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- The King's Speech
- The Weinstein Company
At least as far back as Shakespeare, kings have made for meaty dramatic roles, and actors have lined up to play them. We've gathered some of the most memorable screen kings from almost 90 years of movies and television. Emperors and pharaohs are also eligible, but we draw the line at dictators (hence, no Julius Caesar). Napoleon, who crowned himself, is a bit of an edge case, but in light of the surfeit of other performances we've left him off too. Mythological or legendary kings don't qualify, so no King Arthur either.
Read on, and vote up your favorite actors who have played kings!
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Ghassan Massoud As Saladin In 'Kingdom Of Heaven'
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Syrian actor Ghassan Massoud almost stole Ridley Scott's Crusades-era epic Kingdom of Heaven - despite its huge and distinguished cast - with his magnetic turn as Saladin, the legendary Islamic conqueror and founder of the Ayyubid dynasty.
- Age: 66
- Birthplace: Damascus, Syria
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Colin Firth received the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as King George VI, who must unexpectedly take the throne of England on the eve of WWII while battling a speech impediment.
- Age: 64
- Birthplace: Grayshott, Hampshire, England, UK
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In Kingdom of Heaven, Edward Norton played Baldwin IV, the leprosy-stricken ruler of the short-lived Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. The performance, which was done entirely behind a mask, earned Norton a Satellite Award for Outstanding Actor in a Supporting Role.
- Age: 55
- Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Patrick McGoohan chews a nice chunk of furniture in Mel Gibson's Braveheart as Edward I, the ruthless king opposed to the heroic Scot William Wallace. Whether callously sending troops to their doom or hurling his son's lover out a window, Edward is one bad dude.
- Age: Dec. at 80 (1928-2009)
- Birthplace: Astoria, New York, USA
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What with all the machismo, gory combat, and rippling abs, it's easy to forget that Gerard Butler's Leonidas is a king. A member of the Agiad dynasty, Leonidas was one of two kings who traditionally co-ruled Sparta in Classical times. Gerard Butler was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Actor.
- Age: 55
- Birthplace: Paisley, Scotland, UK
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Forced to abdicate while a child, China's last emperor, Pu Yi, spent the rest of his life adrift and seeking purpose. His story was dramatized in Bernardo Bertolucci's 1987 Best Picture winner, The Last Emperor. The adult Pu Yi was played by John Lone, who received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor.
- Age: 72
- Birthplace: Hong Kong, China
Kingly?
