Top 10 Actors Who Looked Exactly like the Musicians They Played
#10: Paul Dano as Brian Wilson
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“Love & Mercy” (2014) This Brian Wilson biopic movingly portrays his struggle with mental illness at two different points in his life. While John Cusack was wonderful as the creative leader of The Beach Boys in his later life, he didn't quite look the part. Paul Dano, however, was dead-on in Wilson’s younger years. He put on more than 30 pounds to fill out his already similar-looking face. His disposition and voice were also perfectly in-tune. Wilson himself sang the praises of Dano when he sang for him before “Love & Mercy” started filming. The dedicated performance was altogether acclaimed, landing Dano a Golden Globe nomination. Of course, it appears he was meant to grow up to be Wilson.
#9: Angela Bassett as Tina Turner
“What's Love Got to Do with It” (1993) It can’t be easy to embody the swagger and strife of the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll. “What’s Love Got to Do with It?” more than showed some respect just by casting Angela Bassett. On top of her remarkably similar bone structure, the production team nailed Tina Turner’s iconic style. Bassett took that further by perfectly replicating the on-stage showmanship. In also capturing human complexity off-stage, the actress secured an Oscar nomination and Golden Globe win - never mind a close personal friendship with Turner herself. Turner would be Bassett’s breakout lead role, if not her most iconic performance. Bassett, in turn, was one of Turner’s most ideal matches.
#8: Kurt Russell as Elvis Presley
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“Elvis” (1979) The King of Rock and Roll has inspired a whole industry of impersonators. Two years after his death, he was stunningly embodied by Kurt Russell in a TV biopic. The rising actor didn't need much makeup to bear a striking resemblance to the face of a generation. He was also so natural with the iconic mannerisms that he reprised the role as a voice cameo in “Forrest Gump.” The Emmy-nominated performance helped establish Russell as one of the coolest leading men in Hollywood. Unfortunately, his incredible performance fell into obscurity until comparisons with Austin Butler in Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis” brought renewed attention to it. Jacob Elordi further revived interest with “Priscilla.” Now, many say Russell remains the standard of Elvis impersonators.
#7: Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash
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“Walk the Line” (2005) Country titan Johnny Cash was such a fan of 2001's "Gladiator" that he had dinner with star Joaquin Phoenix. Cash was surely glad to hear about the casting for his biopic "Walk the Line". Phoenix already had a near-identical brow and expression. The makeup and costume departments rounded out the signature style of the Man in Black. But Phoenix fully committed to the meticulous replication of his disposition and voice, even when singing. He became Cash, as well as humanized him. Sadly, the subject did not live to see the Golden Globe-winning performance he was so excited about. The ideally cast Phoenix nonetheless has a place in Cash's legacy for his authentic portrayal.
#6: Jennifer Lopez as Selena Quintanilla-Pérez
Top 10 Best Jennifer Lopez Movie Performances
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“Selena” (1997) More than 20,000 actresses auditioned for the biopic of Tejano music icon Selena Quintanilla-Pérez. There was controversy when Jennifer Lopez won the high-profile casting call, more for her Puerto Rican heritage than her established celebrity. She turned out to be the perfect choice. Lopez brought Selena’s radiance and showmanship to the screen, while costume and makeup brought her look. Lopez won widespread praise, propelling her stardom as an actress and musician. Audiences finally recognized how “Selena” did justice to the recently deceased icon. Lightning struck twice when the perfectly cast Christian Serratos helmed Netflix’s “Selena: The Series.” Still, JLo owes more to her lookalike breakout role than most pop stars.
#5: O'Shea Jackson, Jr. as Ice Cube
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“Straight Outta Compton” (2015) A breakout cast shows “Straight Outta Compton”’s dedication to the rap group N.W.A. Jason Mitchell’s appearance and performance as Eazy-E is particularly impressive. Of course, the most spot-on casting was the easiest. O’Shea Jackson Jr. is the spitting image of his namesake father, better known as Ice Cube. The junior Jackson may not have quite the same signature intensity in the face. But he most definitely harnessed it in his commanding performance. His personal star quality overpowers the novelty in his debut role, and even scored a number of award nominations. Jackson has since become a prominent acting and hip-hop talent in his own right. And Ice Cube is boastfully proud of his doppelgänger.
#4: Gary Oldman as Sid Vicious
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“Sid and Nancy” (1986) The Sex Pistols bassist lived a monumental life in just 21 years. As hard as it would be to find an actor young and powerful enough to pull off this figure, “Sid and Nancy” lucked up with Gary Oldman. The unknown actor already had a similar bone structure to Vicious. His wild expressions, accent and hairstyle completed the uncanny transformation. Oldman disappeared in the role, his intense portrayal crucial to Vicious’ tragic love story and downfall. “Sid and Nancy” became a critical and cult hit, launching Oldman into one of the most distinguished acting careers in the industry. It’s not exactly ironic that it all started with him nailing one of the rowdiest rockers.
#3: Demetrius Shipp Jr. as Tupac Shakur
“All Eyez on Me” (2017) The biopic of rapper-actor Tupac Shakur unfortunately didn’t garner much attention, but all eyes fell on the debutant actor who won this coveted role. Aside from having a rounder face, Demetrius Shipp Jr. bears a jaw-dropping resemblance to Shakur. The casting was so uncanny that it received quite a bit of publicity. Shipp also rose to the occasion by skillfully balancing the hip-hop star’s hard public persona and more tender side. Whatever can be said about the rest of “All Eyez on Me,” the lead actor earned the gig and the steady career that came after.
#2: Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison
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“The Doors” (1991) Seminal rock band The Doors was distinguished as much by its front man’s steely good looks as his ethereal vocals. Oliver Stone rightly had one actor in mind for his Jim Morrison biopic. Val Kilmer’s face was almost freakishly identical to Morrison’s. But such a perfect natural resemblance still wasn’t enough for the dedicated actor. He went full method, honing Morrison’s look, mannerisms and singing style a year ahead of production. Kilmer was so immersed in the notoriously unstable tragic figure that he required therapy after the gig was over. The performance is now recognized as one of his finest. Kilmer and Morrison may look so good together, but the former knew it’s not enough to look the part. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Gwilym Lee as Brian May, “Bohemian Rhapsody” (2018)
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James Stewart as Glenn Miller, “The Glenn Miller Story” (1954)
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Tom Hiddleston as Hank Williams, “I Saw the Light” (2015)
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Taron Egerton as Elton John, “Rocketman” (2019)
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#1: Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles
Top 10 Jamie Foxx Performances
“Ray” (2004) The incredible Ray Charles deserved for his biopic to be made with the utmost respect. The casting of comedian Jamie Foxx must have been jarring, despite his dead-on facial structure and expressions. But Foxx threw himself into the role with Charles’s blessing. He perfectly executed the blind virtuoso’s unique disposition and musical style. More importantly, he embodied the man’s infectious spirit and resolve against hardship. Just four months after Charles’s passing, “Ray” opened to rave reviews. Foxx was hailed as a dramatic revelation. He swept the award circuit, then embarked on a versatile new phase in his career. His performance is still recognized as one of the most transformative in music biopics. The impeccable casting was pure magic.