Vanity Fair Photographers’ Funny Folks Compared To The Originals

clockwise: Seth Rogen as Frida Kahlo, Frida Kahlo Self-portrait, Jack Nicholsen in The Shining, Danny McBride as Jack

Various Vanity Fair photographers shot portraits of today’s funniest folks in an homage to tv, movie and historical legends of the past.

The photos are of the hottest comedic actors in tv and movies, either recreating some of classic film’s best moments or adding a funny bent to cultural and historical icons. Either way, they are all beautifully shot and hilarious.

But to add yet another dimension to them, We’ve paired them with the original inspiration for each to inform and educate. One exception is the shot by Annie Leibovitz because she already did that with her own hilarious recreation of her original March 2006 cover shot for Vanity Fair.

Vanity Fair Photographers’ Funny Folks Compared To The Originals

JONAH HILL, PAUL RUDD, SETH ROGEN, and JASON SEGEL, The Pretty Young Things, Photographed by Annie Leibovitz on Stage 28 at Paramount Pictures Studio Lot, Los Angeles:
JONAH HILL, PAUL RUDD, SETH ROGEN, and JASON SEGEL

Annie Leibowitz’ own cover shot for Vanity Fair with Tom Ford, Kiera Knightly and Scarlett Johanssen, shown below, served as the inspiration.

tom ford, kiera knightly and scarlet johanssen by annie leibovitz
tom ford, kiera knightly and scarlet johanssen by annie leibovitz for Vanity Fair, March 2006

The shot as used on the March, 2006 cover:

PAUL RUDD as Gene Wilder’s Doctor Frankenstein in Young Frankenstein., Photographed by Art Streiber in Los Angeles:
PAUL RUDD as Gene Wilder's Doctor Frankenstein

The inspiration – Gene Wilder in Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein:
Gene Wilder as Doctor Frankenstein

BILL HADER, ANNA FARIS, JASON BATEMAN, and LESLIE MANN, The Honeymooners Photographed by Norman Jean Roy in Los Angeles:
BILL HADER, ANNA FARIS, JASON BATEMAN, and LESLIE MANN

The inspiration – Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, Audrey Meadows and Joyce Randolph in the original Honeymooners:
the original Honeymooners

DANNY MCBRIDE as Jack Nicholson’s character in The Shining, Photographed by Mark Seliger in Los Angeles:
DANNY MCBRIDE as Jack Nicholson's character in The Shining

The inspiration – Heeeere’s Johnny!, Jack Nicholson in The Shining:
Jack Nicholson in The Shining

AMY POEHLER as Bonnie Parker, The Accomplices, Photographed by Patrick Demarchelier in New York:
AMY POEHLER as Bonnie Parker,

The inspiration –

bonnie parker
the real Bonnie Parker
Faye Dunaway as Bonnie Parker in "Bonnie and Clyde"
Faye Dunaway as Bonnie Parker in “Bonnie and Clyde”

WILL ARNETT (Han Solo), The Accomplices, Photographed by Patrick Demarchelier in New York:
WILL ARNETT as Han Solo

The inspiration – Harrison Ford as Star Wars’ Han Solo:
harrison ford as han solo

JASON SEGEL as Buster Keaton, Photographed by Norman Jean Roy in Los Angeles:
JASON SEGEL as Buster Keaton

The inspiration – Buster Keaton in his famous pose, young and old:

SETH ROGEN as Frida Kahlo’s own self-portrait, Photographed by Norman Jean Roy in Los Angeles:
SETH ROGEN as Frida Kahlo

The inspiration – Frida Kahlo, Self-portrait:
Frida Kahlo, Self-portrait

RUSSELL BRAND as Charlie Chaplin, Photographed by Mark Seliger in Los Angeles:
RUSSELL BRAND as Charlie Chaplin

The inspiration – Charlie Chaplin as The Tramp:
Charlie Chaplin as The Tramp

JONAH HILL as a young George Washington, This Side of the Truth. Photographed by Sam Jones in Los Angeles:
JONAH HILL as a young George Washington

The inspiration – A young George Washington (that’s him, on the right):

Vanity fair march 2009 cover IIHIH

you can read more about Vanity Fair: Comedy’s New Legends here.