Most of the main players in Ryan Murphy’s new period drama “Hollywood” are fictional, but a number of real stars, filmmakers and movie executives from the 1940s are also portrayed on the miniseries. From the trio of actors who have sizable roles to the blink-and-you-missed-it cameos, here’s the complete rundown of who’s real in “Hollywood.”
Queen Latifah as Hattie McDaniel, the first person of color to win an Oscar, for her role as the servant “Mammy” in “Gone With the Wind.” (McDaniel’s escort to the 1940 Oscars, F.P. Yober, and her agent, William Meiklejohn, also make an extremely brief cameo.)
Jake Picking as Rock Hudson, one of Hollywood’s biggest stars throughout the 1950s and ’60s and an Oscar-nominee for the 1956 film “Giant.”
Jim Parsons as Henry Willson, the powerful talent agent and sexual predator known for launching the careers of Hollywood’s biggest male stars, including Rock Hudson and Tab Hunter.
Anthony Coons as television star Guy Madison, a client of Henry Willson.
Samuel Caleb Walker as Rory Calhoun, another of Henry Willson’s clients. Calhoun starred with Marilyn Monroe in the back-to-back films “How to Marry a Millionaire” and “River of No Return.”
Michelle Krusiec as Anna May Wong, a Chinese American film star throughout the 1920s and ’30 who was infamously snubbed for the lead role in “The Good Earth” due to censorship regulations barring interracial relationships in film.
Joe Marinelli as “The Good Earth” director Sidney Franklin.
Timothy Dvorak as Irving Thalberg, producer of “The Good Earth,” “Mutiny on the Bounty” and “Grand Hotel” known as “The Boy Wonder” for his youthful appearance and ability to package hit films.
Camille Natta as Luise Rainer, the German-born actress who was given the leading role in “The Good Earth” over Anna May Wong and went on to win an Oscar for the part.
Fred Grandy as English actor C. Aubrey Smith, who appears in a brief flashback to the 1938 Oscars as a presenter. Grandy is best known as Gopher on “The Love Boat.”
Frank Crim as Mickey Cohen, a notorious mobster who is hired by Henry Willson in the series.
Daniel London as “The Philadelphia Story” and “My Fair Lady” director George Cukor, the unofficial head of Hollywood’s gay subculture.
Billy Boyd as English playwright Noel Coward, a guest at Cukor’s party.
Paget Brewster as Tallulah Bankhead, Broadway star and rumored lover of Hattie McDaniel.
Katie McGuinness as “Gone With the Wind” star Vivien Leigh.
Darren Richardson as Broadway composer and songwriter Cole Porter, a client of Ernie’s gas station.
Carrie Gibson as film director Dorothy Arzner, another client of Ernie’s gas station.
Aidan Bristow as George Hurrell, the legendary Hollywood photographer who shoots Camille and Jack for “Meg.”
Harriet Harris as First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.
Daniel Hagen as an actor who portrays film censor Joseph Breen in the film within the show.
Holly Kaplan as feared Hollywood gossip columnist Hedda Hopper (previously portrayed by Judy Davis on Murphy’s “Feud.”)
Mitch Eakins as actor (and father of future “Betwitched” star Elizabeth Montgomery) Robert Montgomery, host of the 1948 Oscars.
Dan Sachoff as Fredric March, two-time Oscar-winning actor and Best Picture presenter at the 1948 Oscars.
Rachel Emerson as Rosalind Russell, a Best Actress nominee at the 1948 Oscars for “Mourning Becomes Electra.”
Ashley Wood as Loretta Young, the actual winner of Best Actress at the 1948 Oscars for her role in “The Farmer’s Daughter.”
Marie Oldenbourg as “Smash-Up, the Story of a Woman” star Susan Hayward, a Best Actress nominee at the 1948 Oscars.
Brett Holland as actor, dancer and future California senator George Murphy, a presenter at the 1948 Oscars.
David Gilchrist as “How Green Was My Valley” star Donald Crisp, presenter of Best Director at the 1948 Oscars.
Michael Saltzman as Oscar-winner Ernest Borgnine, who presents Best Supporting Actor in “Hollywood’s” version of the 1948 Oscars. (Olivia de Havilland presented the trophy at the real-life ceremony, but the last time she was portrayed in a Ryan Murphy series, it resulted in a lawsuit.)
