19 Iconic Movie Characters Based on Real People

We all know that sometimes characters in movies and TV shows are based on real people. According to poptier.com, here is their list of 19 iconic characters based on real people.

1. Thomas Shelby from Peaky Blinders (2013)

-This character was not just made up out of thin air. Thomas Shelby was inspired by an actual person named Thomas Gilbert, who led the real Peaky Blinders gang back then. The real Thomas was nowhere near as charismatic as the version seen on screen, played by Cillian Murphy. The real Thomas was all about staying under the radar, and changing his name frequently to elude the law

Thomas Gilbert

Cillian Murphy as Thomas Shelby

2. Ursula from The Little Mermaid (1989)

-Ursula was actually inspired by the drag queen Divine. Her heavily applied makeup and personality make Ursula one of the more iconic Disney villains

Divine

Ursula

3. Oliva Pope from Scandal (2012)

-It's not surprising to see strong female lead characters. But Olivia Pope is unique in many ways. She was known for her great outfits and strong power of negotiation. Her character was strongly inspired by Judy Smith, who worked as a press aid for then president George H.W. Bush

Judy Smith

Olivia Pope

4. Zorro from The Mask of Zorro (1998)

-Everywhere, there is a type of Robin Hood-like figure, a person who fights for the people, who helps the good people and metes out justice to the bad. There was an actual Mexican Robin Hood-like person, named Joaquin Murrieta, who was a bandit that sought justice after his family was killed for no reason. And in the movie, Antonio Banderas' character and his brother in the film have the last name Murrieta, as a tribute

Joaquin Murrieta

Antonio Banderas as The Mask of Zorro

5. Lucy from 50 First Dates (2004)

-Lucy was known for having strong amnesia, so her husband would play clips of things for Lucy. She was strongly based on a woman named Michelle Philpots, who suffered the same condition. Her husband couldn't take her out on dates, so instead he settled for notes and wedding clips

Michelle Philpots

Drew Barrymore as Lucy

6. Pocahontas (1995)

-It's not even remotely shocking to find that Pocahontas was an actual person. The film was based on the daughter of a Native American chief whose name was Amonute. She also did save an Englishman, John Smith, from death

The real Pocahontas

Disney Pocahontas

7. Sherlock Holmes (2009)

-Sherlock Holmes, the main character created by legendary mystery author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, created the character after inspiration by his old medical professor, Dr. Joseph Bell. Dr. Bell was a teacher considered unconventional during his days of teaching. He would challenge his students to bring forth details from patients' mannerisms, appearances and more

Dr. Joseph Bell

Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes

8. Molly Brown from Titanic (1997)

-Margaret Brown, better known as "Molly Brown", was one of the actual survivors of the Titanic. She was a human rights activist and socialite who was one of the survivors and few people who wanted to rescue as many people as possible. Because of her refusal to be negative, and because nothing could get her down, she became known as the "Unsinkable Molly Brown"

The real Margaret "Molly" Brown

Kathy Bates as Molly Brown

9. Hazel Grace from The Fault in Our Stars (2014)

-The character of Hazel Grace was based on the life of YouTuber Esther Earl. She went on YouTube and talked about life with cancer. She was friends with a man named John Green, and at 16 she died

The movie version

Esther Grace Earl, the inspiration behind The Fault in Our Stars

10. Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver (1976)

-This iconic film of Robert De Niro was inspired by real events. The character Travis Bickle was inspired by Arthur Bremer, a man who assassinated then presidential candidate George Wallace. He also attempted an assassination of former President Richard Nixon, but the Secret Service stopped him

Arthur Bremer

Robert De Niro as Travis Bickle

11. Frank in Catch Me If You Can (2002)

-Leonardo DiCaprio's character, Frank Abagnale Jr., was inspired by the real Frank Abagnale Jr. The real man was a former criminal turned consultant. The real Frank was a con man who posed as a doctor, lawyer and pilot, all before the age of 19. He escaped police custody twice, served five years in prison and now works with the FBI as a consultant

The real Frank Abagnale Jr.

Leonardo DiCaprio as Frank Abagnale Jr.

12. Tony Stark in Iron Man (2008)

-The character Tony Stark was based on Howard Hughes and Elon Musk

Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, aka Iron Man

Howard Hughes

Elon Musk, founder of Tesla

13. Hannibal in Silence of the Lambs (1991)

-The character Hannibal Lecter was based on Alfredo Balli Trevino, a Mexican surgeon who was also a murderer. He was known for killing his victims and dismembering them

Alfredo Balli Trevino

Sir Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Hannibal Lecter

14. Tony Soprano from The Sopranos (1999)

-Life in the mob is not nearly as exciting as it was depicted on The Sopranos. Mob boss Tony Soprano was inspired by Ruggiero Boiardo, aka Richie "The Boot" Boiardo, a caporegime in the New Jersey faction of the Genovese Family and Vincent "Vinny Ocean" Palermo, the former boss of the New Jersey-based DeCavalcante Family

James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano

Ruggiero "Richie the Boot" Boiardo

Vincent "Vinny Ocean" Palermo

15. Ghost Face from Scream (1996)

-The Ghost Face killer was based on a serial killer known as the Gainesville Ripper. Daniel Harold Rolling murdered five students in Gainesville, Florida in 1990, over the course of four days. He confessed to assaulting several victims as well

Daniel Rolling, aka "The Gainesville Ripper"

Ghost Face

16. Auric Goldfinger from Goldfinger (1964)

-The iconic villain from Goldfinger was inspired by Charles W. Engelhard Jr., who was in the metal and mining businesses. Engelhard Jr. was not a villain, but instead a philanthropist who donated his money to various charities and organizations

Auric Goldfinger

Charles Engelhard Jr

17. Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

-The creepy killer from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre was inspired by serial killer Ed Gein. Gein found joy in killing people, but not with a chainsaw

Ed Gein

Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

18. Rocky (1976)

-The famed boxer, played by Sylvester Stallone, was inspired by actual boxer Chuck Wepner. He was a salesman who sold alcohol and a boxer who found in a bout with Muhammad Ali for the World Championship belt

Chuck Wepner

Sylvester Stallone as Rocky

19. Severus Snape in Harry Potter (2001)

-J.K. Rowling, the famed author of the Harry Potter series, based the character Severus Snape on her secondary school chemistry teacher John Nettleship. This teacher was short tempered and had long hair and was as bright as he was unforgiving

John Nettleship, the man who inspired Professor Severus Snape

Alan Rickman as Professor Severus Snape, head of Slytherin House

17 Disney Movies No One Talks About Anymore

Disney has made dozens of movies over the years. But some have gotten thrown to the wayside in favor of other movies or are just criminally underrated and should have gotten more attention. Here are 17 Disney movies seemingly forgotten by most in favor of other Disney movies or are underrated

1. The Emperor's New Groove (2000)

-Summary: An arrogant emperor is turned into a llama when he's given the wrong poison by his adviser. And in order to get back to his palace, he turns to the help of a lowly peasant

-This one has some iconic lines. It may not be liked by everyone, it may not be on the same level as, say, Beauty & the Beast or The Little Mermaid, but it's still a classic in its own right.

2. Meet the Robinsons (2007)

-Summary: Lewis is a child who is also an inventor. He's whisked away to the future with a guy named Wilbur Robinson, who is on the hunt for a person known only as Bowler Hat Guy

-This is a cute little Disney movie appropriate for all ages. It may not be well known, but it's worth a watch. It's hilarious and adorable

3. The Black Cauldron (1985)

-Summary: A young boy and a crew of misfit friends embark on a mission to find a item full of dark magic before an evil tyrant can locate it

-This was a bit of a dark journey for Disney. Normally Disney movies don't delve into dark magic, but this one did. It stands out amongst other Disney movies because of its references to dark magic

4. The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

-Summary: Basil, a rat Sherlock Holmes, is on the case of a missing toy maker who has been kidnapped and discovers his arch enemy, Professor Ratigan is a possible culprit

-It's everything you love about Sherlock Holmes, only transformed into animals

5. Treasure Planet (2002)

-Summary: Jim Hawkins, a teenager who sets off with friends, are on a mission to find a treasure hidden by a space pirate

-This movie manages to combine traditional and digital animation

6. Oliver and Company (1988)

-Summary: A kitten lost in New York City joins a ragtag group of dogs engaging in petty larceny

-This Disney movie is the Disney twist on the classic Charles Dickens' tale of Oliver Twist. Instead of humans, it's animals. There's Oliver, a lost kitten who joins a streetwise dog named Dodger

7. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

-Summary: A bell ringer named Quasimodo must become independent so he can rescue his gypsy friend Esmerelda from a vicious lord

-This movie deals with some dark elements, certainly pushing the limit on a Disney movie. This movie is unique in its animation and storytelling, about accepting people and inner strength

8. Brother Bear (2003)

-Summary: A young Inuit kills a bear for no reason. As a result, he is transformed, by magic, into a bear as punishment. The only way he can change back is with the help of a talkative bear cub

-This unique Disney movie takes a dive into the Inuit culture of Alaska and, with Phil Collins of Genesis providing music, it's worth watching

9. Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

-Summary: Milo Thatch is a linguist who joins a group of people looking for the fabled city of Atlantis

-A film like no other, this movie combines mystery, sci-fi and Disney animation

10. Bolt (2008)

-Summary: The dog from a popular action/sci-fi show shows he has real super powers when he embarks on a cross country journey to save his co-star from a threat that proves to be real

-There are themes of loyalty, friendship and self-discovery throughout the film

11. The Rescuers Down Under (1990)

-Summary: Miss Bianca and Bernard travel to the land Down Under to save a boy and a rare golden eagle from a poacher with murderous intentions

-This is the first animated Disney film sequel. This movie often gets overlooked, for reasons unknown to this day. It shows the Australian wilderness, often known as the Outback, in stunning color, and the themes of friendship and courage make it worth watching

12. The Sword in the Stone (1963)

-Summary: A boy named Arthur learns he is the one destined to pull Excalibur from the stone it rests in. Along with the help of a wizard named Merlin, he learns love, kindness, knowledge and bravery as he goes on to be one of the most celebrated kings in English history

-This movie does not get the recognition it so rightly deserves. It shows a young boy named Arthur and centers on the topics of magic, humor and is filled with life lessons one could use

13. Robin Hood (1973)

-Summary: Animals telling the famous tale of Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham

-This movie reinterprets the classic story of Robin Hood and his battle with the Sheriff of Nottingham for kids to understand

14. Hercules (1997)

-Summary: The only son of Greek god Zeus and wife Hera is raised as a mortal infant and must rise to the occasion and become a true hero to regain his immortality

-This modernized story of the Greek god Hercules falls to the wayside in favor of other Disney movies. It adds a quirky touch to the story, including a satyr named Phil and a seductive heroine named Megara

15. A Goofy Movie (1995)

-Summary: Max promises a girl he has a crush on that he's going to a concert for musician Powerline. But his plans are derailed when he instead goes on a cross country journey with his embarrassing dad, Goofy

-This movie goes hardly seen by anyone. Unless you grew up watching Disney movies, not everyone will be familiar with this movie. This movie explores the relationship between Goofy and his teen son Max, exploring the sometimes difficult parent-teen relationship

16. Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World (1998)

-Summary: When Pocahontas moves to the New World with her friends Meeko, Flit and Percy, she learns of John Smith's death. She must try to prevent war and battle

-This movie continues the story of Pocahontas as she moves to England and encounters a culture completely foreign to her. She faces the challenge of keeping peace between her people and the English

17. Home on the Range (2004)

-Summary: The animals on a farm go hunting for a notorious outlaw in order to save their farm from closure

-Centering on a farm where the animals are trying to save their farm from an outlaw, it may not seem like an original story. But this movie is funny and lighthearted, perfect for when you need a good laugh