23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (2025)

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Biopics have a super hard task — they have to both cast the right people to play real-life people and use makeup, hairstyling, costuming, and editing to make them look just like the person. Sometimes, they fall short — there's only so much you can do, after all. But sometimes, the hair, makeup, and casting are impeccable. Here are 23 actors who look just like the famous women they played! 1. Scarlett Johansson as Janet Leigh in Hitchcock: The real Janet Leigh: The two side-by-side: 2. Chloe Webb as Nancy Spungen in Sid and Nancy: The real Nancy Spungen: The two side-by-side: 3. Nicole Kidman as Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos: The real Lucille Ball: Here they are side-by-side: 4. Lily James as Pamela Anderson in Pam & Tommy: The real Pamela Anderson: The two side-by-side: 5. Jennifer Lopez as Selena in Selena: The real Selena Quintanilla-Pérez: Here they are side-by-side: 6. Tina Fey as Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live: The real Sarah Palin: Here they are side-by-side: 7. Renée Zellweger as Judy Garland in Judy: The real Judy Garland: The two side-by-side: 8. Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly in Bombshell: The real Megyn Kelly: Here they are side-by-side: 9. Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady: The real Margaret Thatcher: Here they are side-by-side: 10. Alexandra Shipp as Aaliyah in Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B: The real Aaliyah: The two side-by-side: 11. Julia Garner as Anna Delvey in Inventing Anna: The real Anna Delvey: The two side-by-side: 12. Selma Blair as Kris Jenner on The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story: The real Kris Jenner: The two side-by-side: 13. Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe in My Week with Marilyn: The real Marilyn Monroe: The two side-by-side: 14. Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth in The Crown: The real Queen Elizabeth: Here they are side-by-side: 15. Salma Hayek as Frida Kahlo in Frida: The real Frida Kahlo: The two side-by-side: 16. Viola Davis as Ma Rainey in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom: The real Ma Rainey: The two side-by-side: 17. Sarah Paulson as Marcia Clark in The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story: The real Marcia Clark: Here are the two side-by-side: 18. Natalie Portman as Jackie Kennedy in Jackie: The real Jackie Kennedy: The two side-by-side: 19. Lindsay Lohan as Elizabeth Taylor in Liz & Dick: The real Elizabeth Taylor: Here are the two side-by-side: 20. Meryl Streep as Julia Child in Julie & Julia: The real Julia Child: Here are the two side-by-side: 21. Susan Sarandon as Bette Davis in Feud: The real Bette Davis: The two side-by-side: 22. Jessica Lange as Joan Crawford in Feud: The real Joan Crawford: The two side-by-side: 23. And finally, Emma Corrin as Princess Diana on The Crown: The real Princess Diana: Here they are side-by-side:


Julia Garner IS Anna Delvey to me.

by Hannah MarderBuzzFeed Staff

Biopics have a super hard task — they have to both cast the right people to play real-life people and use makeup, hairstyling, costuming, and editing to make them look just like the person.

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (3)

Hulu /Kimberly White / Getty Images for Fortune

Sometimes, they fall short — there's only so much you can do, after all.

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (4)

Fabio Lovino / MGM / Courtesy Everett Collection

But sometimes, the hair, makeup, and casting are impeccable. Here are 23 actors who look just like the famous women they played!

1. Scarlett Johansson as Janet Leigh in Hitchcock:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (5)

Suzanne Tenner/Fox Searchlight Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

The real Janet Leigh:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (6)

Silver Screen Collection / Getty Images

The two side-by-side:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (7)

Suzanne Tenner/Fox Searchlight Pictures / Paramount Pictures /Courtesy Everett Collection

2. Chloe Webb as Nancy Spungen in Sid and Nancy:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (8)

Samuel Goldwyn / courtesy Everett Collection

The real Nancy Spungen:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (9)

Kerstin Rodgers/Redferns via Getty Images

The two side-by-side:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (10)

Samuel Goldwyn / Everett Collection / Watal Asanuma / Shinko Music / Getty Images

3. Nicole Kidman as Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (11)

Glen Wilson /Amazon Studios / Courtesy Everett Collection

The real Lucille Ball:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (12)

Archive Photos / Getty Images

Here they are side-by-side:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (13)

Silver Screen Collection / Hulton Archive / Getty Images / Amazon Studios / Everett Collection

4. Lily James as Pamela Anderson in Pam & Tommy:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (14)

Erica Parise / Hulu / Courtesy Everett Collection

The real Pamela Anderson:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (15)

Pearson All-American Television / Courtesy: Everett Collection

The two side-by-side:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (16)

Stephane Cardinale / Sygma via Getty Images / Erin Simkin / Hulu / Courtesy Everett Collection

5. Jennifer Lopez as Selena in Selena:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (17)

Warner Bros / Courtesy Everett Collection

The real Selena Quintanilla-Pérez:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (18)

Arlene Richie / Getty Images

Here they are side-by-side:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (19)

Warner Bros. / Selena / YouTube via youtube.com

See Also
17 Pairs of Celebrity Lookalikes Who Could Be Twins

6. Tina Fey as Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (20)

Dana Edelson / NBC / Courtesy: Everett Collection

The real Sarah Palin:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (21)

Dana Edelson / NBC / Courtesy: Everett Collection

Here they are side-by-side:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (22)

Dana Edelson / NBC / Everett Collection / Ethan Miller / Getty Images

7. Renée Zellweger as Judy Garland in Judy:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (23)

Roadside Attractions / courtesy Everett Collection

The real Judy Garland:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (24)

Silver Screen Collection / Getty Images

The two side-by-side:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (25)

R. Powell / Daily Express / Hulton Archive / Getty Images / Roadside Attractions / Everett Collection

8. Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly in Bombshell:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (26)

Lionsgate

The real Megyn Kelly:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (27)

Nathan Congleton / NBCU Photo Bank / NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images

Here they are side-by-side:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (28)

Lionsgate / Frontline PBS

9. Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (29)

Alex Bailey/Weinstein Company / courtesy Everett Collection

The real Margaret Thatcher:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (30)

Bettmann / Bettmann Archive via Getty Images

Here they are side-by-side:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (31)

Evening Standard/ Hulton Archive / Getty Images / Alex Bailey / Weinstein Company / Everett Collection

10. Alexandra Shipp as Aaliyah in Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (32)

Christos Kalohoridis / Lifetime/Lionsgete / courtesy Everett Collection

The real Aaliyah:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (33)

Kevin Mazur / WireImage via Getty Images

The two side-by-side:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (34)

Christos Kalohoridis / Lifetime / Lionsgate / courtesy Everett Collection / Sal Idriss/Redferns via Getty Images

11. Julia Garner as Anna Delvey in Inventing Anna:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (35)

Nicole Rivelli / Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

The real Anna Delvey:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (36)

Dave Kotinsky / Getty Images

The two side-by-side:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (37)

Timothy A. Clary / AFP via Getty Images / Nicole Rivelli / Netflix / Everett Collection

12. Selma Blair as Kris Jenner on The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (38)

FX

The real Kris Jenner:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (39)

Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

The two side-by-side:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (40)

FX / Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

13. Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe in My Week with Marilyn:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (41)

Laurence Cendrowicz/The Weinstein Company / courtesy Everett Collection

The real Marilyn Monroe:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (42)

Baron / Getty Images

The two side-by-side:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (43)

Laurence Cendrowicz/The Weinstein Company / courtesy Everett Collection / Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images

14. Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth in The Crown:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (44)

Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

The real Queen Elizabeth:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (45)

Larry Ellis/Daily Express / Getty Images

Here they are side-by-side:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (46)

Ollie Upton / Netflix / Courtesy: Everett Collection / Larry Ellis/Daily Express/Hulton Archive / Getty Images

15. Salma Hayek as Frida Kahlo in Frida:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (47)

Miramax/Courtesy Everett Collection

The real Frida Kahlo:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (48)

Susana Gonzalez / Newsmakers via Getty Images

The two side-by-side:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (49)

Miramax / courtesy Everett Collection / Ivan Dmitri/Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images

16. Viola Davis as Ma Rainey in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (50)

Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

The real Ma Rainey:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (51)

Donaldson Collection / Getty Images

The two side-by-side:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (52)

Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection / Donaldson Collection / Getty Images

17. Sarah Paulson as Marcia Clark in The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (53)

Ray Mickshaw / FX / Courtesy Everett Collection

The real Marcia Clark:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (54)

Pool / AFP via Getty Images

Here are the two side-by-side:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (55)

FX / Courtesy: Everett Collection / Bill Nation/Sygma via Getty Images

18. Natalie Portman as Jackie Kennedy in Jackie:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (56)

Fox Searchlight Pictures/ Courtesy Everett Collection

The real Jackie Kennedy:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (57)

Getty Images

The two side-by-side:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (58)

Pablo Larrain/ Fox Searchlight /Courtesy Everett CollectionBettmann / Getty Images

19. Lindsay Lohan as Elizabeth Taylor in Liz & Dick:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (59)

Lifetime

The real Elizabeth Taylor:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (60)

Silver Screen Collection / Getty Images

Here are the two side-by-side:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (61)

Jack Zeman / Lifetime TV / Courtesy: Everett Collection / Bettmann / Getty Images

20. Meryl Streep as Julia Child in Julie & Julia:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (62)

Jonathan Wenk/Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

The real Julia Child:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (63)

Hulton Archive / Getty Images

Here are the two side-by-side:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (64)

Jonathan Wenk/Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection /Bachrach / Getty Images

21. Susan Sarandon as Bette Davis in Feud:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (65)

Byron Cohen / FX / Courtesy: Everett Collection

The real Bette Davis:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (66)

Keystone / Getty Images

The two side-by-side:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (67)

FX /Silver Screen Collection / Getty Images

22. Jessica Lange as Joan Crawford in Feud:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (68)

Fx Networks / ©FX Networks/Courtesy Everett Collection

The real Joan Crawford:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (69)

Hulton Archive / Getty Images

The two side-by-side:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (70)

Avalon / Getty Images) /Byron Cohen / FX / Courtesy: Everett Collection

23. And finally, Emma Corrin as Princess Diana on The Crown:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (71)

Des Willie / Netflix / Courtesy: Everett Collection

The real Princess Diana:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (72)

Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

Here they are side-by-side:

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (73)

Des Willie / Netflix / Courtesy: Everett Collection /Anwar Hussein / WireImage via Getty Images

23 Photos Of Actors Alongside The Famous Women They Played That Prove Makeup Artists Need A Raise (2025)
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