Seeing Double: 7 Times Hollywood Made the Same Biopic Twice Inline
Photos (from left): Courtesy of Open Road Films (II); Courtesy of Universal Pictures1/7Jobs and Steve Jobs
Photos (from left): Mandarin Films; Courtesy of Wy Productions2/7Saint Laurent and Yves Saint Laurent
The two films, which came out within months of each other, both told the life story of the legendary French designer. Yves Saint Laurent had the advantage of having the blessing of Pierre Bergé, Saint Laurent’s longtime partner. The more salacious Saint Laurent, however, had a starry cast including Gaspard Ulliel, Louis Garrel, Léa Seydoux, and Aymeline Valade.
Photos (from left): Courtesy of Eurowide Film Production; Courtesy of Haut et Court3/7Coco Chanel Igor Stravinsky and Coco Before Chanel
The story of Coco Chanel and her ascent to becoming one of the most recognizable names in fashion is the stuff of biopic dreams. In Coco Before Chanel, starring Audrey Tautou, the film zeroed in on her relationship with English polo player Arthur “Boy” Capel. Meanwhile, Coco Chanel Igor Stravinsky, which saw Anna Mouglalis in the lead role, focused on the love affair between the couturier and the famous Russian composer.
Photos (from left): Courtesy of British Broadcasting Corporation; Courtesy of Larry A. Thompson Productions4/7Burton and Taylor and Liz Dick
The turbulent relationship between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton has made countless headlines, been dissected in a number of biographies, and was the subject of two TV movies. In 2012, Lifetime premiered Liz Dick, which saw Lindsay Lohan playing the actress; a year later, the BBC made another version, Burton and Taylor, starring Helena Bonham Carter.
Photos (from left): Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics; Courtesy of Warner Independent Pictures (WIP)5/7Capote and Infamous
Infamous, an adaptation of George Plimpton’s 1997 book about Truman Capote, received pretty positive reviews (especially for Toby Jones’s portrayal of the author), but the movie fell victim to bad timing. Just one year earlier, Philip Seymour Hoffman had won the Best Actor Academy Award for his titular role in Capote.
