There are some actors who really get under our skin, and it might be because they've been typecast beyond the point of no return.
When was the last time Michelle Rodriguez played anything other than "the tough chick"? And when was the last time Ashton Kutcher played anything other than the "doofus"? (We're not even going to mention how we feel about his Steve Jobs biopic.)
After Redditor 3StepsFromThursday asked the online community, "What actor is the most guilty of playing the same exact character in every film?" people went all out.
"An uptight..."
Katherine Heigl.
An uptight, controlling, workaholic, but learns to be a little more easy going by the end.
"Even in roles..."
GiphyJohn Wayne. He may have played characters under different names in his movies, but if you purge all that, they all did exactly the same things in exactly the same ways, for the same motives. Arguably the closest he got to "breaking type" was Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Conqueror, and Brannigan obviously, but in every other movie he basically played John Wayne in different clothes (and an eye patch for two). Even in roles where he'd have done better to add some depth, he just played himself with different clothes. Any time he tried to step outside the basic pattern, it was blatantly obvious that he was out of his element and terrifically uncomfortable.
"I think the fact..."
Kevin Hart making and receiving jokes about his own diminutive stature is a given. I think the fact that I can't remember a single one of his characters' names speaks for itself.
"Starring..."
Starring Dwayne Johnson as a buff dude-spy who can fly helicopters and perform CPR who is sometimes funny.
"If..."
Zooey Deschanel. If "manic pixie dream girl" characters formed their own country, she would be their God Empress.
"It's almost..."
Paul Rudd. It's almost always fair to assume that he'll be playing some sort of lovable goof in a movie.
"Always..."
Aubrey Plaza. Always a scary, edgy, funny because she's being serious vibe. Not a bad thing, I'm just starting to think they're just recording her being herself after she wandered on set. If you don't know her, think Parks and Rec.
"In the 80s..."
Bruce Willis. In the 80s he was the guy from Moonlighting - cocky, punchy, streetwise and lots of quips. Then he became McClane, a cockier, punchier version of David Addison. Ditto Pulp Fiction, where he kinda had a darker edge but still the quips. Then the Shyamalan movies, where he got darker still and more serious. He's evolved, but it's like he's just playing the same character, just older and more serious each time.
The one time he went played against type, in Friends, as the guy who couldn't stop crying, it was such an inside joke.
"I love the show..."
Most of the cast of It's Always Sunny.
I love the show and I love them, but whatever they play outside of the show seems to be the same character. Charlie Day plays Charlie, even in Pacific Rim he was like smart Charlie. Glenn Howerton is basically playing a toned down version of Dennis in A.P. Bio and Kaitlin Olson played pretty much Dee in The Mick.
"I like him..."
Danny McBride. "Lovable" man-child whose ridiculous one liners and ideas are surprisingly cogent and heartfelt....snore. I like him in supporting roles but when he's the main focus he's just a big baby.
"Although he is one of my favorites..."
Robert De Niro. Although he is one of my favorites, he always plays the 'tough guy,' whether in organized crime, being a boxer, or being a plain old father-in-law.
"[He] Always plays..."
John Wayne played the same character with different names in absolutely every movie he was ever in. Ok, he doubled up the same character by name in True Grit and Rooster Cogburn, but eyepatch or no, he played the same character in everything he did. He even openly admitted as much.
"Same character in a different location..."
Denzel Washington.
Same character in a different location with a different name wearing different clothing, but always the same character.
"You guessed it."
Leo DiCrapio. In all of his movies I see the same thing: him, trying too hard to act like someone else. I never see the character he's trying to portray; I see him trying to act like that character, and doing poorly.
Interestingly, he acted alongside an excellent actor, Tom Hardy, in "Revenant." Hardy was convincing (as usual), and DiCrapio was his usual unconvincing self. And who got the award? You guessed it.
"I don't see him as an actor..."
John Wayne. Every one who knew said he was just like he was on film. I don't see him as an actor as much as an American character that worked on film, and in more genres than Westerns. He was good in the few modern roles he did as well.
"I think Keira..."
Keira Knightley. I think Keira does not know what this century looks like.
"I feel like he has very little range..."
George Clooney. I feel like he has very little range or depth, he's always basically the same guy, same delivery, same mannerisms. He's a likeable guy and a fellow Kentuckian but he couldn't play Daniel Plainview or Don Draper, there's a layer of subtlety to that kind of acting I don't think he has.
Do you have something to confess to George? Text "Secrets" or "
" to +1 (310) 299-9390 to talk to him about it.
@lpeterp/Bluesky
@FPWellman/X
@bobsbeatgmail.com5/Threads