***WARNING: Contains mention of true crime, murder, and disturbing content***
In today's age, there is an increased interest and morbid curiosity in true crime stories. More and more, there are a growing number of true crime podcasts, documentaries, and biopic films in production. Casting these projects can be a very tricky task.
On one hand, casting producers want to choose an actor that could believably pass as any of these people involved in true crime stories: victim, assailant, or otherwise. On the other hand, catching the nuances of the person's mannerisms and personality is just as important, and Redditors have narrowed down which actors have truly done their research.
Zac Efron As Ted Bundy in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile (2019)
Truly portraying a real person, especially someone who committed heinous and atrocious crimes, is a difficult and nuanced task. No one wants to glamorize or romanticize a serial murderer. However, one of the key aspects of Ted Bundy's case was that no one suspected him because he was seen as a very handsome, charming, and wholesome member of society.
Zac Efron brought that facade to life onscreen and made people understand why it was so easy for Bundy to fly under the radar for so long. Efron also represents the kind of warm, welcoming persona that Bundy had. On Reddit, theoriginalsauce wrote, "Ted Bundy was charismatic. He could have had any woman he wanted. Zac Efron, right now, can have any woman he wants. He is our general interpretation of good-looking. I believe they casted that way so we could feel more involved with the film."
Elle Fanning as Michelle Carter In The Girl From Plainville (2022)
Not only did Elle Fanning truly capture Michelle Carter's complex character with her mannerisms and the things that she said in the limited series, but she also changed her physical disposition and facial expressions to better match Michelle's personality.
There are definite hurdles to jump with playing someone who was ultimately found guilty of pushing someone to suicide, but Elle really tapped into Michelle's mindset and that was palpable with audiences. Redditors like Dolleste say, "Elle plays the part so well," while others like missyo5 brought in her essence, saying, "Elle gave me the willies, which must mean she did the job right."
Ross Lynch As Jeffrey Dahmer in My Friend Dahmer (2017)
Jeffrey Dahmer, like Ted Bundy, is another well-known serial killer who actors may be hesitant to portray onscreen because of the severity of their crimes. Regardless, viewers on IMDb think that My Friend Dahmer is a binge-worthy movie based on a real killer.
The film was a success with audiences and was a creative telling of a serial killer's childhood. Redditors like KellMHill wrote, "Loved it. Great job by the lead. Exactly the story I expected it to be." VersusArdua replied, saying, "Ikr? Ross Lynch was perfect casting as Dahmer." Although it was vastly different from what Lynch had done in the past, he obviously worked hard on the role.
John Cameron Mitchell As Joe Exotic in Joe Vs. Carole (2022)
No one could have guessed that the quarantine Netflix docu-series about corrupt wildlife zoos would eventually inspire an entire drama about the crimes committed by those involved, but that's exactly what's happened. SNL's Kate McKinnon is starring as Carole Baskin, and John Cameron Mitchell as the infamous Joe Exotic himself.
Sometimes, an actor's ability to fully encapsulate the real-life person's personality and uniqueness overrules any sort of physical likeness the actor may or may not have with the character. Redditors have been loving Mitchell as Joe Exotic, with accounts like RayRayCoops commenting, "John Cameron Mitchell as Joe is amazing. The casting was absolutely perfect."
Several Serial Killers on Mindhunter (2017-2019)
Usually, a docu-series or film covers the story of one crime or serial murderer. In the case of Mindhunter, the premise surrounds the psychological evaluation of several different prolific serial killers across history. Redditors have passionately loved this show and its casting, with many believing that it shouldn't have been canceled.
TenebrisAngelus6 elaborated on their appreciation for the thorough vetting for these roles, saying, "I absolutely love the casting on this show. Mindhunter has some of the best acting I've seen when it comes to the accuracy of the killers' personalities." It's tricky enough to cast one infamous killer correctly, but this show has managed to do it several times.
Charlize Theron as Aileen Wuornos in Monster (2003)
Some actors totally disappear into their roles to become someone entirely different from themselves. That was the case with Charlize Theron playing Aileen Wuornos in Monster. It wasn't just appearances and makeup, however. Theron truly paid attention to the small movements and expressions that Wuornos used in available footage in order to inform her performance.
Redditors have a lot of respect and appreciation for Theron's work on Monster, with users like oodlesofnoodles4u saying, "She really nails that role. It's sad and disturbing, but overall a good movie." Other Redditors, like weaselbeef, paid homage to Theron's attention to detail in the film, writing, "She really captured her mannerisms in that movie." They had similarly good things to say about Lily Rabe, who also played Wuornos in American Horror Story.
Steve Railsback as Charles Manson In Helter Skelter (1976)
There have been quite a few depictions of the infamous cult leader and murderer Charles Manson over the years, but Redditors have leaned toward Steve Railsback's performance as the one that truly captures the essence of Manson and how he came off to people that met him. They also think it's a critically underrated performance.
FantomeBlue on Reddit wrote, "Steve Railsback was a great Manson and a great actor in general who never got the fame he deserved. Xxplodingboy replied to their comment, writing, "Agree 100%. Steve Railsback was absolutely mesmerizing as Manson in Helter Skelter. I don't think any other Manson portrayal has matched his."
Margot Robbie As Sharon Tate in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood may not be historically accurate, but it still contains well-known, real people who were involved in true crime in American history, and viewers have named Robbie's performance as one of the best portrayals of a real-life actor.
Redditors all around have commended Robbie on her role, with accounts like ZippideDooDah saying, "Robbie managed to let Tate's stardom, talent, love of acting, and hopes of motherhood shine just by her laughing at Sharon's old movies, dancing, and just living life. And I think that's masterful screenplay writing and acting."
Amanda Seyfried As Elizabeth Holmes In The Dropout (2022)
Not every fan-favorite performance has been a serial killer or victim of one. Some, like Elizabeth Holmes, are just the centerpieces of large-scale true crime scandals that have been adapted into mini-series or films.
Redditors like runner5126 posit that Seyfried's accuracy as Holmes actually makes The Dropout hard to watch at times, writing, "So far, I've found Seyfried's performance both on-point and hard to watch. From an energy standpoint the voice, the vibe, everything about the performance, I buy."