David Fincher's snappy black-and-white Netflix period drama Mank captures the development of the Citizen Kane script, following the life of critic-turned- screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz. Much like Ryan Murphy's Hollywood, it glamorously depicts many real motion-picture insiders during the Golden Age of Hollywood in America. The star of the movie is Gary Oldman, who plays the troubled genius version of Mankiewicz, or "Mank," as many of his colleagues called him. Those portrayed include legendary moviemakers such as Orson Welles (Tom Burke), Irving Thalberg (Ferdinand Kingsley), and Louis B. Mayer (Arliss Howard). And of course, there's publisher William Randolph Hearst (Charles Dance) and actress Marion Davies (Amanda Seyfried), whose lives loosely inspired the plot of Citizen Kane. Ahead, compare Mank's cast members with the real people they played and learn how the characters fit into actual film history.
See the Mank Actors Compared to the Real People
Mank: See How the Actors Compare to the Real Hollywood Insiders
Gary Oldman as Herman Mankiewicz
Herman Mankiewicz in Real Life (1897-1953)
Before heading to Hollywood as a screenwriter, Herman Mankiewicz started his career as a drama critic at The New York Times and The New Yorker. He found success writing on Dinner at Eight and The Wizard of Oz, but he's perhaps best known for his contributions to Citizen Kane, which is often considered one of the best movies ever made. Around 1940, Orson Welles, who was much younger than Mankiewicz, set out to collaborate with the seasoned writer on Citizen Kane — there's been controversy, however, over how much each man contributed to the script.
Amanda Seyfried as Marion Davies
Marion Davies in Real Life (1897-1961)
Often (and perhaps unfairly) compared to Susan Alexander Kane in Citizen Kane, Marion Davies was a well-known socialite and actress. Throughout her career, Davies appeared on Broadway and in films such as Runaway Romany and Cecilia of the Pink Roses. She was newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst's companion and mistress for over 30 years.
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Tom Pelphrey as Joseph Mankiewicz
Joseph Mankiewicz in Real Life (1909-1993)
Joseph Mankiewicz was Herman Mankiewicz's younger brother as well as a great filmmaker in his own right. He famously penned and directed A Letter to Three Wives (1949) and All About Eve (1950) — for these projects, he earned four Academy Awards as well as other accolades in a two-year period.
Arliss Howard as Louis B. Mayer
Louis B. Mayer in Real Life (1884-1957)
In 1924, Louis B. Mayer co-founded Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios, cementing his reputation as a star-maker in the '20s and '30s. A powerful motion-picture executive in Hollywood, he has been likened to Harvey Weinstein due to his alleged abuse against actresses such as Judy Garland.
Charles Dance as William Randolph Hearst
William Randolph Hearst in Real Life (1863-1951)
The son of a wealthy family, William Randolph Hearst was an infamous publisher who used his father's mining fortune to own and operate the San Francisco Examiner, filling pages with sensationalistic articles. After his success at the Examiner, he acquired more newspapers and began building his media empire. He is widely believed to be the inspiration for Charles Foster Kane in Citizen Kane — the parallels are so similar that Hearst tried to squash print reviews in Hearst publications and have Welles blacklisted from studios.
Tom Burke as Orson Welles
Orson Welles in Real Life (1915-1985)
Orson Welles famously panicked Americans with his dramatic rendition of H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds on the radio, making people believe that there really was a Martian invasion. A prolific filmmaker, he not only co-wrote and directed Citizen Kane, but also starred in it as well. A few of his other classic works include The Stranger (1946) and Touch of Evil (1958).
Ferdinand Kingsley (right) as Irving Thalberg
Irving Thalberg in Real Life (1899-1936)
Producer Irving Thalberg had a reputation in Hollywood as a boy wonder for not only his youth, but also his ability to pick out just the right scripts. He oversaw hundreds of movies and streamlined the process of mass producing motion pictures. (He also produced the newsreels that helped defeat Democratic candidate Upton Sinclair, who is portrayed by Bill Nye in the film.) When he suddenly passed away of pneumonia in 1936 at the age of 37, thousands came to his funeral to mourn him.
Sam Troughton (centre) as John Houseman
John Houseman in Real Life (1902-1988)
John Houseman was an actor and producer known for his collaborations with Orson Welles, with whom he founded the Mercury Theatre company. When Herman Mankiewicz was recovering from a car accident, Houseman visited him and helped him further develop the story for Citizen Kane.