'Lincoln': Meet the Cast

Who's who in Steven Spielberg's ensemble? Compare actors with historical figures they play in new film, beginning with Daniel Day-Lewis as Honest Abe

By
Jeff Labrecque
Jeff Labrecque
Jeff Labrecque is a former senior editor at Entertainment Weekly. He left EW in 2018.
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Published on November 28, 2011 02:15AM EST
01 of 23

Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of United States

Image
Jeff Vespa/WireImage.com; Alexander Gardner/Getty Images
02 of 23

Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln, heartbroken and erratic First Lady of the United States

Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln, heartbroken and erratic First Lady of the United States
Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic.com; Mathew Brady/MPI/Getty Images
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Gulliver McGrath (Hugo) as Lincoln's youngest son, Tad

Gulliver McGrath (Hugo) as Lincoln's youngest son, Tad
Edward Shaw; Fotosearch/Getty Images
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Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Lincoln's eldest surviving son, Robert

Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Lincoln's eldest surviving son, Robert
Rob Kim/FilmMagic.com; Brady-Handy Collection/Library of Congress
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Gloria Reuben (ER) as Elizabeth Keckley, Mary Todd Lincoln's personal modiste and confidante

Gloria Reuben (ER) as Elizabeth Keckley, Mary Todd Lincoln's personal modiste and confidante
Andy Kropa/Getty Images; Hulton Archive/Getty Images
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David Strathairn as William Seward of New York, a former Republican rival who became Lincoln's trusted Secretary of State

David Strathairn as William Seward of New York, a former Republican rival who became Lincoln's trusted Secretary of State
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images; Time Life Pictures/Mansell/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images
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Bruce McGill (Cinderella Man) as Edwin Stanton of Ohio, an ambitious politician who became Lincoln's forceful Secretary of War

Bruce McGill (Cinderella Man) as Edwin Stanton of Ohio, an ambitious politician who became Lincoln's forceful Secretary of War
Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage.com; MPI/Getty Images
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Richard Topol (The Practice) as James Speed of Kentucky, Lincoln's attorney general

Richard Topol (The Practice) as James Speed of Kentucky, Lincoln's attorney general
John Lamparski/Getty Images; Library of Congress
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Grainger Hines as Gideon Welles of Connecticut, a leading abolitionist and Lincoln's Secretary of the Navy

Grainger Hines as Gideon Welles of Connecticut, a leading abolitionist and Lincoln's Secretary of the Navy
Getty Images
10 of 23

Dakin Matthews (True Grit) as John Usher of Indiana, a former legal colleague of Lincoln and the president's Secretary of the Interior

Dakin Matthews (True Grit) as John Usher of Indiana, a former legal colleague of Lincoln and the president's Secretary of the Interior
Brandi Pettijohn/FilmMagic.com; Library of Congress
11 of 23

Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens, a staunch abolitionist and powerful Republican congressman from Pennsylvania

Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens, a staunch abolitionist and powerful Republican congressman from Pennsylvania
Piyal Hosain/Getty Images; Brady National Photographic Art Gallery/Buyenlarge/Getty Images
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S. Epatha Merkerson (Law & Order) as Lydia Smith, Thaddeus Stevens' housekeeper and confidante

S. Epatha Merkerson (Law & Order) as Lydia Smith, Thaddeus Stevens' housekeeper and confidante
Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images
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Jeremy Strong (The Messenger) as John Nicolay of Illinois, Lincoln's private secretary

Jeremy Strong (The Messenger) as John Nicolay of Illinois, Lincoln's private secretary
D. Dipasupil/Getty Images; Library Of Congress
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Joseph Cross (Running With Scissors) as John Hay of Illinois, Lincoln's assistant private secretary

Joseph Cross (Running With Scissors) as John Hay of Illinois, Lincoln's assistant private secretary
Maury Phillips/WireImage.com; Library of Congress
15 of 23

Hal Holbrook (The Firm) as Francis Preston Blair of Maryland, an aging but influential behind-the-scenes power broker

Hal Holbrook (The Firm) as Francis Preston Blair of Maryland, an aging but influential behind-the-scenes power broker
Valerie Macon/Getty Images
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Julie White (Transformers) as Elizabeth Blair Lee, well-connected daughter of Francis Preston Blair

Julie White (Transformers) as Elizabeth Blair Lee, well-connected daughter of Francis Preston Blair
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
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Byron Jennings (Liberty! The American Revolution) as Montgomery Blair of Maryland, a Republican firebrand from the Blair political dynasty who served as Lincoln?s Postmaster General

Byron Jennings (Liberty! The American Revolution) as Montgomery Blair of Maryland, a Republican firebrand from the Blair political dynasty who served as Lincoln?s Postmaster General
Andy Kropa/Getty Images; Kean Collection/Getty Images
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Jared Harris (Mad Men) as Ulysses S. Grant of Illinois, victorious commanding general of the Union Army

Jared Harris (Mad Men) as Ulysses S. Grant of Illinois, victorious commanding general of the Union Army
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images; Alexander Gardener/Library of Congress
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Jackie Earle Haley (Little Children) as Alexander Stephens of Georgia, vice-president of the Confederacy

Jackie Earle Haley (Little Children) as Alexander Stephens of Georgia, vice-president of the Confederacy
Kevin Winter/Getty Images; Medford Historical Society Collection/CORBIS
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Gregory Itzin (24) as John Campbell of Alabama, the former Supreme Court justice who resigned and became the Assistant Secretary of War for the Confederacy

Gregory Itzin (24) as John Campbell of Alabama, the former Supreme Court justice who resigned and became the Assistant Secretary of War for the Confederacy
Kevin Winter/Getty Images; MPI/Getty Images
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James Spader as W.N. Bilbo, a political operative

James Spader as W.N. Bilbo, a political operative
Evan Agostini/Getty Images
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Tim Blake Nelson (O Brother, Where Art Thou?) as Richard Schell of New York, a political operative

Tim Blake Nelson (O Brother, Where Art Thou?) as Richard Schell of New York, a political operative
Sylvain Gaboury/PR Photos
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John Hawkes (Deadwood) as Robert Latham, a political operative

John Hawkes (Deadwood) as Robert Latham, a political operative
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images