# Familiar actors you did not realize were in a movie you saw until someone told you **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 4, 2014, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-actors-you-did-not-realize-were-in-a-movie-you-saw-until-someone-told-you/685381 "2014-04-04T23:42:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-actors-you-did-not-realize-were-in-a-movie-you-saw-until-someone-told-you/685381/41 "2014-04-06T12:31:20Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > Years ago on Tv, on ER, I believe her name is CCH Pounder, who played an obese ER nurse. Over a summer break she lost like 100 lbs. and came back and was unrecognizable. My bad. Her name is Yvette Freeman. ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-actors-you-did-not-realize-were-in-a-movie-you-saw-until-someone-told-you/685381/42 "2014-04-06T13:56:01Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > I would have never guessed that Hugo Weaving was the same guy who played Elrond and Mr. Smith. > > I could have knocked my BIL over with a feather when I told him that Magento and Gandalf were played by the same actor. I suppose it’s personal, but those seem obvious to me. When my brother and I saw The Fellowship of the Ring for the first time we couldn’t help adding a “Mr Anderson” here and there once they reached Rivendell. I even thought it was obvious that it was Hugo Weaving in V for Vendetta. Ian McKellen is even more instantly-recognizable, though. ---
**Author:** ![DZedNConfused](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dzednconfused/32/15991_2.png) [@DZedNConfused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DZedNConfused)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-actors-you-did-not-realize-were-in-a-movie-you-saw-until-someone-told-you/685381/43 "2014-04-06T14:51:53Z")
I saw Fellowship of the Ring and knew I’d seen Elrond elsewhere but couldn’t figure it out. To be fair to me, the other thing I’d seen him in was “Pricilla, Queen of the Desert” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2014, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-actors-you-did-not-realize-were-in-a-movie-you-saw-until-someone-told-you/685381/44 "2014-04-06T19:43:02Z")
I’ve seen Agnes Moorehead in a number of things over the years. Much better actress than the role of \*“Endora” in “Bewitched” called for. I have seen her in a number of things before she appeared in “Bewitched,” and have never recognized her until I saw her name in the credits (obviously sans wig and makeup). \*But, you know, actors don’t like to turn down the opportunity for a steady paycheck. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2014, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-actors-you-did-not-realize-were-in-a-movie-you-saw-until-someone-told-you/685381/45 "2014-04-07T01:19:37Z")
Many people don’t realize this, but before finding work as the stern, upright butler of Downton Abbey, [Mr. Carson](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoBekMr6-Lg) was in the French Resistance. Now, whenever Mr. Carson talks about duty or family honor, all I see is the dude who sneezed into his hands, wailed like a walrus and jumped out a window. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2014, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-actors-you-did-not-realize-were-in-a-movie-you-saw-until-someone-told-you/685381/46 "2014-04-07T02:25:37Z")
I never knew Christopher Guest was the man with six fingers in Princess Bride until I heard an interview with him just yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2014, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-actors-you-did-not-realize-were-in-a-movie-you-saw-until-someone-told-you/685381/47 "2014-04-07T02:38:09Z")
It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I come to find out that Amy Farrah Fowler from The Big Bang Theory was Blossom. And I’ve been watching BBT since its inception. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2014, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-actors-you-did-not-realize-were-in-a-movie-you-saw-until-someone-told-you/685381/48 "2014-04-07T10:02:50Z")
David Krumholtz, Peter MacNicol and Christine Baranski in **Addams Family Values**. Dick York and Harry Morgan in **Inherit the Wind**. Peter Graves in **Stalag 17**. ---
**Author:** ![flaming\_yawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cab0a1/32.png) [@flaming\_yawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flaming_yawn)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2014, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-actors-you-did-not-realize-were-in-a-movie-you-saw-until-someone-told-you/685381/49 "2014-04-07T14:56:54Z")
In our family were still refer to cartoon voices characters as the actors names… for example if Patrick Warburton is in something we refer to him as Kronk or my husband and I will say Puddy and John Leguizamo will always be the sloth from Ice Age… ---
**Author:** ![DZedNConfused](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dzednconfused/32/15991_2.png) [@DZedNConfused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DZedNConfused)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2014, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-actors-you-did-not-realize-were-in-a-movie-you-saw-until-someone-told-you/685381/50 "2014-04-07T15:15:00Z")
> [@flaming\_yawn](#): > > In our family were still refer to cartoon voices characters as the actors names… I do that too! I’m awful with names especialy Japanese names… “Dude, that’s Sanji!” ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2014, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-actors-you-did-not-realize-were-in-a-movie-you-saw-until-someone-told-you/685381/51 "2014-04-07T16:53:34Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I come to find out that Amy Farrah Fowler from The Big Bang Theory was Blossom. > > And I’ve been watching BBT since its inception. :smack: Raj even mentioned it in one episode. I think it was the one where they are going to put a team in the quiz bowl and they are thinking of people to replace Sheldon. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-actors-you-did-not-realize-were-in-a-movie-you-saw-until-someone-told-you/685381/52 "2014-04-10T07:02:54Z")
> [@nevadaexile](#): > > My SO had to point out Keith Richards from The Rolling Stones in _ **Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End** _ as I didn’t recognize him. Oh Man! :smack::smack::smack::smack::smack: That’s the whole reason I went to see that movie. Keith Richards as a pirate. What a natch! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-actors-you-did-not-realize-were-in-a-movie-you-saw-until-someone-told-you/685381/53 "2014-04-10T07:11:19Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Gary Oldman in half of his movies, for me. There have been several movies (Fifth Element, The Professional, Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban, Batman Returns) where I didn’t recognize him and thought “Wow, this guy’s great… he should get more work…” > > I saw that he was going to be in HP and the Next Movie, and thought “Wow, I wonder who he’s going to play? That’ll be… oh, yeah… probably Sirius Black.” > > Then again, maybe I just have a memory problem… I couldn’t believe this when I heard it but Gary Oldman received his _first_ Academy Award Nomination for [Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinker_Tailor_Soldier_Spy_%28film%29) His first??!? :smack: :smack: :smack: Ever see [Sid and Nancy?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sid_and_Nancy) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-actors-you-did-not-realize-were-in-a-movie-you-saw-until-someone-told-you/685381/54 "2014-04-10T07:14:21Z")
> [@zbuzz](#): > > Many people don’t realize this, but before finding work as the stern, upright butler of Downton Abbey, [Mr. Carson](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoBekMr6-Lg) was in the French Resistance. The first time I stumbled on _Downton Abbey_ while channel surfing, I had a moment of deja vu. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-actors-you-did-not-realize-were-in-a-movie-you-saw-until-someone-told-you/685381/55 "2014-04-10T10:29:58Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I come to find out that Amy Farrah Fowler from The Big Bang Theory was Blossom. > > And I’ve been watching BBT since its inception. :smack: > [@Kimballkid](#): > > Raj even mentioned it in one episode. I think it was the one where they are going to put a team in the quiz bowl and they are thinking of people to replace Sheldon. That was in the first season, before Mayim Bialik joined the show. > [@](#): > > \*Howard: Okay, we’re going to need a strong fourth for our team. > > Raj: You know who’s apparently very smart, is the girl who played TV’s Blossom. She got a PhD in neuroscience or something. > > Leonard: Raj, we’re not getting TV’s Blossom to join our physics bowl team.\* ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-actors-you-did-not-realize-were-in-a-movie-you-saw-until-someone-told-you/685381/56 "2014-04-10T15:20:24Z")
Cristin Milioti - the Mother on How I met Your Mother says her own costars didn’t recognize her in Wolf of Wall Street. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2014, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-actors-you-did-not-realize-were-in-a-movie-you-saw-until-someone-told-you/685381/57 "2014-04-13T09:36:36Z")
See this guy from [The Silence of the Lambs.](https://www.google.com/search?q=ted+levine&biw=1787&bih=853&tbm=isch&imgil=wkSyj9CEtk8XAM%253A%253Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fencrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com%252Fimages%253Fq%253Dtbn%253AANd9GcSohPRXOmiUKfI9PlK8R0a_Rxoo6htx6873nWt8UBdHqvvbGPTB%253B400%253B300%253B7wEU2lmTauPJqM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.ew.com%25252Few%25252Fgallery%25252F0%25252C%25252C20289565_20471359%25252C00.html&source=iu&usg=__PARn4XRrgbGSaF7q2pnOeGlxbNI%3D&sa=X&ei=dFhKU-GLDKqGyQGi3YG4CA&sqi=2&ved=0CJYBEP4dMAw#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=WQGrEcF5OsIIqM%253A%3BflwHpaBPEUfJ8M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fhdwallpappers.com%252Fimages%252Fwallpapers%252Fted-levine-wallpaper.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fhdwallpappers.com%252Fted-levine-wallpaper%252F%3B1600%3B1208) He was[this guy from Monk.](https://www.google.com/search?q=ted+levine&biw=1787&bih=853&tbm=isch&imgil=wkSyj9CEtk8XAM%253A%253Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fencrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com%252Fimages%253Fq%253Dtbn%253AANd9GcSohPRXOmiUKfI9PlK8R0a_Rxoo6htx6873nWt8UBdHqvvbGPTB%253B400%253B300%253B7wEU2lmTauPJqM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.ew.com%25252Few%25252Fgallery%25252F0%25252C%25252C20289565_20471359%25252C00.html&source=iu&usg=__PARn4XRrgbGSaF7q2pnOeGlxbNI%3D&sa=X&ei=dFhKU-GLDKqGyQGi3YG4CA&sqi=2&ved=0CJYBEP4dMAw#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=4IUDHW5jwjZOzM%253A%3BSzSX3BDdEb3ciM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.nndb.com%252Fpeople%252F238%252F000079001%252Fted-levine-2-sized.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.nndb.com%252Fpeople%252F238%252F000079001%252F%3B245%3B334) No shit. ---
**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:** [April 13, 2014, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-actors-you-did-not-realize-were-in-a-movie-you-saw-until-someone-told-you/685381/58 "2014-04-13T13:25:24Z")
When I saw The Hunger Games, I totally didn’t recognize Jennifer Lawrence from X-Men: First Class. Granted, in X-Men, she was mostly blue and naked, but still… ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2014, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-actors-you-did-not-realize-were-in-a-movie-you-saw-until-someone-told-you/685381/59 "2014-04-13T17:45:59Z")
> [@Little\_Pig](#): > > See this guy from [The Silence of the Lambs.](https://www.google.com/search?q=ted+levine&biw=1787&bih=853&tbm=isch&imgil=wkSyj9CEtk8XAM%253A%253Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fencrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com%252Fimages%253Fq%253Dtbn%253AANd9GcSohPRXOmiUKfI9PlK8R0a_Rxoo6htx6873nWt8UBdHqvvbGPTB%253B400%253B300%253B7wEU2lmTauPJqM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.ew.com%25252Few%25252Fgallery%25252F0%25252C%25252C20289565_20471359%25252C00.html&source=iu&usg=__PARn4XRrgbGSaF7q2pnOeGlxbNI%3D&sa=X&ei=dFhKU-GLDKqGyQGi3YG4CA&sqi=2&ved=0CJYBEP4dMAw#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=WQGrEcF5OsIIqM%253A%3BflwHpaBPEUfJ8M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fhdwallpappers.com%252Fimages%252Fwallpapers%252Fted-levine-wallpaper.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fhdwallpappers.com%252Fted-levine-wallpaper%252F%3B1600%3B1208) He was[this guy from Monk.](https://www.google.com/search?q=ted+levine&biw=1787&bih=853&tbm=isch&imgil=wkSyj9CEtk8XAM%253A%253Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fencrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com%252Fimages%253Fq%253Dtbn%253AANd9GcSohPRXOmiUKfI9PlK8R0a_Rxoo6htx6873nWt8UBdHqvvbGPTB%253B400%253B300%253B7wEU2lmTauPJqM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.ew.com%25252Few%25252Fgallery%25252F0%25252C%25252C20289565_20471359%25252C00.html&source=iu&usg=__PARn4XRrgbGSaF7q2pnOeGlxbNI%3D&sa=X&ei=dFhKU-GLDKqGyQGi3YG4CA&sqi=2&ved=0CJYBEP4dMAw#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=4IUDHW5jwjZOzM%253A%3BSzSX3BDdEb3ciM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.nndb.com%252Fpeople%252F238%252F000079001%252Fted-levine-2-sized.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.nndb.com%252Fpeople%252F238%252F000079001%252F%3B245%3B334) No shit. Hey **Piggie** , check out [post 30](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17261488&postcount=30). No shit. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-actors-you-did-not-realize-were-in-a-movie-you-saw-until-someone-told-you/685381/60 "2014-04-14T01:41:02Z")
> [@Svejk\_1](#): > > Hey **Piggie** , check out [post 30](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17261488&postcount=30). No shit. :smack::smack::smack::smack::smack: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-actors-you-did-not-realize-were-in-a-movie-you-saw-until-someone-told-you/685381.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/familiar-actors-you-did-not-realize-were-in-a-movie-you-saw-until-someone-told-you/685381.md?page=4)