These 7 biopics will make you realize how hard it is to handle fame

Some of the most powerful biopics are those that reveal the struggles of famous people and makes them relatable for the audiences. These biopics highlight the heavy price that some of the most successful people have to pay for being famous. While fame and popularity seems like the most desirable thing in the world, these biopics showcase the other side of the coin and how often, famous people have to struggle with issues like identity and freedom because of the pressures of fame. Here are 7 biopics that explore the dark side of fame.

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Judy, Rocketman, and other biopics that explore the dark side of fame

1. Elvis

Directed by Baz Luhrmann, this epic biographical drama movie features Austin Butler in the titular role along with Tom Hanks, Helen Thomson, and others. The movie was also co-produced by Luhrmann who also co-wrote the screenplay of the movie. The movie centers around the life of the famous American rock and roll singer, Elvis Presley under the management of Colonel Tom Parker. The movie was a critical and commercial success and garnered multiple nominations at the Oscars. Viewers and critics also appreciated Butler’s electrifying and poignant performance as Elvis. The biopics' focus is on the pivotal moments of Elvis’s career like his first hysteria inducing performance, his 1968 comeback special, and his final years where he spent his time caught in a golden cage. The movie therefore showcases the heady rise and fall that happens in the world of stardom and fame. While the singer’s meteoric rise is shown, the movie also focuses on how Elvis was exploited by his manager and the eventual decline that he faced. Further, all of this was faced by him under public scrutiny, which is extremely difficult to deal with. Therefore, the movie is one of the important biopics that makes viewers realize about the disadvantages of fame.

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2. Spencer

Starring Kristen Stewart, Jack Farthing, and others, this historical and biographical psychological drama is directed by Pablo Larraín and written by Steven Knight. The movie focuses on the tumultuous of Princess Diana, who faces an existential crisis during the Christmas of 1991 and considers divorcing Prince Charles and leaving the British Royal Family. The movie did well on the box office but received more praise critically. Stewart’s performance was especially appreciated and she received nominations at the Oscars, Golden Globe, and the Critics’ Choice Awards for Best Actress. The movie is an intimate and raw look at the psychological strain that Princess Diana had to suffer because of all the royal fame. The movie dives into the crucial moments of Diana’s life and the crushing expectations that were placed on her. In all these moments, Diana finds herself alone and even though she has all the love from the world, she ultimately has no one to confide in. The movie beautifully looks at the troublesome life of Princess Diana. The film peels back the layers around the Princess’s life and reveals to the viewers the high cost of being famous and popular. Whether it is her marriage or her private life, Diana faced intense scrutiny and pressure and the movie is one of those biopics that examines the mental strain that this puts on the person.

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3. Bohemian Rhapsody

Directed by Bryan Singer and featuring Rami Malek in the titular role along with Lucy Boynton, Ben Hardy, and others, this biographical musical and drama movie was a critical and commercial success and one of the most successful biopics. The movie is based on the life of Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of the popular British rock band Queen. The movie covers the period from 1970 to 1985 and focuses on how the band got formed in the seventies and their Live Aid performance at the Wembley Stadium in the eighties. Viewers and critics noted Malek’s dedicated portrayal of Mercury, and the movie also employed the real-life band members, Brian May and Roger Taylor, as consultants. While the movie focuses on the rise of the band's stardom, its central focus is on the life of Freddie Mercury, who grappled with bouts of loneliness and identity struggles. The movie subtly portrays the pressure he felt as a queer icon in an era where LGBTQ+ representation was still nil and being a homosexual was still considered a taboo. The movie has both celebratory and poignant moments, and at the center of all this is the legendary frontman, who had a tumultuous life. Even though Mercury owned the stage and the people, he also grappled with the pressure of stardom and fame and the movie is one of those biopics that rightly looks at both the advantages and disadvantages of popularity.

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4. Rocketman

Starring Taron Egerton in the titular role along with Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, and others, this biographical jukebox musical and drama movie is directed by Dexter Fletcher. The movie focuses on the life, music, and career of the famous British musician, Elton John. The title of the movie is titled on John’s 1972 song, Rocket Man, which was highly popular. The film covers the story of John in his early days in England and his musical genius, and his days at the Royal Academy of Music. The film also covers his musical partnership with Bernie Taupin. The film was a critical and commercial success, and viewers and critics appreciated Egerton’s performance as John. The film received numerous nominations at various prestigious award shows like the BAFTA and the Golden Globes. While the film looks at the prodigy that Elton John was, it also looks at his personal life, which was often marred by struggles with addiction and self-worth. Further, as a homosexual, John felt the immense pressure of keeping his public persona separate from his real self. The movie is another one of those biopics that focuses on the struggles that famous queer people had to undergo because of their celebrity status and fame.

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5. Judy

Directed by Rupert Goold, this biographical drama movie is based on the play by Peter Quilter. Starring Renée Zellweger as Judy Garland, the movie looks at the ups and downs in the life of the American actress and singer, Judy Garland. The movie especially focuses on the last year of her life, when she relocated her stage career to England. The movie also looks at flashbacks of her childhood and her shooting of her role in the famous movie, The Wizard of Oz, where she played the role of Dorothy Gale. However, the movie is a somber look at the last years of the actress’s life, as she takes up the chaotic London nightclub residency to recover financially and also revive her career. The movie received widespread acclaim, and Zellweger’s performance was especially noted because of her dramatic physical and vocal transformation. The actress even won the Best Actress award at the Oscars. The movie is one of the foremost biopics on how fame is a difficult thing to handle and is not guaranteed for life. The movie has some heartbreaking scenes as Judy tries to revive her career and has to take up jobs even at an advanced age to support herself financially. It is one of those biopics that needs to be watched to make people realize that fame is not everything.

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6. Love and Mercy

Starring John Cusack and Paul Dano in the titular role, this biographical drama movie is directed by Bill Pohlad and focuses on the famous music band, the Beach Boys’ co-founder and leader, Brian Wilson. The movie looks at the rise of the band and the struggles that Wilson faced with his mental health from the 1960s to the 1980s. While Paul Dano plays the younger version of Wilson, John Cusack plays the older Wilson in the movie. The title of the movie comes from Wilson’s 1988 song of the same name. It is one of those biopics that covers the dark side of fame and reveals the struggles that famous personalities have to go through. Set in a time when mental health and the discussions around it were looked down upon, the movie serves an important message about the need to look at mental health problems and their awareness. The movie alternates between Wilson’s production of his album, Pet Sounds, in the 1960s, and his treatment under psychologist Dr. Eugene Landy’s 24-hour therapy program in the late 1980s. The movie was a critical and commercial success, and it is one of those biopics that is a must-watch as it looks at important topics like mental health.

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7. Priscilla

Directed by Sofia Coppola and starring Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi, this biographical drama movie is also written and produced by Coppola. The movie is based on the life of Priscilla and her complicated romantic relationship with Elvis. Based on the 1985 memoir by Priscilla, she also serves as the executive producer of the movie. The film received widespread acclaim, and Spaeny’s portrayal of Priscilla was appreciated. The movie is a heartbreaking look at a young girl who is pushed into the world of fame and stardom against her wishes and has to live a life where she can’t express herself freely. The movie takes away the spotlight to reveal the real Elvis, who emotionally abused Priscilla and had a tumultuous relationship with her. The biopics' focus is on Priscilla’s life in the limelight and showcases how hard it was for the young girl to deal with all the sudden fame and the isolation she felt because of Elvis being distant. The movie shifts the focus away from Elvis and puts Priscilla front and center. The movie is one of the important biopics that looks at the lives of famous women who often have to curtail their freedoms. While Priscilla’s life looked perfect in front of the world, she had to deal with loneliness and identity issues on her own.