Movies that are ruined by actors from other vehicles

[Chefguy]

@Hampshire

A couple more from The Wire.
I now see Wendell Pierce on the show Chicago PD. Everytime I see him I get angry and want to yell “Dammit Bunk, you went and sold out to become a slimy Chicago politician!”
And anytime I see Idris Elba in anything I think he’s shady just like Stringer Bell.

I had the same problem when both Pierce and Clarke Peters showed up on Treme. I’ve also noticed Omar in a couple of things, but that distinctive scar makes it difficult to imagine him as someone else.

[Chimera]

Now go back and watch the Errol Flynn Robin Hood (1938) and try not to see Little John (Alan Hale Sr.) as his son (Alan Hale Jr), the Skipper from Gilligan’s Island.

[Andy_L]

@Chimera

Now go back and watch the Errol Flynn Robin Hood (1938) and try not to see Little John (Alan Hale Sr.) as his son (Alan Hale Jr), the Skipper from Gilligan’s Island.

So close. You could have written "Now sit right back and watch the Errol Flynn Robin Hood (1938) and try not to see Little John (Alan Hale Sr.) as his son (Alan Hale Jr), the Skipper from Gilligan’s Island.

[Annie-Xmas]

Actor John Ritter had a recurring role on the long-running family drama “The Waltons” in 1972-1977. He played the role of the Rev. Matt Fordwick, a young minister who arrives on Walton Mountain. The show followed his courtship of schoolmistress Rosemary, their subsequent marriage and later, the birth of their baby.

I always wonder if that baby grew up, was estranged from his father, changed his name to Jack Tripper, and move in with two women and pretended to be gay to stick it to the Reverend.

[Prof.Pepperwinkle]

I love The Princess Bride but I am always taken out of the story with, “Look, that’s Billy Crystal” and “Hey, that’s Peter Cook”.

[GreedySmurf]

@Loach

It’s not ruined for me but every actor in Band of Brothers is always going to be primarily associated with that no matter what else they pop up in. With the exception of David Schwimmer because he will always be Ross.

That’s why I couldn’t get into Homeland, I couldn’t get past Damien Lewis as Richard Winters.

[Chefguy]

I agree about Hugo Weaving in LOTR. I kept expecting him to intone “MIS-ter Bag-innns!” And of course there is James Gandolfini, who will always and forever be Tony Soprano, even in death. Hell, even seeing him in an earlier movie (Get Shorty) triggers that same response.

[TBG]

Doctor Who as Skynet’s personification in Terminator Genesys. I actually like the movie, but that was weird. Weirder than Bruce Wayne as John Connor in Salvation.

[Kent_Clark]

@CalMeacham

You know that this has been going on for quite a while, don’t you?

Disney used the voice talents of some famous folk in his films in the 1940s, although they were narrators, not speaking the parts of characters (Edgar Bergen and Dinak Shore in Fun and Fancy Free, Robert Benchley (sorta) in the Reluctant Dragon).

Peggy Lee got to play multiple voice roles in Lady and the Tramp, but all were subsidiary roles. There were also roles played by noted character actors, but no significant famous actors in main roles.

The first animated feature I know of to use Big Name Actors to voice leads was the 1962 UPA film Gay Purr-ee, which starred Judy Garland, Robert Goulet, Red Buttons, and Hermione Gingold alongside such experienced cartoon voice actors as Mel Blanc and Paul Frees.

Disney started doing more of it by the late 1960s and was into it in a big way by the end of the 1970s.

I stipulate to all of that, but even in Gay Purr-ee and The Aristocats, the stars were suited to the roles. I’m talking about the Williams/Aladdin type of casting, where, at best, they write the character to fit the star, even if it doesn’t quite fit into the film. Call it product placement for voices.

[WildaBeast]

As soon as I saw this thread I immediately thought of Chris Pratt in Zero Dark Thirty. His character showed up very late in the film, and didn’t really get enough screen time for me to see him as a tough Marine and not the dumb but lovable slacker he played on Parks and Recreation.

I guess for me, in the “not ruined but very mildly distracting” category is Tony Shalhoub in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. I can see that Abe Weissman definitely isn’t Adrian Monk, but I can’t help but keep noticing certain Monk-like aspects of Abe’s personality. Like how Abe like’s to plan things out in a very scientific way, and I think “that’s the kind of thing Monk would do.”

@Chefguy

And of course there is James Gandolfini, who will always and forever be Tony Soprano, even in death. Hell, even seeing him in an earlier movie (Get Shorty) triggers that same response.

If you haven’t already, go to YouTube and look up Gandolfini’s guest appearance on Sesame Street. It is totally surreal to see “Tony Soprano” showing up and talking to little kids about overcoming one’s fears.

[TBG]

@WildaBeast

I guess for me, in the “not ruined but very mildly distracting” category is Tony Shalhoub in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. I can see that Abe Weissman definitely isn’t Adrian Monk, but I can’t help but keep noticing certain Monk-like aspects of Abe’s personality. Like how Abe like’s to plan things out in a very scientific way, and I think “that’s the kind of thing Monk would do.”

To me, Tony Shaloub is, now and forever, immigrant cab driver Antonio Scarpacci in Nantucket.