The Crown captivated audiences the world over Helen Mirren gave a lauded portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II the queen takes place over several days following Princess Diana's 1997 death recounting one of the most challenging moments of the Monarch's 70-year reign in the titular role mirin manages to act up a storm while accurately portraying The Sovereign rulers famously controlled and dignified manner since last Sunday's Dreadful news we have seen throughout Britain and around the world an overwhelming expression of sadness at Donna's death her performers allowed audiences to see the queen as a human being rather than the stoic figurehead of the monarchy even her majesty was reportedly so impressed with her betrayal as she invited Mirren to dinner at Buckingham Palace sometime after the movie's release thank you you very much before we unveil our top pick here are a few honorable mentions Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison the doors Kilmer is explosive as frontman gin Morrison in this of a stone biopic successful Hills are here to stay everything must be this way Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher The Iron Lady the queen of movie accents Nails Margaret Thatcher's iconic mannerisms and Iron Will honorable gentleman could perhaps attend more closely to what I am saying rather than how I am saying it he may receive a valuable education Daniel Day Lewis as Abraham Lincoln Lincoln Day Lewis fills the big shoes and hats of this American Legend yet if God Wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondman's 250 years of unrequited toil shall be sunk Martin Landau as Bela lagoshi Edward this Hollywood veteran brought humor and spirit to his performance as Bela lagoshi [Music] amen Beware of the Big Green Dragon Ben Kingsley as Mahatma Gandhi Gandhi as the father of Indian independence Kingsley was praised for his majesty and Grace this fault comes from the Indian Ocean that every Indian claim it as his right before we continue be sure to subscribe to our Channel and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos you'll have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them if you're on your phone make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications number one Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles Ray although he was no stranger to movies at the time Jamie Foxx was not the first choice to play Ray Charles in this 2004 biopic yes [Music] however many years later it's clear he was the right choice like so many performances on this list Fox's portrayal of Charles could have easily relied on mannerisms to get the point across but what he brings to the role truly transcends biopic mimicry his Ray Charles is so spot-on other artists have featured his impression on their own original track when it comes to leaving a mark on the culture Fox's performance in the role is almost as legendary as the man who inspired it I might be blind but I ain't stupid dude get my back from upstairs what get it right now now do you agree with our picks check out this other recent clip from Ms Mojo and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos [Music] [Music]

Channel: MsMojo

Views: 27,134

Keywords: austin butler, best biopic casting, best casting decisions for biopics, biopic casting decisions, biopics, capote, casting, cate blanchett, coal miner's daughter, denzel washington, drama, elvis, film, helen mirren, i'm not there, jamie foxx, joaquin phoenix, la vie en rose, list, malcolm x, marion cotillard, mojo, movies, msmojo, ray, sissy spacek, straight outta compton, the queen, top 10, walk the line, watch mojo, watchmojo

Id: GdKjkiOXsmA

Length: 13min 43sec (823 seconds)

Published: Fri Jan 13 2023