Biopics are where performance and transformation intersect. There’s something particularly strong about seeing an actor melt into the persona of a legendary figure from history, a cultural icon, or a tumultuous figure. Whether you enjoy music, politics, or simply enjoying watching an actor totally sink into character, biopics give a unique type of movie experience. Here are 10 unforgettable performances in biopics that left us agog, inspired, and emotionally devastated—the best way possible.
10. Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe in Blonde
It takes a tall order to fill Marilyn Monroe’s stilettos, but Ana de Armas took on the challenge with unflinching vulnerability in Blonde. The movie goes below Monroe’s radiant veneer to see the hurt behind the mask, and de Armas gives an unflinching, indelible performance. Even if the movie created controversy, her devotion earned standing ovations and even an Oscar nomination.
9. Jennifer Lopez as Selena Quintanilla in Selena
Before J.Lo became an international icon, she played one on screen. In Selena, Lopez did justice to the memory of the popular Tejano singer with warmth, authenticity, and charm. Her breakout role contributed to making Selena’s legacy popular among a larger audience and garnered Lopez her first Golden Globe nomination. It is a milestone role in both her career and the music biopic genre.
8. Salma Hayek as Frida Kahlo in Frida
Salma Hayek didn’t merely act Frida Kahlo—she embodied her pain, her ardor, and her unapologetic uniqueness. Frida delves into the legendary artist’s turbid existence and paintings, and Hayek’s unflinching performance grounds it. The film took home two Oscars, but it’s Hayek’s searing performance that remains most fiery.
7. Austin Butler as Elvis Presley in Elvis
Austin Butler stole hearts—and hips—with his charismatic turn as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. He didn’t merely impersonate Elvis; he became him. Beginning with his voice and ending with his swagger, Butler’s devotion was unmistakable. His Golden Globe victory and the movie’s numerous Oscar nods were richly deserved, and even Elvis’s loved ones gave their seal of approval.
6. Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody
Channeling one of the greatest frontmen in rock history, Rami Malek delivered a performance that was bold, emotional, and electric. Playing Freddie Mercury, he imbued the superstar with both theatricality and vulnerability. Malek’s Oscar-winning performance turned Bohemian Rhapsody into a cultural moment and a biopic classic.
5. David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma
David Oyelowo imposed quiet strength and electrifying humanity on playing Dr. King in Selma. The movie centers on a turning point in the civil rights struggle, and Oyelowo’s performance is both forceful and intimate. Although only one Oscar went home with the film (for Best Original Song), Oyelowo’s performance is still among the most captivating renderings of the civil rights leader.
4. Ben Kingsley as Mahatma Gandhi in Gandhi
Few performances in biopics are as widely praised as Ben Kingsley’s Mahatma Gandhi. He embodied the moral certitude and tender determination of the leader so fully that it earned him an Oscar. Kingsley’s performance in Gandhi is still a benchmark for the genre.
3. Denzel Washington as Malcolm X in Malcolm X
Denzel Washington gave a career-best performance as Malcolm X—ferocious, rich, and thoroughly human. Directed by Spike Lee, Washington became an activist with fervor and charm. Though he lost the Oscar, the performance remains one of cinema’s greatest biopic roles of all time.
2. Natalie Portman as Jacqueline Kennedy in Jackie
Natalie Portman delivered a masterful, up-close performance as fallen First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in the days immediately after JFK’s assassination. Jackie is not a standard biopic—it’s a study of sorrow, elegance, and understated strength. Portman’s performance was universally lauded as being deep and nuanced, garnering her another Oscar nomination.
1. Sofía Vergara as Griselda Blanco in Griselda
Best associated with comedy, Sofía Vergara took a dramatic risk for dark drama with her stunning portrayal of drug queenpin Griselda Blanco in Netflix’s Griselda. In her first Spanish-speaking role, Vergara demonstrated she could bring grit, intensity, and depth of emotion. She silenced naysayers and revealed an entirely new dimension of her acting ability.
From music legends to political figures, these biopic performances make us remember the magic that ensues when actors completely dive into sharing someone else’s story. They’re not merely acting a part—they’re paying tribute to a life.