Presidents, On Stage and Screen

Presidents continue to be a point of fascination for the general public. Nearly all have been portrayed on stage and screen, some with more frequency than others. These are the most notable screen and stage portrayals of the men who have led America. It is not a list of every portrayal. 

Note that this includes physical appearances, not mentions or images. It also does not include when the Presidents have appeared as themselves, such as Joe Biden in Parks and Recreation or Donald Trump in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. 

OBC= Original Broadway Cast

George Washington

• Hamilton (musical) – Christoper Jackson OBC
• Turn: Washington’s Spies (TV) – Ian Kahn
• John Adams (TV) – David Morse
• Washington (TV) – Nicholas Rowe
• Liberty’s Kids (TV) – Cork Ranger

America’s first and arguably most popular president has often been portrayed on stage and screen. Part of Washington’s allure is that he was the very first president of the USA, a war hero, figure of the Revolution, and recognisable image. Chances are if you’re watching a Revolution-era show/film and there’s a tall soldier with white hair, it’s Washington. Interestingly, he did not have a hand in the Revolution in the way the other Founding Fathers did, but he is still much more of a figure than they are in the media.

When he’s shown, Washington is usually the serious man, regal and almost untouchable. In Hamilton, Washington doesn’t get any of the comedy lines, but is instead shown as the revered legend that is fighting against the British. In-show, Washington only drops his regality for a second to reveal that he doesn’t want to be put on a pedestal and worries about the reality of the war. 

In The Simpsons: Gets played wonderfully by Ralph Wiggum. Martha Washington is played by Lisa Simpson.

John Adams

• John Adams (TV) – Paul Giamatti
• 1776 (Film) – William Daniels
• 1776 (Musical) – William Daniels OBC
• Liberty’s Kids (TV) – Billy Crystal 
• The Adams Chronicles (TV) – George Grizzard

Adams is often forgotten between Washington and Jefferson, probably because he was only a one-termer, but he was super important to the Revolution. In the media, Adams is usually portrayed as very intelligent and passionate, but arrogant and the odd one out. He’s often the butt of everyone’s joke and is in opposition to Jefferson.

His most famous portrayal is that of Paul Giamatti as the titular John Adams. Adams is portrayed sympathetically, as it is a programme about him, though it still reveals his flaws. It shows him from 1770 to his death in 1826, covering pre, post and during his presidency. Adams is usually a supporting character on screen, but this shows him as the lead he doesn’t usually get to be.

Adams is mentioned (with malice) in Hamilton, but does not appear on stage. This is for two reasons. One is that Adams would make Alexander Hamilton look bad, as Hamilton was not too nice to him. Secondly, creator Lin-Manuel Miranda stated that he couldn’t beat William Daniels’ portrayal in 1776. 

Thomas Jefferson

• Hamilton (musical) – Daveed Diggs OBC
• 1776 (Film) – Ken Howard
• 1776 (Musical) – Ken Howard OBC
• John Adams (TV) – Stephen Dillane
• Jefferson in Paris (Film) – Nick Nolte

“Thomas Jefferson’s coming home“

Just be glad you didn’t have to hear me sing that line. 

Jefferson is not quite on the level of Washington but portrayed more often than Adams (Jefferson would love that). Still, he’s one of the most remembered Presidents, for both his politics and his personal life. Unusually, Jefferson’s portrayals are not in line with how he’s been described. In real life, Jefferson was reportedly a reserved and quiet, though charming man. On stage and screen, this is the opposite.

In Hamilton, Jefferson is portrayed by the extremely talented Daveed Diggs. His character HATES Hamilton (as he did in real life), but is also rather hammy in this appearance. In 1776, Jefferson is also besotted with his wife and cannot get on with work until he, erm, is serviced. Slavery is often glossed over, with references to his hypocrisy added in. 

“What’d I miss?“

James Madison

• Hamilton (musical) – Okieriete Onaodowan OBC
• Magnificent Doll (Film) – Burgess Meredith
• Liberty’s Kids (TV) – Warren Buffett
• The Adams Chronicles (TV) – Ken Kercheval

Coming after Washington, Adams and Jefferson means it’s quite hard to live up to them, but Madison gave it a fair shake. Known more for his non-Presidential works- the Constitution, Bill of Rights and Federalist Papers, Madison is oft-overlooked. When he appears on stage and screen, Madison isn’t the centre of attention. 

Okieriete Onaodowan plays the hypochondriac Madison well in Hamilton but has no major solos. He’s a supporting character in Liberty’s Kids and The Adams Chronicles. Even Magnificent Doll has his wife as the lead role. 

James Monroe

• The Adams Chronicles (TV) – Henry Butler 
• Alexander Hamilton (Film) – Morgan Wallace
• Hamilton (Theatre) – Hardee Kirkland

The last of the Founding Father presidents, Monroe is sadly a bit of a footnote in popular culture. He only really appears in a play from 1912, a pre-code film and a 70s show. 

John Quincy Adams

• John Adams (TV) – Ebon Moss-Bachrach
• Amistad (Film) – Anthony Hopkins
• Enslavement: The True Story of Fanny Kemble (TV) – Colin Fox

Another President whose non-presidency is much more illuminating, Adams doesn’t quite get his father’s treatment. He’s a supporting character in John Adams, naturally, but he’s less prominent than non-family members like Jefferson. Amistad gives him an important role as it tells the story of the slaves who attempted to get their freedom as Adams fights their case. Anthony Hopkins was nominated for an Oscar. 

Andrew Jackson

• Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson (musical) – Benjamin Walker OBC
• Texas Rising (TV) – Kris Kristofferson
• The Gorgeous Hussy (Film) – Lionel Barrymore 
• The Buccaneer (Film) – Charlton Heston
• The President’s Lady (Film) – Charlton Heston

If ever a President needed their own show or movie, Jackson would be near top of this list. The hot-headed populist does not appear as often as one might think. He’s usually relegated to supporting character status, with the exception of Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson. Unfortunately, the musical didn’t do too well and was slated by the Native American community.

Martin Van Buren

• Amistad (Film) – Nigel Hawthorne 
• The Gorgeous Hussy (Film) – Charles Trowbridge 

It’s all supporting for Old Kinderhook. He was the sitting President during the Amistad case so he naturally appears. The role is fairly minor and not totally accurate to history. 

William Henry Harrison

• Brave Warrior (Film) – James Seay
• Tecumseh: The Last Warrior (TV) – David Clennon
• Two Gentlemen from West Point (Film) – Douglass Dumbrille

You’d be forgiven for thinking that America’s shortest serving president wouldn’t have appeared on stage or screen. William Henry Harrison is thrice portrayed, but is only a side character in each. The stories are mainly about Native Americans, specifically Tecumseh, with Harrison as a supporting role due to his fight against them. 

John Tyler

None for the President with the most children. Sad. 

James K. Polk

• Can’t Help Singing (Film) – Edward Earle
• California (Film) – Ian Wolfe
• The Oregon Trail (Film) – Addison Richards

Appears in films, but the actors were never credited. 

Zachary Taylor

• Distant Drums (Film) – Robert Barrat
• One Man’s Hero (Film) – James Gammon
• Rebellion (Film) –  Allan Cavan 

Taylor’s presidency ended with his sudden death, but he was also more well-known as a war hero. Media portrayals usually focus upon the western expansion and military part of his image. 

Millard Fillmore

None for the guy with the best name. Sad. 

Franklin Pierce

• The Great Moment (Film) – Porter Hall

The President with the most tragic life story has only appeared once in fiction, shown briefly in an old film.

James Buchanan

• Edward the Seventh (TV) – Peter Carlisle
• Raising Buchanan (Film) – René Auberjonois

Buchanan is commonly seen as the worst American President, and is thus severely underrepresented in media. His role in Edward the Seventh is minimal, whilst Raising Buchanan shows him as a reanimated person in the modern day. Considering how his administration paved the road to Civil War, one would imagine he’d be more prominently featured. 

Abraham Lincoln

• Lincoln (Film) – Daniel Day-Lewis 
• Gore Vidal’s Lincoln (TV) – Sam Waterson
• Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (Film) – Robert V. Barron 
• Abraham Lincoln (TV) – Graham Sibley
• Assassins (Musical)

Abraham Lincoln is a pretty recognizable guy. Tall, top hat and a beard, everybody knows what Lincoln- or an impersonator- looks like. He’s also probably the most famous president, especially outside of America. Lincoln’s presidency was a tremendously important one, not least because there was a civil war and the ending of slavery. This means that Lincoln is the most portrayed president of all time. He is in a lot of stuff. 

His most famous portrayal in recent years is that of Daniel Day-Lewis in Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln. Boasting a cast that includes Day-Lewis, Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, Hal Holbrook, James Spader and Lee Pace, Lincoln was nominated for twelve Oscars. Day-Lewis won one of his three Oscars for this role. 

Lincoln is almost always portrayed favourably. We usually see a quiet, reserved man who has to face the challenges that the American Civil War has brought him. I recommend the TV miniseries Gore’s Vidal’s Lincoln, as it really goes through the Lincoln presidency, gives us a great fleshing out of Mary Todd Lincoln and their children. 

Andrew Johnson

• Tennessee Johnson (Film) – Van Heflin

The first President to be impeached by the House, Johnson is not remembered quite as fondly as his predecessor. His only fictional appearance, Tennessee Johnson is controversial as it downplays his racism and poor politics whilst stating he was a victim of Republicans.  

Ulysses S. Grant

• Wild Wild West (Film) – Kevin Kline
• Lincoln (Film) – Jared Harris 
• Gore Vidal’s Lincoln (TV) – James Gammon
• The Wild Wild West (TV) – Roy Engel
• Grant (TV) – Justin Salinger

More known for his illustrious army career than his presidency, Grant nevertheless appears in popular culture. He tends to be a supporting character and portrayals usually focus more on his military career. He’s most likely to pop up in things set in the Civil War. 

Rutherford B. Hayes

• Buffalo Bill (Film) – John Dilson

Hayes came to power in a controversial way, but he’s often forgotten. John Dilson was not even credited for the film. 

James A. Garfield 

• Netherbeast Incorporated (Film) – Richard Wagner
• The Price of Power (Film) – Van Johnson

One of the shortest-serving presidents of American history, Garfield is often forgotten. The film The Price of Power has some focus on his assassination, but he is not the central character. 

Chester A. Arthur

• Cattle King (Film) – Larry Gates
• The Price of Power (Film) – José Suárez
• Silver Dollar (Film) – Emmett Corrigan 

A 2007 poll revealed that Arthur is the least remembered president. He manages to appear in a few films, though he is not a character who is central to the film. 

Grover Cleveland

• Buffalo Bill and the Indians (Film) – Pat McCormick
• The Oklahoma Kid (Film) – Stuart Holmes
• Lillian Russell (Film) – William B. Davidson
• Princess Kaiulani (Film) – Peter Banks
• Timestalkers (TV) – AJ Freeman

America’s non-consecutive President appears in a handful of media. His role in The Oklahoma Kid is uncredited and he’s not a major character in any of the films. 

Benjamin Harrison

• Stars and Stripes Forever (Film) – Roy Gordon

Harrison isn’t a regular in pop culture. His role in Stars and Stripes Forever is a small one. 

William McKinley

• Crucible of Empire (TV) – Laurence Luckinbill
• Rough Riders (TV) – Brian Keith
• Theodore Roosevelt (TV) – Aubrey Shelton
• This Is My Affair (Film) – Frank Conroy
• Teddy, the Rough Rider (Film) – Douglas Wood

Often overshadowed by his bombastic successor, McKinley is usually a side character in the media. He usually appears in media related to the Spanish-American War and Theodore Roosevelt, once again overshadowed by his VP.  

Theodore Roosevelt

• Newsies (Musical) – Kevin Carolan OBC
• Theodore Roosevelt (TV) – Rufus Jones
• The Rough Riders (TV) – Tom Berenger
• The Wind and the Lion (Film) – Brian Keith
• Night at the Museum (Film series) – Robin Williams 

The larger-than-life Roosevelt is a popular reference for filmmakers. He’s appeared in multiple TV shows and films as well as stage productions. Roosevelt is portrayed as a bold, tenacious and grandiose man with a thirst for adventure. Stories that focus on him as a person tend to be nuanced, whereas he receives typical characterisation as a side character. 

His most famous appearance is likely his portrayal by Robin Williams in the Night at the Museum series. Williams, always a talented comic actor, portrays Roosevelt exactly the way we picture him. There’s a lot of levity in this character, but we also do see a serious side to him.

I’d recommend the recent History two parter Theodore Roosevelt, as it’s a great deep dive into his life, from youth to death. 

William Howard Taft

• Backstairs at the White House (TV) – Victor Buono
• The Greatest Game Ever Played (Film) – Walter Massey

Taft may also be overshadowed by his predecessor, but he does have Chief Justice of the Supreme Court going for him. He rarely appears in the media and is not a major character. 

Woodrow Wilson

• Wilson (Film) – Alexander Knox
• The King’s Man (Film) – Ian Kelly
• Oh! What a Lovely War (Film) – Frank Forsyth 
• Backstairs at the White House (TV) – Robert Vaughn
• The Prussian Cor (Film) – Ralph C. Faulkner

Being President during WW1 means there’s a good chance you’ll appear in more than a few things. Wilson also took part in the Treaty of Versailles, a document that shaped Europe for years to come. As such, Wilson appears frequently on screen. He is usually a supporting character. 

He gets his own biopic in 1944’s Wilson. It was widely praised but was a huge box office bomb. The film shines a positive light on Wilson due to the distributor being a huge fan.

Warren G. Harding

• Boardwalk Empire (TV) – Malachy Cleary
• The Legendary Curse of the Hope Diamond (TV) – Harry Dean Stanton

Beloved at the time but revealed to be corrupt after his death, Harding is not often seen on stage and screen. He’s not the main character when portrayed. 

Calvin Coolidge

• Backstairs at the White House (TV) – Ed Flanders
• The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell (Film) – Ian Wolfe
• For Greater Glory (Film) – Bruce McGill

Silent Cal would probably be pleased about the fact that he’s not often portrayed on stage and screen. His roles are usually minor ones. 

Herbert Hoover

• The Angel of Pennsylvania Avenue (TV) – Thomas Peackocke
• Backstairs at the White House (TV) – Larry Gates 

Great humanitarian but poor President, Hoover isn’t really in much. 

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

• Pearl Harbor (Film) – Jon Voight 
• Hyde Park on the Hudson (Film) – Bill Murray
• Sunrise at Campobello (Film) – Ralph Bellamy
• Atlantic Crossing (TV) – Kyle MacLachlan
• The Roosevelts (TV) – Paul Giamatti

America’s longest-serving President oversaw the Great Depression and WW2. Roosevelt’s lengthy and important service means that he’s a rather popular figure on stage and screen. There are many biographical pieces of him, as well as war films that include him. 

Roosevelt is usually portrayed as a genial and caring old man, but there are more nuances in less forgiving portrayals. Biographical films will put more weight on his personal life and wife Eleanor is often seen on screen. There tends to be more emphasis on his war administration, but the Great Depression will often come up. Sunrise at Campobello focuses on Roosevelt’s sudden illness and disability in the 20s, a rare break from the usual presidential fare. 

In The Simpsons, there’s an episode where Bart becomes obsessed with Theodore Roosevelt. Lisa prefers FDR. Bart’s right. 

Harry S. Truman

• Truman (TV) – Gary Sinise
• MacArthur Park (Film) – Ed Flanders
• The Man From Independence (Film) – Robert Vaughn 
• The Beginning of the End (Film) – Art Baker
• Give ‘Em Hell, Harry (Film) – James Whitmore 

Another President overshadowed by a predecessor, Truman nevertheless gets his time in the sun. He did oversee the end of WWII as well as the use of nuclear weaponry which undoubtedly makes him a topic of interest. 

Truman gets a few biopics, including one called Give ‘Em Hell Harry. The actor who played him in the role, James Whitmore, got an Oscar nomination for it. A revival of the show a few years ago saw Truman’s grandson Clifton Truman Daniel play him. 

Dwight D. Eisenhower

• The Butler (Film) – Robin Williams
• Churchill (Film) – John Slattery
• Ike (TV) – Robert Duvall
• Superman: Red Son (Film) – Jim Meskimen
• The Longest Day (Film) – Henry Grace/Allen Swift

Like Washington and Grant, Eisenhower is known as both a general and a president. He pops up in works about WWII as well as ones about his administration. Both versions show a proper military man serious about his work. War films tend to show him as more supporting character, whilst biopics give him more of a starring role.

In The Longest Day, Eisenhower is portrayed by a man named Henry Grace. Grace was a set designer- and an Oscar winning one at that- but he bore such a resemblance to Eisenhower that he was cast in the role. This was his only acting role. 

John F. Kennedy

• Thirteen Days (Film) – Bruce Greenwood
• The Kennedys (TV) – Greg Kinnear
• The Butler (Film) – James Marsden
• Jackie (Film) – Caspar Phillipson
• The Crown (TV) – Michael C. Hall

Kennedy is a popular President on screen and stage for several reasons- his youth, his family, his personal life and his shocking assassination. Even sixty years later, he remains an object of fascination to many. Works can vary in subject. Some are straight biopics, others are about his personal life, his powerful family or about incidents during his presidency. He also appears as a side character.

Works, especially older ones, tend to be sympathetic to Kennedy, but not always. His womanising and treatment of Jackie is often a sore spot, but he remains a complex character. It also often depends on the perspective of the work. The Crown was criticised for turning Kennedy into a pill-popping bully, though the pill-popping part was certainly true.

He also always has that voice. 

Lyndon B. Johnson

• All The Way (TV) – Bryan Cranston
• LBJ (Film) – Woody Harrelson
• Selma (Film) – Tom Wilkinson
• The Crown (TV) – Clancy Brown
• Path to War (TV) – Michael Gambon

Overshadowed by Kennedy in both reality and fiction, Johnson nevertheless appears frequently in fiction. His presidency saw the tragic assassination of its successor, the Civil Rights Act and the escalation of Vietnam. Portrayals can vary, but they usually show a politically shrewd President but a horrible man. There are shows of sympathy, such as in LBJ.

His portrayal is less sympathetic in Selma, where Johnson is seen as a nasty obstructionist who really doesn’t want to pass the legislation. Whilst Johnson was no doubt very racist in private, he did push hard for civil rights. 

Richard Nixon

• Frost/Nixon (Film) – Frank Langella
• Nixon (Film) – Anthony Hopkins
• Futurama (TV) – Billy West
• Watchmen (Film) – Robert Wisden
• J. Edgar (Film) – Christopher Shyer 

Being the only president thus far to resign makes you a pretty popular point of interest. He’s one of the most portrayed presidents, after Lincoln anyway. Portrayals are almost universally negative, with even the more sympathetic ones not hiding his paranoia and corruption. Whilst Nixon does not have a recognisable look like Lincoln or a recognisable voice like Kennedy, you often know it’s him.

Oliver Stone created the biopic Nixon about him and, as you may have guessed considering it’s Stone, the film is controversial. It shows that Nixon could be great but he was ultimately brought down by himself. Some argued that they were too soft on Nixon in the film, especially showing him in a sympathetic light during his breakdown. Others, including his daughters, criticise the film for making him look even worse. 

Gerald Ford

• Assassins (Musical) – Various
• Saturday Night Live (TV) – Chevy Chase
• The Simpsons (TV) – Dan Castellaneta
• The First Lady (TV) – Aaron Eckhart/Jake Picking
• Vice (Film) – Bill Camp

The only President to never be elected President or Vice President, Ford is in somewhat of a category of his own. He’s not regularly represented in the media due to his generally uneventful administration and lack of notable features. If he turns up in something, he’s a side character. Ford is generally portrayed as a genial, friendly man who isn’t too bright and also falls down a lot. This is in contrast with who he was as a person- he went to Yale and was offered an NFL contract. 

His most famous portrayal comes fromSaturday Night Live. Despite Chevy Chase sounding or looking absolutely nothing like Ford, the role became Chase’s most famous. Ford had a good sense of humour and took it gracefully, even appearing in a pre-recorded segment. 

Hey, at least he got on well with Homer Simpson. 

Jimmy Carter

• Sadat (TV) – Walt Hanna
• The Simpsons (TV) – Dan Castellaneta/Karl Wiedergott
• Reagan (Film) – Skip Schwink
• Saturday Night Live (TV) – Dan Aykroyd/Joe Piscopo 

A beloved humanitarian but unfortunate President, Carter is treated either as a joke or very nice guy. He doesn’t appear an awful lot on screen and when he does, he’s not the centre of attention. 

He appears several times on The Simpsons. In one episode, he can’t attend Mr. Burns’ birthday because he’s only a one term president. He tries to chat with George H. W. Bush but Bush brushes him off. A statue of him is revealed in Springfield and he’s called ‘history’s greatest monster.’ Ouch. 

Ronald Reagan

• Reagan (Film) – Dennis Quaid
• The Butler (Film) – Alan Rickman
• The Day Reagan Was Shot (Film) – Richard Crenna
• Killing Reagan (TV) – Tim Matherson
• Fargo (TV) – Bruce Campbell 

For someone who shaped the eighties in such a huge way, you’d think Reagan would be portrayed more frequently. He does appear more than some presidents though and is the focus of several films. His characterisation largely depends on the political bent of the film and its makers.

The attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan is a popular media subject. It was a sudden attack with a lot of confusion, with the chaos behind the scenes a fascinating tale to tell. He’s also getting the biopic treatment with the upcoming Reagan. 

George H. W. Bush

• The Simpsons (TV) – Harry Shearer
• Vice (Film) – John Hillner
• W (Film) – James Cromwell
• Saturday Night Live (TV) – Dana Carvey

Bush 41 appears with less frequency than his son but is still a frequent pop culture reference. Characterisation varies from a cold, traditional patriarch to well-meaning but bumbling man. You will often see him in the same works as his son.

The Simpsons portrayal of George H. W. Bush was a response to his complaints about the show. In the episode Two Bad Neighbors, Bush and Barbara move across the street from the Simpsons. After Bart gets in trouble, he and Homer declare war on an angry Bush. 

Bill Clinton

• American Crime Story: Impeachment (TV) – Clive Owen
• Saturday Night Live (TV) – Phil Hartman/Darrell Hammond
• The Simpsons (TV) – Various
• The Special Relationship (TV) – Dennis Quaid
• Beavis and Butt-Head (TV) – Dale Reeves

Slick Willy and his eventful presidency means that you will often see him on stage and screen. He’s usually portrayed as charming if roguish and womanizing. Even the more sympathetic portrayals don’t hide his personal issues. 

In American Crime Story: Impeachment, Bill Clinton gets a large amount of focus due to him being almost as central to the story as Monica Lewinsky. Whilst older media tends to be more sympathetic to Clinton, newer media is less likely to support him or be as cruel to Monica. In ACS, Clinton is portrayed as a product of his environment- poor Southerner with an abusive stepfather, but also a manipulative and cruel man who led Monica on and hurt his family. 

George W. Bush

• W (Film) – Josh Brolin
• Vice (Film) – Sam Rockwell
• Saturday Night Live (TV) – Will Ferrell/Various
• DC 9/11: A Time of Crisis (TV) – Timothy Bottoms
• South Park (TV) – Various

Before Trump came along, Bush 43 was the media’s favourite punching bag. Less favourable media portrays him as an evil man who went to war or an idiot. More sympathetic portrayals show a man who is clearly out of his depth. In the film W, we see Bush as a man desperately attempting to live up to his strict father’s expectations. Vice portrays him as ultimately well-meaning, but naive and fairly ditsy man who just wants to live up to his father.

9/11 is a popular topic on screen and whilst Bush doesn’t always appear in films about the event, he’s often mentioned or seen on archive footage. 

Barack Obama

• The First Lady (TV) – O-T Fagbenle
• Key and Peele (TV) – Jordan Peele
• The Comey Rule (TV) – Kingsley Ben-Adir
• Southside With You (Film) – Parker Sawyers
• Barry (Film) – Devon Terrell

As the first black President, Barack Obama was always going to be a cultural icon. He’s not yet got the true biopic treatment, but films about his early life have been made. In the series The First Lady, we meet Obama when he meets Michelle and the series follows the pair of them from this point to the end of his presidency. This Obama is a calm guy who is aware of politics but not always aware of the impact on his wife. He does clearly love his wife.

The media version of Obama is a cool, collected man who is rather smooth. 

Donald Trump

• The Queen’s Corgi (Film) – John Culshaw/Kirk Thornton
• Meet the Spartans (Film) – John Di Domenico
• Saturday Night Live (TV) – Alec Baldwin/Various
• The Simpsons (TV) – Dan Castellaneta
• Family Guy (TV) – Josh Robert Thompson

For a man who continues to dominate the pop culture wasteland, you’d think that you’d see Trump more on screen. He tends to be either mentioned (usually dismissively) or cameos as himself. 

Alec Baldwin’s Saturday Night Live portrayal of Trump was widely seen beyond the show. Various other actors have played Trump on SNL, but Baldwin’s version is the best known. In the film Meet the Spartans, we see a portrayal of Donald Trump several years before he became President. 

Joe Biden

• Confirmation (TV) – Greg Kinnear
• Saturday Night Live (TV) – Various 
• Family Guy (TV) – Josh Robert Thompson

As the incumbent, it’s understandable that Biden has not yet been portrayed too often on stage and screen. He’s portrayed himself on a few occasions, such as in Parks and Recreation. Biden is usually shown as a bumbling old man with a tendency to put his foot in his mouth.

A more serious portrayal of him is seen in HBO’s excellent Confirmation. It tells the story of the confirmation hearings of Clarence Thomas and the accusations made by Anita Hill. Biden was Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a prominent person during the hearings. He would vote against the confirmation, though this was unsuccessful as Thomas was confirmed.