Hollywood's shortest marriages
They say true love lasts a lifetime but Katy Perry and Russell Brand's ill-fated union lasted just 14 months. The…
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Top 40 actresses who play icons
Movie stars and their real life muses
Acting is a tricky enough art alone, without the added pressure of emanating a legendary face from history. So a tip of the fedora to these talented thespians, who have risen to the challenge of playing icons in Hollywood and beyond, ably re-living their characters' legacies on-screen. The result is a double take of the highest order, with the movie star's own fame enhancing that of their subject. With Michelle Williams receiving rave reviews for her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe this week, we take a look at other actresses who have embodied real-life legends of history. Read on for more details...
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Picture credit: Rex Features
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Marilyn Monroe The actress: Michelle… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Marilyn Monroe
The actress: Michelle Williams
The film: My Week With Marilyn (2011)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Etta James The actress: Beyonce The… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Etta James
The actress: Beyonce
The film: Cadillac Records (2008)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Edith Piaf The actress: Marion… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Edith Piaf
The actress: Marion Cotillard
The film: La Vie En Rose (2007)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Bettie Page The actress: Gretchen… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Bettie Page
The actress: Gretchen Mol
The film: The Notorious Bettie Page (2005)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Coco Chanel The actress: Audrey… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Coco Chanel
The actress: Audrey Tautou
The film: Coco Before Chanel (2009)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Audrey Hepburn The actress: Jennifer… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Audrey Hepburn
The actress: Jennifer Love Hewitt
The film: The Audrey Hepburn Story (TV movie, 2000)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Jane Birkin The actress: Lucy… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Jane Birkin
The actress: Lucy Gordon
The film: Gainsbourg (2010)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Joan Crawford The actress: Faye… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Joan Crawford
The actress: Faye Dunaway
The film: Mommie Dearest (1981)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: June Carter Cash The actress: Reese… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: June Carter Cash
The actress: Reese Witherspoon
The film: Walk The Line (2005)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Harper Lee The actress: Catherine… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Harper Lee
The actress: Catherine Keener
The film: Capote (2005)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Nancy Spungen The actress: Chloe… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Nancy Spungen
The actress: Chloe Webb
The film: Sid And Nancy (1986)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Wallis Simpson The actress: Andrea… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Wallis Simpson
The actress: Andrea Riseborough
The film: W.E. (2011)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Wallis Simpson The actress: Gwyneth… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Wallis Simpson
The actress: Gwyneth Paltrow
The film: Glee TV episode (2011)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Wallis Simpson The actress: Amber Rose… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Wallis Simpson
The actress: Amber Rose Sealey
The film: Bertie and Elizabeth TV series (2002)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Tina Turner The actress: Angela Bassett… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Tina Turner
The actress: Angela Bassett (seen here alongside Laurence Fishburne as Ike Turner)
The film: What's Love Got To Do With It? (1993)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Eva Perón The actress: Madonna The… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Eva Perón
The actress: Madonna
The film: Evita (1996)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Anne Boleyn The actress: Natalie… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Anne Boleyn
The actress: Natalie Portman
The film: The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Virginia Woolf The actress: Nicole… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Virginia Woolf
The actress: Nicole Kidman
The film: The Hours (2002)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Amelia Earhart The actress: Hilary… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Amelia Earhart
The actress: Hilary Swank
The film: Amelia (2009)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Zelda Fitzgerald The actress: Alison… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Zelda Fitzgerald
The actress: Alison Pill
The film: Midnight In Paris (2011)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Adventurer Baroness Karen Blixen The… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Adventurer Baroness Karen Blixen
The actress: Meryl Streep
The film: Out Of Africa (1985)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Jayne Mansfield The actress: Loni… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Jayne Mansfield
The actress: Loni Anderson
The film: The Jayne Mansfield Story (TV movie, 1980)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Iris Murdoch The actress: Judi… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Iris Murdoch
The actress: Judi Dench
The film: Iris (2001)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Joan Jett The actress: Kristen… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Joan Jett
The actress: Kristen Stewart
The film: The Runaways (2010)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Queen Elizabeth I The actress: Cate… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Queen Elizabeth I
The actress: Cate Blanchett
The film: Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Marilyn Monroe The actress: Susan… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Marilyn Monroe
The actress: Susan Griffiths
The film: Marilyn and Me (TV movie, 1991)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Marilyn Monroe The actress: Mira… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Marilyn Monroe
The actress: Mira Sorvino
The film: Norma, Jean & Marilyn (TV movie, 1996)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother The… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
The actress: Helena Bonham Carter
The film: The King's Speech (2010)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Anna Wintour The actress: Meryl… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Anna Wintour
The actress: Meryl Streep
The film: The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Sylvia Plath The actress: Gwyneth… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Sylvia Plath
The actress: Gwyneth Paltrow
The film: Sylvia (2003)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Cleopatra The actress: Elizabeth… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Cleopatra
The actress: Elizabeth Taylor
The film: Cleopatra (1963)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Outlaw Bonnie Elizabeth Parker The… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Outlaw Bonnie Elizabeth Parker
The actress: Faye Dunaway
The film: Bonnie And Clyde (1967)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Beatrix Potter The actress: Renée… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Beatrix Potter
The actress: Renée Zellweger
The film: Miss Potter (2006)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Maggie Thatcher The actress: Meryl… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Maggie Thatcher
The actress: Meryl Streep
The film: The Iron Lady (2011)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Supermodel Gia Carangi The actress:… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Supermodel Gia Carangi
The actress: Angelina Jolie
The film: Gia (TV movie, 1998)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Selena Quintanilla-Perez The actress:… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Selena Quintanilla-Perez
The actress: Jennifer Lopez
The film: Selena (1997)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Jackie Kennedy The actress: Katie… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Jackie Kennedy
The actress: Katie Holmes
The film: The Kennedys (TV mini-series, 2011)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Jane Austen The actress: Anne… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Jane Austen
The actress: Anne Hathaway
The film: Becoming Jane (2007)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Loretta Lynn The actress: Sissy… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Loretta Lynn
The actress: Sissy Spacek
The film: Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Queen Elizabeth II The actress: Helen… More details
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Actresses who play icons
The icon: Queen Elizabeth II
The actress: Helen Mirren
The film: The Queen (2006)
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