Best actor/actress (lead or support) Oscar winning portrayals of real life characters

[Vash01]

I didn't see The Blind Side, it appeared way to sugar-coated for my tastes. But while Streep's role in Julie and Julia was memorable, it wasn't one of her best rules. I found the character quite superficial - no offense to Streep, as thought was due to the script and direction. Plus, she was only in one-half of the movie.

I loved the Blind side and hated that Bullock won the Oscar for it. I hated Julie & Julia (I fell asleep in it ) but loved Streep in it. She should have won hands down over Bullock.

[Vash01]

Anthony Hopkins (Nixon) and Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon) were both Oscar nominated for playing Nixon, but neither won.

[aftershocks]

I saw Lincoln this Thanksgiving weekend and was blown away by DDL's performance. I know he always gives it his all and he's one of the greatest actors in our time (hyperbole, much ), but he took it to another level with Lincoln. Wow.

Daniel Day Lewis is unbelievably believable in any role he plays. He played a real person (Christy Brown, a handicapped man) in My Left Foot, and he was that man! He was the half-blood Indian in The Last of the Mohicans, and the upperclass twit in A Room With a View. He was John Proctor in The Crucible, and Bill 'The Butcher' in Gangs of New York -- he plays fictional characters with such palpable presence that you would swear these characters actually lived and breathed. I'm sure they did, and DDL just gave them life once again, as he does for Abe in Lincoln! Daniel takes every role to another level!

Interesting factoids: Daniel has five names -- Daniel Michael Blake Day-Lewis. He is such an intense actor who gets so deep into his roles, that at one point in his career he felt the need to step away from acting altogether. While he was taking a break from acting, he decided to become a shoemaker. I'm sure he can craft a mighty fine pair of shoes!


Some acting roles not mentioned in this thread yet:

Diana Ross "killed it" playing Billie Holiday in Lady Sings the Blues (1972)! Boy both Diana Ross and Angela Bassett -- mentioned earlier (as Tina Turner in What's Love Got To Do With It -- 1993) wuzrobbed of Oscars for their real-life portrayals. The year Diana lost, Liza Minnelli won for a forgettable fictional character portrayal in New York, New York -- Robert DeNiro's former wife (Diahnne Abbott) lit up the screen in that movie in a cameo role, more than Liza did in her starring role -- another little known factoid: Liza was getting it on with the director, Martin Scorsese (who was married at the time), during the making of that film. *

Joanne Woodward won an Oscar for her role as a real life mental patient in The Three Faces of Eve (1957).

*OK, thanks to Duane for the correction: Liza won for Cabaret, not New York, New York -- same results, Diana Ross wuzrobbed.

[duane]

The year Diana lost, Liza Minnelli won for a forgettable fictional character portrayal in New York, New York -- Robert DeNiro's former wife (Diahnne Abbott) lit up the screen in that movie in a cameo role, more than Liza did in her starring role...

Liza won the Oscar for Cabaret.

[aftershocks]

Liza won the Oscar for Cabaret.

Okay, thanks, Duane. I guess that's just how "forgettable" Liza was in both roles (at least for me).



I checked and I see that Holly Hunter won for The Piano in 1993 (the year Angela Bassett was nominated for her Tina Turner portrayal). Okay, I absolutely loved Holly Hunter in The Piano so that was a tough competition. Still, I think Angela should have won.

Also for the 1993 film, Fearless, Rosie Perez sooooo wuzrobbed of the Best Supporting Actress Oscar, which went to the child actress, New Zealander, Anna Paquin, just because they had to give it to someone other than fearless, Rosie. That same year Jeff Bridges was not even nominated for his role in Fearless! Not only should he have been nominated, he should have won that year over everyone who was nominated, including the winner, Tom Hanks (Philadelphia).

[VIETgrlTerifa]

^ I personally would have given it to Winona Ryder for The Age of Innocence but Rosie Perez was amazing in Fearless.

[duane]

Okay, thanks, Duane. I guess that's just how "forgettable" Liza was in both roles (at least for me). .

I'm glad that you brought up Diana Ross for Lady Sing The Blues. Her landing the role was roundly criticized, but she surprised everyone with her performance. I remember reading that Berry Gordy went ALL out in promoting her for the Oscar--so much so that it ruined her chances of winning.

Two black actresses were nominated for Best Actress that year--Ross and Cicely Tyson for Sounder.

[michiruwater]

I had no idea DDL was Arthur Miller's son-in-law until like 3 days ago when I watched a version of The American Clock. That's kind of a cool tidbit.