# Movie/TV roles you would have sworn were played by somebody else **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 6, 2009, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-tv-roles-you-would-have-sworn-were-played-by-somebody-else/512784 "2009-10-06T05:09:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-tv-roles-you-would-have-sworn-were-played-by-somebody-else/512784/1 "2009-10-06T05:09:48Z")
It’s a good thing I don’t make bets on pop culture things I’m absolutely certain of, because I’d lose at least half the time. [Not too long ago](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=519987), for example, I would have _sworn_ that Paul Giamatti’s role in _The Illusionist_ was played by Chris Elliot (though I’d point out that it was on a very small screen with the sound turned off). I was also _certain_ that Geena Davis played the older version of herself in [_A League of Their Own_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104694/), though later I found out the older woman was actually Lynn Cartwright. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2009, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-tv-roles-you-would-have-sworn-were-played-by-somebody-else/512784/2 "2009-10-06T12:04:14Z")
I’d never heard of Patton Oswalt when I saw **Ratatouille**. I would have sword it was Richard Dreyfus doing the voiceof Remy. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2009, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-tv-roles-you-would-have-sworn-were-played-by-somebody-else/512784/3 "2009-10-06T13:40:15Z")
Caught the middle of the movie _Wild Wild West_ and when I saw the character of [Dr. Arliss Loveless](http://www.hotflick.net/flicks/1999_Wild_Wild_West/1999_Wild_Wild_West_145.jpg), I thought I was watching [Kevin Corrigan](http://upload.moldova.org/movie/actors/k/kevin_corrigan/kevin_corrigan.jpg) (Eddie Finnerty from _Grounded for Life_ and Mark from _Superbad_). ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-tv-roles-you-would-have-sworn-were-played-by-somebody-else/512784/4 "2009-10-06T14:23:13Z")
I thought sure Senator Petronius in the 1951 Quo Vadis? was James Mason, not Leo Genn. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-tv-roles-you-would-have-sworn-were-played-by-somebody-else/512784/5 "2009-10-06T15:14:18Z")
From the trailers for _Zombieland_, I was sure that the main character was played by Michael Cera, but it’s actually someone named Jesse Eisenberg. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2009, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-tv-roles-you-would-have-sworn-were-played-by-somebody-else/512784/6 "2009-10-06T15:27:23Z")
I would have sworn that Kathleen Freeman played “the concierge” in Mel Brooks’ “The Producers.” But no. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2009, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-tv-roles-you-would-have-sworn-were-played-by-somebody-else/512784/7 "2009-10-06T16:04:33Z")
This is hardly a new one, but I didn’t find out till many years after As Good as it Gets came out that it’s [Skeet Ulrich](http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTM5OTY3ODk3OV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwMTAwMzY2._V1._SX332_SY400_.jpg) and not my beloved [Johnny](http://vmchick.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/johnny_depp.jpg)who played the hustler that beats up Greg Kinnear. Also, as I posted a few days ago, I always thought [this](http://thefreshcracker.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/zelda1.jpg) was Amanda Plummer. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-tv-roles-you-would-have-sworn-were-played-by-somebody-else/512784/8 "2009-10-06T18:10:07Z")
The Doctor in Doctor Who. I could have sworn it was [this guy.](http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/gallery/fourthdoctor/images/800/01.html) Then, I watch it again, and I see it’s [this guy!](http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/medialibrary/images/800/s4_02_wal_03.jpg?size=800&promo=/doctorwho/medialibrary/images/main-promo/s4_02_wal_03.jpg&purpose=Computer%20wallpaper&summary=In%20the%20moment.&info=&tag_file_id=s4_02_wal_03) Weird, huh? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-tv-roles-you-would-have-sworn-were-played-by-somebody-else/512784/9 "2009-10-06T19:45:33Z")
Up until I saw the end credits, I incorrectly thought it was Amy Sederis playing Violet’s mother in **Charlie and the Chocolate Factory**. Instead, it was Missi Pyle. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-tv-roles-you-would-have-sworn-were-played-by-somebody-else/512784/10 "2009-10-07T10:00:18Z")
For a long time when I thought about the old TV show [“The Equalizer”](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088513/) I could have sworn the main character was played by Michael Caine. It wasn’t until I mentioned to my wife who argued with me about it forcing me to look it up on-line did I find out that I was wrong. ---
**Author:** ![HamaMotoMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d78d45/32.png) [@HamaMotoMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HamaMotoMan)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-tv-roles-you-would-have-sworn-were-played-by-somebody-else/512784/11 "2009-10-07T12:00:03Z")
Used to get that guy who plays Eric Foreman in That 70`s show confused with Tobey Maguire . I often have arguments with my ex about Chow Yun Fat and Ken Watanabe NOT being the same man. ---
**Author:** ![Brainiac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8797f3/32.png) [@Brainiac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brainiac)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-tv-roles-you-would-have-sworn-were-played-by-somebody-else/512784/12 "2009-10-07T12:17:29Z")
I was positive Courteney Cox was in “Sex, Lies and Videotape.”, but I find no reference will back me up on that. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-tv-roles-you-would-have-sworn-were-played-by-somebody-else/512784/13 "2009-10-07T16:58:42Z")
I would have sworn that it was Ray Liotta as the psychotic nutcase in _Dead Calm_. Saw it again and realized it was Billy Zane. Ray would have been a fine choice for the role as well. ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-tv-roles-you-would-have-sworn-were-played-by-somebody-else/512784/14 "2009-10-07T20:07:29Z")
I coulda sworn Amy Adams played the lead role in “Confessions of a Shopaholic”, not Isla Fisher. J. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-tv-roles-you-would-have-sworn-were-played-by-somebody-else/512784/15 "2009-10-07T21:27:07Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > This is hardly a new one, but I didn’t find out till many years after As Good as it Gets came out that it’s [Skeet Ulrich](http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTM5OTY3ODk3OV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTYwMTAwMzY2._V1._SX332_SY400_.jpg) and not my beloved [Johnny](http://vmchick.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/johnny_depp.jpg)who played the hustler that beats up Greg Kinnear. > > Also, as I posted a few days ago, I always thought [this](http://thefreshcracker.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/zelda1.jpg) > was Amanda Plummer. I recently had an argument with the boyfriend who insisted Depp was in Scream. I said no, but he was positive. Then I had a suspicion it was going to be Skeet Ulrich so I used my handy dandy iphone to immediately look it up and prove it to him. But then he claims it’s too small to read, “I’ll just have to take your word for it”. I hate when he does that. ---
**Author:** ![middleman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@middleman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/middleman)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-tv-roles-you-would-have-sworn-were-played-by-somebody-else/512784/16 "2009-10-07T22:02:52Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > From the trailers for _Zombieland_, I was sure that the main character was played by Michael Cera, but it’s actually someone named Jesse Eisenberg. I read an interview with JE recently where he admits to being the ppor man’s Michael Cera. I always gave Susan Sarandon credit for starring as Ms. Scarlett in clue and for appearing in Aerosmith’s Janie Got a Gun video. Then I learned there is a person named Leslie Ann Warren. ---
**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:** [October 8, 2009, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-tv-roles-you-would-have-sworn-were-played-by-somebody-else/512784/17 "2009-10-08T10:03:27Z")
I was positive that [Luis Guzmán](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0350079/) ([picture](http://l.yimg.com/l/tv/us/img/site/99/65/0000039965_20070522135915.jpg)) played the bad guy in Ghost. I would have kept on thinking this until I watched the Starz Character Actor thing from a couple months back. One of the topics was how the public confuses character actors, thinking they played roles they didn’t. Then they get to Luis, who tells the story about how the majority of times when people recognize him, they tell him how much they loved Ghost. Poor guy; that must be annoying. In the interest of disclosure, the bad guy from Ghost was played by [Rick Aviles](http://www.filmdope.com/Gallery/ActorsA/727.gif). ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2009, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-tv-roles-you-would-have-sworn-were-played-by-somebody-else/512784/18 "2009-10-08T10:17:47Z")
For some reason I thought [Barbara Bel Geddes](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001656/) was in Sunset Boulevard. She [wasn’t](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0647970/bio). > [@Koxinga](#): > > I was also _certain_ that Geena Davis played the older version of herself in [_A League of Their Own_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104694/), though later I found out the older woman was actually Lynn Cartwright. That one’s completely understandable. Not only was Cartwright cast because of a strong physical resemblance to Davis, but Davis dubbed her voice. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2009, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-tv-roles-you-would-have-sworn-were-played-by-somebody-else/512784/19 "2009-10-08T15:00:35Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > I was positive that [Luis Guzmán](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0350079/) ([picture](http://l.yimg.com/l/tv/us/img/site/99/65/0000039965_20070522135915.jpg)) played the bad guy in Ghost. :eek: Well, there’s another one for me. I guess any rough-looking Mexican baddie gets mistaken either for Guzman or [Danny Trejo](http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=danny%20trejo&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi).