Ophelia by John Everett Millais is a very popular choice for parodies and homages.
Advertising
- Gucci's 2018 Spring/Summer campaign included a homage
◊ to the painting. A redheaded model in a luxurious dress lays in water with her arms bent.
Films — Live Action
- Dorian Gray (2009): The depiction of Sybil Vane's death is reminiscent of the painting, with red-haired Sybil floating in the water with her arms outstretched. She's a similar character in many ways, being a sweet, innocent young woman who drowns herself after being abandoned by her lover and whose brother subsequently seeks revenge. Appropriately, Sybil had also portrayed Ophelia in a production of Hamlet earlier in the film.
- Fire with Fire (1986): When Lisa and Joe first meet, Lisa is recreating the painting by floating in a lake in the woods in the same pose as Ophelia.
- The Haunting (1963): The unstable Nell lies down against the William Morris floral bedspread in a way that echoes Ophelia's pose.
- The Last House on the Left: Mari's death scene in the lake is inspired by this painting.
- Melancholia: The image of Justine floating down the stream in her dress with a bouquet is inspired by Ophelia.
- Ophelia: The opening scene of Ophelia drowning is reminiscent of this painting, which makes sense given they depict the same character. One of the Korean posters for the movie also recreates the painting.
- Revenge of the Sith: Padmé's funeral march, with her wearing dark robes and being decorated with flowers, is meant to homage Ophelia. The color and style of the dress, and the way her body is laid out, make it seem as though she's floating in water.
- Savages: The painting is shown to taunt the female protagonist (whose name is Ophelia).
Live-Action TV
- Desperate Romantics: The scene where a woman nearly drowns in a bathtub is modelled after this painting.
Video Game
- Mermaid Swamp: Millais' piece is one of several paintings of Ophelia found in the Tsuchida house.
- Turtle Head Unmasked: In the "Paranoia" ending, the image of Harriet floating in water holding a bouquet of lilies and the insinuation she drowned herself resembles this painting.
Western Animation
- BoJack Horseman: In "That's Too Much, Man!", Sarah Lynn is shown to own a parody of Ophelia with herself as the drowning woman. This foreshadows her death later in the episode.
