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If you keep up to date with movie casting news, you know that the biopic era is definitely not slowing down any time soon. I’m sure by now you’ve seen the Beatles casting discussion all over your feed, but I’ll give a quick recap. There had been rumors of a biopic about the legendary band floating around for a while, and earlier this week, the actors set to play the four stars were finally announced.
Paul Mescal is set to play Paul McCartney , Harris Dickinson will be portraying John Lennon, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, and Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr. And while fans were excited, some folks online felt like Barry, Joseph, Harris, and Paul weren’t the best picks to star in the movies (yes, there’s four individual movies, but that’s a whole different can of worms). However, I personally still have faith that they're all going to do a fantastic job.
So, to prove my point, I’ve compiled a list of 11 biopic casting choices that initially had people scratching their heads, but turned out to be exactly what the world needed. 1. Austin Butler as Elvis Presley in Elvis , 2022 Remember how the internet was in shambles after this was announced? After the former Disney and Nickelodeon star was reported to be playing the King himself, people immediately hopped on a hate train.
And unfortunately for Austin, it seemed like the more seriously he took the role, the more backlash he received. In case you don’t remember, playing Elvis took a serious toll on Austin, who told Screen Daily he “didn’t sleep for two years.” He also revealed to British GQ that the day after production wrapped, he had to be hospitalized , and in a conversation with Stephen Colbert he shared that he eventually had to hire a dialect coach to lose the “Elvis voice” that he had been speaking in for so long.
However, despite the uproar, back in 2023 Austin took home a Golden Globe and a BAFTA for the part, and was praised by critics and audiences alike . Elvis’s daughter, Lisa Marie Presley , was even among those campaigning for Austin to get an Oscar for the role, so it looks like his hard work was all worth it. 2.
Jennifer Lopez as Selena Quintanilla-Pérez in Selena , 1997 The casting process for the Selena biopic was one of the largest searches in movie history, with 21,000 people auditioning for the lead role. But despite J.Lo being the obvious choice for the casting directors, the production received a lot of negativity , mainly due to the fact that Jennifer is from New York and is of Puerto Rican descent, whereas Selena was Mexican and Texas-born.
However as revealed in the documentary Making of Selena: 10 Years Later , Selena’s family was heavily involved in the production, and Jennifer even stayed with Selena’s sister Suzette in order to study the singer more. The family noted that Jennifer and Selena’s personality and mannerisms were similar as they had spotted during filming. After the movie was released Jennifer’s performance garnered a lot of critical praise, and she even snagged a Golden Globe nomination.
3. Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown , 2024 I feel like I remember the day this news dropped, because it was immediately divisive online. Despite Timmy already being regarded by many as a so-called “serious actor,” for some reason a lot of people were against him playing the folk legend.
However, after the movie was released, ( and got a co-sign from Bob himself ), Timothée’s performance was hailed as one of the best of the year , both as an actor and as a musician. He received multiple nominations including an Academy Award, and for good reason — I’m still listening to his version of “Blowin’ in the Wind.” 4.
Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody , 2018 Although Sacha Baron Cohen was initially slated to play the title role, he exited the production due to creative differences, and Rami took over the role. Back when he was cast, people online had a lot to say about Rami’s Egyptian descent. However, fans responded that Freddie, who was born Farrokh Bulsara, was a person of color himself, and so casting a white actor would have been less accurate.
The role earned Rami a whole host of awards, as he took home a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, a SAG award, and an Oscar, so whoever recast the role clearly made a fantastic choice . 5. Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady , 2011 People were definitely apprehensive about this one after it was announced.
The British press was especially conflicted about an American actor playing Britain’s first female Prime Minister, and some people were divided about an actor as beloved as Meryl playing such a controversial figure. However, despite the film’s overall mixed critical response, Meryl’s performance was regarded by almost everyone as the saving grace , and it earned her a third Academy Award win. 6.
Cate Blanchett as Bob Dylan in I’m Not There , 2007 If A Complete Unknown is the only Bob Dylan biopic you’ve seen, I’m begging you to go experience I’m Not There , because it’s truly a film like no other. It’s an experimental film that has six different actors playing different personas of Bob Dylan: Cate, Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Richard Gere, Ben Whishaw, and Marcus Carl Franklin. Cate and Marcus attracted the most criticism, as Marcus was a young Black actor, and Cate is a woman.
However, they were both incredible in their roles , and Cate took home an Independent Spirit Award and a Golden Globe (and an Oscar nomination) for her portrayal of Bob. 7. Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana in Spencer , 2021 If you’re like me, you’re probably still stuck on this movie’s iconic poster — but that’s definitely not all it’s known for.
While the Twilight star experienced a lot of negativity after her casting was announced , Kristen’s performance garnered a lot of approval from audiences and critics alike , receiving nominations for a Golden Globe, Academy Award, and a Critics’ Choice Award. And it didn’t end there: Ken Wharfe, aka Diana’s former bodyguard , specifically praised Kristen’s portrayal of the late “people’s princess,” and said that out of everyone who had played Diana in recent memory, Kristen’s performance was the most accurate. 8.
Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash in Walk The Line , 2005 Another musician biopic — there were even rumors that Johnny Cash himself handpicked Joaquin to portray him in the movie. But whether Johnny had final say or not, there was definitely some pushback against the choice, given how beloved Johnny and his music was to his fanbase. However, Joaquin’s performance led to his second Oscar nomination, as well as winning his first Golden Globe.
9. Matthew McConaughey as Ron Woodroof in Dallas Buyers Club , 2013 Now, because I will forever associate Matthew with his stunning work in Interstellar , it’s hard to imagine anyone not taking him seriously as a dramatic actor. However, before his work in Dallas Buyers Club , this was the case for a lot of people .
Portraying Ron Woodroof, a real-life Texas local who smuggled drugs into the state to treat his AIDs, Matthew earned a ton of critical appraisal and the Academy Award for Best Actor. 10. Ana De Armas as Marilyn Monroe in Blonde , 2022 Back in pre-production, Naomi Watts was initially slated to star in the biopic, before she was replaced by Jessica Chastain.
However, Jessica was replaced by Ana, who then received a lot of backlash , likely due to her Cuban heritage. She worked for a dialect coach for a year during preparation for the role, and it looks like it payed off. Despite the film’s overall mixed response, Ana’s performance was highly praised and she was nominated for multiple accolades including an Oscar, a Golden Globe, a SAG Award and a BAFTA.
11. Jim Carrey as Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon , 1999 While Jim and Andy are both legendary entertainers, when Jim was originally cast as the Saturday Night Live legend, there was initial apprehensiveness from audiences — mainly because of Jim’s supposed lack of physical resemblance to Andy. Jim also received a ton of negativity due to his behavior on set, when he reportedly stayed in character for over four months, going full method.
However, despite the movie’s mixed reception, Jim won his second Golden Globe (in a row!) for his performance, and it’s stil l one of the most talked about method acting examples today. Did I forget any controversial biopic casting picks that turned out to be great? If so, let’s discuss it in the comments!.
