Biopics can be successful and admired by their subject, or they can be successful and not admired by their subject. Either way, people are not afraid to speak their minds when it comes to their lives — especially how they are depicted to the world on the big screen.
From The Blind Side to Dear John, these 13 movies were not totally true, and had many people going, “Did they make this up?”:
The Blind Side — an Academy-award-winning movie — is based on a Black teen, Michael Oher, (Quinton Aaron), and his journey in and out of the school system, until Leigh Ann Toluck (Sandra Bullock), and her husband take in the teen, becoming his legal guardian and putting him into football which helps him emotionally and physically.
Though the movie was loved by viewers and still replays on cable channels to this day, the man who inspired the film wasn’t a huge fan. Michael Oher claimed The Blind Side negatively affected his football career. “I felt like it [the movie] portrayed me as dumb instead of as a kid who had never had consistent academic instruction and ended up thriving once he got it,” he said. He also didn’t like how the 2009 film alluded to how he didn’t understand football.
2.
Straight Outta Compton (2015)
Straight Outta Compton is a 2015 film based on hip-hop group, N.W.A. The biopic shows the early humble beginnings of the members including Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, MC Ren, and DJ Yella.
The movie was produced by N.W.A.’s own Ice Cube and was received well by members of the group. However, Jerry Heller — who was played by Paul Giamatti in the film — filed a lawsuit against the movie claiming he wasn’t represented well, since the film shed light on financial discrepancies in the group — especially with Ice Cube, who exited the group first, and Dr. Dre.
3.
The Social Network (2010)
The Social Network was based on the founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg). The film follows Zuckerberg through the invention and the trials and tribulations he faces as a young billionaire.
It’s not surprising that Zuckerberg wasn’t a fan of the film, as it illustrated Zuckerberg double-crossing his friends and others working on Facebook. At a Q&A in 2014, Zuckerberg said the movie, “made up a bunch of stuff that I found kind of hurtful.”
4.
The Fifth Estate (2013)
The Fifth Estate characterizes founders Julian Paul Assange and Daniel Brühl teaming up to create an anonymous platform for whistleblowers to leak data on the world’s top secret government information and more, eventually resulting in their gaining access to the biggest cache of confidential intelligence documents in US history.
Apparently, the real Julian Assange did not like the film and made it clear that he didn’t want Benedict Cumberbatch to play the role. Assange “hated the idea of the film.” Before its release, WikiLeaks revealed there was a letter sent to Cumberbatch asking him to drop the role. Assange had no problem with the actor, personally — the founder simply didn’t want the movie to happen.
5.
The House of Gucci (2021)
Lady Gaga plays Patrizia Reggiani in House of Gucci, which follows Reggiani marrying into the Gucci family where she discovers the family is more than a name.
The actual Gucci family wasn’t fond of their portrayal in the film. The heirs of Aldo Gucci issued a statement, saying: “The production of the film did not bother to consult the heirs before describing Aldo Gucci — president of the company for 30 years — and the members of the Gucci family as thugs, ignorant and insensitive to the world around them.”
Winnie Mandela takes a look into the life of the wife of Nelson Mandela played by Jennifer Hudson. It shows her childhood to her marriage with the activist.
Winnie Mandela didn’t enjoy the fact that a movie was made about her before consulting her. She said, “In an attempt to ensure that my truth was reflected, I reached out to the filmmakers of Winnie Mandela — my advances were rejected. I imagine the basis was to allow the creative process to occur organically — a concept I try to understand.”
All Eyez On Me tells the true and untold story of Tupac Shakur. From his childhood to his fast rise to hip-hop royalty in the ’90s.
After casting a super similar look-alike (Demetrius Shipp Jr.) for the movie, people that were a part of the late rapper’s inner circle, and fans, critiqued the choice. Jada Pinkett-Smith was the first critic to say that some plot points were made up: “Pac never read me that poem. I didn’t know that poem existed until it was printed in his book. Pac never said goodbye to me before leaving for [Los Angeles]. He had to leave abruptly and it wasn’t to pursue his career.” In addition to Pinkett-Smith critiquing the film, Kevin Powell, the writer responsible for multiple interviews with Shakur and 50 Cent, had some critiques as well.
Zoe Saldana (who is of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent) portrayed Nina Simone in the biopic Nina. It shows the life and story of the late classic jazz musician and the relationship between her manager.
Saldana apologized for taking the 2016 movie role while advocating for a Black actor, “I should have never played Nina […] I should have done everything in my power with the leverage that I had 10 years ago, which was a different leverage, but it was leverage nonetheless.” She added, “I should have done everything in my power to cast a black woman to play an exceptionally perfect black woman.”
9.
The Notorious B.I.G. (2009)
The Notorious B.I.G. documents the rise of rapper Biggie Smalls from his rap tales of violent street life in Brooklyn to his finding a way out.
Lil’ Kim didn’t appreciate the portrayal of herself or her relationship with Biggie in the film. When speaking about it, she said, “How do you even pick somebody (Naturi Naughton) — because I’m sorry. That wasn’t … I was not OK with that … I would have never picked her. Never, ever, ever. She has nothing in common with me. Nothing. We have nothing in common. No, seriously … And I don’t like the way she’s been disrespectful about it because I wasn’t even basically blaming her. But she did a whole documentary coming at me. I’m like, ‘What the heck is this?'”
Dear John follows a soldier, John Tyree (Channing Tatum), who develops a strong, bonding love with a college student, Savannah Curtis (Amanda Seyfried).
Dear John was inspired by veteran Todd Vance and the movie was “somewhat true” according to him. Vance’s cousin, Nicholas Sparks wrote the story about him without telling him but acknowledged him on the website.
11.
What’s Love Got to Do With It? (1993)
What’s Love Got to Do With It? is a biopic starring Angela Bassett as Tina Turner and Laurence Fishburne as Ike Turner. The movie documented Tina’s early start as Anna Mae morphing into the incredible singer she was throughout the ’60s to ’80s and her turbulent relationship with Ike Turner.
Ike Turner wasn’t the biggest fan of What’s Love Got to Do With It? as it depicted him in a negative light. In an article with the L.A. Times, Ike said, “I didn’t go see it and I didn’t read her book either, but from what I hear they’re both full of lies. I guess they needed some drama, they needed to make somebody into the bad guy and this time it was me.”
12.
I Saw the Light (2015)
I Saw the Light follows country singer-songwriter, Hank Williams, his rise to fame in the ’40s, and the way his alcohol abuse and infidelity take a toll on his marriage and career.
Hank Williams’ grandson spoke out about the 2016 film. He had a major concern with the casting and the authenticity of the storyline, saying, “I just want to see one [biopic] done halfway right. It’s because I care. It’s the whole approach to this movie. I hate to say it, but these things don’t come up that often and when they do, I wish they would be taken more seriously.”
Game Change premiered in 2012 with a focus on John McCain’s presidential run alongside Alaskan governor Sarah Palin, following them all the way to their ultimate defeat against former President Barack Obama.
Palin responded to the movie by releasing a video titled, “Game Change We Can Believe In,” which is a play-off from Obama’s campaign slogan. In the video, she says, “The screenwriter of Game Change, Danny Strong, lapsed into a tired routine of manipulating facts and omitting key parts of Governor Palin’s story in order to push a biased agenda and drive ratings.”
Which biopics did we miss? Do you know of any “Based on a True Story” movies that the subjects were less than pleased about? Share in the comments below!
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