The Real People Who Inspired Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, and Max Minghella's "Babylon" Characters

Published on 12/22/2022 at 12:40 PM

Writer and director Damien Chazelle is back with a show-stopping film that combines the poshness of "The Great Gatsby" with the debauchery of "The Wolf of Wall Street." The director's latest film, "Babylon," is set at the beginning of the Golden Age of Hollywood, as the film industry transitioned from the silent era to sound movies in the 1920s. Packed with a star-studded cast that includes Margot Robbie, Brad Pitt, Max Minghella, Jean Smart, Jovan Adepo, and Diego Calva, "Babylon" brings viewers on a roller-coaster ride throughout the tumultuous, wild history of one of Hollywood's most formative periods.

While it is grounded in history, the plot of "Babylon" itself is not based on a singular true story. The film's characters, however, are based on real people that influenced the time. Read on to learn more about the real-life people behind "Babylon"'s characters.

Is "Babylon"'s Jack Conrad a Real Person?

Brad Pitt's eccentric character is an amalgamation of a handful of notable actors known for their work in the Golden Age of Hollywood. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jack Conrad is based on John Gilbert and Douglas Fairbanks, with a sprinkle of Clark Gable. In the silent-film era of the 1920s, both Gilbert and Fairbanks were leading men on screen, known for their expressive performances.

Outside of his acting roles, Fairbanks is also recognized as a founding member of the Motion Picture Academy, per PBS. Often dubbed "the King of Hollywood," Gable dominated early Hollywood and famously starred in films like "Gone With the Wind" and "It Happened One Night."

Is "Babylon"'s Nellie LaRoy a Real Person?

Margot Robbie is explosive on screen as Nellie LaRoy, a party-going starlet with dreams of making it big in Hollywood. Her character, like Brad Pitt's, is inspired by real actors of the silent-film era, particularly Clara Bow, Jeanne Eagels, and Alma Rubens.

Known as "the It Girl," Bow appeared in 46 silent films and quickly became one of the most popular actors of the time, as well as a sex symbol, as reported by The Guardian.

Similar to Bow, Eagles was a rising actor throughout the 1920s, and she was even nominated for an Oscar for her performance in the 1929 film "The Letter."

Rubens landed her first acting role in 1915 and continued to appear in over 40 films on screen until 1929. A testament to the wild times of the Roaring Twenties, each actor struggled with fame and drug use.

Is "Babylon"'s Manny Torres a Real Person?

Diego Calva's breakout role as Manny Torres is based on a number of Latino filmmakers and actors who carved a path for themselves in the early beginnings of Hollywood. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Torres is inspired by people like Enrique Juan Vallejo and René Cardona.

Vallejo got his start as a cinematographer and director in 1914 (via IMDb) and would establish a successful career working with other notable cinematographers like Frank D. Williams and Henry Sharp. A pioneer in the Golden Age of Mexican cinema, Cardona was a person of many interests, with acting, directing, and producing credits. Per IMDb, he is most known for his roles in "Allá en el Rancho Grande" and "El Baúl Macabro."

Is "Babylon"'s Sidney Palmer a Real Person?

Sidney Palmer, portrayed by Jovan Adepo, is inspired by jazz bandleader and businessman Curtis Mosby. According to The Syncopated Times, in the 1920s, Mosby founded his band, the Blue Blowers, which became popular enough to appear in films like "Music Hath Harms" and "Hallelujah" toward the end of the decade. Along with his musical accomplishments, Mosby also owned several nightclubs in California throughout the 1930s, some of which were frequented by well-known musicians, artists, and actors at the time.

Is "Babylon"'s Lady Fay Zhu a Real Person?

Actor Li Jun Li captivates viewers with her stunning performance as Lady Fay Zhu, a fictionalized character inspired by Anna May Wong, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Wong is credited as the first Chinese American actor to star in Hollywood films. Despite facing adversity and racism from executives at the time, she would live to be an icon and advocate for Asian Americans to receive better treatment and representation on screen. Some of her notable works include "Shanghai Express," "The Toll of the Sea," and the 1950s show "The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong."

Is "Babylon"'s Elinor St. John a Real Person?

Jean Smart gives her character, columnist Elinor St. John, a wit and edge that is truly gripping. The character is based on British novelist Elinor Glyn, known for her scandalous romance novels and columns in early editions of Cosmopolitan and Photoplay. She is also recognized for coining the term "It girl," following the release of her novella "It and Other Stories" in 1927, according to the Women Film Pioneers Project from Columbia.

Is "Babylon"'s Irving Thalberg a Real Person?

Irving Thalberg, played by "The Handmaid's Tale" actor Max Minghella, is the only real person featured in "Babylon." Thalberg, known as "the Boy Wonder," was a film producer in the early days of Hollywood and is recognized for producing films like "Grand Hotel," "China Seas," and "A Night at the Opera."

Most notably, however, Thalberg is credited for cocreating Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Pictures at the age of 26 and establishing the "Production Code," which helped to set the industry standard for morality in motion pictures, per Cinema Scholars.