11 Films And Shows And How The Actors Compare To The Real-Life People They Portrayed

Casting agents show their skill with these celeb hires for films and shows about real-life people

Kylin

• Published in Film & TV
• May 7, 2022

Stories about real-life events, from docudramas to biographical movies and shows, and even things “inspired” by true events have been an almost guaranteed hit for producers around the globe. These types of stories have always captivated audiences, and sometimes it seems the more harrowing the story is the more people are drawn to consuming it.

There’s something about knowing these stories of hardship and perseverance aren’t just the fantasy of some scriptwriter that draws us in. It could be as simple as, “if they could get through this difficult thing, I could too,” or, "I'm so glad I never will have to experience THAT thing."

Another theory could be that maybe viewers like watching a film or show that they already know the story and how it plays out. There’s comfort in knowing what comes next, but still plenty of entertainment to be able to watch things unfold on screen.

Whatever the reason may be, networks and movie studios alike have been turning to real-life stories as inspiration for their next hit show or blockbuster film. And we decided to look into some of the real-life people who inspired these stories and the on-screen characters we’ve been entranced by.

We collected 13 characters who were based on real people and compared them with the actors who were cast to play them in a movie or television show about their lives and experiences. Keep scrolling to see more.

1. Marcia Clark

In 2016, FX released a mini-series by the name Inside Look: The People v. O.J. Simpson — American Crime Story. Sarah Paulson portrayed the now-famous prosecutor, Marcia Clark, and the show followed the trial from start to finish.

Marcia Clark received so much attention from the media during the trial that she said she was “famous in a way that was kind of terrifying.” Being under such scrutiny by the media and public, she was advised on how to dress and speak in order to improve her public image.

2. Patrizia Reggiani

In 2021, House of Gucci was released in theaters. This movie depicted the true story of Patrizia Reggiani, an Italian socialite played by Lady Gaga, who became famous after marrying Maurizio Gucci, of the famous Gucci family.

The advantageous marriage led skyrocketed Reggiani up the social ladder in New York, even landing her a friendship with Jackie Kennedy Onassis. So when Gucci made it known that he wanted a divorce, Reggiani later hired a hitman to murder her then ex-husband as revenge.

3. Ma Rainey

In 2020 Netflix debuted their movie Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, starring the incredible Viola Davis. The movie was adapted from two-time Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson's play of the same name, both celebrating blues artists and the transformative power of the music genre.

Ma Rainey, “The Mother of the Blues,” as she was dubbed, was known for her unique singing, amazing phrasing, and energy. She's recorded over 100 songs and was known to have written the majority of them herself.

4. Samantha Barbash

In 2019, the movie Hustlers inspired by the story of Samantha Barbash, an entrepreneur who started her career in strip clubs, and other women she worked with at the club was released. Jennifer Lopez played the role inspired by Barbash, and the movie was a commercial success.

5. Madam C. J. Walker

In 2020, Netflix released their mini-series called Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker starring Octavia Spencer as Madam C.J Walker. This mini-series showed how Madam Walker started with nothing and went on to create an incredible business.

Madam Walker created cosmetics and hair care products for Black women and went door to door to sell her products. She eventually became the first ever self-made female millionaire in America and eventually employed thousands of women across the U.S.

6. Tommy Wiseau

In 2017, The Disaster Artist dramady shared Tommy Wiseau’s efforts put into creating the infamous movie The Room.  James Franco not only starred as Tommy Wiseau, but also directed the film.

7. Katherine Goble Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson

In 2016, the Hidden Figures, based on the book Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Who Helped Win the Space Race was released. These stories put a spotlight on three incredible Black women who worked for NASA, Katherine Goble Johnson (played by Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (played by Octavia Spencer), and Mary Jackson (played by Janelle Monae).

All three women were brilliant mathematicians, but each made history in different ways at NASA and made many "firsts" as Black women at the agency. Katherine Goble Johnson figured out the mathematical calculations of orbital mechanics that were crucial for the success of the first-ever, and subsequent, U.S. crewed spaceflights.

Dorothy Vaughn known as a "human-computer," was the first Black woman to receive a promotion and supervise a group of staff at the center. And Mary Jackson, an aerospace engineer, was NASA's first Black female engineer.

8. Tammy Faye Bakker

In 2021, we saw the release of The Eyes of Tammy Faye, a film depicting the rise, fall, and redemption of televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker, who was played by Jessica Chastain. This role won Chastain her first Academy Award.

9. Deborah Feldman

In 2020, Netflix released the mini-series Unorthodox, a show based on the autobiography of Deborah Feldman, a woman who used to live in an ultra-religious Jewish community in New York. This show stars Shira Haas as Esther Shapiro, the fictional character based on Deborah Feldman, and depicts her life leading up to and through her escaping her strict religious roots. 

10. Jonathan Larson

In 2021, Tick, tick... Boom! hit theaters with Andrew Garfield portraying Jonathan Larson, the playwright and composer famous for creating the musicals Rent and Tick, tick... Boom!. The movie follows Larson through the early stages of his career and the struggles he experienced trying to survive as an artist.

11. Elizabeth Holmes

In 2022, the life and work of Elizabeth Holmes, a former biotechnology entrepreneur who started a company called Theranos in 2003, was adapted by Hulu for the mini-series The Dropout. Amanda Seyfried played the role of Holmes, whose company falsely claimed they had developed the technology to perform rapid blood tests that required very small amounts of blood.

Have you seen any of the shows and films mentioned in our list? Do you have a favorite movie or TV show that was based on true events?

Let us know in the comments section below, and for extra fun, tell us who you’d think would be cast to play your part in your own biopic. Don't forget to share with your fellow movie and TV buffs!

Kylin