27 Famous Actors Who Looked So Much Like The Real-Life Criminals They Played, I Had To Do A Double Take
Here's Nicholas Chavez and Cooper Koch as Erik and Lyle Menendez in Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.
And here's a side-by-side of Erik and Lyle Menendez, and Nicholas Chavez and Cooper Koch in the show.
2. This is Aaron Hernandez, a former professional football player who was convicted of murdering his fiance's sister's boyfriend.
Here's Josh Andrés Rivera as Aaron Hernandez in American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez (2024).
And here's a side-by-side of Aaron Hernandez and Josh Andrés Rivera in the show.
3. This is Rodney Alcala, who was a convicted sex offender and serial killer found guilty of nine murders between 1977 and 1979. However, it is believed his number of victims falls around 130. He's nicknamed the "Dating Game Killer" because he appeared on the series The Dating Game amidst his murder spree.
Here's Daniel Zovatto as Rodney Alcala in the movie Woman of the Hour (2023).
And here's a side-by-side of Rodney Alcala and Daniel Zovatto in the movie.
4. This is Jeffrey Dahmer, who was convicted of murdering and dismembering 17 men and boys.
Here's Evan Peters as Jeffrey Dahmer in the series Dahmer (2022).
And here's a side-by-side of Jeffrey Dahmer and Evan Peters in the series.
5. This is Gypsy Rose Blanchard, who was convicted of second-degree murder for killing her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, after years of abuse from Munchausen by proxy.
Here's Joey King as Gypsy Rose Blanchard in the limited series The Act (2019).
Hulu
And here's a side-by-side of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Joey King in the series.
6. This is Michelle Carter, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for encouraging her boyfriend over text messages to kill himself.
Here's Elle Fanning as Michelle Carter in the limited series The Girl From Plainville (2022).
And here's a side-by-side of Michelle Carter and Elle in the series.
7. This is Charles Manson, who was the leader of the Manson Family, a cult that carried out several murders in the late '60s.
Here's Damon Herriman as Charles Manson in the series Mindhunter (2017–2019).
Damon also played Manson in the movie Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).
And here's a side-by-side of Charles Manson and Damon Herrmiman in the series.
8. This is Michael Peterson, who was convicted of murdering his wife in 2003. Eight years later, he was granted a new trial after a judge ruled that a prosecution witness gave misleading testimony. The charges against him were reduced to voluntary manslaughter.
9. Here's Colin Firth as Michael Peterson in the limited series The Staircase (2022).
HBO
And here's a side-by-side of Michael Peterson and Colin Firth in the series.
10. This is Anna Delvey, who was convicted of grand larceny after pretending to be a German heiress and scamming New York's elite out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Here's Julia Garner as Anna Delvey in the limited series Inventing Anna (2022).
Nicole Rivelli / NETFLIX
And here's a side-by-side of Anna Delvey and Julia Garner in the series.
Getty / Netflix
11. This is Elizabeth Holmes, who founded Theranos and was convicted of fraud for engaging in a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud investors by making false statements about her technology's capabilities.
Kimberly White / Getty
Here's Amanda Seyfried as Elizbeth Holmes in the limited series The Dropout (2022).
Beth Dubber / HULU
And here's a side-by-side of Elizabeth Holmes and Amanda Seyfried in the series.
Getty / Hulu
12. This is Aileen Wournos, who was dubbed the world's first female serial killer.
Anonymous / ASSOCIATED PRESS
Here's Charlize Theron as Aileen Wournos in the movie Monster (2003).
Newmarket Releasing / Courtesy Everett Collection
And here's a side-by-side of Aileen Wournos and Charlize Theron in the movie.
AP / Everett Collection
13. This is Richard Ramirez, who was a serial killer, kidnapper, and rapist best known as The Night Stalker.
John Mabanglo / AP
Here's Zach Villa as Richard Ramirez in the series American Horror Story: 1984 (2019).
FX / Everett Collection
And here's a side-by-side of Richard Ramirez and Zach Villa in the series.
AP / FX / Everett Collection
14. This is Ted Bundy, who confessed to 30 homicides he committed along seven different states in the '70s.
Bettmann / Bettmann Archive / Getty
Here's Zac Efron as Ted Bundy in the movie Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019).
Brian Douglas / Netflix
And here's a side-by-side of Ted Bundy and Zac Efron in the movie.
Getty / Netflix
15. This is Joyce "Tilly" Mitchell, who helped two convicted murderers escape a maximum-security prison.
Rob Fountain / AP
Here's Patricia Arquette as Joyce "Tilly" Mitchell in the limited series Escape at Dannemora (2018).
Showtime
And here's a side-by-side of Joyce "Tilly" Mitchell and Patricia Arquette in the series.
AP / Showtime
16. This is David Koresh, who was a cult leader and head of the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas.
Anonymous / ASSOCIATED PRESS
Here's Taylor Kitsch as David Koresh in the limited series Waco (2018).
Netflix
And here's a side-by-side of David Koresh and Taylor Kitsch in the series.
AP / Netflix
17. This is Christopher Duntsch, who was a neurosurgeon that became known for mutilating his patients and killing two of them.
Warner Bros. / youtube.com
Here's Joshua Jackson as Christopher Duntsch in the limited series Dr. Death (2021).
Peacock / NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
And here's a side-by-side of Christopher Duntsch and Joshua Jackson in the series.
Warner Bros. / youtube.com / NBC / Getty Images
Watch it now on Peacock.
18. This is Andrew Cunanan, who went on a killing spree in 1997 where he murdered five people, including Italian fashion designer, Gianni Versace.
AP
Here's Darren Criss as Andrew Cunanan in the series The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (2018).
FX / Everett Collection
And here's a side-by-side of Andrew Cunanan and Darren Criss in the series.
AP / FX
19. This is O.J. Simpson, who was charged with the murder of his wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. He was acquitted at first, but was later found guilty of the murders during a civil trial in 2008.
Getty Images
Here's Cuba Gooding Jr. as O.J. Simpson in the series The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story (2016).
FX
And here's a side-by-side of O.J. Simpson and Cuba Gooding Jr. in the series.
Getty / Fox
20. This is Christopher and Susan Edwards, who were convicted of killing Susan's parents, burying them in their backyard, and using their identities to commit fraud.
Channel 5 / youtube.com
Here's David Thewlis and Olivia Coleman as Christopher and Susan Edwards in the limited series Landscapers (2021).
HBO Max
And here's a side-by-side of Christopher and Susan Edwards and David Thewlis and Olivia Coleman in the series.
Channel 5 / youtube.com / HBO Max
21. This is Mark David Chapman, who was convicted of murdering former Beatles member, John Lennon.
Donaldson Collection / Getty Images
Here's Jared Leto as Mark David Chapman in the movie Chapter 27 (2007).
Peace Arch Entertainment
And here's a side-by-side of Mark David Chapman and Jared Leto in the movie.
Getty Images / Peace Arch Entertainment
22. This is Dennis Nilsen, who was a Scottish serial killer and necrophile that murdered at least 12 young men.
Enterprise News / youtube.com
Here's David Tennant as Dennis Nilsen in the limited series Des (2020).
ITV
And here's a side-by-side of Dennis Nilsen and David Tennant in the series.
Enterprise News / youtube.com / ITV
23. This is Ed Kemper, who murdered six college students and is also known as the Co-Ed Killer.
Bettmann / Bettmann Archive / Getty Images
Here's Cameron Britton as Ed Kemper in the series Mindhunter (2017–2019).
Netflix
And here's a side-by-side of Ed Kemper and Cameron Britton in the series.
Getty Images / Netflix
24. This is Candy Montgomery, who murdered her friend by striking her with an axe 41 times.
NBC / youtube.com
Here's Elizabeth Olsen as Candy Montgomery in the limited series Love & Death (2023).
HBO
And here's a side-by-side of Candy Montgomery and Elizabeth Olsen in the series.
NBC / youtube.com / HBO
25. This is Larry Hall, who is suspected of killing over 50 young women but has never been charged because he has recanted dozens of confessions.
NORTH CAROLINA'S FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL COMPLEX
Here's Paul Walter Hauser as Larry Hall in the miniseries Black Bird (2022).
Ryan Sweeney/©AppleTV+/ Courtesy Everett Collection
And here's a side-by-side of Larry Hall and Paul Walter Hauser in the series.
NORTH CAROLINA'S FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL COMPLEX / Ryan Sweeney/©AppleTV+/ Courtesy Everett Collection
26. This is Albert DeSalvo, who admitted to murdering 13 women in the Boston area between 1962–1964 and was nicknamed "The Boston Strangler."
Hulu
Here's David Dastmalchian as Albert DeSalvo in the movie Boston Strangler (2023).
Hulu
And here's a side-by-side of Albert DeSalvo and David Dastmalchian in the movie.
Hulu
27. Finally, this is Ron Lafferty, who, alongside his brother Dan, was charged with the homicide of his sister-in-law and niece.
George Frey / Getty Images
Here's Sam Worthington as Ron Lafferty in the miniseries Under the Banner of Heaven (2022).
Michelle Faye/FX/Everett
And here's a side-by-side of Rob Lafferty and Sam Worthington in the series.
Getty Images / FX / Everett
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