Actors That Have Played Artists

by Helen Earnshaw | 30 October 2014

Mr Turner is one of the movies that is not to be missed this weekend as Timothy Spall takes on the role of acclaimed painter J.M.W. Turner.

Mr Turner

Over the years, some of Hollywood's biggest stars have tackled similar roles and played some of history's greatest painters and artists.

We take a look at some of the actors who have taken on such parts, ahead of Mr Turner's release tomorrow.

- Ed Harris - Pollock (2002)

Ed Harris made his directorial debut with biopic Pollock, as well as taking on the central role of American painter, Jackson Pollock.

The movie was based on the book Jackson Pollock: An American Saga by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith, and chronicled the life and career of the artist.

Pollock is a movie that really delves into the creative process of this artist as well as exploring the man himself as well as the relationships he had.

Harris had wanted to play Pollock for many years, and you can see the care that he has taken in crafting this terrific film. The passion is in every scene and that is wonderful to see when you watch the film.

There is a real honesty to the story and to the central performance - we get to see the demons that took this talent away from the world too soon.

Harris went on to be receive a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his central performance, while co-star Marcia Gay Harden won the Best Supporting Actor gong.

- Salma Hayek - Frida (2003)

Frida hit the big screen in the UK in 2003, and saw Salma Hayek take on the title role in this great biopic.

Directed by Julie Taymor, Frida looks at the career of the iconic Mexican painter as well as depicting her life and her fiery marriage.

Frida is one of those roles that Hayek really got her teeth into, she was able to get under the skin of this character and explore her like she hadn't really been given the opportunity to do before.

From start to finish, Hayek is simply fantastic as be paints Frida as a truly beguiling figure who lived her art as well as creating it. Hayek would go on to be nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for her work - she lost out to Nicole Kidman for The Hours.

Taymor also created a visually striking and beautiful movie, and that is really what sets it apart from many other movies in this genre.

- Anthony Hopkins - Surviving Picasso (1997)

Pablo Picasso is one of the most iconic artists of all time, and he was the subject of Surviving Picasso back in 1997.

The movie was loosely based on the book Picasso: Creator and Destroyer by Arianna Stassinopoulos Huffington, and saw James Ivory in the director's chair.

Anthony Hopkins is no stranger to the biopic role, and he took on the role of Picasso in the film.

The movie focused on the relationships Picasso had with Francoise Gilot, the only lover he had who could withstand his ferocious cruelty and move on with her life.

Hopkins creates a very complex image of this artist - we see the greatness of his work as well as the cruelty and selfishness that he shows in his personal life.

Overall, the movie may not have been met well critically, but both Hopkins and newcomer Natascha McElhone - who played Gilot - give terrific performances.

- Robert Pattinson - Little Ashes (2008)

Robert Pattinson may be best known for his role in Twilight, but he took on the part of Salvador Dalí in Little Ashes back in 2008.

Directed by Paul Morrison, Little Ashes follows the life and loves of Dali, filmmaker Luis Buñuel and writer Federico García Lorca.

I have to say, this is not a great movie but I really enjoyed Pattinson's central performance as Dali.

This is a movie that explores Dali's battle to suppress his sexuality and the difficulties that he has with that. It really is a very brave performance from Pattinson.

Little Ashes perhaps does make the difficult and sometimes muddled relationship between these three artists a little soap-operaish, which is a major shame, as it could have been so much more.

- Daniel Day Lewis - My Left Foot (1989)

Daniel Day Lewis is one of the greatest actors of his generation, and My Left Foot was the movie that would see him win the first of his three Best Actor Oscars.

My Left Foot told the true story of Christy Brown, who was born with cerebral palsy, but learnt to paint and write with his left foot.

My Left Foot really is one of the most uplifting movies that I have ever seen as it focuses on one man's unbreakable spirit and desire to achieve.

Day-Lewis delivers a truly magnificent performance as Brown - this really was the movie that made people sit up and take note of this fantastic actor.

Day-Lewis studies cerebral palsy patients for two months before taking on this role, and you can see he had a real understanding of the character that he was playing.

He would win the Best Actor Oscar for his performance, while Brenda Fricker collected the Best Supporting Actress gong for her role.

- Timothy Spall - Mr Turner (2014)

Mr Turner is a film that has been raved about ever since it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year.

Directed by Mike Leigh, Mr Turner follows the last quarter century of the life of J.M.W. Turner, as we see the profound effect that the death of his father had on him.

Timothy Spall takes on the title role in the film, a role for which he won the Best Actor award at Cannes.

The film also sees him reunite with Leigh after working together on All of Nothing, Topsy Turvy, and Timothy Spall.

We all know how much the Academy loves a biopic picture, and Mr Turner & Spall's central performance are already surrounded in Oscar whispers.