# James Spader and John Lithgow **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 16, 2018, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-spader-and-john-lithgow/808930 "2018-02-16T15:24:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NiceGuyJack](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/niceguyjack/32/3069_2.png) [@NiceGuyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NiceGuyJack)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-spader-and-john-lithgow/808930/1 "2018-02-16T15:24:31Z")
I watched Seth Meyer interview James Spader and I could swear he is so like John Lithgow. His voice, accent and mannerism so similar, and that laugh was spot on. They even look a bit alike. Anyone else noticed this? Or am I imagining things? [James Spader](https://youtu.be/lRGQGuo2w2M) [John Lithgow](https://youtu.be/UL8py0w08ss) Out of curiosity, any other actors who seem the same? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-spader-and-john-lithgow/808930/2 "2018-02-16T15:29:41Z")
Wow, apparently I haven’t seen James Spader in a few years. He got really, uh, John Lithgow-y. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-spader-and-john-lithgow/808930/3 "2018-02-16T16:10:31Z")
You’re right. I only watched the Spader interview, but his voice and inflections really do sound like Lithgow. Lithgow went to Harvard and Spader attended Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass… Maybe there is an upper-class, New England accent in common? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-spader-and-john-lithgow/808930/4 "2018-02-16T16:13:02Z")
Not surprising both have north east private school backgrounds. Upper class NE accents and mannerisms. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-spader-and-john-lithgow/808930/5 "2018-02-16T19:10:43Z")
I’d never noticed the similarity, but as soon as I read your OP, I thought “yeah, I can see that.” There is an oft-commented on similarity (of looks, not sure about mannerisms) between Sigourney Weaver and Susan Sarandon. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-spader-and-john-lithgow/808930/6 "2018-02-16T20:03:28Z")
Spacer channeled Jack Nicholson in the 80s. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-spader-and-john-lithgow/808930/7 "2018-02-16T20:36:07Z")
Both of them are actors that I enjoy watching. Like, I think their characters are always worth watching for even if the overall show/movie is a drag. ---
**Author:** ![Bic\_D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bic\_D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bic_D)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2018, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-spader-and-john-lithgow/808930/8 "2018-02-16T21:23:51Z")
Not sure how to post pics but 4 sets of celebs come to mind… Any Adams and Isla Fisher [https://pixel.nymag.com/imgs/daily/vulture/2016/11/17/17-isla-fisher-amy-adams.w710.h473.2x.jpg](https://pixel.nymag.com/imgs/daily/vulture/2016/11/17/17-isla-fisher-amy-adams.w710.h473.2x.jpg) Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Javier Bardem [https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2017-09/28/21/campaign\_images/buzzfeed-prod-web-07/javier-bardem-or-jeffrey-dean-morgan-2-7016-1506649157-0\_dblbig.jpg](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2017-09/28/21/campaign_images/buzzfeed-prod-web-07/javier-bardem-or-jeffrey-dean-morgan-2-7016-1506649157-0_dblbig.jpg) Katy Perry and Zooey Deschanel [https://cdn2.list25.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Katy-Perry-and-Zooey-Deschanel2-300x262.jpg](https://cdn2.list25.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Katy-Perry-and-Zooey-Deschanel2-300x262.jpg) Thandie Newton and Zoe Saldana [http://iambored.pro/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2-zoe-saldana-looks-like-thandie-newton-iambored-pro.jpg](http://iambored.pro/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2-zoe-saldana-looks-like-thandie-newton-iambored-pro.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-spader-and-john-lithgow/808930/9 "2018-02-19T16:19:36Z")
> [@Bic\_D](#): > > Not sure how to post pics but 4 sets of celebs come to mind… > > Any Adams and Isla Fisher [https://pixel.nymag.com/imgs/daily/vulture/2016/11/17/17-isla-fisher-amy-adams.w710.h473.2x.jpg](https://pixel.nymag.com/imgs/daily/vulture/2016/11/17/17-isla-fisher-amy-adams.w710.h473.2x.jpg) > Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Javier Bardem [https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2017-09/28/21/campaign\_images/buzzfeed-prod-web-07/javier-bardem-or-jeffrey-dean-morgan-2-7016-1506649157-0\_dblbig.jpg](https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2017-09/28/21/campaign_images/buzzfeed-prod-web-07/javier-bardem-or-jeffrey-dean-morgan-2-7016-1506649157-0_dblbig.jpg) > Katy Perry and Zooey Deschanel [https://cdn2.list25.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Katy-Perry-and-Zooey-Deschanel2-300x262.jpg](https://cdn2.list25.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Katy-Perry-and-Zooey-Deschanel2-300x262.jpg) > Thandie Newton and Zoe Saldana [http://iambored.pro/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2-zoe-saldana-looks-like-thandie-newton-iambored-pro.jpg](http://iambored.pro/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2-zoe-saldana-looks-like-thandie-newton-iambored-pro.jpg) The actress that plays Kevin’s (Jason Ritter) sister, Johanna Garcia Swisher looks like Amy Adams too - I thought it was her at first. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-spader-and-john-lithgow/808930/10 "2018-02-19T20:27:23Z")
Keira Knightley and Natalie Portman Will Ferrel and Chad Smith Andy Samberg and Jesse Eisenberg. But Eisenberg acts like Michael Cera Penelope Cruz and Paz Vega Lawrence Fishburne and Samuel L. Jackson ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-spader-and-john-lithgow/808930/11 "2018-02-19T21:33:10Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > I’d never noticed the similarity, but as soon as I read your OP, I thought “yeah, I can see that.” That’s kinda what I thought. Keeping in mind I know very little of Spader, I feel like Lithgow is kinda strange and Spader is acting kinda strange. Look at James Spader on the Office and John Lithgow on 3rd Rock. Lithgow was 100% believable but I always felt like Spader was being odd for the sake of being odd. I never watched The Practice or Boston Legal. Was he like that on those as well? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-spader-and-john-lithgow/808930/12 "2018-02-19T21:54:54Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Spacer channeled Jack Nicholson in the 80s. I thought that was Christian Slater’s role. Yeah, Spader does take quirky roles for the sake of being quirky, but his Reddington makes the rest of The Blacklist bearable. And his smarmy Steff in Pretty in Pink was excellent. Whereas I find John Lithgow unwatchable.