15 Times Hollywood Depicted Its Own Monsters And Weirdos On-Screen

Hollywood can't help but flatter itself.
15 Times Hollywood Depicted Its Own Monsters And Weirdos On-Screen

In ’She Said’, journalists Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor investigate Harvey Weinstein’s widespread, unchecked abuse of power within the highest circles of Hollywood. The film adaptation captures the journalists’ efforts to get the story right while also dodging Weinstein’s threats. Both book and movie center around the topic of women who have been affected by sexual assault, whether directly or indirectly, working to break the abusers’ stranglehold on power.

Joel McHale stars as Chevy Chase in a movie about Douglas Kenney, the co-creator of National Lampoon based on Josh Karp’s book A Stupid and Futile Gesture. The comedy/drama tells Kenney’s story through a biographical lens.

Daniel Roebuck was always in Jay Leno corner throughout Late Shift by Bill Carter -the behind-the scenes battle to succeed Johnny Carson as host of ‘The Tonight Show,’ even before he was cast as the victor of ‘The Tonight Show’ war in the movie version of it.

Leonardo DiCaprio plays eccentric millionaire Howard Hughes in 'The Aviator,' a story of undiagnosed OCD.

Hollywood's Problematic People On Screen THE AVIATOR Leonardo DiCaprio plays eccentric millionaire HOWARD HUGHES. DiCaprio worked with director Martin Scorsese and a cast including Gwen Stefani and Cate Blanchett. DiCaprio plays Hughes as he descends into madness brought on by undiagnosed OCD. CRACKED

Miramax Films, Warner Bros. Pictures

PopEntertainment.com

Richard Attenborough convinced the studio to cast Robert Downey Jr. as Charlie Chaplin in 'Chaplin' after screen testing him and seeing his potential.

Hollywood's Problematic People On Screen CHAPLIN Richard Attenborough was adamant about casting Robert Downey Jr. as CHARLIE CHAPLIN. Attenborough cast RDJ as Chaplin (an egotistical man who mistreated his wives and children) after screen-testing him and being impressed by his ability to show different emotions. CRACKED

Carolco Pictures

Vice
Los Angeles Times

Jim Carrey was so dedicated to being Andy Kaufman that he stayed in character even when the cameras weren’t rolling.

Hollywood's Problematic People On Screen It's mesmerizing to watch Jim Carrey fully commit to being ANDY KAUFMAN. Throughout four months of filming, Carrey went to great lengths to remain in character as Kaufman, even when director Milos Forman yelled cut after a scene. MAN ON THE MOON CRACKED

Universal Pictures

Vanity Fair

Tommy Wiseau is the weirdest Hollywood story and 'The Room' is considered the worst film ever.

Hollywood's Problematic People On Screen THE DISASTER ARTIST A rollicking, satisfying comedy about one of the weirder stories in Hollywood. Based on a book by Greg Sestero (who also co-stars), the movie tells the story of TOMMY WISEAU, who wrote, directed, produced, and starred in The Room, widely considered the worst film ever made. CRACKED

A24, Warner Bros. Pictures

Vox

Geoffrey Rush gives an excellent performance as the enigmatic Peter Sellers in 'The Life and Death of Peter Sellers.'

Hollywood's Problematic People On Screen THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PETER SELLERS Geoffrey Rush thought long and hard about taking on the role of PETER SELLERS. Не eventually said yes, and had a great time with it. The make-up was intense, but that's nothing new for Rush, who got his start playing an innkeeper with bad teeth, an eye patch, a West Country accent and a limp. CRACKED

HBO Films, BBC Films

BBC

Daniel Roebuck

Hollywood's Problematic People On Screen THE LATE SHIFT The Late Shift tells the story of JAY LENO and DAVID LETTERMAN's battle to succeed Johnny Carson. Throughout that messy succession, actor Daniel Roebuck was always in Leno's corner, even before he was cast as the victor of The Tonight Show war in the movie version of Bill Carter's book. CRACKED

HBO

Yahoo

Anthony Hopkins on playing Hitchcock: "It was one of the most difficult roles I’ve ever had."

Hollywood's Problematic People On Screen HITCHCOCK Anthony Hopkins found ALFRED HITCHCOCK one of his most challenging roles. In a 2012 interview, Hopkins discussed what it was like to play the master of suspense, his thoughts on the rival HBO film about Hitchcock's life, and Oscar buzz for his performance. CRACKED

Searchlight Pictures

Vulture

Hollywood is hiding a dirty secret: the sexual abuse of young male actors.

Hollywood's Problematic People On Screen AN OPEN SECRET Amy Berg's film exposes the sexual abuse of young male actors by those with power in Hollywood. The documentary features interviews from former child performers who recount their ordeals, as well as segments with parents expressing their horror and/or justifying or lamenting their blindness in retrospect. CRACKED

Rocky Mountain Pictures

Variety

The book and movie 'She Said' are about the journalists who broke the story of Harvey Weinstein’s abuse, and the women affected by it.

Hollywood's Problematic People On Screen Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor's book is about their investigation into HARVEY WEINSTEIN. The film adaptation captures the journalists' efforts to get the story right while also dodging Weinstein's threats. Both the book and movie revolve around women who have been affected by sexual assault, and work to break the abusers' stranglehold on power. SHE SAID GRACKED

Universal Pictures

Vox

Liev Schreiber stars as Orson Welles in the HBO drama 'RKO 281.'

Hollywood's Problematic People On Screen RKO 281 Liev Schreiber was nervous about playing ORSON WELLES. The drama, which depicts a Hollywood of the 1930s shadowed by anti-Semitism, is based partly on The Battle Over Citizen Kane, an acclaimed documentary from the PBS series The American Experience. CRACKED

HBO

The New York Times

Michel Hazanavicius’ 'Redoubtable' is a portrait of iconic French New Wave director Jean-Luc Godard.

Hollywood's Problematic People On Screen REDOUBTABLE Redoubtable is a portrait of French New Wave director JEAN-LUC GODARD. The film follows Godard's life around the time of La Chinoise (1967), when he was turning away from narrative filmmaking and increasingly wanting to be seen as a political director. CRACKED

StudioCanal

BFI

Joel McHale stars as Chevy Chase in 'A Futile and Stupid Gesture,' a movie about Douglas Kenney, the co-creator of National Lampoon.

Hollywood's Problematic People On Screen A FUTILE AND STUPID GESTURE Joel McHale stars as Chevy Chase in a movie about DOUGLAS KENNEY, co-creator of National Lampoon. The movie is based on Josh Karp's book and tells Kenney's story through a biographical comedy/drama lens. CRACKED

Netflix

Vice

'Auto Focus' is a dark character study of Bob Crane, the lascivious star of 'Hogan’s Heroes.'

Hollywood's Problematic People On Screen AUTO FOCUS Director Paul Schrader and actor Greg Kinnear explore the dark side of BOB CRANE. Crane, the star of Hogan's Heroes, was a lascivious man who often videotaped his one-night stands with women. After his TV career collapsed, he was murdered in an Arizona motel in 1978. The film is a character study that explores addiction and narcissism. CRACKED

Sony Pictures Classics

One Guy’s Opinion

Viewers were not happy with 'Saturday Night Live' after they aired a sketch making fun of the defamation case between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard.

Hollywood's Problematic People On Screen SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE SNL got backlash for making light of JOHNNY DEPP/ AMBER HEARD case. The skit portrayed some of the claims being brought against Heard in court, such as accusations that she defecated on their shared bed. This led to many people speaking out about how domestic abouse should not be laughed at. CRACKED

NBCUniversal

BuzzFeed News

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