How People Played by Famous Actors Look in Real Life

Nowadays there are more and more movies that are shot based on plots from real life. Whether it’s a novel, a mystery or a horror movie, we learn a lot from them thanks to directors, scriptwriters, actors, and other on-set employees. And we can see with our own eyes what was happening in the lives of these outstanding people. But do you know how the people whose stories were shown on the big screen looked in real life?

Bright Side collected photos of real people who were played by famous actors.

The Greatest Showman

The famous actor Hugh Jackman played an American showman Phineas Taylor Barnum who created a traveling circus with unusual artists. Many characters shown in the movie existed in real life like Josephine Clofullia (The Bearded Lady), Captain George Costentenus (The Tattooed Man) and General Tom Thumb. The latter married a short woman who was also working in Barnum’s circus. Their wedding became an outstanding event. They say that some people even paid money to be invited to the wedding.

Erin Brockovich

The American actress Julia Roberts gave us a peek into the life of a regular woman named Erin Brockovich who was fighting for the rights of the Hinkley town community against the Pacific Gas and Electric Company corporation that were contaminating ground waters of the town. Erin didn’t have a law degree, but she had the determination, perseverance, and fearlessness that helped her stand up against the corporation.

Molly’s Game

The Hollywood actress Jessica Chastain played a real woman named Molly Bloom who had established her own poker company. When her activity was revealed, the FBI was hoping that she would provide the names of famous people who had been attending her club but Molly didn’t reveal her clients’ secrets. It was her strict position that inspired Aaron Sorkin to write a script based on her book Molly’s Game: The True Story of the 26-Year-Old Woman Behind the Most Exclusive, High-Stakes Underground Poker Game in the World.

Eddie the “Eagle”

The young actor Taron Egerton played the skier Michael “Eddie” Edwards who had the nickname, “Eagle”. He got famous thanks to his failures because he always took the last places in all the competitions he took part in.

Loving Pablo

Javier Bardem showed the life story of a famous drug dealer Pablo Escobar, exposing the way he became a millionaire, a criminal, and an all-around powerful man. The movie is based on the memoirs of a female journalist who was in love with Escobar.

We Bought a Zoo

Benjamin Mee, played by Matt Damon, and all his family decided to change their lives and buy a zoo. After the restoration, the zoo was opened in 2007 and Benjamin wrote the book, We Bought a Zoo: The Amazing True Story of a Broken-Down Zoo, and the 200 Animals That Changed a Family Forever. The main heroes of the story also acted in the movie as the visitors of the zoo.

The Aviator

Leonardo DiCaprio played one of the richest men in the U.S.A. — Howard Hughes. It was his work in aviation that brought him the most popularity. At the age of 27, Howard established a company which was engaged in the design and creation of aircrafts. Despite the risks, Hughes was testing the planes he was building by himself and was breaking all the records on the speed and height of flight. Also, Howard was fond of cinematography. In 1932, he produced the movie Scarface, which became a classic.

Adrift

Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin portrayed the story of a couple in love, Tami Oldham Ashcraft and Richard Sharp. These young and free guys went on a trip on a luxury yacht in the Pacific. However, the ship was overtaken by one of the most powerful hurricanes in history. The life of the couple was at the mercy of nature.

Soul Surfer

The actress AnnaSophia Robb (the woman in the photo on the right) played the role of the surfer Bethany Hamilton (the woman in the photo on the left) who was attacked by a shark at the age of 13. Bethany lost her arm and was close to death. However, soon after the accident, the girl got on the board again and started to take part in competitions on the rights of a completely healthy surfer.

The Imitation Game

The British actor Benedict Cumberbatch played the English mathematician Alan Turing who became a leading participant in the decoding of German messages during World War II.

The Impossible

In 2004, the Spanish doctor María Belón Álvarez, whose role was performed by Naomi Watts in the movie, came for a vacation to Thailand together with her husband and 3 kids. In an instant, a giant wave covered the entire coast and Maria tried to do both the possible and impossible to save herself and her family.

Final Portrait

The Australian actor Geoffrey Rush played the role of a successful painter and sculptor Alberto Giacometti. Today his works are bought for millions of dollars and thanks to the movie Final Portrait you’ll be able to understand why his works cost a fortune.

What are your favorite movies based on true stories? Please tell us about them in the comments!