30 Must-Watch Biopics Based On Real Lives And Stories
by Toni Fitzgerald · ForbesBiopic movies offer the perfect combination of escape and enrichment. Watching biopics invites you into the life of a historical figure, highlighting the most important parts of their unique journey to show you the story behind the headlines. Biopics, or biographical movies, dramatize the life of a real person, but they’re different from documentaries because they use some dramatic license. Different types of biopics include sports, politics, military, music, recent history and drama movies. The greatest ones, included on this list of best biopics, make you care about the character beyond the accomplishments they’re best known for, adding depth and gravitas to their story.
Top Biopic Movies
Popular themes in biopics include overcoming challenges, finding new ways to do things, doing something no one has done before, and breaking historical barriers. The highest-grossing biopic of all time is the 2023 film Oppenheimer, which earned $912 million worldwide. Movies on this list are ranked by box office, critical reaction, awards and enduring popularity.
30. Erin Brockovich (2000, R)
Erin Brockovich (Oscar winner Julia Roberts) takes a new job at a law firm where she sniffs out a cover-up of contaminated water that has been poisoning nearby residents. The film earned five Academy Award nominations, including one for director Steven Soderbergh, and has an 85% Rotten Tomatoes rating.
You can watch Erin Brockovich on YouTube, Hulu, Sling TV, The Roku Channel, Amazon Prime Video, Philo, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
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29. Patton (1970, PG)
George C. Scott gives a career-defining performance as the World War II general, who was first beloved and later reviled for his criticism of U.S. post-war policy. The film, directed by Franklin J. Schaffner and written by Francis Ford Coppola, earned seven Academy Awards. It has an impressive 92% Rotten Tomatoes rating.
You can watch Patton on YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home.
28. Gorillas in the Mist (1988, PG-13)
Adapted from Dian Fossey’s autobiography, the film follows the researcher (played by Sigourney Weaver) as she studies the gorillas of Uganda and Rwanda. She becomes worried about poachers, putting herself in danger as she fights them. Directed by Michael Apted, the film earned Weaver a Golden Globe.
You can watch Gorillas in the Mist on YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home.
27. Man on the Moon (1999, R)
Jim Carrey perfectly captures the eccentricities of comic Andy Kaufman, tracing his rise from comedy clubs to Saturday Night Live to Taxi. Carrey earned a Golden Globe for the film, directed by Miloš Forman and also starring Paul Giamatti, Courtney Love and Danny DeVito. It’s some of Carrey’s best work.
You can watch Man on the Moon on YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home.
26. Harriet (2019, PG-13)
Directed by Kasi Lemmons, Harriet stars Cynthia Erivo as Harriet Tubman, the heroic 19th-century Black woman who escaped slavery and later led thousands of enslaved people to freedom via the Underground Railroad. Erivo earned Oscar, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nods for the film, also starring Leslie Odom Jr. and Janelle Monáe.
You can watch Harriet on Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
25. Ali (2001, R)
Promising to “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee,” a young, cocky Muhammad Ali (Will Smith) faces all comers, whether in the ring or in political circles. Director Michael Mann’s movie explores his many highs and lows as a champion. Smith and Jon Voight earned Oscar nominations for the film.
You can watch Ali on Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
24. Wild (2014, R)
When writer Cheryl Strayed’s marriage ends and her mother dies, she hits the Pacific Crest Trail for outdoor therapy—despite her lack of hiking experience. While through-hiking the tough terrain, she learns more about herself and her goals. Reese Witherspoon (Strayed) and Laura Dern (her mom) earned Oscar nods in Jean-Marc Vallée’s film.
You can watch Wild on YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
23. Braveheart (1995, R)
“They may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom!” Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace utters those famous words in the biopic directed by and starring Mel Gibson. The Best Picture Oscar winner traces Wallace’s transformation after losing the love of his life and becoming a leader in the medieval revolt against England.
You can watch Braveheart on Paramount+, The Roku Channel, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
22. Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999, R)
Halle Berry gives a standout performance as Dorothy Dandridge, the first Black woman ever to receive an Oscar nomination. She went from nightclub singer to star but encountered lots of racism in early 20th century America. Berry won Golden Globe and Emmy awards for the film, directed by Martha Coolidge. Shonda Rhimes co-wrote the screenplay.
You can watch Introducing Dorothy Dandridge on Max, Hulu, YouTube and Amazon Prime Video.
21. Hotel Rwanda (2004, PG-13)
When a bloody civil war breaks out in Rwanda, hotel manager and Hutu Paul Rusesabagina agrees to take in more than a thousand Tutsi refugees to protect them from genocide. Don Cheadle gives a career-defining performance, earning an Oscar nod, in Terry George’s film that also stars Sophie Okonedo and Joaquin Phoenix.
You can watch Hotel Rwanda on Tubi, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
20. Selena (1997, PG)
Starring a young Jennifer Lopez in a star-making turn, Selena chronicles the rise of the popular Tejano singer, who was murdered by a fan just as her career began taking off. Gregory Nava’s film also stars Edward James Olmos. Lopez earned her first Golden Globe nomination for the movie.
You can watch Selena on Tubi, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
19. Remember the Titans (2000, PG)
When an all-Black school integrated with an all-white school in Virginia in the early 1970s, the frustrations and misunderstandings surrounding the decision spilled onto the football field, where a legendary coach brought the boys together. Boaz Yakin’s well-reviewed, best sports film featured a strong performance by Denzel Washington, plus a young Ryan Gosling.
You can watch Remember the Titans on Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
18. Capote (2005, R)
Philip Seymour Hoffman expertly portrays gifted writer Truman Capote as he’s writing his magnum opus, In Cold Blood, a portrait of two young accused murderers. The Bennett Miller film earned five Oscar nominations, including a Best Actor win for Hoffman, and it has an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
You can watch Capote on Tubi, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Sling TV, Amazon Prime Video, Philo, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
17. Nyad (2023, PG-13)
Directors Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi dramatize Diana Nyad’s attempt, at age 64, to become the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida. Annette Bening earned an Oscar nod for playing Nyad, and Jodie Foster earned one for playing her partner. Nyad scored an 85% on Rotten Tomatoes.
You can watch Nyad on Netflix.
16. Malcolm X (1992, PG-13)
Washington gives one of his best performances as activist Malcolm X, who became a Muslim while in prison and later arose to lead the Nation of Islam. Spike Lee’s portrait follows his rise and assassination in 1965. Washington earned an Oscar nod for the film, which has an 89% Rotten Tomatoes rating.
You can watch Malcolm X on Tubi, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
15. Coal Miner's Daughter (1980, PG)
Loretta Lynn (Sissy Spacek) was married at 15 and a country star by the time she reached her late 20s. Coal Miner’s Daughter traces her rise from humble roots. It was one of the top 10 grossing films of 1980, and Spacek earned an Oscar and a Golden Globe for starring in Michael Apted’s film.
You can watch Coal Miner’s Daughter on YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
14. The King’s Speech (2010, R)
One of the best biographies about royalty, The King’s Speech follows efforts by King George VI (Colin Firth) to overcome his lifelong stutter after he unexpectedly gains the British throne. Helena Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush also star in the Tom Hooper film, which won both the Best Picture and Best Actor Oscars.
You can watch The King’s Speech on Max, Hulu, Sling, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
13. 42 (2013, PG-13)
Another sports biopic, 42 tells the story of how Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) broke the color barrier by becoming the first Black player in Major League Baseball when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers. It illustrates the pervasive nastiness of racism. Boseman’s bravura performance alongside Harrison Ford earned the movie positive reviews.
You can watch 42 on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
12. Frida (2002, R)
Salma Hayek portrays gifted Mexican artist Frida Kahlo in director Julie Taymor’s warts-and-all biopic, which highlights the many relationships in her life, including with her mother and male and female lovers. Hayek earned an Oscar nod, and the film made the American Film Institute’s top movies of 2002.
You can watch Frida on Sling TV, The Roku Channel, Philo, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
11. Ray (2004, PG-13)
Jamie Foxx won an Oscar for his portrayal of Ray Charles, the soulful singer who went blind at age 9 and overcame drug addiction and prejudice to become one of the most successful voices of his generation. Kerry Washington co-stars as Ray’s wife in the Taylor Hackford film, released months after Charles’ death.
You can watch Ray on Hulu, Sling, Philo, The Roku Channel, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
10. Nixon (1995, R)
Richard Nixon may not have been a great president, but he was a great character, rich with neuroses and quirks brought to life by Anthony Hopkins in Oliver Stone’s well-regarded film. It shows how his early failures helped shape him. Hopkins and Joan Allen (playing his wife) both earned Oscar nods.
You can watch Nixon on YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
9. A Beautiful Mind (2001, PG-13)
Genius mathematician John Nash Jr. (Russell Crowe) is so brilliant he’s recruited by the military for code-breaking, but he also has serious mental illness that threatens his relationship with his wife (Jennifer Connelly). Director Ron Howard’s film won four Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actress.
You can watch A Beautiful Mind on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
8. Hidden Figures (2016, PG)
Brilliant Black women Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) prove instrumental in helping NASA launch John Glenn into space—at a time when racism impacted their career paths and obscured their accomplishments. Theodore Melfi’s film earned $236 million and was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar.
You can watch Hidden Figures on Peacock, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
7. Boys Don’t Cry (1999, R)
Brandon Teena (Hilary Swank) is a trans man who flees his hometown after threats when people discover his gender identity. He tries to make a fresh start in Nebraska, but soon he’s threatened again. Swank won an Oscar for her performance in the Kimberly Pierce film, and Chloë Sevigny received a Best Supporting Actress nomination.
You can watch Boys Don’t Cry on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.
6. My Left Foot (1989, R)
Christy Brown (Daniel Day-Lewis) is born with cerebral palsy that causes spasticity, but he can control his left foot. He overcomes the odds to become a gifted painter. The film, directed by Jim Sheridan, has an astounding 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Day-Lewis and Brenda Fricker, who played his mom, won Oscars.
You can watch My Left Foot on Sling TV, The Roku Channel, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Philo, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home.
5. Selma (2014, PG-13)
Director Ava DuVernay reveals the violent voter suppression in Selma, Alabama, in the 1960s in her Martin Luther King Jr. biopic. It follows King (David Oyelowo) and others who marched from Selma to Montgomery to demand Black voter rights. It earned a Best Picture nod and has an amazing 99% Rotten Tomatoes rating.
You can watch Selma on Netflix, Paramount+, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
4. On the Basis of Sex (2018, PG-13)
Newly minted lawyer and new mother Ruth Bader Ginsberg (Felicity Jones) takes on a potentially breakthrough tax case that could change gender discrimination laws. Director Mimi Leader drew praise for the good pacing and insights of the movie, released two years before RGB’s death.
You can watch On the Basis of Sex on Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
3. The Iron Lady (2011, PG-13)
Margaret Thatcher (Meryl Streep), who rose from working class roots to become prime minister of Britain, reflects on her career after the passing of her husband, Denis (Jim Broadbent). Phyllida Lloyd’s box office success grossed $115 million, and Streep earned an Oscar for her performance.
You can watch The Iron Lady on Tubi, The Roku Channel, Amazon Prime Video, PLEX, Google Play Movies & TV, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
2. Oppenheimer (2023, R)
Christopher Nolan’s instant classic about Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb, merited a well-deserved Oscar for Cillian Murphy. He stars with Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh in a portrait of a man later tortured by what he did. It is the top-grossing biopic of all time.
You can watch Oppenheimer on YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
1. Lincoln (2012, PG-13)
Day-Lewis earned another Oscar for portraying President Abraham Lincoln at a pivotal time in the Civil War, as he weighed abolishing slavery with the 13th Amendment. Director Steven Spielberg had a commercial and critical hit, with $182 million at the box office and 12 Oscar nominations.
You can watch Lincoln on YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
Bottom Line
Biopics offer a way to learn something while also being entertained. Everything on this list features outstanding performances, too, to keep you engaged. Whether you choose a subject you already know a bit about or something entirely new, watching a biopic will inform and excite you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Is A Biopic?
A biopic is a movie that tells the story of an important historical figure. Biopics aren’t made to glorify the person but rather present the true wonder behind their accomplishments, shedding light on difficult circumstances they faced along the way.
A biopic movie generally focuses on one person, though sometimes a duo or trio takes center stage. A combination of the words “biography” and “picture,” biopics are dramatizations, so they are rarely 100% true to life, but they do provide reliable facts and are often based on books.
What Are Good Biopics About Music?
Good biopics about music give a glimpse of the often-troubled personalities behind the beautiful chords we hear through our AirPods. They include:
Tina Turner biopic What’s Love Got to Do With It (1993), directed by Brian Gibson, tells the story of the singer’s meteoric rise juxtaposed with the abuse she suffered at the hands of her husband, Ike Turner.
Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody (2018), directed by Bryan Singer and Dexter Fletcher, shows Mercury’s success with Queen as he struggles with his sexuality.
Jim Morrison biopic The Doors (1991), directed by Oliver Stone, depicts the dangers of addictions as Morrison’s demons threaten his hard-earned success with the group.
What Are Good Biopics About Sports?
Good biopics about sports tell the inspiring story of underdogs overcoming steep challenges. They include:
Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger biopic Rudy (1993), directed by David Anspaugh, follows an unlikely Notre Dame walk-on as he struggles to qualify academically and athletically for the school.
Vince Papale biopic Invincible (2006), directed by Ericson Core, chronicles a 30-year-old high school teacher’s unlikely opportunity to join the Philadelphia Eagles despite never playing college ball.
Richard Williams biopic King Richard (2021), directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, shows how a father from Compton, California, helped produce two of tennis’s all-time greats, Venus and Serena Williams.