A long, long list of actors and actresses have been Oscar-nominated for playing famous people over the past eight decades. Many have won.
The first winner was George Arliss, named Best Actor for playing the British prime minister in 1929’s “Disraeli.’’ Luise Rainer was the first actress to win a top prize for playing a real person, singer Anna Held in 1935’s “The Great Ziegfeld.’’
Actors have won Oscars for playing Henry VIII (Charles Laughton), scientist Louis Pasteur (Paul Muni), World War I hero Alvin York (Gary Cooper), composer-performer George M. Cohan (James Cagney), World War II Gen. George S. Patton and boxer Jake Lamotta (Robert DeNiro), among others.
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Actresses took top honors for portrayals of St. Bernadette (Jennifer Jones), executed murderess Barbara Graham (Susan Hayward); the woman who claimed to be the daughter of the last Russian czar, Anastasia (Ingrid Bergman) and singer Fanny Brice (Barbra Steisand).
More recently, Jeremy Irons was named Best Actor for playing accused murderer Claus von Bülow (“Reversal of Fortune’’), as were Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles (“Ray’’), Philip Seymour Hoffman as writer Truman Capote (“Capote’’) and Colin Firth as King George VI (“The King’s Speech’’).
Helen Mirren won as George VI’s daughter Elizabeth II (“The Queen’’) and Meryl Streep took top honors as another British PM, Margaret Thatcher (“The Iron Lady’’) after being nominated for three earlier biopic roles. Two actresses have won Best Actress playing country music legends: Sissy Spacek as Loretta Lynn (“Coal Miner’s Daughter’’) and Reese Witherspoon, as June Carter Cash, in “Walk the Line.’’