Mathematicians in the Movies

The math that many mathematicians pioneers captures the imagination, piquing the interest of millions. Some of their life stories have been equally captivating, and Hollywood has often used them as the subjects of biopics, especially during awards season. If you're looking for a movie about math to watch, try one of these out!

(All images from Wikipedia)


The Man Who Knew Infinity


Starring Dev Patel as the prodigal Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, the movie tells his incredible life story from living in poverty to studying at the University of Cambridge. A remarkable mathematician with a life worthy of the big screen, Ramanujan is responsible for ideas such as the Ramanujan Prime and partition formulae.

A Beautiful Mind


This movie about economist John Nash earned 8 Oscar nominations and 4 wins, including for Best Picture! Starring Russell Crowe as Nash in an Oscar nominated performance, the film shows how the economist dealt with schizophrenia in the early stages of his academic career. The only winner of the Nobel Prize and the Abel Prize, Nash's works include studying game theory and nonlinear partial differential equations.

The Imitation Game


Set during World War II and portraying the efforts to crack the enigma, this movie received eight Oscar nominations. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing and Keira Knightley as Joan Clarke. Along with depicting the British scientists and code breakers, the film also focuses on how Alan Turing was punished by the British government due to his homosexuality.

Hidden Figures


(Clockwise from top right: Johnson, Jackson, Vaughan)


A lot of hard working mathematicians worked to get a man on the moon, but few were as discriminated on their mathematical journeys as three black, female scientists at NASA. Starring Taraji P Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monae as, respectively, Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, this movie depicts the perseverance they showed in the face of adversity and the contributions they made to science and mathematics.

Theory of Everything


Taking place during Stephen Hawking's years as a graduate student at the University of Cambridge, the film portrays Hawking struggling through motor neuron disease as he begins his long career studying black holes and the universe. Eddie Redmayne won an Oscar for his portrayal of the late astrophysicist, and the film itself was nominated for 5 Oscars in total.