Which actors and actresses, past or present, do you think have been typecast? Maybe you can't envision them in any other role after you see them in one particular role, or maybe they've been funneled into one mold of character.

For me, for instance, I think Ellen Paige has been a little typecast as a young/very young (younger than she actually is) girl who is smarter in some way than many her age, and even many adults (or at the very least is a little "different" than others her age). In Juno, she played a teen, who, while maybe not book smart (and lacking the common sense to use protection), was very witty and always had a comeback or funny remark. In Smart People she was a high-schooler who was incredibly smart for her age, and focused on little else. In Hard Candy, she was a 14 year old who knew enough to trick Patrick Wilson and could have medically operated on him (though not in a good way). In Whip It! (next year) she appears to be playing a teen who doesn't fit in in her hometown in Texas because the music she listens to is different, and that she is different in general.

Another could be William Peterson, who is getting set to leave the TV show CSI after many years. I know every time I see him, I'll relate him to his CSI character (Gil Grissom) instead of the character he's playing.

Any of these for you?

Some people only have careers because of typecasting. Look at John Wayne, Al Pacino, or heck, even Mel Gibson. And both Wayne and Gibson typecast themselves. And that's mostly because we like the characters they always play, so we'll always pay to see them.

Maybe that's another question. Is it still typecasting when a leading man or woman always plays the same character? Or is that just what it means to "make it" as an actor?

I guess that's a really good point. I didn't think about it that way. For every actor with versatile roles (Will Smith, Ewan McGregor, Christian Bale, etc) there have been actors who played largely the same roles (Pacino, DeNiro, Wayne, etc) that were fabulous and meant just as much to movies. So I guess the issue then is just actors in a single part that "defines" them and they'll always be that character to some people.

Here's something else to keep in mind. The industry considers versatile actors "character actors." They always get bit parts because directors know they'll be good, they're everywhere, yet they consistently go unappreciated compared to the big box office draws who usually always play the same part, i.e., the ones everyone calls "actors."

Which is pretty weird to me. I would respect someone more as an actor if they could play a wide range of parts really well, as compared to someone who only ever plays the same kind of character over and over again. Maybe it has more to do with charisma than talent.

Not sure. Hmmm...

Jeffrey Tambor. He always plays kind of an old cowardly somewhat mean guy. I was listening to the Hellboy 2 commentary and he said that he wants to "get a gun" in a movie. I tried thinking of a character for him to play but I could't come up with anything.

PirateKing:
Jeffrey Tambor. He always plays kind of an old cowardly somewhat mean guy. I was listening to the Hellboy 2 commentary and he said that he wants to "get a gun" in a movie. I tried thinking of a character for him to play but I could't come up with anything.

He could always do a Bond sub-villain.

Every time I see Patrick Stewart I think "Hey, it's Captain Picard!"

Shia Laboo... Labaou... Lebowitz.....

Ah, hell. This kid.

Always, in every single movie. He's the same scared, awkward, weirdo that somehow manages to not get his ass shot up and do something useful at the last second to make up for an entire movie of stumbling around like one of his legs is longer then the other.

Charlton Heston. I can't imagine him in any other role than the guy from Planet Of The Apes.

some actors like playing the same role over and over again. some actors are only good at one kind of character. typecasting is usually bad but it can be good. what really gets annoying is when they are typecast as one character. can anyone remember any of leonard nemoys roles besides spock? me niether.

1. Patrick Swayze always seems to be cast as a greaser/tough guy/anti-hero/rebel in most of his 80s movies and into the 90s, until he changed his style a bit later on in his career.

As much as he was a stereo-type I wish him the best of luck with the cancer.

2. William Shatner- I need say no more.

3. Leonard Nimoy- almost always was a serious, logical character.

4. Tom Cruise is always a guy who at one point loses his temper, no matter how out of character it may be, and ends up a hero in one way or another.

5. Jack Nicholson(not sure about the last name's spelling) is always some sort of creepy guy who talks, in the same, out-of-breath, way.

Keanu Reeves seems to be perfect as an uncharismatic brick wall, though he was upstaged in the brick wall department by Jennifer Connelly in Day the Earth Stood Still.

There are tons of type cast actors from the terminator(arnold swarzenagger, yeah I cannot spell his name) to Fraiser Crane(Kelsey Grammar). Some can act multiple roles but are most memorable as their typecast because they usually look the role and can play it the best because we know them to be that character and wear that mask for the audience. Kelsey grammar for example is known for his intellectual comedic role but we all know he can do more as an actor. Instead we see him playing the Beast in X-men because when you think the Beast nothing works better than Kelsey grammer and I cannot think of a single actor that would not fit that role any better even if the actor looked like the Beast without the color hair.

C Lion:

fluffylandmine:

5. Jack Nicholson(not sure about the last name's spelling) is always some sort of creepy guy who talks, in the same, out-of-breath, way.

Jack Nicholson isn't so much typecast as he is Jack Nicholson. You'll never forget it's Jack and only see his character, you'll just see crazy ol' Jack. Not that I don't like him.

yeah Jack can be awesome but mostly he just calls it in lately

i'm going to say Denzel Washington gets cast in the same role over and over or at least once he gets the script he makes it the same role over and over. he can be a good actor but he's played the same bloody thing too many times

Definitely Jason Statham in the "Badass Gung-ho Hero" role. Even he is most far from a good actor.

s0ap sudz:
Definitely Jason Statham in the "Badass Gung-ho Hero" role. Even he is most far from a good actor.

And if there's any excuse for him to drive a car dangerously, he does it every single time.

Gentlemen, I bring to the table....ADAM SANDLER!
Yes, this man basically plays the same character in every one of his movies and most of his movies have the same basic plot points.

Everybody from the original 3 Star Wars films apart from Harrison Ford, who was the only person not to have his career ruined by the series and Sir Alec Guinness, who had his career before Star Wars.

I present Morgan Freeman. Sure he's an Oscar winning actor, but he plays the SAME EXACT CHARACTER in every single film he's ever been in.

Christopher Lee. Needs no explanation.

Aardvark:
Keanu Reeves seems to be perfect as an uncharismatic brick wall, though he was upstaged in the brick wall department by Jennifer Connelly in Day the Earth Stood Still.

I still think of him as he was in Bill And Teds Excellent/Bogus Adventure.

I have a feeling Zachary Quinto(Sylar on Heroes) will be typecast as an unfeeling person in all other things he does in his career, first Sylar, now Spock, what's next? The titular character in the Keanu Reeves autobiography movie?

Darth Mobius:

Tread184:
Gentlemen, I bring to the table....ADAM SANDLER!
Yes, this man basically plays the same character in every one of his movies and most of his movies have the same basic plot points.

I see your Adam Sandler and raise you:

BEN STILLER

The worst actor ever. His characters are always the same retarded ass-hats who aren't worth knowing or watching. I feel like a rape victim after one of his movies. The only way to get rid of the stigma is to shower with Sandpaper.

Agreed.

But I raise you further: Owen Wilson. Not that I dislike the guy, but he's always the same type of character. The only film I've seen where he is slightly different: Behind Enemy Lines, and that film just plain sucked.

Infact I shall go a step further: Vince Vaughn. Don't think I need to say more.

I also have to strongly disagree with Morgan Freeman. How can his character in Seven be remotely compared to his character in Hard Rain? Or Lucky Number Slevin? He's went from being God to the President of America, to a Mob boss, to a character like Lucius Fox.

Bruce Willis and every single movie he's ever done. he plays a cop or some KIND of cop. Unbreakable? security guard cop. All the Die Hards? Cop cop cop and COP. The only possible exception being the Sixth Sense when he was a psychiatrist of when he started singing...::deep hearted sigh:: But no one's perfect.

Darth Mobius:

I see your Adam Sandler and raise you:

BEN STILLER

The worst actor ever. His characters are always the same retarded ass-hats who aren't worth knowing or watching. I feel like a rape victim after one of his movies. The only way to get rid of the stigma is to shower with Sandpaper.

I take your Ben Stiller and raise you:

WILL FERRELL

To quote 'Tropic Thunder':

Kirk Lazarus: Everybody knows you never go full retard.
Tugg Speedman: What do you mean?
Kirk Lazarus: Check it out. Dustin Hoffman, 'Rain Man,' look retarded, act retarded, not retarded. Counted toothpicks, cheated cards. Autistic, sho'. Not retarded. You know Tom Hanks, 'Forrest Gump.' Slow, yes. Retarded, maybe. Braces on his legs. But he charmed the pants off Nixon and won a ping-pong competition. That ain't retarded. Peter Sellers, "Being There." Infantile, yes. Retarded, no. You went full retard, man. Never go full retard. You don't buy that? Ask Sean Penn, 2001, "I Am Sam." Remember? Went full retard, went home empty handed...

For me, this applies to Adam Sandler; I hated Little Nicky, but could tolerate Chuck & Larry. For Ben Stiller, I feel the exact opposite; it's only when he goes "full retard" that I can stand him in a movie. Will Ferrell is the same character in every movie; I could only take him in 'Step Brothers', where he played 'Will Ferrell'-lite.

ndogg34:

Darth Mobius:

I see your Adam Sandler and raise you:

BEN STILLER

The worst actor ever. His characters are always the same retarded ass-hats who aren't worth knowing or watching. I feel like a rape victim after one of his movies. The only way to get rid of the stigma is to shower with Sandpaper.

I take your Ben Stiller and raise you:

WILL FERRELL

To quote 'Tropic Thunder':

Kirk Lazarus: Everybody knows you never go full retard.
Tugg Speedman: What do you mean?
Kirk Lazarus: Check it out. Dustin Hoffman, 'Rain Man,' look retarded, act retarded, not retarded. Counted toothpicks, cheated cards. Autistic, sho'. Not retarded. You know Tom Hanks, 'Forrest Gump.' Slow, yes. Retarded, maybe. Braces on his legs. But he charmed the pants off Nixon and won a ping-pong competition. That ain't retarded. Peter Sellers, "Being There." Infantile, yes. Retarded, no. You went full retard, man. Never go full retard. You don't buy that? Ask Sean Penn, 2001, "I Am Sam." Remember? Went full retard, went home empty handed...

For me, this applies to Adam Sandler; I hated Little Nicky, but could tolerate Chuck & Larry. For Ben Stiller, I feel the exact opposite; it's only when he goes "full retard" that I can stand him in a movie. Will Ferrell is the same character in every movie; I could only take him in 'Step Brothers', where he played 'Will Ferrell'-lite.

Ahh, you may have /thread there. Will Ferrell indeed, how could I not have seen it coming!

DonPauliani:
Bruce Willis and every single movie he's ever done. he plays a cop or some KIND of cop. Unbreakable? security guard cop. All the Die Hards? Cop cop cop and COP. The only possible exception being the Sixth Sense when he was a psychiatrist of when he started singing...::deep hearted sigh:: But no one's perfect.

well, the die hards he was the same person so, yeah, same job. and cops and military personal in action movies? who would have thought it. but what about his other movies and shows?
Hudson Hawk-Singing Thief
Tears of the sun- Special forces commando
Moonlighting- a journalist (?)
look whos talking- a baby and a fetus (ew)
The Fifth Element- Taxi driver (ex special forces)
perfect stanger- some kind of criminal, havent watched it yet.

he was originally a dramatic/romantic actor (great actor) who went into action movies later on. he ROCKS! only Jason Statham can even come close

People, I would not be so quick to denounce Will Ferrel. Have any of you seen stranger than fiction?

DonPauliani:
Bruce Willis and every single movie he's ever done. he plays a cop or some KIND of cop. Unbreakable? security guard cop. All the Die Hards? Cop cop cop and COP. The only possible exception being the Sixth Sense when he was a psychiatrist of when he started singing...::deep hearted sigh:: But no one's perfect.

What about in 12 Monkeys, Pulp Fiction, Armegedon, and Moonlighting

Tread184:
Gentlemen, I bring to the table....ADAM SANDLER!
Yes, this man basically plays the same character in every one of his movies and most of his movies have the same basic plot points.

watch punch drunk love and reign over me and then say how he always plays the same roles. the issue is when he does deviate ppl pan the movies. both are pretty good with reign over me being simply amazing

cleverlymadeup:

Tread184:
Gentlemen, I bring to the table....ADAM SANDLER!
Yes, this man basically plays the same character in every one of his movies and most of his movies have the same basic plot points.

watch punch drunk love and reign over me and then say how he always plays the same roles. the issue is when he does deviate ppl pan the movies. both are pretty good with reign over me being simply amazing

spanglish was barely watchable though

(ZHU) Michael:

DonPauliani:
Bruce Willis and every single movie he's ever done. he plays a cop or some KIND of cop. Unbreakable? security guard cop. All the Die Hards? Cop cop cop and COP. The only possible exception being the Sixth Sense when he was a psychiatrist of when he started singing...::deep hearted sigh:: But no one's perfect.

What about in 12 Monkeys, Pulp Fiction, Armegedon, and Moonlighting

I was just going to say 12 Monkeys too.

And speaking of that, Brad Pitt, despite all the hate he gets, is actually a very versatile actor. Sure he plays the pretty boy rather frequently, but he got nominated for Best Supporting Actor for playing a mental patient in 12 Monkeys, picked up a sword in Troy, an assassin in Mr. And Mrs. Smith, that new Fincher flick Benjamin Button...the list goes on.

Robin Williams is typecast as a goofy guy pretty frequently, but he's been in a few dramatic movies...What Dreams May Come, Good Will Hunting, The Final Cut, and Insomnia come to mind. (Insomnia is great because he's the BAD GUY.)

I LOVE reverse typecasting...where a normally typecasted actor is cast in a role completely opposite from what he usually does. I remember really wanting to see Collateral because it had Jamie Foxx in a serious role...and apparently the guy originally tapped to play his role was freaking ADAM SANDLER, and he turned it down for freaking Spanglish.