20 figures who deserve a biopic

Many people have probably not heard of Frances Perkins, even though she was the first female Secretary of Labor and played a key role in the New Deal of Franklin Roosevelt. However, she has become the subject of several recent novels, including Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray. As such, it’s high time that she gets a biopic focusing on her eventful and influential advocacy so that more people can gain an appreciation of her contributions to modern workers' rights and American society.

Frederick Douglass is, like Abraham Lincoln, one of those figures who strides across the stage of 19th-century American history. Born into slavery in Maryland, he rose to become one of the most important figures in the abolition movement, and he was the true definition of an activist. He has appeared on screen a number of times — and there have been several magisterial biographies written about his life — but he has yet to be the subject of a biopic, and it’s high time that that changed.

Given the eventful (and often deadly) lives they often lead, it’s not surprising that pirates have often been so beloved in the cinema. Piratical lives don’t come much more eventful than that of Zhen Yi Sao, who became a true pirate queen during the 19th century. A biopic focused on her life could be the perfect blend of the traditional biopic with all of the swashbuckling adventures that one has come to expect from the pirate film. Just as importantly, such a film would also be a reminder that women can be pirates, too.

Christine Jorgensen is important in the history of trans rights since she was one of the very first to become publicly known to have had gender-affirming surgery. Her life was certainly eventful, and it would make a stirring and powerful biopic. The fact that she was willing to be so vocal and prominent in her activism certainly makes her a fascinating and inspiring figure for many and seeing a biopic made about her life would do a great deal to highlight the extent to which trans people have always been a key part of the fight for equality.  

Walt Whitman was renowned during his lifetime for the extent to which his poetry celebrated sensuality, and, in the century and a half since his death, he has become a beloved literary icon for many queer folks. His life was certainly interesting since, in addition to his literary output, he was also a nurse for Civil War soldiers. A 21st-century biopic could do a great deal to peel away the layers of his contradictory and perplexing personality. It could, moreover, introduce this extraordinary figure to a whole new generation. 

It’s hard to think of a more widely beloved musical figure than Dolly Parton, who has become almost as famous for her charity work as her singing. Despite being raised in poverty, she would go on to become a true legend of country music, so it is rather surprising that no one has decided to make a film about her yet. However, it’s easy to see how one could be done, particularly since Coal Miner’s Daughter, the biopic of Loretta Lynn, would provide a useful template for a filmmaker and screenwriter to follow.

Justinian and Theodora — who ruled over the Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire — were the very definition of a power couple. They both rose from humble origins to rule over one of the world’s most powerful states, and their joint rule was remarkably eventful. A biopic about these two renowned rulers could include any number of exciting events, ranging from the Nika Riots to the construction of the magnificent church known as the Hagia Sophia, and, in doing so, bring them to a broader contemporary audience. 

In addition to being the First Lady of Franklin Roosevelt, Eleanor was a remarkable political figure. She certainly led an eventful life — she was, after all, the niece of Teddy Roosevelt — and a biopic would have a lot of material to draw on in telling her story. It could certainly go a long way toward showing her as very much her own woman rather than as merely an appendage to her husband’s illustrious career. A truly brave one could even dive deeper into her complicated private life, including her relationship with Lorena Hickok.

Eliza Hamilton has recently become a figure of some renown thanks to her appearance in the play Hamilton. Even though she is often overshadowed by her famous husband, she is a remarkable figure. Among other things, she outlived Alexander by several decades and, as the play notes, played a key role in raising funds for the Washington Monument. Her life was a fascinating one, and a biopic could do much to expand the public’s awareness of her and turn her into something more than just Alexander Hamilton’s tragic wife.

Hillary Clinton is arguably one of the most influential women of the 20th and 21st centuries. She has served as First Lady and a Senator, and she came quite close to being elected president in 2016. Her life is, therefore, perfect for the biopic treatment. Surprisingly enough, given how prominent she has been in American life, Clinton has only been portrayed on-screen a few times, most notably in Ryan Murphy’s American Crime Story: Impeachment. A well-executed film could certainly do justice to one of America’s most important female politicians. 

Theodore Roosevelt is indisputably one of the most respected and appreciated American presidents. Strangely enough, given his posthumous reputation, he has yet to be the subject of a biopic (though he has made appearances in various films, including Night at the Museum). He led an eventful life even before he assumed the presidency, so there is more than enough material for filmmakers to draw on if they want to make a film about his life and his influence on American politics. 

For many years, Marsha P. Johnson was shunted to the side when it came to the writing of the history of the movement for LGBTQ+ rights in America. Thankfully, this has begun to change in recent years, and there have been a number of documentaries about her life and legacy. Johnson, whose own sense of identity was often ambiguous, would make for a fascinating figure to explore in the context of a dramatic film, and, just as importantly, it would also highlight the extent to which trans and genderqueer folk have always been part of the movement for equal rights.

Few figures in history have been as influential or controversial as Constantine. After all, he is the man who helped turn Christianity from a relatively obscure religion to a true powerhouse. However, he was also notorious for his cruelty, and he had several members of his own family executed. As a result, there’s quite a lot of material for a potential biopic, and any film that took his life as its subject would have to be a grand epic of the old style to really do him justice.

W.E.B. Du Bois is one of the titanic figures of African-American history. In addition to being one of the founders of the NAACP, he was remarkably prolific in his writings and remained committed to his advocacy for African-Americans. Given his importance and eventful life, there is a great deal of biographical detail that a screenwriter could draw on in crafting a narrative of his life. The founding of the NAACP alone would make for a compelling drama.

King James I is arguably most famous for the version of the Bible that bears his name, but he lived an eventful life in his native Scotland and in England. Despite this, he hasn’t really received the biopic treatment, though he’s a major character in the series Mary & George. Given his complicated identity and reign — a man known for loving other men who nevertheless presided over the persecution of supposed witches and the crafting of a Bible — he is the ideal candidate for a film biopic that could explore the various aspects of his identity. 

Henry V is arguably one of the most important of medieval English kings, in large part because he led a successful military invasion of France. Though he has been the subject of several films, these have all been adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays rather than a biopic proper. Thus, it would be fascinating to see his life and military career presented in a new light, one informed more by history proper than theatrical drama. There are also a number of actors who could bring this proud warrior to life.

Though she might not be a household name, Ida B. Wells was still a remarkably influential figure of the 20th century, largely thanks to her work against lynching. She was born into slavery, but she proved to be a redoubtable woman, and she would go on to be one of the founders of the NAACP. She is the type of figure who deserves to be known by a much larger share of the general public, and a well-produced biopic would go a long way toward honoring her memory and legacy.

Few philosophers have had as much influence as Socrates, who was influential in his own lifetime and afterward. A biopic focused on his life and his influence over his various students — most notably, Plato — would bring ancient Greece to life in a way few films manage to do. Moreover, it could also be a moving and tragic piece of filmmaking since, as everyone knows, Socrates was ultimately executed because of the threat he posed to those in power. A particularly well-done biopic could also explore the historical context of his life.

Hedy Lamarr was one of the most glamorous stars of classical Hollywood. She was famous for starring in such high-profile films as Samson and Delilah, and her film career alone makes for fascinating material for a movie star biopic. However, she was also famous as an inventor, adding another layer of dramatic potential to her life story. Given the extent to which Hollywood loves stories about itself, it seems like it’s past time that Lamarr finally gets the biopic treatment she so clearly deserves.

The abolitionist John Brown remains one of the most pivotal figures in the history of pre-Civil War America. His raid on Harpers Ferry was a pivotal event of the period, and Brown himself was viewed as either a martyr or a traitor, depending on one’s position. Given the extent to which the Civil War remains one of the most important events in US history, Brown is even more deserving of a biopic, and such a film would go a long way toward exploring and explaining the immediate context of this conflict.