Here’s the Cast of ‘Bombshell’ vs. the Real-Life People They’re Playing
Less than five years after Roger Ailes was fired from Fox News, Bombshell seeks to tell the story on the big screen. At least 20 women, beginning with Gretchen Carlson and including Megyn Kelly, came forward with details of sexual harassment in the workplace. Director Jay Roach, who did the uncomfortably recent history thing already with Recount and Game Change, has assembled an impeccable cast to portray the various hosts and moguls at Fox. There are literally so many famous people playing famous people in this movie, but here are the main actors and media figures IRL who make up Bombshell’s cast and characters.
Nicole Kidman as Gretchen Carlson
A wig and an accent (that’s nothing like Kidman’s Big Little Lies accent) go a long way to transform the Academy Award winner into the film’s protagonist. In a tweet that has since been deleted, according to CNN, Carlson said that Kidman “looks nothing like me” and expressed displeasure with the film’s script—but in more recent interviews has said while she’s frustrated her lawsuit doesn’t allow her to consult on projects like Bombshell, the attention it brings to her story does help further the work she is doing to help women facing harassment speak up.
Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly
Theron often completely transforms her image for roles (remember Monster?), but while she and Kelly don’t actually look all that different—especially since they’re both rocking the short hair these days—prosthetics were applied to Theron’s face, and she’s wearing contacts in the film as well. It’s honestly spooky how flawless it is.
John Lithgow as Roger Ailes
Lithgow must really love the makeup chair, because not only did he get all gooped up to play Ailes, he underwent a similar process to play Winston Churchill in season 1 of The Crown.
Margot Robbie as a Fox News Female Mashup
Unlike Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, where Robbie played the infamous Sharon Tate, her character in Bombshell is basically fictional. As a conservative millennial with a large social media following, the fictional Kayla may evoke real life figures such as Tomi Lahren, but the truth is she’s not based on any one person. The character is an amalgamation of women who came forward but chose not to break their NDAs by revealing their identities to the public. Kayla was created in order to protect those identities.
Connie Britton as Elizabeth Ailes
Roger Ailes’ wife, like every human on the planet, wishes she has the luxurious locks of the Nashville and Friday Night Lights star.
Malcolm McDowell as Rupert Murdoch
If the mogul glasses fit, wear them!
Mark Duplass as Douglas Brunt
The indie filmmaker and comic actor doesn’t really look anything like Megyn Kelly’s husband. Maybe he just wanted to join in on the fun.
Bree Condon as Kimberly Guilfoyle
The Fox News employee tossing out “Team Roger” T-shirts in Bombshell is based on a real person and played by an actress and model that honestly looks a lot like her. The Five host left Fox News during the investigation, and there are rumors she was forced to resign, according to the Huffington Post.
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