# Actors/actresses that you consistently fail to recognize **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 9, 2019, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-that-you-consistently-fail-to-recognize/843211 "2019-11-09T18:05:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-that-you-consistently-fail-to-recognize/843211/1 "2019-11-09T18:05:06Z")
There have been lots of ads out for the Stephen King movie “Doctor Sleep”. And every time I see one, I think that the guy in the trailer looks really familiar but I can’t quite place him. So I finally looked the movie up on IMDB and, holy crap, it’s Ewan MacGregor. Now, there is absolutely no reason I should not recognize Ewan MacGregor. I’ve seen plenty of his movies, watched both seasons of his motorcycle documentary… but this is at least the second time in recent memory that I’ve completely failed to recognize him in something. (The other being the last season of “Fargo”.) Oddly enough, I understand a lot of people have this problem with Gary Oldman, but I’m usually pretty good at picking him out. I am NOT asking about actors or actresses that you confuse with someone else. I’m asking about those that for some reason you just don’t recognize at all, even when you probably should. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-that-you-consistently-fail-to-recognize/843211/2 "2019-11-09T18:15:02Z")
It happens to me all the time, but for the life of me, I can’t think of a specific example right now. I’m terrible when it comes to placing faces. On the other hand, if I hear a voice from another room, I can usually nail the speaker. It’s a gift. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-that-you-consistently-fail-to-recognize/843211/3 "2019-11-09T18:50:16Z")
Melissa Gilbert. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-that-you-consistently-fail-to-recognize/843211/4 "2019-11-09T18:52:09Z")
Ryan Gosling. I’ve seen him in _La La Land_ and _Blade Runner 2055_, but can’t put a face to the name at all, at all. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-that-you-consistently-fail-to-recognize/843211/5 "2019-11-09T18:56:41Z")
Jude Law. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-that-you-consistently-fail-to-recognize/843211/6 "2019-11-09T19:01:18Z")
I was about to mention Oldman. He does a great job with his roles, but none of them look the slightest bit like each other. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-that-you-consistently-fail-to-recognize/843211/7 "2019-11-09T19:06:21Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > Ryan Gosling. I’ve seen him in _La La Land_ and _Blade Runner 2055_, but can’t put a face to the name at all, at all. Yes! He’s definitely another one that I’ve seen in several movies, but never clicks until later and then :smack: oh that was Ryan Gosling! ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-that-you-consistently-fail-to-recognize/843211/8 "2019-11-09T19:44:06Z")
I recently saw [_Black Mass_,](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/sgp-catalog-images/region_US/wb-888574310172-Full-Image_GalleryBackground-en-US-1483993562069._SX1080_.jpg)which I somehow had missed, on a plane. I kept thinking that the lead actor, who looked naggingly familiar but who I couldn’t exactly place, was very good. I was embarrassed at the end to realize it was Johhny Depp. Not only his appearance was different, but his entire demeanor was different from his typical role (of he has a typical role). ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-that-you-consistently-fail-to-recognize/843211/9 "2019-11-09T20:16:20Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I recently saw [_Black Mass_,](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/sgp-catalog-images/region_US/wb-888574310172-Full-Image_GalleryBackground-en-US-1483993562069._SX1080_.jpg)which I somehow had missed, on a plane. I kept thinking that the lead actor, who looked naggingly familiar but who I couldn’t exactly place, was very good. I was embarrassed at the end to realize it was Johhny Depp. Not only his appearance was different, but his entire demeanor was different from his typical role (of he has a typical role). I came here to post about Johnny Depp, but in the movie ‘Tusk’ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/KjvAhcQ0rlo/hqdefault.jpg "2 Minute Single-Shot of Johnny Depp Weirdo Acting") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjvAhcQ0rlo) ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-that-you-consistently-fail-to-recognize/843211/10 "2019-11-09T21:56:51Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > It happens to me all the time, but for the life of me, I can’t think of a specific example right now. I’m terrible when it comes to placing faces. > > On the other hand, if I hear a voice from another room, I can usually nail the speaker. It’s a gift. My sister was watching “Hail, Caesar” in the other room last night, and she said “I never knew that was her!” I said “Frances McDormand?” Because I heard the voice and immediately knew it was her. And it was. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-that-you-consistently-fail-to-recognize/843211/11 "2019-11-09T22:24:04Z")
I used to do it all the time with both Billy Crudup and Sam Rockwell. Half way through a movie that I wasn’t aware they were in I would suddenly realise who was playing, say Charley Ford or Arch Cummings. ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-that-you-consistently-fail-to-recognize/843211/12 "2019-11-09T22:31:09Z")
Christian Bale ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-that-you-consistently-fail-to-recognize/843211/13 "2019-11-11T04:46:38Z")
Sam Rockwell is usually pretty hard for me to recognize. He and Oldman are basically the patron saints of this. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-that-you-consistently-fail-to-recognize/843211/14 "2019-11-11T05:00:33Z")
I remember reading that Gary Oldman was going to be in _Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire_ and thought “Oh, cool, I wonder what character he’s going to be… oh.” ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-that-you-consistently-fail-to-recognize/843211/15 "2019-11-11T06:30:14Z")
Reading that just now I couldn’t remember who Gary Oldman HAD been in the Potterverse, so I went and looked him up on IMDB. From the photo …“oh, right, that’s Remus Lup…no, wait a minute!!” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-that-you-consistently-fail-to-recognize/843211/16 "2019-11-11T16:53:31Z")
I don’t know why but Vincent D’Onofrio always seems to confuse me. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-that-you-consistently-fail-to-recognize/843211/17 "2019-11-11T18:10:12Z")
All of them! I have a pretty bad case of [face blindness](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosopagnosia), and it makes watching movies a challenge. All it takes is a scene change with new outfits for me to not know who the good guys are and who the bad guys are. ---
**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2019, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-that-you-consistently-fail-to-recognize/843211/18 "2019-11-11T20:41:13Z")
Armie Hammer has a non-face MiM ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-that-you-consistently-fail-to-recognize/843211/19 "2019-11-12T15:41:31Z")
There are a lot of them for me. I see someone on a show and know I’ve seen them before on something. I can’t come up with a name or what else they were in. Thank goodness for IMDb or it would haunt me forever. I reference it nightly. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-that-you-consistently-fail-to-recognize/843211/20 "2019-11-12T16:44:46Z")
> [@Alpha\_Twit](#): > > I don’t know why but Vincent D’Onofrio always seems to confuse me. [Proof That Vincent D’Onofrio Is A Shape-Shifter](https://www.buzzfeed.com/alannabennett/is-your-face-a-conspiracy) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-that-you-consistently-fail-to-recognize/843211.md?page=2)