10 famous people whose characteristics and mannerisms inspired the actors (11 photos)

Whose gait, speech patterns, facial expressions and other visual elements of the image were used by the actors, creating some characters known to all of us. This could also include other actors from previous generations who also inspired their colleagues.





How do you create a great character from scratch when you're filming an original script and your character has no real-life basis? Answer: copy someone's interesting habits! Everyone has their own idols and inspirations among celebrities, friends, teachers and family members, whose mannerisms an ordinary person unwittingly, and a professional actor deliberately adopt.

Captain Jack Sparrow - Keith Richards



The Rolling Stones guitarist became an inspiration for Johnny Depp when he worked on the gait, manner of speaking and movements of the famous pirate. Keith Richards later, somewhat symbolically, played the role of Captain Edward Teague, Jack Sparrow's father, in the final two films of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Naturally, his invitation to the film would not have taken place without Depp’s participation.

The voice of the Joker performed by Heath Ledger - Tom Waits





When creating his legendary image, Heath Ledger used many sources of inspiration: Alex DeLarge's sideways glance from A Clockwork Orange, Eric Draven's makeup from the movie The Crow, the mannerisms of Sid Vicious from the Sex Pistols, and even the laughter of hyenas.

But he apparently borrowed his famous conversational style from the American musician Tom Waits. A video of Waits' interview with Australian television in 1979 has gone viral online, in which his voice is virtually indistinguishable from the timbre and drawl of Ledger's Joker. Ledger himself did not have time to confirm this theory, but the similarities are too strong for this to be a mere coincidence.

Hannibal Lecter played by Anthony Hopkins - Christopher Fettes



Christopher Fettes is a famous British theater teacher whose students at one time included Anthony Hopkins, Colin Firth and Pierce Brosnan. Hopkins personally admitted that he copied his mentor in The Silence of the Lambs.

He was very charismatic and deadly. He will tear you apart. He will crush you intellectually. This teacher remains in my consciousness all my life. After the film came out, he called me: “Tony, great game! Did you happen to copy this character from me?”

Previously, Anthony Hopkins had mentioned more widely known sources of inspiration for Lecter's voice. Among them are the famous actress Katharine Hepburn, the author of the story “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” Truman Capote, as well as the computer from “2001: A Space Odyssey” HAL 9000.

John Constantine - Sting



The comic John Constantine was based on the musician and actor Sting, or more precisely on his characters in the films Brimstone and Oil (1982) and Quadrophenia (1979). The visual influence of the musician also reached the film Constantine: Lord of Darkness (2005), although Keanu Reeves had a different hair color and an American accent.

Logan from the film of the same name performed by Hugh Jackman - Clint Eastwood



In his new, darker take on the role of Wolverine, Hugh Jackman emulated Eastwood's character Will Munny from Unforgiven (1992). Jackman compared the characters, their fates and what they come to at the end of the films, coming to terms with the darkness within themselves. This state, according to Jackman, was perfectly conveyed by Clint Eastwood.

Venom played by Tom Hardy - James Brown



According to Hardy, while searching for the voice of an aggressive alien, he was drawn to imitate the musicians because their voices sounded “electrified and soulful, but at the same time primal.” He was inspired by the famous American singer James Brown, as well as rappers Busta Rhymes and Redman, to find a voice that would sound "mysterious and charismatic, but at the same time dangerous and scary."

Agent Smith - Matthew Marsh in the TV series "Red Dwarf" (1988-...)



When creating the image of the famous program villain, actor Hugo Weaving imitated television announcers, and one important speech feature of Smith was observed in the character of the British TV series “Red Dwarf”, Captain Hercule Platini, played by Matthew Marsh. Moreover, this character appeared in only one scene in the entire series and in the form of a hologram. But the character's clipped speech inspired Weaving's signature Agent Smith way of making unpredictable pauses in his words at random intervals.

Thanos - Marlon Brando



Josh Brolin, who played the villain Thanos in the Marvel films, was inspired by Marlon Brando and his performance as Colonel Kurtz in the famous film Apocalypse Now (1979).

Al Pacino's Tony Montana - Roberto Duran and Meryl Streep



The role of the title character in Scarface (1983) was partly inspired by Panamanian professional boxer Roberto Duran.

There was a certain aspect of him that I took on, it was as if there was a lion living inside him.

Al Pacino also noted that while playing in Scarface, he was impressed by Meryl Streep's work in the film Sophie's Choice (1982).

Her portrayal of a person from another country and another world was especially beautiful, purposeful and... brave.

Max Rockatansky played by Mel Gibson - Clint Eastwood



The leading man in the original Mad Max (1979), like Hugh Jackman, took a lot from Clint Eastwood, namely his character - the famous Blonde from the film The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1968).

In general, Eastwood’s images had a strong influence on actors of subsequent generations. In addition to the two on this list, Christian Bale in Hostiles (2017), Pedro Pascal in The Mandalorian, and Jamie Foxx in The Amazing Spider-Man. High Voltage" (2014). They all admitted that they based their characters on various characters played by Clint Eastwood.