#SixT: Top Ten – Actors In A Biographical Role

Hey everyone! So picking up on Paul Hayden’s excellent article from last week, Top Ten Tom Hanks Performances, I’m here to bring you my own top 10. Our top 10’s won’t always be movie or tv related but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to highlight 10 of my favorite performances in a biographical role. So, without further ado, here is my list.

10. Tom Hanks as James B. Donovan in Bridge of Spies – Picking up where Paul left off I start off with a role by the inestimable Tom Hanks. In this movie Hanks plays lawyer James B. Donovan, who is entrusted with negotiating the release of Francis Powers, a U2 pilot shot down over The Soviet Union during The Cold War. Hanks humanizes Donovan who is put in the difficult position of representing his client in a period of escalating tensions between The United States and The USSR. His struggle to balance loyalty to his country, his desire to work a deal to get Francis Powers freed and the incredible pressure exerted by the public and the situation is beautifully acted by Hanks. One of many standout performances by this legendary actor.

9 Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra Ptolemy in Cleopatra – With the announcement that a new Cleopatra movie featuring Gal Gadot is scheduled to begin production soon, I thought it only fair to pay tribute to the original film from 1963. Many will complain that Taylor’s performance was a “whitewashing” of the historical figure but she did the character justice. Taylor brought a dominating performance, depicting Cleopatra as a ruthlessly calculating and intelligent women who was afraid to use all of her considerable assets, to include her sexuality, in order to further her ambitions for herself and her country. In a movie famous for it’s all star cast, elaborate set design and extravagant budget; Taylor’s performance as the title character stands above all.

8 – Ray Liotta as Henry Hill in Goodfellas – There are many who dispute the voracity of some elements of Goodfellas, a story that centers around Henry Hill and is based on an account of Hill’s life by author Nicholas Pillegi. What can not be disputed, at least in my opinion, is the career defining acting performance by Ray Liotta. Liotta’s performance brilliantly underscores the braggadocios nature of Hill while also taking us into his downward spiral as drugs, philandering and his criminal life eventually caught up to him. I had to pick Liotta as the central character but I could have just as easily picked Robert De Niro as James Conway. The character of Tommy DeVito in the film seems to be a conglomeration of several different mafia figures but Joe Pesci is excellent in that role as well.

7. Taron Egerton as Elton John in Rocketman – It’s difficult to star in a biographical role when the person you are playing is still alive. Doubly difficult when the person you are playing is widely known and has lived most of his adult life in the public eye. Such was the task that Taron Egerton took on. While I briefly considered going to the performance of Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody, I had to go with Egerton for a few reasons. First, and probably most importantly, Egerton’s musical performance was superb and the fact that he was able to bring both acting and singing to the table in was a most decided plus. In fact, his singing was good enough to get him invited to sing on tour with Elton John. If the man himself thinks he sings his songs well who am I to question him. Secondly was the seal of approval by John on the film as a whole. Oftentimes, the real life figures have problems with the way they are portrayed. However, in this case, John was adamant that Egerton brought him to life admirably…portraying his flaws and his virtues in equal measure.

6. Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday in Tombstone – This is the first of back to back picks of supporting actors in biographical movies. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed Kurt Russel as Wyatt Earp in this film but Val Kilmer stole the show as hard living gunslinger Doc Holliday in the film. His scenes with Michael Biehn, who played Johnny Ringo in the film, are the stuff of legend and I’m still fond of saying “I’ll be your huckleberry” when I’m feeling particularly sassy or feisty. Kilmer had me believing that he was a hard drinking gambler in the nineteenth century. His combination of casual swagger and deadly menace jumped off the screen and grabbed your attention. Similarly, his ability to incorporate the character’s advancing tuberculosis into this acting performance was superb.

5. Daniel Bruhl as Niki Lauda in Rush – This little known movie depicts the rivalry between Formula One drivers Niki Lauda and James Hunt, set against the backdrop of the 1976 F1 Championship. Chris Hemsworth as James Hunt is excellent. However, it is supporting actor Daniel Bruhl who steals the show. Bruhl’s depiction of the meticulous, grating, brutally honest, brave and talented Austrian is incredible. He pulls no punches and Lauda, to his credit, acknowledged that Bruhl captured him perfectly. The juxtaposition of the clinical Lauda and the effervescent Hunt is the stuff of magic and has made this one of my favorite films.

4. Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street – What more can one say about Jordan Belfort that hasn’t been said by the man himself. Leo DiCaprio perfectly captures that essence and the playful and prideful tone of Belfort in this movie based on the book of the same name by Belfort himself. The movie is a dark comedy that pushes up against the line of bragging about the illegal and unethical things Belfort perpetrated during his time as a stock broker. DiCaprio perfectly captures Belfort as the cocksure Wall Street mover who is is confident that his perfect hair cut and expensive suits are all the justification he needs for any actions he has taken.

3. Taraji P. Henson Katherine Johnson in Hidden Figures – If you haven’t seen this movie go out and watch it as soon as you’re done reading this article, please. I like to pride myself on knowing history but this is one story I did not know until stumbling upon this film several years ago. All of the actors and actresses in this film are outstanding but Henson, as Katherine Johnson, is superb. A pioneer at NASA, this woman of color played a huge role in the US Space Program. Her tale is one of excellence, perseverance, bravery and love of country and is one that should be treasured. Since watching this movie I’ve done a lot of reading about these women and she has become a hero of mine. She is brought to life and humanized by Henson. Henson’s performance brings forth the dignity and power of this incredible woman.

2. Liam Neeson as Oscar Schindler in Schindler’s List – This is another one of those pieces of history that many people, myself included, would know little about save for the film that chronicles it. Oscar Schindler is a hero, an ordinary man trying his best to do what good he can while living in NAZI Germany. If you look at the total number of Polish Jews he was able to save that number is dwarfed by the total number of Jews killed during the holocaust. However, Schindler stood up and did what he could when a lesser person would have retreated and done nothing under the crushing evil of that time and place. Neeson brings this man to life with dignity and honesty. Presenting him as an everyman who had the courage of his convictions and felt unworthy for the praise offered him in his lifetime. It is a refreshing performance that says much about that inner kernel of strength that all of us possess but we so rarely draw upon.

1. Denzel Washington as Malcolm X in Malcolm X – I’ve watched this movie a number of times and get something new from it every time I watch it. In my humble opinion, this is Spike Lee’s pinnacle achievement and a stand out performance in a career’s worth of stand out performances by Denzel Washington. Washington’s performance is perfection as the film traces Malcolm X’s life from Harlem gangster to civil rights leader. Washington brings power and passion to the role and his Plymouth Rock scene is a masterclass in acting and oration that should be taught in every acting and public speaking class. Whether you agree or disagree with Malcolm X and what he stood for this movie is worth watching in order to understand the man, the time in which he lived and his importance in American history. Washington’s performance is a huge factor in this film and he should be remembered for this role decades from now. Denzel Washington is a national treasure and this is one of his finest performances.

So that’s it, that’s my list. I know you all out there have other performances that would make your list. Please message me and let me know where I went wrong or where I went right. Interact with me and Comic Crusaders on twitter @NemesisFC2 and @ComicCrusaders respectively. Anyway, it’s time for me to pass the torch and I intend to tag in Steve @shadewing Sellers. Here is the top ten list for him to pick from….please tweet at us and let us know topics you’d like to have added to the list as various Comic Crusader contributors write articles from the list.

Current Top 10 List of Topics

Actors who we thought would suck but didn’t
Trailer to movie differences
Overused locations in film and TV
Secret organizations in film and tv
Roles that made an actor
Roles that broke an actor
Same film over and over
Characters inspired by historical figures
Titles held by multiple characters
Most abstract Royal Rumble entrances
I never knew they were in that
Acronymed agencies in comics
Comic heroes with no super powers

Author Profile

Nemesis

Nemesis is a poet, writer and author of the upcoming novel The Long Game. He is a writer of science fiction and supernatural thrillers. Besides novels and short stories he writes for UK based ASAP Comics developing new stories for Level 8 and OPSEC. Nem is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and tries to bring those experiences into his writing.

He lives and works out of his home in Riverside, California with his wife and three children. When not writing he enjoys reviewing comic books and graphic novels for ComicCrusaders.com and living the Southern California life with his family.