Iron Man, Joker, James Bond: Iconic movie characters inspired by real people

Does life imitate art, or is art imitating life? We've seen several film characters take over a prominent place in our hearts and minds, but not many know that some of these iconic characters are based on real people. From Iron Man to Joker and even James Bond, take a look at the real-life inspirations behind these reel-life characters.

The famed comic book character Iron Man aka Tony Stark was inspired by another real life billionaire, inventor, philanthropist and aviation enthusiast - Howard Hughes. The two not only shared the same interests but shared a ton of similarities. It is also no coincidence that Tony's father is named Howard.

María Salud Ramírez Caballero, the woman who allegedly inspired the character of Mama Coco in the Oscar-winning Disney film 'Coco' passed away at age 109. She was reportedly known as Mama Coco in the area, and although the production house never officially confirmed that she was the inspiration for the character, many believe she was the model for the beloved grandmother.

The Joker has become one of the most iconic supervillains of our time, but, did you know that the character was inspired by a character in a romantic movie? The inspiration for Batman's nemesis came from Conrad Veidt's portrayal of a disfigured character in 'The Man Who Laughs'. His character Gwynplaine's permanent smile and gelled-back hair served as the perfect inspiration for the comic book villain.

Daniel Craig may have been given the same royal award - Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George- as his on-screen character James Bond, but did you know the fiction spy was based on real people? Over the years, reports have claimed many secret agents in the British army inspired the Ian Fleming character. One of these brave men was Wing Commander Forest “Tommy” Yeo-Thomas. He would report directly to Winston Churchill during his secret missions during World War II.

The makers of the animated classic The Jungle Book, created the vulture characters in the likeness of The Beatles with the hopes that the band would come on board and lend their voices to parts. However, according to reports, John Lennon refused the offer and asked them to hire Elvis instead.

Potter heads will know that Harry Potter's famous villian-hero was actually inspired by one of JK Rowling's professors. The chemistry teacher named John Nettleship, who was reportedly known for his short-temper and unforgiving nature, made his way on the pages of the book and ultimately in the films.