Most of the performances that I consider truly masterful are examples of this, like Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn in The Aviator, Sean Penn as Harvey Milk in Milk, Charlize Theron as Aileen Wuornos in Monster, Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything, Jamie Foxx as Ray Charles in Ray, or Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady. The ability of an actor to not only impersonate someone, but fully embody their spirit is a feat only a select few can accomplish.