# Another round of "that's the same actor?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 14, 2007, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-round-of-thats-the-same-actor/392133 "2007-02-14T02:37:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-round-of-thats-the-same-actor/392133/21 "2007-02-14T18:53:03Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] There was an episode of Ally McBeal where a little boy was suing God because he had cancer. That little boy grew up to become Haley Joel Osment. [/QUOTE] And years before that, Osment was Forrest Gump’s little boy. Back when “Lucky Louie” was on HBO (everybody saw that, right?) I was watching “Say Anything” and thought to myself that Lloyd Dobler’s friend Pamela looks an awful lot like Louie’s wife. Not really thinking that could be the case, I did indeed verify that [Pamela Adlon](http://imdb.com/name/nm0781899/) played both roles. The thing that amazed me was that there was a full seventeen years between both roles, I had barely remembered the Pamela character, and I had only seen Lucky Louie one or two times. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-round-of-thats-the-same-actor/392133/22 "2007-02-14T18:57:39Z")
[QUOTE=Raygun99] Vincent D’Onofrio apparently undergoes full body plastic surgery in between roles. He’s a chameleon. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=spoke-] You will swear that [Benicio Del Toro](http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0001125/) is actually four different actors. [/QUOTE] Someday, I want to see Benicio Del Toro and Vincent D’ONofrio play each other in the same movie. They could fool us, I’m sure of it. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-round-of-thats-the-same-actor/392133/23 "2007-02-14T19:16:18Z")
[QUOTE=Satchmo] Valerian from **Dragonslayer** (girl pretending to be a guy) [/QUOTE] Speaking of _Dragonslayer_ the slayer himself moved on to become The Biscuit on “Ally McBeal” (the lawyer who “liked a clean bowl” and had a nose whistle when he was nervous). ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-round-of-thats-the-same-actor/392133/24 "2007-02-14T19:37:55Z")
[QUOTE=Swallowed My Cellphone] Speaking of _Dragonslayer_ the slayer himself moved on to become The Biscuit on “Ally McBeal” (the lawyer who “liked a clean bowl” and had a nose whistle when he was nervous). [/QUOTE] Currently, he’s a math professor on _Numb3rs_–but not the quirky one. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-round-of-thats-the-same-actor/392133/25 "2007-02-14T19:45:57Z")
[QUOTE=Dr. Rieux] Currently, he’s a math professor on _Numb3rs_–but not the quirky one. [/QUOTE] How is liking only white food not quirky? Speaking of Christine Baransky, she was in Addams Family Values. Her husband was played by Peter Biscuit Larry Tom MacNicol. One of the kids they disciplined was played by David Krumholtz, the other quirky math professor. Also, the head elf in The Santa Clause. ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-round-of-thats-the-same-actor/392133/26 "2007-02-14T19:48:07Z")
Anthony Michael Hall, the king of nerds in _Sixteen Candles_, _The Breakfast Club_, and _Weird Science_, now plays psychically-powered detective Johnny Smith in “The Dead Zone.” ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-round-of-thats-the-same-actor/392133/27 "2007-02-14T19:53:30Z")
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you [Anthony](http://www.handheldmuseum.com/Movies/Vacation2EpochMan.jpg) [Michael](http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y290/BillaBongBabe5388/Rock%20You/AnthonyMichaelHall3.jpg) [Hall](http://z.about.com/d/movies/1/0/I/s/4/spid26b.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-round-of-thats-the-same-actor/392133/28 "2007-02-14T19:54:38Z")
:smack: (Upon seeing Spatial Rift’s post) Thanks for providing the context, **Rift**. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-round-of-thats-the-same-actor/392133/29 "2007-02-14T20:04:22Z")
[QUOTE=chrisk] It took me a while to realize that ‘invisible Claude’ from **Heroes** , underneath that shaggy hair and beard, was actually… Doctor Who! (Chris Eccleston.) [/QUOTE] And on a (sort of) related note, The “Dish of the Day” on the Mini-series version of _The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy_ was ALSO Dr. Who (but **Peter Davison** this time). Another? OK… Michael Chiklis (Detective Vic Mackey on _The Shield_), was also Commissioner Anthony ‘Tony’ J. Scali on _The Commish_ (and only 28 when he started that role) ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-round-of-thats-the-same-actor/392133/30 "2007-02-14T20:20:39Z")
This one always comes up but I’ll throw it in again. Harry Potter’s Sirius Black, Batman Begin’s Jim Gordon, The Fifth Element’s Zorg, Leon: The Professional’s Stansfield, are all Gary Oldman. ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-round-of-thats-the-same-actor/392133/31 "2007-02-14T20:25:24Z")
[QUOTE=lawoot] And on a (sort of) related note, The “Dish of the Day” on the Mini-series version of _The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy_ was ALSO Dr. Who (but **Peter Davison** this time). [/QUOTE] And Hotblack Desiato’s bodyguard was played by none other than [David Prowse](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001190/). A.K.A. Darth Vader. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-round-of-thats-the-same-actor/392133/32 "2007-02-14T20:39:38Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] Baransky was in The Birdcage as well. [/QUOTE] Two more for Ms. Baransky: Martha May Whovier, the over-the-top neighbor in **How the Grinch Stole Christmas** and Mary Sunshine, the sob-sister reporter in **Chicago**. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-round-of-thats-the-same-actor/392133/33 "2007-02-14T21:04:12Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] Watch [Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0120669/), [The Usual Suspects](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0114814/), [Traffic](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0181865/), and [The Pledge](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0237572/). You will swear that [Benicio Del Toro](http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0001125/) is actually four different actors. [/QUOTE] And was one of Sanchez’s henchmen from **License to Kill**. The guy that got chewed up in the shredder at the end. “You’re deaaaaaad!” > [@](#): > > Michael Chiklis (Detective Vic Mackey on The Shield), was also Commissioner Anthony ‘Tony’ J. Scali on The Commish (and only 28 when he started that role) I just mentioned this in the recent Seinfeld thread, but he was also in the Seinfeld episode where they visit his house in Long Island and he later shows up at Jerry’s apartment, (b/c Jerry says “Whenever you’re in town…”), gets drunk with Kramer, then hires a hooker that Jerry winds up having to pay for. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-round-of-thats-the-same-actor/392133/34 "2007-02-14T21:09:49Z")
[QUOTE=DesertDog] Two more for Ms. Baransky: Martha May Whovier, the over-the-top neighbor in **How the Grinch Stole Christmas** and Mary Sunshine, the sob-sister reporter in **Chicago**. [/QUOTE] Yep, along with Jeffrey Tambor, who also gave a great performance in And Justice for All. The guy has been around since before Jesus. Let’s not even get started on Bob Balaban. I remember when he was a hairy hippie. I’m a huge fan of Stanley Tucci. I saw his name in the opening credits of The Devil Wears Prada. I _still_ didn’t recognize him. Let’s not forget Benicio Del Toro in Swimming with Sharks. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-round-of-thats-the-same-actor/392133/35 "2007-02-14T21:23:23Z")
[QUOTE=chrisk] It took me a while to realize that ‘invisible Claude’ from **Heroes** , underneath that shaggy hair and beard, was actually… Doctor Who! (Chris Eccleston.) [/QUOTE] And the girl who plays Claire was the daughter of Coach Yoast (the white coach,) in **Remember the Titans** , and also played a self-abusive little girl in an episode of **Law and Order: SVU**. ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-round-of-thats-the-same-actor/392133/36 "2007-02-14T21:32:02Z")
[QUOTE=Hampshire] This one always comes up but I’ll throw it in again. Harry Potter’s Sirius Black, Batman Begin’s Jim Gordon, The Fifth Element’s Zorg, Leon: The Professional’s Stansfield, are all Gary Oldman. [/QUOTE] He has also played Sid Viscious and Lee Harvey Oswald, but I think his most impressive transformation was in True Romance where he played Drexl who was Alabama’s pimp. Almost unrecognizable. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-round-of-thats-the-same-actor/392133/37 "2007-02-14T21:56:44Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] Yep, along with Jeffrey Tambor, who also gave a great performance in And Justice for All. The guy has been around since before Jesus. [/QUOTE] I always remember him from the Three’s Company spin-off sitcom “The Ropers” where he was their neighbor. ---
**Author:** ![priapus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@priapus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/priapus)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-round-of-thats-the-same-actor/392133/38 "2007-02-14T23:09:52Z")
I’m always surprised when I see how Sam Rockwell looks in a movie Compare his work in Hitchhikers Guide and Galaxy Quest ---
**Author:** ![Pixiesnix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Pixiesnix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixiesnix)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-round-of-thats-the-same-actor/392133/39 "2007-02-14T23:25:32Z")
Not to mention _The Green Mile_. It took three viewings of that movie to recognize him as Zaphod Beeblebrox. ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2007, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-round-of-thats-the-same-actor/392133/40 "2007-02-14T23:49:54Z")
And Charlie’s Angels and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind! My favorite recent “who is that actor” episode happened during Brick - I spent the entire movie trying to figure out where I knew the actress who played Laura was the same actress who played Eden on Heroes. I also briefly thought - hey, The Pin looks a lot like Lukas Haas…and he was! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-round-of-thats-the-same-actor/392133.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-round-of-thats-the-same-actor/392133.md?page=3)