# Actors who play the same role in every movie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 25, 2001, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693 "2001-09-25T14:44:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/21 "2001-09-25T15:43:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nightingale \* > \*\*Kevin Costner \*\* I beg your pardon. KC was unusually animated (for him) and convincing in his first major picture role. ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/22 "2001-09-25T15:43:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by adam yax \* > \*\*Hows about Gary Oldman? \*\* I would actually disagree on this one. Let’s look at some roles: _Joe Orton_ in **Prick Up Your Ears** _Sid Vicious_ in **Sid and Nancy** _Rosencrantz (or Guildenstern)_ in **Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead** _Beethoven_ in **Immortal Beloved** _Dracula_ in **Dracula** _Mr. Zorg_ in **The Fifth Element** I think Gary actually blends fairly well into these roles. In the last few years, he has become typecast a little more, but I think that’s a matter of fame and fortune. If you look at his early films, his characters are all over the screen. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/23 "2001-09-25T15:48:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jack Batty \* > \*\*Why the hell weren’t Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzeneggar the first ones out of the chute? \*\* Because calling them actors is just _wrong_? Terri Garr. ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/24 "2001-09-25T16:52:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by watsonwil \* > Humphry Bogart Whaaaaaaaaaa? I suggest you sit down and watch, back to back, “High Sierra,” “The Maltese Falcon,” “Key Largo,” “We’re No Angels” and “The Caine Mutiny” and rethink this one a bit. > [@](#): > > Denzel Washington Good heavens . . . please explain how his characters in “The Mighty Quinn,” “Malcolm X” and “The Hurricane” are anything like each other. ---
**Author:** ![Yue\_Han](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/eada6e/32.png) [@Yue\_Han](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yue_Han)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/25 "2001-09-25T16:57:21Z")
Humphrey Bogart. And it doesn’t mean he was a bad actor. He was a GREAT actor. But until Maltese Falcon, he was a thug, and after, he was pretty much Sam Spade. That was how movies were made back then. Casablanca has a lot of the same characters from the Maltese Falcon, only with different names and they’re living in Casablanca during WW2. –John ---
**Author:** ![magdalene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@magdalene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magdalene)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/26 "2001-09-25T16:57:48Z")
Christian Slater always plays Jack Nicholson, who always plays himself (Chinatown & Easy Rider excluded). ---
**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:** [September 25, 2001, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/27 "2001-09-25T17:15:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dinsdale \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Nightingale \* > > \*\*Kevin Costner \*\* > > I beg your pardon. > KC was unusually animated (for him) and convincing in his first major picture role. \*\* yeahhhh… but they cut half his scenes, so we really don’t know for sure. ---
**Author:** ![DeskMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DeskMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeskMonkey)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/28 "2001-09-25T17:29:47Z")
Michael Douglas - he seems like he’s just being himself (not a good thing) Robin Williams - he seems like he’s trying to convince us that he’s just that wonderful in real life. Gag me. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/29 "2001-09-25T18:30:30Z")
Uhhhh, Do **Kevin Smith** and **Jason Mewes** count? d&r ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/30 "2001-09-25T18:34:14Z")
James Gandolfino \_\_ Don’t get me wrong, I really like the guy but his character in True Romance is separated from the one he plays in The Mexican by a brief intermission - a collector for the mob in both. And in The Sopranos? Hmmm… collector for the mob. ---
**Author:** ![Mars\_Horizon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mars_horizon/32/2804_2.png) [@Mars\_Horizon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mars_Horizon)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/31 "2001-09-25T18:36:53Z")
**Matthew Perry** (that is the name of that guy who plays Chandler on ‘Friends’, isn’t it?) is always the same character. The well meaning, bumbling, sincere goofball. ---
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/32 "2001-09-25T18:38:40Z")
When I saw the thread title, I immediately thought Kevin Costner and Michael Douglas. I see they have already been mentioned, so I will second (or third). Another one who is pretty much the same in every movie (that i hace seen, anyway): Christopher Walken. Now don’t get me wrong: I LOVE Christopher Walken. But he pretty much plays the same whack-job type in all his movies. And I don’t think he’s acting. He’s like that for real. And the same goes for Juliette Lewis. ---
**Author:** ![jmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dbc845/32.png) [@jmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmonster)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/33 "2001-09-25T18:41:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zanshin \* > Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (he plays the Japanese bad guy in every movie that requires a Japanese bad guy… The Art of War, Rising Sun, Mortal Kombat…) … Planet of the Apes (2001)? ---
**Author:** ![frock75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ad7895/32.png) [@frock75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frock75)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/34 "2001-09-25T19:01:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lieu \* > \*\*James Gandolfino \_\_ Don’t get me wrong, I really like the guy but his character in True Romance is separated from the one he plays in The Mexican by a brief intermission - a collector for the mob in both. And in The Sopranos? Hmmm… collector for the mob. \*\* He plays a real dirtbag porn producer in “8mm”. Not your typical Gandolfini role. Anyway look for him Redford’s new movie “The Last Castle” or something like that. He plays an Army colonel who is the warden of a military prison. Oh and it’s Gandolfini, you fucking got that, you mommaluc? Hey Pauly, pass the gabagool. As for my picks: Yahoo Seriuos Mark Wahlberg Another vote for julia Roberts I may get flamed for this but, Al Pacino. He’s always the guy who screams realy loud at awkward moments. It’s like he’s from the South Philly Italian School of Acting. Yelling equals aurthority. Don’t get me wrong, I love this guy. Quite a few of his movies are on my all time favorites list, but he should try subtlety. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/35 "2001-09-25T19:33:56Z")
So far just about every actor working in Hollywood has been listed – go figure. But I would also hasten to add Helen Hunt – same expression for virtually every emotion which not only makes her “playing the same character” but also makes her just a bad actor, in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/36 "2001-09-25T19:36:02Z")
James Coburn: _The President’s Analyst, The Great Escape_ Robert DeNiro: _The King of Comedy, A Bronx Tale, Bang the Drum Slowly_ John Malkovich: _Places in the Heart, The Killing Fields_ Jack Nicholson: _The King of Marvin Gardens, The Last Detail, The Pledge_ Christopher Walken: _Pennies from Heaven; Sarah, Plain and Tall_ ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/37 "2001-09-25T19:45:11Z")
> [@](#): > > I may get flamed for this but, Al Pacino. He’s always the guy who screams realy loud at awkward moments. It’s like he’s from the South Philly Italian School of Acting. Yelling equals aurthority. Don’t get me wrong, I love this guy. Quite a few of his movies are on my all time favorites list, but he should try subtlety. Al Pacino?!? I must disagree. Compare his characterization in **Scarface** with that of Michael Corleone in the Godfather movies. For that matter, compare **Godfather** with **Godfather III**. Or just about anything else he’s done. Yeah, he’ll often have a high-intensity yelling scene, but if that’s all you see, you’re missing a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/38 "2001-09-25T19:58:13Z")
For anyone who mentioned John Malkovich, I refer you to _Being John Malkovich_, where he plays pretty much every other cast member at one point or another. [useless observation:] The middle aged Charlie Sheen in this movie bears a striking resemblence to Beavis’ dad in _Beavis and Butt-Head Do America_. [/useless observation] ---
**Author:** ![jack\_ss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c77e96/32.png) [@jack\_ss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jack_ss)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/39 "2001-09-25T22:47:35Z")
Bruce Willis Joe Pesci Wasn’t Winona Ryder’s Character in _Girl, Interrupted_ pretty much her character in _Beetlejuice_ a few years older? (Substitute writing for photography, substitute the 60’s for the 80’s). And her character in _Alien Resurrection_ was the same pale, scared girl. **Gary Oldman** definitely doesn’t belong on this list. Neither does Pacino. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693/40 "2001-09-25T23:03:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RickJay \* > **John Malkovich always plays a creepy weirdo, except in “In The Line of Fire,” in which he played a psychotic weirdo.** He was pretty good in that jewel heist movie, though. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-play-the-same-role-in-every-movie/83693.md?page=3)