Colin Firth as King George VI

Thrust into the throne after his elder brother infamously eloped with a divorced American socialite, King George VI was the definition of a reluctant ruler. He, born Albert, was modest, introverted, and suffered from a terrible speech impediment, one that posed a problem for his historic radio address to Britain and the Empire in 1939. Over 70 years later, in 2010, Colin Firth skillfully depicted this real-life dilemma in the 2011 Best Picture The King's Speech. Aided by vocal coaches and archive footage of the monarch, the Best Actor Oscar winner lost all of his own signature eloquence and gregariousness and gained a completely new persona in the form of a stammering yet profoundly inspiring king.