25 Famous Actors Who Looked So Much Like The Real-Life Criminals They Played, I Had To Do A Double Take

    I'll never be able to look at Zac Efron the same way again after watching him play Ted Bundy.

    1. This is Jeffrey Dahmer, who was convicted of murdering and dismembering 17 men and boys.

    Jeffrey Dahmer's mug shot wearing silver rimmed glasses and a mustache

    Here's Evan Peters as Jeffrey Dahmer in the series Dahmer (2022).

    And here's a side-by-side of Jeffrey Dahmer and Evan Peters in the series.

    2. This is Gypsy Rose Blanchard, who was convicted of second-degree murder for killing her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, after years of abuse from Munchausen by proxy.

    Gypsy sitting for an interview wearing a jacket, hat, and glasses

    Here's Joey King as Gypsy Rose Blanchard in the limited series The Act (2019).

    Joey King in the same outfit looking the exact same as Gypsy

    And here's a side-by-side of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Joey King in the series.

    3. This is Michelle Carter, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for encouraging her boyfriend over text messages to kill himself.

    close up of Michelle during trial

    Here's Elle Fanning as Michelle Carter in the limited series The Girl From Plainville (2022).

    close up of Ellie Fanning in the same hair cut for the trial

    And here's a side-by-side of Michelle Carter and Elle in the series.

    4. This is Charles Manson, who was the leader of the Manson Family, a cult that carried out several murders in the late '60s.

    close up of Charles Manson with shoulder-length hair and beard

    Here's Damon Herriman as Charles Manson in the series Mindhunter (2017–2019).

    Damon looking the exact same, even with a Nazi tattoo on his forehead

    And here's a side-by-side of Charles Manson and Damon Herrmiman in the series.

    5. This is Michael Peterson, who was

    Here's Colin Firth as Michael Peterson in the limited series The Staircase (2022).

    And here's a side-by-side of Michael Peterson and Colin Firth in the series.

    6. This is Anna Delvey, who was convicted of grand larceny after pretending to be a German heiress and scamming New York's elite out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

    close up of Anna during trail wearing black rimmed glasses

    Here's Julia Garner as Anna Delvey in the limited series Inventing Anna (2022).

    Julia as Anna in prison with the same glasses

    And here's a side-by-side of Anna Delvey and Julia Garner in the series.

    7. This is Elizabeth Holmes, who founded Theranos and was convicted of fraud for engaging in a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud investors by making false statements about her technology’s capabilities.

    close up of Elizabeth wearing her hair pulled back and a turtleneck

    Here's Amanda Seyfried as Elizbeth Holmes in the limited series The Dropout (2022).

    Amanda dressed exactly like Elizabeth

    And here's a side-by-side of Elizabeth Holmes and Amanda Seyfried in the series.

    8. This is Aileen Wournos, who was dubbed the world's first female serial killer.

    Aileen in a prison jumpsuit and handcuffs trying to raise her hand

    Here's Charlize Theron as Aileen Wournos in the movie Monster (2003).

    close up of Charlize in a jumpsuit with a coat on top

    And here's a side-by-side of Aileen Wournos and Charlize Theron in the movie.

    9. This is Richard Ramirez, who was a serial killer, kidnapper, and rapist best known as The Night Stalker.

    Richard with long curly hair wearing a prison uniform

    Here's Zach Villa as Richard Ramirez in the series American Horror Story: 1984 (2019).

    Zach with long curly hair in civilian clothes

    And here's a side-by-side of Richard Ramirez and Zach Villa in the series.

    10. This is Ted Bundy, who confessed to 30 homicides he committed along seven different states in the '70s.

    Ted Bundy in a suit during trial

    Here's Zac Efron as Ted Bundy in the movie Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019).

    Zac wearing a very similar suit for the trial scene

    And here's a side-by-side of Ted Bundy and Zac Efron in the movie.

    11. This is Joyce "Tilly" Mitchell, who helped two convicted murderers escape a maximum-security prison.

    Joyce in a stripped prison jumpsuit swearing in

    Here's Patricia Arquette as Joyce "Tilly" Mitchell in the limited series Escape at Dannemora (2018).

    Patricia wearing a stripped jumpsuit

    And here's a side-by-side of Joyce "Tilly" Mitchell and Patricia Arquette in the series.

    12. This is Candy Montgomery, who murdered her friend with an axe on Friday the 13th.

    Candy wearing large glasses and has short hair

    Here's Jessica Biel as Candy Montgomery in the upcoming limited series Candy (2022).

    Jessica in the same style as hair and glasses during trial

    And here's a side-by-side of Candy Montgomery and Jessica Biel in the series.

    13. This is David Koresh, who was a cult leader and head of the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas.

    David with long curly hair and aviator style glasses

    Here's Taylor Kitsch as David Koresh in the limited series Waco (2018).

    Taylor in the same hair style and glasses

    And here's a side-by-side of David Koresh and Taylor Kitsch in the series.

    14. This is Christopher Duntsch, who was a neurosurgeon that became known for mutilating his patients and killing two of them.

    close up of Christopher with short hair

    Here's Joshua Jackson as Christopher Duntsch in the limited series Dr. Death (2021).

    Joshua in an office chair with short hair wearing a physician's coat

    And here's a side-by-side of Christopher Duntsch and Joshua Jackson in the series.

    15. This is Andrew Cunanan, who went on a killing spree in 1997 where he murdered five people, including Italian fashion designer, Gianni Versace.

    Mug shot of Andrew wearing circular glasses and short hair

    Here's Darren Criss as Andrew Cunanan in the series The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (2018).

    close up of David wearing the same style of glasses and short hair

    And here's a side-by-side of Andrew Cunanan and Darren Criss in the series.

    16. This is O.J. Simpson, who was charged with the murder of his wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. He was acquitted at first, but was later found guilty of the murders during a civil trial in 2008.

    Here's Cuba Gooding Jr. as O.J. Simpson in the series The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story (2016).

    And here's a side-by-side of O.J. Simpson and Cuba Gooding Jr. in the series.

    17. This is Christopher and Susan Edwards, who were convicted of killing Susan's parents, burying them in their backyard, and using their identities to commit fraud.

    both of their mug shots

    Here's David Thewlis and Olivia Coleman as Christopher and Susan Edwards in the limited series Landscapers (2021).

    the actors in civilian clothes

    And here's a side-by-side of Christopher and Susan Edwards and David Thewlis and Olivia Coleman in the series.

    18. This is Mark David Chapman, who was convicted of murdering former Beatles member, John Lennon.

    Mark's mug shot wearing dark aviator framed glasses

    Here's Jared Leto as Mark David Chapman in the movie Chapter 27 (2007).

    Jared in civilian clothes wearing the same style of glasses

    And here's a side-by-side of Mark David Chapman and Jared Leto in the movie.

    19. This is John Meehan, who was a serial con man that pursued women and extorted them for money.

    close up of John on the beach

    Here's Eric Bana as John Meehan in the series Dirty John (2018).

    Eric has the same hair style and length

    And here's a side-by-side of John Meehan and Eric Bana in the series.

    20. This is Betty Broderick, who was convicted of killing her ex-husband and his new wife.

    Betty smiles and wears her hair short

    Here's Amanda Peet as Betty Broderick in the series Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story (2020).

    close up of Amanda smiling also with short hair

    And here's a side-by-side of Betty Broderick and Amanda Peet in the series.

    21. This is John Wayne Gacy, who was a serial killer that also performed as a clown at children's hospitals and charities.

    John's mugshot where he has a small mustache, gruff, and short hair

    Here's Brian Dennehy as John Wayne Gacy in the limited series To Catch a Killer (1992).

    Brian's clean-shaven mug shot with short hair

    And here's a side-by-side of John Wayne Gacy and Brian Dennehy in the movie.

    22. This is Joe Exotic, who was convicted in a murder-for-hire case against animal rights activist, Carole Baskin.

    Joe Exotic mug shot where his hair is bleached blonde and in a mullet and multiple piercings

    Here's John Cameron Mitchell as Joe Exotic in the limited series Joe Vs. Carole (2022).

    John Cameron wearing a cut off flannel with the same hair style and piercings

    And here's a side-by-side of Joe Exotic and John Cameron Mitchell in the series.

    23. This is Dennis Nilsen, who was a Scottish serial killer and necrophile that murdered at least 12 young men.

    his mug shot in a aviator frame glasses and parted hair

    Here's David Tennant as Dennis Nilsen in the limited series Des (2020).

    David wearing the exact same hair style, glasses, and shirt

    And here's a side-by-side of Dennis Nilsen and David Tennant in the series.

    24. This is Ed Kemper, who murdered six college students and is also known as the Co-Ed Killer.

    David in his prison uniform with a mustache and glasses

    Here's Cameron Britton as Ed Kemper in the series Mindhunter (2017–2019).

    Cameron in a prison scene looking the exact same

    And here's a side-by-side of Ed Kemper and Cameron Britton in the series.

    25. And finally, this is Robert Hansen, who was a serial killer best known as "The Butcher Baker."

    Robert wearing glasses and a flannel posing with large animal horns

    Here's John Cusack as Robert Hansen in the movie The Frozen Ground (2013).

    John in a similar haircut and glasses

    And here's a side-by-side of Robert Hansen and John Cusack in the movie.