Top 10 Actors Who Looked EXACTLY Like the Real Life Killers They Played

[@WatchMojo]

Which actor had you doing a double take? Let us know in the comments below. For more content like this, click here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnrcmKuVodWUe5o Don't forget to play our Live Trivia (www.watchmojo.com/play) games at 3pm EST for a chance to win cash! The faster you answer, the more points you get!

[@williambilyeu9801]

I always thought that Steve Railsback did an excellent job as Charles Manson in "Helter Skelter."

[@Redstephka]

I feel like Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison in The Doors deserves an honorable mention.

[@ursulakolb3760]

I always thought that Emilio Estavez was a dead ringer for Billy the Kid.

[@williambilyeu9801]

@@ursulakolb3760 Perhaps, if had worn the hat that William Bonney wore too.

[@DylanPinto22]

I hope they create an Albert Fish movie.

[@badgrlz57]

Evan Peters also played Manson, Jim Jones, and David Koresh in AHS Cult. He's such a brilliant actor and deserves all the praise.

[@joeymartinez9854]

Along with the heaven's gate leader

[@EerilyMidnight]

​@@joeymartinez9854im planning to do research on that

[@badgrlz57]

I forgot about that one! TY for the reminder. @@joeymartinez9854

[@tracyholder2948]

I'll always remember him as Charlie on a criminal minds episode, he was younger but brilliant in the role. The role that ruined an actor for me was Dean Cain as Scott Peterson. I still can''t watch Dean, turns my stomach.

[@badgrlz57]

@tracyholder2948 I totally get that. I forgot Dean Cain played Scott Peterson (that POS). Another person who played Dahmer was Jeremy Renner before he got bigger roles.

[@daltonbarnes3235]

7:37 Charlize Theron. She kicked ass as Aileen Wuornos in Monster and how she took on the role in such a remarkable way, she deserved that Oscar and Golden Globe.

[@Itskcdiaries]

I agree

[@vandolmatzis8146]

Agree,Charlize knocks it out of the park.

[@christieburris]

💯✔️

[@abellewis3062]

Enough said.

[@ITIsFunnyDamnIT]

She truly looked like her too and nailed that role.

[@KimberlyLetsGo]

Everyone of these actors nailed it. However, Evan Peters is spot on and deserved all the awards.

[@KimberlyLetsGo]

@@JannaAnderson-ol4gs Yes! That was a great one too!!

[@ztmusic2789]

#10: Paul Walter Hauser as Larry Hall (Blackbird) #9: Elle Fanning as Michelle Carter (The Girl from Plainville) #8: Darren Criss as Andrew Cunanan (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story) #7: Jared Leto as Mark David Chapman (Chapter 27) #6: Joey King as Gypsy Rose Blanchard (The Act) #5: Zac Efron as Ted Bundy (Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile) #4: David Tennant as Dennis Nilsen (Des) #3: Charlize Theron as Aileen Wournos (Monster) #2: Damon Herriman as Charles Manson (“Mind Hunter” and “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” Honorable Mentions - Zach Villa as Richard Ramirez (American Horror Story) - David Dastmalchian at Albert Desalvo (Boston Strangler) - Brian Dennehy as John Wayne Gacy (To Catch a Killer) - John Cusack as Robert Hansen (The Frozen Ground) #1: Evan Peters as Jeffrey Dahmer (Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story)

[@Grumpygrumpygrumpy]

Man I miss Mindhunter, too bad we could not see the end of it, I always got goosebumps with actors playing Ed Kemper and Manson

[@briankiefer4101]

The guy thart played Kemper is a friend of mine. Cameron always wanted to be an actor and he made it, very proud of him.

[@akellahmed6581]

for reallll

[@jessrosefawkes2721]

How come there isn’t a season 3? I loved that show x

[@staceysturgill846]

There isn’t going to be anymore? That sucks!!!!

[@lizzybethnj617]

The actor who played Kemper freaked me out because the resemblance was so similar

[@JENSATFAR]

Cameron Britton as Kemper was incredible! He might not be one of the more recognized serial killers, but if you watch some of his interviews, you’ll find it hard to tell the two men apart.

[@Tom-ev4rg]

Agreed! He absolutely nailed the voice, cadence and mannerisms of Kemper. He did a phenomenal job.

[@lucianabarretodealmeida5620]

He is amazing!

[@reyjay1965]

Ed Kemper is a well known killer. Don't know how you could say he wasn't more recognized amount his 'peers'.

[@rosellierasia8723]

Ralph Fiennes as Amon Goeth in Schindler's list. His resemblance is so uncanny that a Holocaust survivor became scared when she saw the actor in full costume and make up.

[@drawingdreamingangels]

I love that Zac Efron was cast as Bundy because he’s a long time heart throb, and it’s a perfect fit for the role. Everyone couldn’t believe that Bundy did any of his crimes because he was so charming and popular. Not being able to believe or comprehend Efron doing any of those things re-enacts the exact confusion and denial felt at the time.

[@susannahhunt100]

Efron is just not a heavy weight in acting skills.

[@eduardochavacano]

his shower scene deserve an oscar

[@catrinaanders8495]

I was thinking that

[@marcoeugenio1021]

Before Evan Peters Jeremy Renner also played Jeffrey Dahamer and he nailed it.

[@lizzybethnj617]

Yes it was called Dahmer

[@wendeboyd503]

Not to knock Evan, but Renner was a better match.

[@melt_brain]

i loved peters’ dahmer, but i’m glad someone pointed out jeremy renner’s rendition. with the netflix show peters was cast in, i felt uncomfortable, yes, but it didn’t really freak me out as much. when i saw that renner had played dahmer, i had to watch it, and i thought that his role was almost too perfect. that one genuinely gave me the creeps. there’s something about renner’s performance, and i can’t really explain how, but i was extremely uncomfortable and biting my nails. peters was great, don’t get me wrong, but i genuinely think that jeremy renner needed to take the number one spot for jeffrey dahmer renditions. i don’t think anyone could have compared to renner at all. and i’ve seen some pretty accurate renditions, like with zac efron as ted bundy. with him, efron was a heartthrob. he was the man every girl fell in love with. with ted bundy, he was the same way. no one could have thought bundy committed the crimes because of him being with a girl, being so popular, on top of being so handsome. plus, with bundy, that shared resemblance really played into the character role amazingly. but there is something about jeremy renner playing dahmer that i can’t describe. i felt as though i was rewatching old tapes of the interviews and interrogations. it was remarkable, in quite a dark and strange way.

[@codyhiginbotham6616]

It’s one thing when actors manage to look like the real person and it’s another when they manage to copy that person’s mannerisms But the actors who manage to do both, major props to them

[@eharper7]

Not to mention deep-diving into the role so much that it's extremely hard to shake off once you're done playing that role.

[@annabanana8700]

It’s hard to see Gypsy as anything other than a victim! With everything her mother put her through how could things have turned out any other way? I’m also annoyed at her dad. To say that he could’ve done more is a grotesque understatement!!💔

[@kenrickkahn]

Her mother is just evil..

[@annabanana8700]

@@kenrickkahn Agreed.

[@susannahhunt100]

Her mother was a total fraud and had mental heallth issues and her father was utterly selfish.

[@annquincy6821]

No love for Steve Railsback? He was amazing in the 1976 TV movie, "Helter Skelter" and nailed Manson's intensity, especially during the trial scnes

[@vandolmatzis8146]

Steve Railsback,From the Stuntman? Great Movie.Will check out the rest of his stuff.

[@deeanna3335]

I read before that he couldn't leave his house during filming not to freak people out if he was seen.

[@susangriego842]

Love him as manson

[@stephvandykeozzy]

I remember Steve Railsback in a movie about Ed Gein; he portrayed him in the movie. And he brilliantly looked just like him.

[@Areniapixie]

Blackbird is definitely the best thing I watched this year. Both main actors have a phenomenal performance. Loved every second

[@steventaylor6212]

Cameron Britton nailed his role as Ed Kemper.

[@mizzmoniker8016]

Absolutely!!

[@triggerbunny]

While I love that Cameron Britton was at least shown for his Kemper role- it really should have made the list!

[@mizzmoniker8016]

Most definitely! When I saw the title of the video he’s the first person I thought of! Then he didn’t make the list….ummmm, whatttt?!

[@kenlompart9905]

Mark Harmon did a great job playing Ted Bundy too.

[@Sophia26488]

David Tennant as Dennis Nilsen is another fantastic portrayal as well as Charlize Theron as Aileen Wournos for definite.

[@antrazitaj5209]

It was also very impressive how they dealt with it not to make it tasteless for the victims and their families

[@yellohammer8571]

Let's hope nobody mistakes The Doctor for Nilsen...

[@lindacoolbaugh962]

I MISS Mindhunter!! Wish they never ended it the way they did.

[@slanderous.j]

Manson's portrayal is just wickedly accurate.

[@jadepixie2719]

The guy who played Charles Manson should be number one in my opinion.

[@gnewt75]

I must say that the Mindhunter series casting department and their hair and make up department did an excellent job of getting the actors looking like their counterparts.

[@awesomedrake1]

Even though it was nearly 50 years ago, Steven Railsback’s portrayal of Charles Manson in Helter Skelter is frightened real.

[@melissanoyb]

Damon Herriman knocked it out of the park with his absolutely perfect portrayal of Charles Manson. I wish he'd had WAY MORE screen time.

[@iainherridge6253]

Yep he sure did he also K!lled ME in "100 Bloody Acres"!

[@melissanoyb]

@@iainherridge6253 I'm gonna look that up dude, Thanks. 🪷 He also recently was played the heck out of the ultimate hardwired but, 'couldn't give less zero fucks about ya, Mate' Australian police detective in "The Tourist". A wickedly funny thriller series shot mainly in the outback with Jamie Dornan. Oo, oo, also "The Artful Dodger", first season just got released; he's great in that too. Sometimes you just love to hate him (his character), or you're willing for him to win for once. But playing Charles Manson was another level especially in The Mind Hunter. He scared the BeJesus! outta me.

[@TheSciFiWasabi]

I have always liked Steve Railsback's portrayal of Manson from the Helter Skelter film. He really embodied the rage and mercurial aspects of Manson, and his eyes are just terrifyiing.

[@theresaiwright7085]

I was looking for this comment

[@lizardog]

I should have read through the comments before I made the same one you did. Railsback was amazing.

[@staceysturgill846]

Yeah I should’ve too! I didn’t know his name though. I was young when I saw that and he was definitely creepy.

[@shepardbook]

Sadly, playing Manson that well really dampened his career. That next (and, sadly, last) big role he had was in Robert Rush’s “The Stunt Man.” After that, I only remember seeing him in “Lifeforce” (or “Space Vampires” outside of the US).

[@TheSciFiWasabi]

It's very unfortunate that actors get tanked simply by being, well, good at what they do.@@shepardbook

[@Supkev96]

The actor who portrayed Ed Kemper will go down as the best in my opinion. He looked damn near identical and his voice was very close to Kemper's as well. Only thing they made different was how fast Kemper spoke and made him more cold than he would actually come off

[@AthenaisC]

The guy who played Ed Kemper was amazing.

[@rachelreid8621]

Steve Railsback was also an AMAZING Charles Manson in the movie Helter Skelter

[@ComaDave]

Are you kidding? Cameron Britton only got a passing mention? 🤨 And Damon Herriman used to annoy the crap out of me as a kid actor here in Australia, but he has grown into one of our best ever. Check him in "Mr. Inbetween".

[@iainherridge6253]

I know what ya mean!

[@theonetheycallfear8237]

Evan’s performance definitely gave me chills watching the series. I felt stressed whenever I watched it.

[@melissanoyb]

Yeah, Evans was so good in that role that I was actually too scared to watch past the first episode. I was terrified.

[@curtisdaniel9294]

Charlize Theron and Evan Peters both gave me over the top creepiness.

[@ZeoViolet]

It would actually take a LOT of skill to portray someone like Charles Manson. I will never tell who, because I don't want his life destroyed so many decades later, but I know a person who used to be a member of Manson's "family" (and who was wise enough to get out before all those murders happened). My father had sworn me to secrecy at the time, because he was friends with this guy, and he didn't want his friend's life destroyed for being "guilty by association". One of his daughters was my best friend as a young child, so I knew the guy fairly well. It wasn't until after Manson died that I broached the subject with him, and he first said he was "glad he didn't have to look over his shoulder anymore" but then was shocked I even knew, because it was a secret he'd only told my Dad. He got out, got clean, raised a normal family and lives life with his head low and fairly quietly, even though he's still got one of the strongest hippie vibes of anyone I know. XD But what he described to me about Manson was "he could be charismatic and when he talked, it was very hypnotic". My grandparents didn't want my Dad "associating with hippies", so while my Dad wasn't a hippie he certainly had a number of them as friends. Lol But if it had been common knowledge about his friend's past, well, his life might have been in danger.

[@mrFR-18]

You can really say they absolutely killed it

[@JudiL-f4v]

The actor portraying Manson was spot on!

[@melissanoyb]

Damon Herriman rocks everything he does. So in his corner. He'll get bigger and bigger roles hopefully. Although, he's already taking the US a bit by storm 🤔

[@Madasafelter]

Lily Rabe as Wournos in AHS: Hotel, should have been on this list. ❤

[@mizzmoniker8016]

She was fantastic as Eileen Wournos!

[@BlenderStudy]

Thank you for the update, WatchMojo..!! Amazing actors. Beautiful Charlize Theron was unrecognizable in "Monster" (2003).. 🥶

[@kelleyk28]

I know these movies cause a lot of backlash, but we need to remember these people. The more you know about how they work, the more lives we may be able to save.

[@jnrel]

I still think those movies are glorifying killers, thank god there are easier ways to become infamous nowadays 😅

[@kelleyk28]

@@jnrel You've got a point. Documentaries might be a better way to go. It's hard to sympathize with these guys when we take away their "stories" and just give the details given by actual reports.

[@kenyonsgirl415]

Of all the doppelgängers to have 😬 I hope mine isn’t a killer lol

[@jaironunez7196]

There is NO WAY Efron looks like Bundy. And the Charles Manson performance was SHOCKING!!

[@Musicfan88.]

The actor that portrayed John Wayne Gacy in the first part of the last episode of “Monster: the Jeffrey Dahmer story” looks like a spitting image of Gacy and sounds exactly like him as well.

[@castielwinchester6222]

David tennant nailed it! I got chills watching him 🤔

[@RR-vh9st]

Evan Peters absolutely nailed his role. He is the best one on this list hands down

[@Sophia26488]

Darren Criss was fantastic as Andrew Cunanun. Brilliantly done.

[@jimhays2772]

Charlize Theron's portrayal of that sicko was so good that I can't find her appealing anymore.

[@PaulRubino]

Mindhunter's Ed Kemper was the best.

[@eclissi0220]

Mindhunter actors for serial killers deserve to be in this list and not to be mentioned collectively. They deserve the top spot.

[@loganford3921]

7:03 I actually thought he was playing Jarvis Cocker from Pulp before I knew he was playing a Scottish killer lol.

[@Invictus-101]

Steve Railsback as Ed Gein was also quite good and frightening.

[@elinorhobart562]

Sean Penn in "Dead Man Walking".

[@Trishoc-vf2dw]

Steve Railsback as Manson in the ORIGINAL Helter Skelter!!! Wow! Talk about chilling!!!

[@willwell4450]

Elle Fanning did a good job playing Michelle Carter but I still feel Cara Delevingne looks more like Carter.

[@freezingicekirby]

Should've been Steve Railsback for the Manson one, imo.

[@leticiagibson2315]

The actor who played Jeffrey Dahmer. 😳😳😳😳. I thought they were twinning.😱😱😱😱

[@BlackHatCinephile]

Dahmer was played by actor/model Ralph Bohner.

[@aceboondocks1515]

Neither of the two people look like Ted Bundy but the person who plays in the movie from 2002 Michael Reilly Burke actually looks a lot like him and has the twisted smile Bundy did on camera

[@aceboondocks1515]

Along with other movies like Dahmer and Gacy

[@MadhavendraSinghBika]

1:22 this dude's an underrated actor overall

[@wyattderp581]

I feel Eric Banner as Chopper Reed was a fantastic one that got overlooked here

[@RoseGma]

Jared Leto was spot on as Mark David Chapman! He should have gotten more recognition for his portrayal.

[@alexelkins8567]

10:18 who else thought that was a picture of Jon Cryer? Lol

[@tresa_m]

Cameron Britton as Ed Kemper was more spot on than a lot of these. Not only the look, but his voice and manner of speaking, the way he moved; it was eerie.

[@ReynaReactsandReviews]

Love the background music

[@dengen324]

the actor that played Manson....spot on

[@maddalonefarms]

9:18 He doesn’t really look like him in Once Upon A Time

[@caroldriehorst1165]

Damon Herriman was a great match for Manson. Most are ok but I really like it when the actor looks a lot like the character he or she plays.

[@iainherridge6253]

Yet he's a real softie at heart!

[@victoriabardsley8097]

Another good example of an actor looking like the role they're playing is German born actor Detlef Bothe as Reinhard Heydrich. He looks so much like him it's unbelievable.

[@jadepixie2719]

Daren Criss should have been ranked much higher or be number one in my opinion.

[@brixx4brenz]

Wow! I have to admit, y'all spot on on this one

[@mccod035]

Jeremy Renner should of been mentioned

[@rebeccayood5152]

They were all amazing!!

[@kahael08]

The whole video should be just for mindhunter series

[@nobodyepicz7538]

What about the dude who played Gacy in Dahmer? he dida great job and looked much like him as well but yeah nevermind, just wanted to give the dude a lil cred :)

[@raventhunderwings]

Totally shocked that you didnt highlight Lou Diamond Philips in his version of Richard Ramiez in the movie -The Night Stalker. He is more dead on to the killer then the guy you picked!

[@TheMightyCookieShow]

Ive always been amazed with how much robert eungland looks like that springwood slasher from back in the day. Lol

[@lizardog]

Steve Railsbeck was also an eerily authentic Manson in Helter Skelter.

[@ungammoi]

For me, its Steve Carell as Prison Mike, even tho he did not kill, the resemblance is impeccable

[@dannigro8794]

Efron looks as much like Bundy as Cuba Gooding Jr looks like OJ

[@marybell5157]

Dean Cain looks exactly like Scott Peterson

[@codyhiginbotham6616]

Crazy how for Evan Peters, all it took was glasses & a hair color change to make him resemble Dahmer

[@ericridge2135]

I lived nextdoor to Larry Hall. I remember watching the FBI raid the house. My ex wife escaped Larry Hall and even made the local news. The actor who portrayed Larry was close to looking like him. Larry has a brother named Gary his twin I believe.

[@TamiJoeris-ge5dg]

Steve Railsback was also a great Manson character in Helter shelter. :)

[@LV-1969]

I love Damon Herriman but when he talked all I could hear was Dewey Crowe from Justified

[@eharper7]

I really admire actors (or actresses) who commit to playing a real life serial killer. I mean, poor Evan Peters. You can just tell that playing Dahmer just wrecked his emotional and mental health. Took him to a deep, dark place that I hope and pray he got out of. I really wonder how he's doing today. Hopefully he's doing better. Does anyone actually know how he's doing lately?

[@StickyPotato167]

Who is the Audio Engineer for WatchMojo? The audio levels are bad across lots of video's that I've seen lately. The narration is at 100% while clips from videos are at 30-40% and changing throughout. Sounds like you have a job opening for me xD

[@antonyhunt9700]

Charlize theron was brilliant in the film monster like they said u would never think it was her 👏

[@spidey0318]

What’s with the fascination for serial killers? American studios want them in the limelight for others to copy?

[@wolvie667]

Is it me or does Elle Fanning with the dark eyebrows also look like Carla Delvigne??

[@hardline1310]

Gary Oldman as Lee Harvey Oswald in “JFK”, or Sid Vicious in “Sid and Nancy”

[@iainherridge6253]

Yeah but I think they were going with the multiple murderer's, although Charles Manson didn't actually kill anyone!

[@lizardog]

As you may or may not know, "sideburns" were named after Civil War general Ambrose Burnside.

[@staceysturgill846]

I love random facts! ❤

[@terereynolds698]

When I watched the series on Jeffrey Dahmer, it was so creepy because Evan Peters looked exactly like Jeffrey . It was like Jeffrey was in the movie as himself.

[@gregoriojaro8963]

TWO WORDS FOR THE ACTORS & ACTRESSES WHO LOOKED LIKE THE REAL LIFE SERIAL KILLERS THEY PORTRAYED: STRIKING RESEMBLANCE OR SHOULD I SAY... HISTORICALLY ACCURATE, WOW! 📺🎬🎥😯

[@Narsuitus]

I am not a big fan of movies about real life killers. However, I was a big fan of the Mind Hunter TV series and was impressed by Damon Herriman, the actor who portrayed Charles Manson.

[@WatchMojo]

Damon Herriman's portrayal of Charles Manson was truly captivating.

[@liamn.watson4867]

Now we need one on actors who looked nothing like the killers they played. Any candidates?

[@kenrickkahn]

That's a good one..

[@Dr.Thirteen-bb1ub]

Mark Harmon played Ted Bundy in the 1980s, terrible choice. Lou Diamond Phillips played Richard Ramirez. Great actor, but he was wrong for Ramirez.

[@Em-wk5ns]

Drew Barrymore as Amy Fisher in the "The Amy Fisher story".

[@Rayakara67]

A lot of creative liberty was taken on "EXACTLY" lol

[@VenomandEddieBrock]

What about Jason Butler Harner as Gordon Stewart Northcott in Changeling (2008)?

[@oliverdaly4550]

I recognized Paul Walter Hauser immediately in this clip because of his work on I Think You Should Leave

[@mariakirton2540]

Dominic West playing Fred West in Appropriate Adult was spooky.

[@tanyam5471]

Cameron Britton is #1 in my opinion. He nailed Ed Kemper's mannerism, voice tone. If you heard the real Ed' voice and the moments from Mind Hunter you didn't find any difference.

[@JJP316]

"Looked EXACTLY Like...".......only a few of them.

[@jacobdrolet4262]

Amazing video Rebecca from watch mojo of actors that actually look like actually real life serial killers,fantastic job.

[@petraleopold2713]

Luke Kirby as Bundy in No Man of God was perfect, excellent performance and excellent movie, i recommend it💯💯

[@donnahaynes138]

I knew Charlize Theron's incredible portrayal of Aileen Wournos from "Monster" (2003) would make the list

[@cb4883]

💯