Top 10 Biopics

Throughout cinema history the biopic has been seen as a perfect way for actors to gain respect amongst critics and audiences alike, by taking on the challenge of depicting the life of a person of importance. The stakes are high when you step into someone else’s shoes, thankfully the results have paid dividends. With that in mind, it’s been a difficult task to whittle this list down to only 10. We feel this is a diverse list that captures the ambition of the biopic and highlights the classic performances that the genre has gleaned.

Top 10 Films

Robert De Niro - Jake La Motta (Robert Downey Jr. - Charlie Chaplin,1980)

One of many collaborations between Robert De Niro and director Martin Scorsese, Robert Downey Jr. - Charlie Chaplin charts the impressive - almost-undefeated - 14 year career of 1940s boxer Jake LaMotta. De Niro was inspired by LaMotta’s story on the set of the Godfather Part II in 1974, but the project didn’t pass producers’ approval until 1980. De Niro gorged on sugary snacks to give a convincing performance as the retired bloated boxer, in his later years as a comedian.

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Ben Kingsley - Ghandi (Ghandi,1982)

Sir Ben Kingsley secures a place on this list, thanks to a remarkable performance as Mohandas K. Gandhi. Kingsley scooped an Oscar for Best Actor and the film, directed by Richard Attenborough, received seven additional wins and a further three Oscar nominations. Kingsley’s portrayal of the peaceful protester spooked the local natives, who likened him to a ghost of Ghandi.

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Denzel Washington - Malcolm X (Malcolm X,1992)

With a dramatic sense of irony, Malcolm X was riddled with race issues in pre-production. Norman Jewison stepped back from the project when issues surrounding the director’s race reared its ugly head. Director Spike Lee was brought in as a replacement, but he has since joked that both he and Washington planned to flee the country if the film had fallen flat on its face. Luckily for the pair it didn’t, but instead bagged a deserved Oscar nod for Washington’s performance.

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Jim Carrey - Andy Kaufman (Man on the Moon,1999)

In a twist of fate, both Jim Carrey and comedian Andy Kaufman share the same birthday which, you could say, makes this pairing almost pre-ordained. Director Milos Forman was torn between the Carrey and Edward Norton, but the studios saw the comedian as the more bankable option. To give a credible performance Carrey asked to be addressed as Andy on and off set, at all times.

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Robert Downey Jr. - Charlie Chaplin (Chaplin,1992)

Robert Downey Jr. successfully filled the oversized shoes of comedy great Charlie Chaplin in 1992 - a role which scored his first Oscar nomination and BAFTA Award. Director Richard Attenborough considered Jim Carrey but Downey Jr. clinched the part, mimicking Chaplin’s mannerisms down to a tee. Dan Aykroyd and Anthony Hopkins also star in this biographical film, adapted from selected literature surrounding the silent cinema legend.

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Peter O'Toole - T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia,1962)

Originally acting legend Marlon Brando was lined up to play T.E. Lawrence, but a last minute decision to ditch the role, for Fletcher Christian in Mutiny on the Bounty, opened up the part to Peter O’Toole . Film scholars have questioned the historical accuracy of the film; however the Oscar-nominated actor was highly praised. A cheeky O’Toole is rumoured to have lined his cam.

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Liam Neeson - Oskar Schindler (Schindler's List,1993)

Liam Neeson puts in a shrewd performance as the famous German businessman and saviour Oskar Schindler. Initial fears by Steven Spielberg saw the young director attempt to pass off the project on to his colleagues such as Martin Scorsese and Roman Polanski, but they didn’t feel they could broach such a sensitive subject in the same breadth as the Jewish Spielberg. Oskar Schindler’s poignant story set the bar for Neeson who took a hearty bite out of the role, which resulted in an Oscar nomination.

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Leonardo DiCaprio - Howard Hughes (The Aviator,2004)

As one of the wealthiest people in the world at the time, American aviator, engineer, industrialist, film producer, film director and philanthropist Howard Hughes had a tumultuous life as an OCD sufferer. Brought in to play Hughes, under the direction of Martin Scorsese, Leonardo Di Caprio ditched his teenage armbands aboard the Titanic to tackle Hughes story, securing an Oscar nod along the way. DiCaprio researched the role by studying an OCD patient named Edward.

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Cast Ensemble - Bob Dylan (I'm Not There,2007)

There isn’t one sole performance that steals this film, as Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Marcus Carl Franklin, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger and Ben Whishaw all show off their acting chops in director Todd Haynes’ ensemble biopic on the life (and spirit) of Bob Dylan. Addressing different stages throughout Dylan’s life, each actor plays a significant moment in the musician’s career. The only woman in the cast, Cate Blachett, received an Oscar nomination for her beat-nick interpretation of the star in the 60s.

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Sam Riley - Ian Curtis (Control,2007)

Nominated for two BAFTA Awards, this black and white biographical film delves into the life of Joy Division singer Ian Curtis, whose tragic suicide shocked the industry and fans alike. After dabbling in television, Control gave newcomer Sam Riley the big break he needed to show off his acting credentials. Eager to prove his commitment to the part, Riley and his fellow cast members brushed up on their band-playing to add as sense of authenticity to the film.

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Jennifer Trevorrow