The 12 most popular on-screen presidents of all time, ranked

Jack Nicholson
"Mars Attacks"

You might've heard that there's a presidential election going on, and it's taking a toll on plenty of people's mental health. Really.

So it might be time to imagine another political world — a fake one.

Barack Obama might be our first black US president, and Hillary Clinton the first female nominee for president from a major party, but they're hardly firsts in fiction.

We've put together a list of the most popular on-screen commanders in chief to get you through the election.

To help us in our search, we consulted The Credits, which surveyed 501 voters on their favorite fictional presidents.



12. GEENA DAVIS: "Commander in Chief" (2005-2006)


Davis proved that if a guy could be president, so could a woman.

She played President Mackenzie Allen on ABC's short-lived "Commander in Chief."


11. ANTHONY HOPKINS played two presidents two years apart in 'Nixon' and 'Amistad' (1995 and 1997)

Buena Vista/ Dreamworks

Hopkins may not look like Nixon, but he mastered the 37th president's mannerisms.

Two years later, he played John Quincy Adams in "Amistad."


10. GARY SINISE: 'Truman' (1995)


Sinise won the 1996 Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Film for his role as the 33rd president in the HBO film.


9. DANIEL DAY-LEWIS: 'Lincoln' (2012)

20th Century Fox

Often considered the greatest US president, Abraham Lincoln scores here with the method actor's fascinating embodiment of the Republican's careful maneuvering, compassion, and soaring rhetoric. (Also, really long stories.)


8. MORGAN FREEMAN: 'Deep Impact' (1998)


It may not be the most scientifically accurate film, but there's no denying "the voice of God" as President Tom Beck soothing a nation about to be pummeled by a comet.


7. DENNIS HAYSBERT: '24' (2001-06)


In a January 2008 issue of TV Guide, Haysbert claimed that his role as President David Palmer was responsible in part for Barack Obama's election.

"As far as the public is concerned, it did open up their minds and their hearts a little bit to the notion that if the right man came along that a black man could be president of the United States," he said.

His costar Kiefer Sutherland denied Haysbert's claim.


6. MARTIN SHEEN: 'The West Wing' (1999-2006)


Sheen won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama TV Series in 2001 for his role as Josiah "Jed" Bartlet.


5. HENRY FONDA: 'Fail-Safe' (1964)

Columbia Pictures

Fonda played The President in the film based on the 1962 novel about a Cold War crisis.

He also played the president in 1979's "Meteor" opposite Natalie Wood and Sean Connery.


4. MICHAEL DOUGLAS: 'The American President' (1995)

Sony/ Columbia

Douglas played a widowed president, Andrew Shepherd, who fell in love with a lobbyist (Annette Bening).


3. FRANK LANGELLA: 'Frost/Nixon' (2008)


"Frost/Nixon" was nominated for the 2009 Academy Award for Best Picture.

Langella was nominated for multiple awards, including the Academy Award for Best Actor.


2. BILL PULMAN: 'Independence Day' (1996)

20th Century Fox

He may not have won any awards, but Pullman's portrayal of Thomas Whitmore is probably one of the most recognizable presidential roles. He ranked third in The Credits' poll for all-time popularity.

Sure, Pullman may not be the most realistic president, but he wins our vote for jumping in an aircraft to shoot down some alien scum for the survival of mankind alongside Will Smith.


1. HARRISON FORD: 'Air Force One' (1997)

Sony/ Columbia

Before Liam Neeson was "Taken," Harrison Ford took down Gary Oldman and a group of Russian terrorists who kidnapped him and his family as President James Marshall.

Ford received the most votes in The Credits' poll.

We can't even really blame Trump for trying to use the music from the movie in his campaign.


We can't point out the best without including some we'd like to forget:

Warner Bros.

Jon Voight's performance of Franklin D. Roosevelt in "Pearl Harbor."

Danny Glover played Thomas Wilson in "2012."

Tommy "Tiny" Lister as President Lindberg in "The Fifth Element."

And, of course, Jack Nicholson as President James Dale in "Mars Attacks."

SEE ALSO: 30 celebrities who love and endorse Donald Trump

More: Movies Features 2016 Elections