I’ve screened “Dance First”, a new drama in theaters Aug. 9 and on digital Aug. 16. It stars Gabriel Byrne as writer Samuel Beckett (of “Waiting for Godot”). As you find out during the excellent film, the title “Dance First” is significant to Beckett’s life. But many people may not realize this is a Beckett biopic because his name isn’t part of the official title. It made me think about how, over the past five years, there have been a number of movies starring well-known actors as famous and prolific figures that you may have missed.
“Did you know they made a movie about…?”
Jesse Eisenberg starred in “Resistance” as iconic performing artist Marcel Marceau. Johnny Flynn played David Bowie in “Stardust” and “James Bond” author Ian Fleming (before he penned 007) in ensemble drama “Operation Mincemeat”. Greg Kinnear portrayed Bob Hope in the brilliant “Misbehaviour”. “Downton Abbey”’s Hugh Bonneville took on the role of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” author Roald Dahl in “To Olivia”. Rosamund Pike played Marie Curie in “Radioactive”.
Pierce Brosnan was King Louis XIV in “The King’s Daughter”, and Johnny Depp was King Louis XV in “Jeanne du Barry”. Recently Jude Law played King Henry VIII in “Firebrand”. And did you know they made an animated movie about Leonardo da Vinci? He’s voiced by Stephen Fry in the excellent “The Inventor”.
Other recent, overlooked biopics that do have the names of their subjects in the title include “Big George Foreman” (starring a very good Khris Davis), “Robert the Bruce” (with Angus Macfadyen reprising the role he originated in “Braveheart”), Ethan Hawke as “Tesla”, Kristen Stewart in “Seberg” and animated drama “Charlotte”, about painter Charlotte Salomon (voiced by Keira Knightley).
Here’s where you can watch these movies right now:
– PRIME VIDEO: “The Inventor”, “The King’s Daughter”, “Radioactive”, “Robert the Bruce”, “Seberg”
– AMC+: “Resistance”, “Stardust”, “Tesla”
– NETFLIX: “Big George Foreman”, “Operation Mincemeat”
– HULU: “Charlotte”
– PEACOCK: “Misbehaviour”
– DIGITAL: “Firebrand”, “Jeanne du Barry”, “To Olivia”