Top 10 Surprising Casting Choices for Biopics

Jamie Foxx was best known for his stint on the iconic sketch show In Living Color in addition to his self-titled late 90s sitcom.

Austin Butler was Oscar nominated and launched into instant superstardom for a starring part in Baz Lerman's epic biopic.

Nicolas Cage was cast against type to play Charlie Kaufman , the film's neurotic screenwriter, as he experiences a mild existential crisis in trying to write the script for the movie you're watching.

There were moments when it seemed like Bohemian Rhapsody might never be made at all.

Matthew McConaughey won the Oscar for playing Ron Woodruff in Dallas Buyers Club .

Kristen Stewart as Diana , Princess of Wales, Spencer , received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress .

Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich , the Iron Claw in this wrestling drama.

Christian Bale as Dick Cheney is proof that Bale can handle pretty much anything a director tasks him with.

Willem Dafoe as Vincent von Go is significantly older than the Dutch painter ever was.

Robert Downey Junior as Charlie Chaplin .