20 Biopics That Completely Distorted the Reality of Their Historical Figures

In this award-winning historical film, William Wallace wore a kilt. However, the kilt wasn’t invented until several centuries after this Scottish freedom fighter’s death. So, when you see Braveheart charging into battle, keep in mind that this iconic look is a bit of an exaggeration.

Hugh Jackman portrays P.T. Barnum as a charismatic visionary who simply wanted to spread joy throughout the world. In reality, P.T. Barnum was a cynical opportunist who built his fortune by exploiting his employees. He loved to deceive the public with hoaxes and did not always treat his performers kindly.

It is said that the real Alan Turing was a colorful character who had many admirers who enjoyed his company. He is portrayed as a shy loner, because that is how movies featuring “mad scientists” have always been conceived. It’s a safe bet that Turing would have been much more fun at a party than his cinematic alter ego.

Everyone knows that Disney taught us that the man and Pocahontas fell in love despite the colonial wars. But in reality, Pocahontas was only eleven or twelve years old when she met Captain John Smith. There was no Hollywood-style romance between the young Native American girl and the explorer.

John Nash suffered from schizophrenia, but his illness was portrayed rather loosely in this film. The film depicts Nash’s symptoms as visual hallucinations in the form of people. However, Nash himself stated that his hallucinations were primarily auditory.

Zuckerberg pointed out that he was actually dating his future wife throughout the entire process of creating the site. He wasn’t a bitter outsider trying to break into exclusive circles; he was simply a young man passionate about programming who loved creating tools for his peers. The “revenge” storyline might make for a better movie, but it doesn’t reflect the true source of inspiration behind this social media giant.

Commodus is portrayed as a whiny villain who meets his end in a spectacular battle in the arena against a general thirsting for revenge. In reality, Emperor Commodus reigned for more than a decade and was ultimately strangled in his bath by a wrestler named Narcissus. He was certainly a colorful and controversial figure, but he did not die in a final burst of glory at the Colosseum.

Patch Adams himself never really liked the way he was portrayed. He felt that Hollywood reduced him to a carefree doctor who made people laugh. What wasn’t emphasized were his intense activism and political commitments.

Winston Churchill did not ride the London Underground during World War II to gauge public opinion. While he was certainly the people’s prime minister, there is no evidence that he used public transportation at that time. Hollywood saw fit to add a populist moment where none existed in reality.

At the end of this cult classic musical, we see the Von Trapp family crossing the Alps on foot to reach freedom in Switzerland. If they had actually taken that route from their home in Salzburg, they would have ended up in the heart of Nazi Germany. In reality, they simply took a train to Italy and then continued their journey to the United States from there.

Antonio Salieri spent his life trying to harm Mozart out of jealousy. Although they moved in the same circles for years, Mozart and Salieri were on friendly terms during their lifetimes. Salieri was, in fact, highly respected in his own right as a talented musician.

The movie suggests that Michael Oher had no idea what he was doing when he started playing American football. In reality, Oher was an exceptional athlete who knew exactly what he was doing. He didn’t need to learn the basics of American football from a family of amateurs.

A few weeks before Live Aid, Freddie tells Brian and Roger that he is HIV-positive. The actual story shows that Mercury did not learn of his diagnosis until several years after Live Aid. This change was clearly made to move the audience and add more drama to the concert.

This biopic about the group N.W.A. brilliantly chronicles the group’s rise to fame, but glosses over some of its members’ most controversial behavior. Dr. Dre’s history of physical altercations with women is completely ignored in order to keep the audience on his side. While the film pays tribute to their musical legacy, it glosses over the darker aspects of their personalities, which were widely documented at the time.

King George worked with his therapist for only a few months before his radio address. In reality, they had been working together for years, and George had been making progress since childhood. The film shortened the duration of their relationship to heighten the sense of urgency.

In his recent film adaptation about the French emperor, Ridley Scott depicts him firing cannons at the pyramids of Egypt during his campaign. Historians were quick to point out that this never happened, as Napoleon actually had great respect for ancient history. He had brought scientists and artists with him to study these structures, rather than use them as practice targets.

Many felt that Margaret Thatcher’s dementia had been exploited for narrative purposes in this film. Her children even publicly denounced the film, accusing it of glorifying her illness. As a result, she was not portrayed as the strong leader her children remembered.

Although it is inspired by his life, the film takes certain artistic liberties for the sake of entertainment. If you’re watching a “fantasy musical,” don’t expect it to be grounded in reality. Rocketman presents John’s experiences through the lens of artistic expression.

Parker was a greedy manipulator, but Elvis still valued what he had to say. Parker provided Elvis with money and comfort, so he probably didn’t see him as a bad person. Elvis’s relationship with his manager was much more complex than what we see on screen.

Jane Hawking’s book highlights numerous conflicts between her and Stephen. Yet their relationship is portrayed as fairly harmonious in the film. Even though they loved each other, Stephen’s illness put their marriage to the test very early on. The film shows only an idealized version of their marriage.