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The silver screen is a faithful and loyal servant to a good biographical film; the genre is undisputedly the darling of both the Academy Awards and Tinseltown, with over a dozen biographical dramas winning Best Picture and numerous actors winning for their portrayals of real-life historical figures.

Biopics are a tried and true style of movie-making that are more often than not slam dunks with both the box office and critics alike. Despite the genre being brought to the big screen more frequently in recent years, its effectiveness and impact remains consistent.

Whether depicting the life of an esteemed physicist, Wild West outlaws, or even United States President Abraham Lincoln himself, biopics are the cream of the crop in Hollywood cinema.

Many of these films helped skyrocket the careers of both their director and actor duos, serving as stepping stones in their lucrative and successful careers. These are some of the best biopics ever made.

Updated July 4, This list has been updated by Rachel Johnson with even more great biopics featuring stellar performances that movie lovers should check out.

19 Capote

The late and great Philip Seymour Hoffman was undeniably one of Hollywood's most illustrious performers, brilliantly transforming himself for every role he took on.

Hoffman knocked it out of the park when he appeared as famed American novelist Truman Capote in the engrossing biopic Capote that chronicled the writer's research and creation of his trailblazing true crime hit In Cold Blood.

Capote travels to the small Kansas town where the gruesome Clutter family murders occurred in , doing so with fellow writer and friend Harper Lee (Catherine Keener) to investigate the shocking crime.

Hoddman Soared as Truman Capote

Hoffman masterfully commands the screen and completely embodies the peculiar Capote, spending four months preparing and researching for the role in an effort to capture his distinct voice and mannerisms.

The gifted star felt it was extremely important to "express the vitality and the nuances" of Capote and stayed in character the entire time during production. Hoffman's dedication to the role ultimately paid off, as he was the recipient of numerous prestigious accolades, like an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA for his performance, and he became deeply regarded as one of the cinema's most talented actors because of it.

18 Chaplin

Depicting the fascinating life of worldwide film icon Charlie Chaplin, ’s Richard Attenborough biopic Chaplin stars Robert Downey Jr.

as “The Little Tramp” in a searing performance. The film features an elderly Chaplin as he recollects his incredible life journey for his autobiography, from his poverty-stricken roots to worldwide success. With a talented supporting cast including Dan Aykroyd, Marisa Tomei, and even Chaplin’s real life daughter Geraldine Chaplin, the movie was released on the fifteenth anniversary of the beloved star’s death.

Chaplin Is One of Downey Jr.'s Best Roles

Despite mixed reviews for the biopic itself, Downey Jr.’s performance was lauded and garnered critical acclaim.

It is arguably his finest role to date (outside of his Oscar-winning role in Oppenheimer) and won him the BAFTA Award for Best Actor, along with an Academy Award nomination.

The Los Angeles Times wrote, “Downey becomes Chaplin, re-creating his character and his chilly soul so precisely that even the comedian’s daughter Geraldine, a featured player here, was both impressed and unnerved.”

17 12 Years a Slave

The Steve McQueen-directed poignant and deeply powerful drama 12 Years a Slave tells the devastating true story of Solomon Northup, a free African-American who was brutally kidnapped by two white men and sold into slavery in Louisiana in , leaving his beloved wife and two children behind in New York.

Chiwetel Ejiofor was fantastic as Northup, who experienced unfathomable violence and cruelty at the hands of one of his owners, Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender), before eventually finding an unexpected savior in Canadian abolitionist Samuel Bass (Brad Pitt) who would help grant him his freedom.

12 Years a Slave Made History

Both McQueen and the producers went to painstaking lengths to ensure that 12 Years a Slave was historically accurate, utilizing the help of African-American culture and history scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr.

to consult on the film. According to the data and visual blog Information is Beautiful, the drama was % accurate, with the publication summarizing: "While there are a touch of dramatic license here and there, the most gut-wrenching scenes really happened." 12 Years a Slave garnered universal acclaim and made cinema history when McQueen won Best Picture, becoming the first black filmmaker to win the Academy Award.

16 The Pianist

Adapted from the autobiographical book of the same name, Roman Polanski's The Pianist stars Adrien Brody as Polish-Jewish composer and pianist Władysław Szpilman, who is forced to live in the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II and was heartbreakingly separated from his family, spending two years in hiding after the invasion of Poland.

Szpilman evaded capture by the Nazis multiple times during this horrific period, finding an ally in German officer Wilm Hosenfeld (Thomas Kretschmann) as the war raged on around him.

The Director's Personal Connection Made For a Spectacular Movie

Polanski himself had escaped from the Kraków Ghetto as a child after losing his mother during the war and being separated from his father, finding refuge in a Polish farmer's barn.

Polanski felt a deep connection with Szpilman and his story and wanted to pay his respects to the Holocaust survivor by directing the film, doing so spectacularly. The Pianist premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and took home the highly-coveted Palme d'Or, and the drama also went on to win three Academy Awards, including Best Director.

Polanski's vision, Brody's raw performance, and the screenplay attracted widespread praise from fans and critics alike.

15 The Theory of Everything

’s critically acclaimed biopic The Theory of Everythingis a poignant portrayal of the relationship between renowned physicist Stephen Hawking and his wife, Jane.

The film was adapted from Jane Hawking’s memoir Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen,and she provided input and insight for the script. The Theory of Everything stars Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones as the famous couple, with the former spending six months researching Hawking’s life and mastering his accent and speech patterns.

A Great Movie About the Hawkings

Though some creative liberties were taken surrounding the early days of Stephen and Jane's relationship and the renowned physicist's temperament, the biopic was a massive hit both commercially and critically, with Redmayne specifically receiving immense praise and winning the Academy Award for Best Leading Actor.

Director James Marsh described the essence of the biopic's story as, "a very unusual love story in a very strange environment, a very strange sort of landscape It is how these two characters, these two real people transcend all the complications and curveballs that life throws at them."

14 The Last King of Scotland

Touting a phenomenal ensemble cast led by Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, and Kerry Washington, the captivating historical drama The Last King of Scotland recounts the life and legacy of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.

After overthrowing President Milton Obote, he assumes power and begins a reign of terror that lasts from to McAvoy appears as the fictional character Dr. Nicholas Garrigan, who serves as Amin's private physician in the film and witnesses the disturbing atrocities committed by the ruthless leader.

The Last King of Scotland Features Whitaker in a Chilling Role

Garrigan was inspired by two real-life figures: Amin's associate and colonial officer Bob Astles and Scottish doctor Wilson Carswell, both of whom saw firsthand the violence and blood Amin left in his wake.

In The Last King of Scotland, Whitaker was a force to be reckoned with, delivering a chilling and downright brutal performance as the notorious dictator.

He became the fourth Black actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, and The Daily Mail wrote in their review that he "fully captures the menace of the man who murdered more than , of his fellow citizens, but also - and this is the difficult part - his humor, charm and charisma."

13 Walk the Line

Telling the story of famous American country musician Johnny Cash, James Mangold's biopic, Walk the Line sees Joaquin Phoenix take on the role of the "Ring of Fire" singer. The film uses two of Cash's autobiographies as the basis for the script, 's Man in Black: His Own Story in His Own Words and 's Cash: The Autobiography, and details the late singer-songwriter's rise to fame, his two marriages, and his addiction to drugs.

Joaquin Phoenix in One of His Best Roles

Co-starring Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin, and Robert Patrick, the movie was a box office hit and gained rave reviews from critics.

It also earned five Academy Award nominations, with Phoenix taking home the award for Best Actor. Though the film is solid, like many biopics, it's the performance of the leading man that makes Walk the Line truly great. Phoenix completely transforms into Cash, even managing to expertly imitate the singer's infamous voice.

It is a subtle yet charismatic performance that stands out as among the best of Phoenix's career.

12 The Elephant Man

's The Elephant Mantells the real-life story of an English man, Joseph Merrick, who adopted the cruel nickname "The Elephant Man" owing to his severe facial deformities as a result of a rare genetic disease.

Set in Victorian London, the film portrays the friendship between Merrick (John Hurt) and Frederick Treves, a surgeon who rescues Merrick from a freak show and who sees the disfigured man for the kindhearted and intelligent person he truly is.

A Haunting Tale From David Lynch

Directed by David Lynch, the film garnered critical acclaim upon its release and went on to receive eight Academy Award nominations at the 53rd annual ceremony.

Hurt's performance, in particular, was lauded by critics, with Vincent Canby of The New York Timescalling his portrayal "truly remarkable." The Elephant Man is ahaunting yet beautifully moving tale of compassion, acceptance, and seeing beyond another's appearance.

11 Straight Outta Compton

When it was released in cinemas in , F.

Gary Gray's Straight Outta Comptonalmost instantly became a financial success and a modern-day classic. Set in Los Angeles in the mids, the film revolves around the formation and break-up of the hip-hop group N.W.A, whose members consist of rappers Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, MC Ren, and DJ Yella.

Titled after the group's debut album, it depicts their early success in the music industry, their rise to mainstream popularity, and the feuds, disputes, violence, and deaths that surrounded the group.

Straight Outta Compton Is a Provocative Biopic

Straight Outta Compton is different from the average musical biopic.

Biographical dramas movies youtube

In fact, it's so much better. With N.W.A members Ice Cube and Dr. Dre serving as producers, along with Eazy-E's widow, Tomica Woods-Wright, the film is raw, honest, and provocative, and doesn't shy away from the more unpleasant aspects of hip-hop culture. Ultimately, though, it is a well-acted and superbly directed celebration of the genre.

10 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid