Ben Kingsley, Gandhi (1982)
“His torment ended a nation’s suffering,” declares the trailer for Richard Attenborough’s story of the man who developed the model for modern passive resistance. Kingsley’s career-making portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi helped put a stop to the torment we usually associate with watching Great-Man biopics.

Gary Busey, The Buddy Holly Story (1978)Long before musical biopics became the go-to vehicle for red-carpet hogs, Busey turned this recreation of the nerdy, gangly rocker’s life into a raucous affair that had folks dancing in the aisles. The fact that he nails Holly’s warbling alto (Busey sang the tracks himself) only sweetens the deal.

Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn, The Aviator (2006)
Sure, most stand-up comedians can mimic Hepburn’s distinctive voice, that laugh (ah-HA-HA-HA-HAH!) and her brittle upper-crust bearing. Blanchett, however, takes her Hepburn several dimensions past mere impersonation, turning her into a three-dimensional character who is every bit the equal of Howard Hughes. “I sweat, and you’re deaf…aren’t we a fine pair of misfits?” Yes, indeed.

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