President has been portrayed in Hollywood by Jamie Foxx, Martin Sheen, Jack Nicholson and more
Several actors have portrayed the American president on the silver and TV screens, and some of them have received accolades for their depictions of the U.S. commander in chief.
This list is by no means exhaustive, but these presidential castings are at least noteworthy and at their best memorable and award-winning. Please note that several roles were as fictional American presidents, and I focused on more recent big- and small-screen works.
(I begrudgingly decided to not include actresses who have portrayed the president because 1) we haven’t elected a woman president yet (shameful), 2) there are space restrictions in print and 3) there is plenty of fodder there for another story.)
Alan Rickman, James Marsden and John Cusack - Ronald Reagan, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, respectively, in Lee Daniels’ “The Butler.” The 2013 film featured eight presidents, and the actors aka Severus Snape, Scott Summers/Cyclops and Lloyd Dobler were three of the Oval Office occupants in this historical drama.
Anthony Hopkins - John Quincy Adams in “Amistad” (1997) and Richard Nixon in “Nixon” (1995). The Oscar winner for 1991’s “The Silence of the Lambs,” as Hannibal Lecter, also received Academy Award nominations for his two presidential roles, and the Welsh actor’s impressive career continues.
Benjamin Walker - Abraham Lincoln in “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.” Possibly the loosest adaptation of any American president on this list, the 2012 action-horror film is included in this feature because this journalist has had a life-long obsession, er, interest in vampires.
Christopher B. Duncan - Barack Obama in “My Name Is Khan.” This 2010 film, not to be confused with the 2013 movie of the same name, is about an Indian Muslim man with Asperger’s syndrome who embarks on a cross-country journey to speak to President Obama.
Daniel Day-Lewis - Abraham Lincoln in “Lincoln.” The British actor won his third Oscar (following “My Left Foot” and “There Will Be Blood”) in this 2012 film directed by Steven Spielberg. His depiction of one of the nation’s most beloved presidents has been described as transformative and astonishing.
Harrison Ford - James Marshall in “Air Force One.” If the president is going to be in an action film, he should be played by a man who also has portrayed the kickass Han Solo and Indiana Jones. Get off my plane! If this wasn’t exclaimed in 1997’s “Air Force One,” it should’ve been.
Jack Nicholson - James Dale in “Mars Attacks!” I’m a longtime fan of director Tim Burton, but I saw this 1996 film in a movie theater, and I didn’t enjoy it. Perhaps a second viewing is in order after all these years, but what happens to President Dale in “Mars Attacks!” is still, well, piercing.
James Cromwell - George H.W. Bush in “W.” (2008), Robert Fowler in “The Sum of All Fears” (2002) and D. Wire Newman on NBC’s “The West Wing” (2004). This underrated character actor has been nominated for only one Oscar (for 1995’s “Babe,” and he didn’t win), but it’s pretty cool that he has been cast as the President of the United States of America three times.
Jamie Foxx - James Sawyer in “White House Down.” A Black president in the White House? Before a woman? Who would’ve thought it? Director Roland Emmerich, that’s who, and he cast Foxx (Oscar winner for 2004’s “Ray”) in this 2013 action-thriller co-starring Channing Tatum and Maggie Gyllenhaal.
John Travolta - Jack Stanton in “Primary Colors.” Travolta oozed Southern charm as Bill Clinton, er, Jack Stanton alongside Emma Thompson, Billy Bob Thornton and Kathy Bates in Mike Nichols’ 1998 adaptation of the bestselling book.
Josh Brolin - George W. Bush in “W.” In Oliver Stone’s 2008 comedy-drama biopic, Brolin gets this journalist’s pick for the handsomest actor to play a president tied with Marsden as JFK. Ellyn Burstyn portrayed Barbara Bush and Elizabeth Banks, yes, Elizabeth Banks, was Laura Bush.
Martin Sheen - Josiah “Jed” Bartlet in “The West Wing.” In this acclaimed NBC drama from Aaron Sorkin that ran from 1999-2006, Sheen was nominated numerous times for Emmy and Golden Globe awards and shockingly won only once – a Golden Globe in 2001. His co-star Allison Janney had much better luck, winning four Emmys out of six nominations.
Michael Douglas - Andrew Shepherd in “The American President.” In Rob Reiner’s 1995 romantic comedy-drama written by Sorkin, Douglas is the widowed president with a daughter, and Annette Bening is an environmental lobbyist who catches his eye. Only in Hollywood …
Nick Nolte - Thomas Jefferson in “Jefferson in Paris.” Before Nolte made headlines for his crazy antics, he was considered a serious actor. Need a reminder? How about 1991’s “The Prince of Tides,” for which he received an Oscar nomination, and this 1995 James Ivory film in which Gwyneth Paltrow plays Patsy Jefferson.
Tom Wilkinson - Lyndon B. Johnson in “Selma” (2014). Yet another U.K. actor portrays an American president, and Wilkinson’s pedigree is up there with Hopkins and Day-Lewis. The actor has two Oscar nominations under his belt – 2002’s “In the Bedroom” and 2008’s “Michael Clayton.”