# Actors in two or more movies in release at the same time

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-in-two-or-more-movies-in-release-at-the-same-time/566039
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [January 1, 2011, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-in-two-or-more-movies-in-release-at-the-same-time/566039 "2011-01-01T09:30:49Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2011, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-in-two-or-more-movies-in-release-at-the-same-time/566039/1 "2011-01-01T09:30:49Z")

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In just the past week, I’ve seen Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1, Tron, The King’s Speech and True Grit (among others, of course). Seeing Jeff Bridges as the computer designer Kevin Flynn and as the gruff and guff Rooster Cogburn isn’t all that surprising. He can melt into any character.

Not surprising really, but more of a “wow, just…wow” moment is seeing Helena Bonham-Carter as the psychotic Bellatrix Lestrange, who goes around torturing Hermione and killing loyal elves with abandon and glee, and then seeing her as the kind, loving, wise and supportive wife of a king. I knew she was a very good actress, she’s always good, but seeing two such different characters playing in the theaters at the same time brings it home.

What are some other good examples of movies that starred or featured actors in very different roles, playing in theaters at the same time?

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### Author: ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2011, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-in-two-or-more-movies-in-release-at-the-same-time/566039/2 "2011-01-01T10:26:03Z")

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> [@Equipoise](#):
>
> What are some other good examples of movies that starred or featured actors in very different roles, playing in theaters at the same time?

The most extreme example in recent memory was [Michael Sheen as David Frost](http://www.virginmedia.com/images/extremeprep-sheen-431.jpg) in _[Frost/Nixon](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0870111/)_, and in the multiplex theater literally next door, [Michael Sheen as a werewolf](http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/1194755.bin?size=620x400) in [Underworld: Rise of the Lycans](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0834001/)

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### Author: ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2011, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-in-two-or-more-movies-in-release-at-the-same-time/566039/3 "2011-01-01T16:23:00Z")

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If you wait two weeks you’ll get Natalie Portman as a deranged prima balerina in **Black Swan** and as Ashton Kutcher’s fuck buddy in **No Strings Attached**.

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### Author: ![gregorio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@gregorio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gregorio)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-in-two-or-more-movies-in-release-at-the-same-time/566039/4 "2011-01-01T18:34:16Z")

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Seeing Tom Cruise in Legend and Top Gun were very different visual experiences.

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### Author: ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2011, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-in-two-or-more-movies-in-release-at-the-same-time/566039/5 "2011-01-01T19:02:46Z")

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I once posted a link to a theatre that was playing three different films in which Elizabeth Banks appeared: _Role Models_, _W_, and _Zack and Miri Make a Porno_.

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### Author: ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-in-two-or-more-movies-in-release-at-the-same-time/566039/6 "2011-01-01T19:14:05Z")

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I think the ultimate example could be 2004’s Autumn of Jude Law, in which he appeared in, over the course of 3 months, in \*I Heart Huckabees, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Alfie, Closer, The Aviator \*and _Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events_. His carreer has yet to recover.

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### Author: ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2011, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-in-two-or-more-movies-in-release-at-the-same-time/566039/7 "2011-01-01T19:16:32Z")

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> [@Alessan](#):
>
> I think the ultimate example could be 2004’s Autumn of Jude Law, in which he appeared in, over the course of 3 months, in \*I Heart Huckabees, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Alfie, Closer, The Aviator \*and _Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events_. His carreer has yet to recover.

Maybe Sherlock Holmes could find out what happened to Jude Law’s missing career?

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### Author: ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-in-two-or-more-movies-in-release-at-the-same-time/566039/8 "2011-01-01T20:08:05Z")

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> [@Justin\_Bailey](#):
>
> If you wait two weeks you’ll get Natalie Portman as a deranged prima balerina in **Black Swan** and as Ashton Kutcher’s fuck buddy in **No Strings Attached**.

Yeah, but the “crazed ballerina fuck buddy” combination is a lot more likely than “werewolf talk show host” one.
