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From cultural icons to controversial figures, these faces have shaped our world! Join us as we count down the most instantly recognizable people to have ever lived. From Hollywood royalty to revolutionary leaders, pop stars to peacemakers, these individuals have left an indelible mark on history. Which iconic face do you think deserves the top spot? Let us know in the comments!
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00:00I had been given the highest civil honor by the French government,
00:03the title of which for the life of me I can't pronounce even till now.
00:06Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at the most instantly recognizable people to
00:10have ever lived. Since we're judging based on historical impact, controversial and even
00:14hated figures are included as well.
00:16When no one listens to you, or you feel no one's listening to you,
00:19all sorts of things start to happen.
00:22Number 20. Audrey Hepburn
00:24Among the rare performers to have won the Emmy, Tony, Grammy, and Oscar awards,
00:28Audrey Hepburn is the definition of Hollywood royalty.
00:32With her iconic pixie haircut, starry-eyed charm, and timeless beauty,
00:36Hepburn is forever destined as the face of timeless class and femininity.
00:39Her portrayal of Holly Golightly marked a groundbreaking moment in fashion,
00:44contrasting the era's notoriety for glitz and excess with natural poise and elegance.
00:49But the actress's influence stretches far past the screen.
00:52In later years, Hepburn further immortalized herself as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador,
00:57championing causes worldwide as a globe-trotting humanitarian,
01:00whose impact resonates to this day.
01:02I would like to read to you
01:04something very, very important,
01:10and it moves me deeply
01:12to have this privilege.
01:15Number 19. Madonna
01:16Staying relevant on the global stage takes constant evolution,
01:19and no one has mastered the art of reinvention quite like Madonna.
01:22Rising to stardom in the early 80s,
01:29the Queen of Pop commanded legions of fans.
01:32Her knack for daring sexuality and controversy
01:34has turned all kinds of buzz into lasting influence.
01:41From outrageous hits like Like a Virgin and Like a Prayer,
01:44to modern chart-topping tracks like Four Minutes and Popular,
01:47Madonna has remained at the top of her game in every decade.
01:49Try to own it, but I own a ride.
01:53Beyond music, she's become the face of celebrity itself
01:56across conversations on gender, fashion, and bold self-expression.
02:01Today, the only thing unfamiliar about her might be her last name.
02:04It's Ciccone, in case you were wondering.
02:06But for me, it was never about consciously thinking about reinventing.
02:10It was about growing and changing
02:12and hoping and praying that my work reflected
02:16who I was at that moment in time.
02:19Number 18. Nelson Mandela
02:21It's hard to realize that Mandela's name once courted controversy,
02:24especially since he's now remembered as a beacon of peace and social justice.
02:28It is an indication of the extent to which our struggle
02:31has made an impact throughout the world,
02:33and in particular to the United Nations Organization,
02:37and I was happy about that.
02:38An anti-apartheid activist who endured 27 years of imprisonment,
02:42Mandela returned to lead South Africa as its first black president.
02:45Although regarded as the father of the nation at home,
02:48his powerful story has reverberated across the globe,
02:51making his face synonymous with resilience, unity, and reform.
02:54I regret, you know, those years that I have wasted in prison.
02:59But there are very positive aspects too,
03:04because I had the opportunity to think about problems
03:08and to reflect on my mistakes.
03:12Mentioned alongside some of history's most defining figures,
03:14Mandela became a benchmark for virtue and humanity.
03:17Despite worldwide recognition and a Nobel Peace Prize,
03:20he carried himself with humility, writing in his autobiography,
03:23I was not a messiah, but an ordinary man
03:25who had become a leader because of extraordinary circumstances.
03:28The human rights of all our citizens
03:31must be guaranteed.
03:35Number 17. Mother Teresa
03:36A person who embodied kindness not for any ulterior motive,
03:40but because it was simply part of her nature.
03:41Mother Teresa is the poster figure for selfless altruism.
03:44How do you feel about that when people call you a saint?
03:47Nothing to feel about it because we are all meant to be holy
03:50since we have been created for that.
03:53Born into a modest Albanian family,
03:55she devoted her life to helping the poorest of the poor
03:58in the slums of India through her missionaries of charity,
04:00with nothing but pure faith and unconditional service.
04:03Her simple white and blue sari, gentle demeanor,
04:06and endless generosity have made her
04:07the ultimate symbol of kindness and mercy.
04:10Millions of lives throughout the world were touched by her.
04:12Today, the highest ideals of compassion and devotion
04:14are inseparable from Mother Teresa's image,
04:17proving that helping others isn't about recognition or reward,
04:20but because it's the best that humanity can be.
04:22The moment we begin to share, there will be no poverty.
04:25Number 16, Bob Marley.
04:27When it comes to Bob Marley,
04:28it's hard to separate the myth from the man.
04:30The image of his signature dreadlocks and warm smile
04:33represents far more than just his music.
04:42The decades since his passing have only elevated his legend,
04:45transforming him into a symbol of both resistance and peace.
04:48Fearlessly direct with his lyrics and activism,
04:51Marley pioneered a movement that challenged racism and corruption.
04:54So people still searching for this truth here.
04:57Even an assassination attempt at the 1978 One Love Peace concert
05:01couldn't silence his voice for progress.
05:03Though the world was robbed of his genius too soon,
05:06Marley lives on through generations of fans
05:08who carry on the same reggae-fused rebellion that defined his life.
05:11Let's get together and feel all right.
05:16Number 15, Cristiano Ronaldo.
05:19Pele, Maradona, R9, and of course, Lionel Messi.
05:22Football has no shortage of legends.
05:25But when it comes to a player who's transcended the game itself,
05:27it has to be CR7.
05:29With nearly 1 billion followers across social media,
05:38there's no arguing that statistically,
05:40he's the biggest athlete to have ever lived.
05:42From his ascension at Manchester United
05:44to his record-shattering peak at Real Madrid,
05:46and even his late career surge at Al Nasser,
05:48the world follows wherever Ronaldo goes.
05:51First of all, the talent helps a lot, of course.
05:55But of course, the ethic of work.
05:57A champion with unmatched drive and self-belief,
05:59Ronaldo's greatness extends beyond himself,
06:02igniting the spark for millions worldwide
06:04to chase their own dreams.
06:05Love him or not,
06:06every time he jumps up for that trademark,
06:08sui, the world seems to stop and watch in awe.
06:17Number 14, Adolf Hitler.
06:19Sometimes when you're looking at an icon,
06:21you're also staring at the face of evil.
06:22And no one needs an explanation
06:24for why Adolf Hitler fits that description.
06:26Hitler took advantage of the people's anger,
06:28offering them convenient scapegoats
06:30and a promise to restore Germany's former greatness.
06:34Few faces in history are as famous yet universally despised
06:37as the man who terrorized the globe
06:38in the first half of the 20th century.
06:41As the leader of Nazi Germany,
06:42he plunged the world into a war
06:43that claimed millions of lives
06:45and destroyed millions more.
06:46My wife was somehow waving to me,
06:49and that's the last I've seen of him.
06:52Along with his brutal legacy,
06:53his distinct features,
06:54signature mustache and side-parted hairstyle
06:56make it impossible to erase his image from memory.
06:59And while the world would rather have him forgotten,
07:01his horrific actions make his face
07:03a permanent reminder
07:04of the worst that humanity is capable of.
07:06I've lost so many members of my family.
07:10I suppose to go forward,
07:13I needed to look ahead.
07:17Number 13, Bruce Lee.
07:19There are action stars, there are icons,
07:21and then there's Bruce Lee,
07:22a league of his own.
07:23A martial artist who developed
07:35his own philosophy and combat style,
07:37Lee broke through Western cinema
07:39and defied stereotypical norms of his era.
07:41Even against today's superhero films
07:43and blockbuster franchises,
07:45his movies remain timeless classics.
07:46Why did you kill the teacher?
07:50Why did you kill the teacher?
07:52Why did you kill the teacher?
07:54The performer paved the way
07:55for a whole new path in filmmaking,
07:57blending authentic storytelling
07:59with raw intensity like never before.
08:01Half a century after his untimely demise,
08:03his legend is only amplified
08:05for generations to come.
08:06Whether you see him as a visionary
08:07on the verge of greatness
08:09or a master ripped from us at his peak,
08:11Bruce Lee's a face
08:11that pop culture history refuses to forget.
08:14You put water into a bottle,
08:15it becomes the bottle.
08:16You put it in a teapot,
08:17it becomes the teapot.
08:19Now water can flow
08:20or it can crash.
08:23Be water, my friend.
08:25Number 12, Muhammad Ali.
08:27Whenever the word greatest is heard,
08:29the name Ali quickly comes to mind.
08:31I am the greatest.
08:32I am the king.
08:33At the height of his fame,
08:34he was truly invincible,
08:35in and outside the ring.
08:36The man who made boxing look like an art form,
08:38Ali became far more than an athlete.
08:40His proud identity as a Muslim
08:42and unwavering beliefs
08:43in a divided America
08:44made him a symbol of conviction
08:45and among the highest profile figures
08:47in the civil rights era.
08:48White America right now
08:49is spending $30 million a day in Asia.
08:51Black and white boys
08:52are dying unjustly for nothing
08:54just to free somebody else.
08:56From activism
08:56to raising awareness for Parkinson's
08:58and the aura he exuded
08:59right till his final days,
09:01Ali's spirit truly floated
09:02like a butterfly
09:03and stung like a bee.
09:04He may have asked,
09:05what's my name once,
09:06but history has ensured
09:07no one ever will again.
09:09I'm going to show the whole world
09:11and I'm still the king.
09:13Number 11.
09:14Frida Kahlo
09:15A later-day Vincent Van Gogh
09:16in many ways,
09:17Kahlo gained full recognition
09:19long after her death.
09:20Like Van Gogh,
09:21she turned her pain into art,
09:22crafting self-portraits
09:23that evoked the sense of curiosity,
09:25natural fascination,
09:26and inner turmoil
09:27she saw in the world.
09:28Years before her time,
09:29she challenged society's expectations
09:31and was able to create
09:32surrealist works of art
09:34that examined the inner workings
09:36of the human soul.
09:37Her distinct facial features,
09:38piercing eyes,
09:39and most significantly,
09:40her bold unibrow,
09:41make Kahlo's image
09:42instantly unforgettable.
09:44After her work was rediscovered,
09:45Kahlo quickly gained
09:46widespread acclaim,
09:47celebrated as an influence
09:48on a Mexican culture,
09:50feminism,
09:50and a LGBTQIA plus identity.
09:57Fascination with her life
09:58has long been a matter
09:59of public interest,
10:00inspiring books,
10:01museums, and films,
10:02all with their own interpretation
10:03of the woman behind the canvas.
10:04At the end of the day,
10:05we can endure much more
10:07than we think we can.
10:0810. Queen Elizabeth II
10:10For many around the globe,
10:11the title Queen
10:12still feels like it belongs
10:13to Elizabeth II.
10:14After three weeks
10:15in Eastern Arabia,
10:17what sort of memories
10:18will you take back
10:19with your home?
10:21Well, it's been
10:21a really wonderful tour.
10:23We've been very,
10:24very happy to see this
10:26for the first time.
10:27Reigning as monarch
10:28for 70 years,
10:29she was a constant presence
10:31in a world
10:31where things never stopped changing.
10:33Charitable and easy to approach,
10:34nearly a third of people
10:35in the UK had seen
10:36or met Elizabeth II
10:37in person by 2018.
10:39From being crowned
10:40as head of state
10:41at just 26
10:41to her final days
10:42on the throne
10:43until the age of 96,
10:44the Queen's image
10:45was widely circulated
10:46almost everywhere on Earth.
10:48Somber crowds
10:49gathering outside
10:50Buckingham Palace,
10:52leaving flowers
10:52at the gates.
10:53For decades,
10:54her presence felt
10:55almost immortal,
10:55becoming a source
10:56of stability and continuity
10:57not only for her nation,
10:59but for millions
11:00far beyond its borders.
11:01As the carol says,
11:03the hopes and fears
11:05of all the years
11:06are met in thee tonight.
11:09I wish you all
11:11a very happy Christmas.
11:13Number nine,
11:13Charlie Chaplin.
11:14Best known as the iconic character
11:16of the Tramp,
11:17Chaplin was one of the driving forces
11:18of the silent film era.
11:19Even with constant evolutions
11:30of the cinematic landscape,
11:31Chaplin's star power
11:32has never diminished.
11:33The Tramp's easygoing,
11:34slapstick charm
11:35and wholesome energy
11:36continue to connect
11:37with audiences.
11:38No matter where or when,
11:39cementing Chaplin
11:40is a household name
11:40even over a century later.
11:42But surface-level comedy
11:53wasn't the secret
11:54to his success.
11:55By mixing humor
11:55with a social
11:56and political commentary,
11:58Chaplin added incredible depth
11:59to stories of poverty,
12:00class struggles
12:01and human compassion.
12:02After all,
12:03comedy is a universal language
12:04and no one spoke it better
12:05than the silent genius
12:07that was Charlie Chaplin.
12:08Let us all unite!
12:09Let us fight for a new world!
12:11A decent world
12:13that will give men
12:14a chance to work,
12:15that will give youth
12:15a future
12:16and old age a security!
12:18Number 8.
12:18Mona Lisa
12:19Easily the most famous
12:20painting ever made.
12:21The Mona Lisa is arguably
12:22the masterpiece
12:23in world history.
12:26Her smile and air of mystery
12:28have gripped our imagination
12:29for more than 500 years.
12:31Leonardo da Vinci's portrait
12:32has captivated millions
12:33since the early 16th century,
12:35each with their own interpretation
12:36of that mysterious smile.
12:38You don't have to be
12:38an art connoisseur
12:39or even have stepped foot
12:40in an art gallery
12:41to know about this painting.
12:42Over the years,
12:43the Mona Lisa
12:44became one of the most enviable pieces
12:46in the French royal collection.
12:48It hung in Napoleon's bedroom.
12:50Valued at over $1 billion today,
12:52not even da Vinci himself
12:53could have imagined
12:54its staying power
12:55so long after its completion.
12:57Resting at the Louvre
12:58since 1797,
12:59visitors from all around the world
13:00line up just for a glimpse
13:02of the woman
13:02who has intrigued us
13:04for centuries and counting.
13:05And after 500 years,
13:07it seems she's still
13:08keeping everyone guessing.
13:10Number 7.
13:11Che Guevara
13:12Even if you don't know his name,
13:14chances are you've seen
13:14that unmistakable face
13:15at some point.
13:18It's been called
13:19the most famous photograph
13:21ever taken.
13:22Considered the ultimate symbol
13:23of rebellion and resistance,
13:25Guevara's image
13:25has become ubiquitous
13:26with the very idea
13:27of revolution.
13:28Inspired by Karl Marx
13:30and shaped by Marxist
13:31Lenist ideals,
13:31he became a leading figure
13:33in the Cuban revolution,
13:34dedicating his life
13:35to fighting class inequality
13:36and defending the oppressed.
13:37He never cut himself a break
13:39so that he could demand
13:40the best from us.
13:41A martyr in the eyes
13:42of his supporters,
13:43the 1960
13:44Guerrigero Erótico
13:46photo has been endlessly
13:47reprinted and circulated
13:48in various forms of media,
13:50whether seen as a hero
13:51or a controversial figure.
13:52One thing's for certain,
13:53Guevara's face
13:54and name are forever tied
13:56to causes far bigger
13:57than any one person.
13:58His face is absolutely everywhere,
14:00from these bags
14:01to T-shirts,
14:02as you can see,
14:03to knapsacks,
14:04everything you can possibly imagine.
14:07The kind of image
14:07that Guevara himself
14:09would probably not
14:10have approved of.
14:11Number six,
14:11Elvis Presley.
14:13That slick back hair,
14:14those colorful jumpsuits
14:15and that one-of-a-kind drawl,
14:16it can only be Elvis.
14:23Few artists have been
14:24so completely themselves
14:25as Presley was,
14:26a style so unique
14:27that no one then
14:28or since has managed
14:29to replicate it,
14:30only imitate it.
14:31Armed with effortless charisma
14:32and magnetic presence,
14:34the king of rock and roll
14:35sent fans out of their seats
14:36and out of their minds.
14:44With an indelible voice
14:45and moves that turn
14:46the wow factor
14:47up to its highest degree,
14:48watching Elvis in motion
14:49is its own experience.
14:51While personal struggles
14:52weighed him down
14:52in later years,
14:53they've only heightened
14:54his legend since.
14:55Decades later,
14:56it's clear that there will
14:57only ever be one Elvis
14:58and one alone.
15:00Thank you very much.
15:07Number five,
15:08Mahatma Gandhi.
15:09Long considered
15:09the physical embodiment
15:10of peace and wisdom,
15:11Mahatma Gandhi's legacy
15:13rests on his unflinching
15:14persistence
15:14in the face
15:15of impossible struggle.
15:16The Indian independence movement
15:32set the stage
15:33for towering figures
15:34who emerge alongside Gandhi,
15:36including Pakistan founder
15:37Muhammad Ali Jannah,
15:38who left a lasting imprint
15:39of his own.
15:40However,
15:41it was Gandhi's calm smile,
15:42spirituality,
15:43and simple white attire
15:44that made an impact
15:45far beyond regional borders.
15:47While history is riddled
15:47with carnage-filled revolutions,
15:49Gandhi championed
15:50non-violent resistance,
15:51valuing human life
15:52above all else.
15:53He led such important
15:55movements and struggles
15:56that we still think about.
15:57Inspiring other world-altering
15:59figures like Nelson Mandela
16:00and Martin Luther King Jr.,
16:02Gandhi proved that
16:03in the right hand,
16:03strength and power
16:04can be tools for progress,
16:06rather than domination.
16:07Number four,
16:08Diana,
16:08Princess of Wales.
16:10Every moment of her life
16:11was laid bare for the world to see.
16:13All kinds of scrutiny
16:14and criticism came her way,
16:15but in the end,
16:16her grace and poise persevered.
16:17I don't think I've been
16:19given any credit for growth,
16:21and my goodness,
16:22I've had to grow.
16:24Even while burdened
16:25by enormous personal struggle
16:26and pressures of the crown,
16:28Diana showed remarkable
16:29restraint and quiet dignity.
16:31The massive scandal
16:31from the breakdown of her marriage
16:33did little dissuade
16:34public opinion either,
16:35with Diana emerging
16:36as the choice of the people.
16:37With pitch-perfect fashion sense
16:38and natural class and elegance,
16:40she remains a central figure
16:41of beauty and refinement.
16:44She lit up a room
16:44who knew you were
16:46in the presence
16:46of someone very, very special.
16:48Murky details
16:49of her tragic passing
16:50have immortalized her further
16:51as the people's princess,
16:53and decades later,
16:54admirers continue associating Diana
16:56with the best ideals
16:57of courage and kindness.
16:58I sit here with hope
17:00because there's a future ahead.
17:02Number three,
17:02Albert Einstein.
17:03Genius has long been linked
17:05with eccentricity,
17:06and Einstein has a lot
17:07to do with it.
17:08That wild, untamed hair
17:09and frizzy mustache
17:10became a shorthand
17:11for unconventional brilliance.
17:12It's really important
17:13to remember that
17:14theoretical physics was new
17:15when Einstein was a young man.
17:19You could do quite a lot
17:20of this work
17:20by reading a relatively
17:22small number of science journals
17:24and making the calculations yourself.
17:28Of course,
17:29behind the quirks
17:29was the greatest mind
17:30since Isaac Newton,
17:31one who changed
17:32how humanity perceived time,
17:33space, and reality itself.
17:35Devising the world's
17:36most famous equation
17:37and the theory of relativity,
17:39Einstein's works still wow
17:40even the leading minds
17:41of today's generation,
17:43a testament to how far
17:44his brilliance exceeded
17:45everyone else's.
17:46He imagined the three dimensions
17:47of space
17:48and the dimension of time
17:49together as a kind of fabric
17:51surrounding us,
17:52shaped by the presence
17:53of celestial bodies.
17:54Outside the lab,
17:55he was reportedly as quirky
17:56as his appearance suggests.
17:58A lifelong pacifist,
17:59Einstein also used his platform
18:00for causes such as human rights,
18:02academic freedom,
18:03and equality.
18:04Number two,
18:05Marilyn Monroe.
18:06Although she passed away
18:07at just 36 back in 1962,
18:10Marilyn Monroe has never truly
18:11left the cultural conversation.
18:13A kiss on the hand
18:15may be quite continental,
18:18but diamonds are a girl's best friend.
18:23Paving the way
18:23for the bold and daring
18:24push of the 60s,
18:25her platinum blonde hair,
18:27breathy voice,
18:27and bombshell persona
18:28all made her the most
18:29irresistible figure on the planet.
18:32Oh, do you feel the breeze
18:33from the subway?
18:35Isn't it delicious?
18:41Several decades later,
18:42she remains the measuring stick
18:43by which every breakout
18:44Hollywood starlet is measured,
18:46proof that diamonds
18:46really are a girl's best friend.
18:48Sadly,
18:49her personal life
18:49was shattered behind the screen.
18:51That and difficulties
18:52reconciling the pressures
18:53of fame
18:54took an enormous toll on her.
18:56Ultimately,
18:56Monroe is remembered
18:57both as the iconic face
18:58of allure and sex appeal
18:59and as the hidden vulnerability
19:01that few recognized
19:02during her lifetime.
19:03Your picture has been
19:04on the cover of
19:04almost all popular magazines,
19:07hasn't it?
19:08No,
19:09not the Ladies Home Journal.
19:11That you would like,
19:12would you?
19:13Yes.
19:14Before we continue,
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19:27Go east or west,
19:32it doesn't matter.
19:33Michael Jackson
19:34is a superstar
19:35wherever you set foot.
19:43The king of pop
19:43went from child prodigy
19:45to global phenomenon,
19:46mastering song and dance
19:47in ways that remain unmatched.
19:49As the lead singer
19:49of the Jackson 5,
19:50Michael proved he was special,
19:52a talent unmatched
19:53in flair and star power.
19:55Hits like Thriller
19:55and Billie Jean
19:56broke new ground,
19:57turning music
19:58into artistic expression.
20:07Controversy may have
20:08followed him
20:08through his later years,
20:09but Michael's artistry
20:10had already soared
20:11so far and above
20:12that nothing could
20:13derail his legacy.
20:21Even long after
20:22his tragic demise,
20:23fans just can't stop
20:24loving MJ
20:24for the way
20:25he made them feel,
20:26earning him the title
20:27of the greatest entertainer
20:28the world has ever seen.
20:33Is there a famous face
20:34we might have missed?
20:35Let us know in the comments.
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