Actors Who Won Oscars For Playing Real People

The Oscars are fast approaching, so you better start making your winner predictions! While you're filling out your ballot, there's one thing you should keep in mind: roles based on real life. It seems that whenever an actor takes on a famous face in history — or even a lesser-known person with a great true story — it only ups the chances of taking home Oscar gold. There's a long list of Hollywood elite who have won a statue for spot-on portrayals of real people (so many that we can't even list them all here!), but take a peek at this short list of memorable performances.
— Additional reporting by Shannon Vestal
The Real-Life Wladyslaw Szpilman

Image Source: Getty / East News
The Real-Life Aileen Wuornos

The Real-Life Idi Amin

The Real-Life Ray Charles

The Real-Life Erin Brockovich

The Real-Life Edith Piaf

The Real-Life Truman Capote

The Real-Life Mohandas Gandhi

The Real-Life David Helfgott

The Real-Life Katharine Hepburn

The Real-Life Leigh Anne Tuohy

The Real Life Queen Elizabeth II

The Real-Life June Carter Cash

The Real-Life Dicky Eklund

The Real-Life Margaret Thatcher

The Real-Life Abraham Lincoln
