who are the characters in wolf of wall street based on
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013 film) In the film, most of the real-life characters' names have been changed from Belfort's original memoir. Donnie Azoff is based on Danny Porush. The name was changed after Porush threatened to sue the filmmakers. Porush maintains that much of the film was fictional and that Donnie Azoff was not in fact an accurate depiction of him.[23][24][25] The FBI agent known as Patrick Denham is the stand-in for real-life Gregory Coleman,[26] and lawyer Manny Riskin is based on Ira Sorkin.[27] Belfort's first wife Denise Lombardo is renamed Teresa Petrillo, while second wife Nadine Caridi became Naomi Lapaglia on-screen. In contrast, Mark Hanna's name remains the same as the LF Rothschild stockbroker who, like Belfort, was convicted of fraud and served time in prison.[28][29] Belfort's parents Max and Leah Belfort's names remained the same for the film.[30] The role of Aunt Emma was initially offered to Julie Andrews, who refused it as she was recovering from an ankle injury, and she was replaced by Joanna Lumley.[31]