Actors and historical characters Stars who portrayed historical figures We’re all intrigued by the lives of history’s most famous people, and so is Hollywood. John Travolta is the latest star to take on a historical role as a notorious American mobster. Check out this list of actors and actresses who dared to imitate real-life characters. John Travolta The former greaser won’t have to extend his acting range much to inhabit the character of a man nicknamed “Dapper Don” Gotti (check out his mug shot), not to mention the most powerful crime boss in America during the 1980s. Johnny Depp In 2009, Depp captivated audiences when he played a Depression-era gangster who rose to “Public Enemy No. 1” status for his dozens of bank heists. Cate Blanchett Sixteenth-century England was the setting for this 2007 film, in which Cate Blanchett depicts the rise of a young queen. The film earned the actress international attention and lead to many major movie parts. Elizabeth Taylor In this 1963 cla...