Male actors depicting women are a traditional phenomenon in many cultures. However, actresses rarely get interesting male roles. And not every woman will undertake such a difficult job. The more interesting is the experience of those who succeeded in male roles and became a significant point in their careers.
Glenn Close
The star does not stop at a certain role, trying on a variety of images. One of them was the role of Spineless Pirate in Steven Spielberg's Captain Hook. The film was based on "Peter Pan", and the main character was played by Robin Williams. Critics and the public really liked the unusual image of the actress, although it was impossible to recognize her in the image of a shaggy and bearded pirate.
Larisa Golubkina
One of the very first roles of the popular artist is Shurochka Azarova, who disguised herself as a brave cornet and went to war with the French. The actress managed to brilliantly perform both roles: a romantic girl in love and a desperately brave snooty youth. Later, the director of the film, Eldar Ryazanov, admitted that he doubted Golubkina's assertion, but after the very first days of shooting, he realized that this role was simply created for her.
Barbra Streisand
The unusual appearance and role of a characteristic actress who is not afraid of experiments is an excellent basis for bold reincarnations. Barbara got down to business responsibly, acting immediately as a director, screenwriter, producer and performer of the main role in the film "Yentl". The plot is very original: a girl from an Orthodox Jewish family, dreaming of an education available only to men, disguises herself as a young man and runs away from home to study the Talmud. Critics considered the direction unsuccessful, but praised Streisand's work as an actress. The main character turned out to be funny, courageous and touching - these are the images that Barbara did best.
Susan Sarandon
In the unusual project of directors Tykwer and Wachowski "Cloud Atlas" Susan played four short roles: this was the original idea of the creators of the picture. One of the characters was a man - Yusei Suleiman. The scientist, fighter for the rights of slaves from the future turned out to be rather unusual, but memorable. Sarandon is difficult to recognize thanks to her high acting skills and complex make-up. She herself admitted that the role was difficult, albeit short.
Tilda Swinton
In Orlando, the extraordinary Tilda Swinton plays the protagonist - a courtier who was forbidden to grow old by the eccentric Queen of England Elizabeth I. The hero does not change for decades, but then suddenly turns into a woman. Swinton managed to brilliantly embody both hypostases of his character. By the way, Elizabeth is played by the famous English actor Quentin Crisp - the first official transsexual who regularly dresses as a woman. The film turned out to be controversial and strange in places, but critics admitted that both main actors did an excellent job with their task.
Cate blanchett
Another interesting project by Todd Hanks, telling about the life of Bob Dylan. The director decided to reveal the different sides of the musician's character, combining several short stories in the canvas of the picture. Kate embodied Dylan in the mid-60s, a turning point for his work. The musician left folk music (for which he was branded a "traitor") and switched to playing the electric guitar. The film was not designed for wide distribution, but received good reviews from musicians and film critics.
Hilary Swank
In the drama Boys Don't Cry, based on true events, Hilary Swank plays the role of transgender Brandon Tina. The story of the protagonist is tangled and sad: unhappy love, exposure, tragic death. The young actress managed to embody all the ambiguity of the character. The audience warmly accepted the picture, and critics praised Swank's work very highly: she was awarded the most prestigious Oscar and Golden Globe awards.
Blanca Portillo
The Spanish actress played a small role as an inquisitor in the film based on the work of Arthur Perez-Reverte. The plot is set in 17th century Spain, starring Viggo Mortensen. Blanca's character appears rarely on screen, but the director's choice is surprisingly accurate. The actress chosen for the male role accurately conveys the duality of the character.
Valentina Kosobutskaya
In the musical comedy "Truffaldino from Bergamo" directed by Vladimir Vorobiev, Valentina brilliantly played the role of Beatrice, who pretends to be her brother, Senor Federico Rasponi. The unique appearance of the actress allowed her to play a sophisticated aristocrat without any problems, without resorting to complex makeup. The character really liked critics and the public, many noted that Federico turned out to be more organic than Beatrice performed by the same actress.
Julie Andrews
In the remake of the popular film Victor and Victoria, Andrews plays the main role as a cabaret singer posing as a Polish prince. The plot bizarrely mixes original concert numbers, showdowns between Chicago mobsters and Parisian bohemians. The film turned out to be light, funny, and quite politically correct. As befits an actress of this level, Andrews is gorgeous in both female and male forms and fits perfectly into the quirky stylization of pre-war Paris.
