# Actors who should change their "genre." **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 16, 2016, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-should-change-their-genre/766115 "2016-09-16T22:40:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2016, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-should-change-their-genre/766115/1 "2016-09-16T22:40:36Z")
I couldn’t think of another way to say it. Some actors get typecast in certain roles, and it’s very surprising (if not always successful) when they break out of it. I’m thinking of when Robin Williams (RIP) played a psycho in Insomnia, for example. Who would you like to see try something new? Me, I think Liam Neeson would really like to be in a comedy after all of those Taken flicks. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2016, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-should-change-their-genre/766115/2 "2016-09-16T23:02:25Z")
It looks like Liam Neeson’s most recent comedy was 2014’s _A Million Ways to Die in the West_. I personally feel that any film that doesn’t allow Hugh Jackman to sing is a complete waste. ---
**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:** [September 16, 2016, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-should-change-their-genre/766115/3 "2016-09-16T23:57:34Z")
Tom Hanks has gone over a decade without making a real comedy. And if you don’t count _The Ladykillers_ it’s been almost two decades. He’s overdue. ---
**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:** [September 17, 2016, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-should-change-their-genre/766115/4 "2016-09-17T00:03:13Z")
Ahnold was a pretty good action-hero actor, but he’s a great comic actor. He should do humor more often. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2016, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-should-change-their-genre/766115/5 "2016-09-17T00:14:24Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Ahnold was a pretty good action-hero actor, but he’s a great comic actor. He should do humor more often. Arnold was first rate (at drama, believe it or not) in “Maggie,” with Abigail Breslin–an interesting take on the zombie flick. He hired a drama coach and it paid off big-time. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2016, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-should-change-their-genre/766115/6 "2016-09-19T13:52:29Z")
I think it’d be interesting if Charlize Theron played someone _likable_. And maybe Tom Cruise could play something other than a badass. His comic turn in _Tropic Thunder_ was a really fun surprise but even then he was the hot shot producer. ---
**Author:** ![CrimeThink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90db22/32.png) [@CrimeThink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrimeThink)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-should-change-their-genre/766115/7 "2016-09-26T00:26:10Z")
I think Liam is fine where he is… [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqA577\_IoBk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqA577_IoBk) ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-should-change-their-genre/766115/8 "2016-09-26T00:28:37Z")
I popped in to mention Robin Williams. I can stand him only in his dramatic roles. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-should-change-their-genre/766115/9 "2016-09-26T00:56:38Z")
It sure worked for Leslie Neilson. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-should-change-their-genre/766115/10 "2016-09-26T02:40:37Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Tom Hanks has gone over a decade without making a real comedy. And if you don’t count _The Ladykillers_ it’s been almost two decades. He’s overdue. How about Tom Hanks playing a bad guy? I have to give credit to the author of an article I was reading about Denzel Washington with the point/idea. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-should-change-their-genre/766115/11 "2016-09-26T11:40:39Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > How about Tom Hanks playing a bad guy? > > I have to give credit to the author of an article I was reading about Denzel Washington with the point/idea. Well he did play a hit man in _Road to Perdition_. It was odd to see him portray such a dark character. But even then, he was a killer with, if not a heart of gold, definitely and Hanksesque soft spot. I think if I saw Mr. Hanks truly shed any trace of his quintessential goodness the Earth might spin right the heck off its axis. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-should-change-their-genre/766115/12 "2016-09-26T11:41:52Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > I couldn’t think of another way to say it. Some actors get typecast in certain roles, and it’s very surprising (if not always successful) when they break out of it. I’m thinking of when Robin Williams (RIP) played a psycho in Insomnia, for example. Who would you like to see try something new? Me, I think Liam Neeson would really like to be in a comedy after all of those Taken flicks. Robin Williams was also crazy bad guy in One Hour Photo ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-should-change-their-genre/766115/13 "2016-09-26T12:22:28Z")
Christian Bale needs to do a few rom-coms. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-should-change-their-genre/766115/14 "2016-09-26T14:12:54Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Christian Bale needs to do a few rom-coms. Yes, possibly coupled with his fellow country woman Catherine Zeta Jones. It could be about all the hilarity that ensues when two pompous gits have the sticks surgically removed from their asses. ---
**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:** [September 26, 2016, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-should-change-their-genre/766115/15 "2016-09-26T14:50:58Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > How about Tom Hanks playing a bad guy? > [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Well he did play a hit man in _Road to Perdition_. It was odd to see him portray such a dark character. But even then, he was a killer with, if not a heart of gold, definitely and Hanksesque soft spot. I think if I saw Mr. Hanks truly shed any trace of his quintessential goodness the Earth might spin right the heck off its axis. I haven’t watched _Saving Mr Banks_ but my understanding is that Walt Disney (played by Hanks) was, if not a bad guy, at least a character in the wrong for most of the movie. _Volunteers_ was another movie where Hanks’ character started out wrong and had to redeem himself. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-should-change-their-genre/766115/16 "2016-09-26T19:37:22Z")
Johnny Depp seems to be enjoying it, but I think he could use to stop trying to be the new Peter Sellers and go back to drama. Generally, he seems to miss “funny” and just go into the realm of, “Huh…” Just sort of weird, and head-scratching. ---
**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:** [September 26, 2016, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-should-change-their-genre/766115/17 "2016-09-26T20:53:45Z")
I always assumed that Depp was deliberately aiming for weird and head-scratching. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-should-change-their-genre/766115/18 "2016-09-27T23:28:57Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > maybe Tom Cruise could play something other than a badass. His comic turn in _Tropic Thunder_ was a really fun surprise but even then he was the hot shot producer. He played a sniveling coward in Edge of Tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2016, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-should-change-their-genre/766115/19 "2016-09-28T00:14:46Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I always assumed that Depp was deliberately aiming for weird and head-scratching. Maybe, but given his appearance in films like Yoga Hosers and Mortdecai, I feel like he’s targeting comedy. That no one has much realized it, I would argue, is just the proof as to how far he is missing his mark by. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2016, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-should-change-their-genre/766115/20 "2016-09-28T00:26:35Z")
No so much a genre change, but IMNAAHO, Benedict Cumberbatch should play the lead in a remake of [Charly](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062794/?ref_=nv_sr_2). He’s proven he can play the smartest man in the room. Can he play the dumbest? Who becomes the smartest - for a time. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-should-change-their-genre/766115.md?page=2)