Obviously, the film Being John Malkovich comes to mind.
Mary Tyler Moore was “Mary” (albeit, Mary Richards) in the show.
Tracy Morgan is “Tracy” (albeit Tracy Jordan) in 30 Rock.
Any other examples of actors using part of, or all of their real-life names, preferably their full name, in film or television character?
Lucile (Lucy) Ball was Lucy Ricardo on “I Love Lucy” and Lucy plus a different surname on the post-divorce show with Vivian Vance.
There are more than a few examples of the “blurred edge” effect between reality and fiction in shows like the Monkees (where four actors/singers portray characters in a band who bear the same names as the actors).
Tv’s Tim Stack is a regular character on My Name is Earl.
Jennifer Grey was in the show It’s Like, You Know…
Tony Danza has always played Tony.
Michael J. Fox played Mike Flaherty on “Spin City.”
Austin Peck played Austin Reid on Days of our Lives
Jerry Seinfield.
Bob Newhart.
Bob Newhart was Bob Hartley in *The Bob Newhart Show *and Bob McKay in Bob. Unfortunately his character was named Dick in Newhart.
ETA: Jinx!
Harry Anderson was Harry the Hat in a recurring Cheers bit role, and Harry Stone on Night Court.
Woody Harrelson was Woody Boyd on Cheers.
I’m surprised that no-one has mentioned Drew Carry playing Drew Carry in the Drew Carry show.
Neil Patrick Harris played a character called Neil Patrick Harris in the Harold and Kumar movies.
Roseanne Barr played Roseanne in Roseanne.
The French comedy L’aventure, c’est l’aventure was notable in this regard because all the main characters were named after their actors
Evidently this was an (-amazing?) coincidence as they had the character name picked out already and Harrelson then got the part.
Odd to have a Woody pop up like that out of the blue.
or pun number 2:
Evidently the producers didn’t have it hard to get their Woody.
Andy Griffith played Andy Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show.
Also singer Bonnie Bramlett played her co-worker and friend Bonnie.
Ellen Degeneres played Ellen on Ellen.
Tim Allen played Tim Taylor on Home Improvement. I think this is some kind of rule for stand-up comedians who get their own show.
Charlie Sheen = Charlie Harper on Two and a Half Men
Don’t forget Roseanne Barr on the show Roseanne. I’m half convinced this is because they’re good at comedy, but not good at acting when their shows first start. This somehow allows them to not screw up their lines.
Robert Altman’s Images also had all the cast named after the actors in the cast – but not their own name:
Susannah York – Cathryn
Rene Auberjonois – Hugh
Marcel Bozzuffi – Rene
Hugh Millais – Marcel
Cathryn Harrison – Susannah
I’d guess that filming was a bit confusing.
Back to the OP, in The Pretender, Andrea Parker played Miss Parker, which was the only way she was referred to for most of the series.
In the US version of The Office, Angela Martin is played by Angela Kinsey, Oscar Martinez is played by Oscar Nuñez, Phyllis Lapin is played by Phyllis Smith, and Creed Bratton is played by Creed Bratton. In one episode the character Creed says transfers his debts to an alias, William Charles Schneider; that is the birth name of the actor Creed Bratton.
Garry Shandling on “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show”
Ozzie, Harriet, Ricky and David Nelson on “Ozzie and Harriet”