# Name a movie where two actors play the same character. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 16, 2005, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-movie-where-two-actors-play-the-same-character/294860 "2005-03-16T18:49:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-movie-where-two-actors-play-the-same-character/294860/41 "2005-03-16T22:42:10Z")
> [@Bryan Ekers](#): > > The feat is somewhat matched by Kate Winslet and Gloria Stuart both being nominated for acting Oscars for playing the same character in the _same_ movie; _Titanic_. Similarly, both Kate Winslet and Judi Dench were nominated for the title character in _Iris_. ---
**Author:** ![andrewdt85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71e660/32.png) [@andrewdt85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewdt85)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-movie-where-two-actors-play-the-same-character/294860/42 "2005-03-16T22:43:34Z")
Between Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions, the Oracle actress dies, hence the change. ---
**Author:** ![andrewdt85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71e660/32.png) [@andrewdt85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewdt85)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-movie-where-two-actors-play-the-same-character/294860/43 "2005-03-16T22:44:45Z")
And in Reloaded those twins things are two different guys inhabiting one entity- score unusual one for me! ---
**Author:** ![andrewdt85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71e660/32.png) [@andrewdt85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewdt85)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-movie-where-two-actors-play-the-same-character/294860/44 "2005-03-16T22:46:48Z")
In the first two Scream films, two actors end up representing ‘the killer’ Okay, smack me if I add another one. ---
**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:** [March 16, 2005, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-movie-where-two-actors-play-the-same-character/294860/45 "2005-03-16T22:57:29Z")
**Gangster No. 1** - Malcolm McDowell’s character was played in flashbacks by Paul Bettany. **Now and Then** : All four female leads were played by famous younger actors in the flashback scenes: Rosie O’Donnell --\> Christina Ricci Melanie Griffith --\> Thora Birch Demi Moore --\> Gaby Hoffmann Rita Wilson --\> Ashleigh Aston Moore > [@](#): > > It can include a series or sequel. That would make this thread endless, would it not? James Bond, M, Moneypenny, Blofeld, Felix Lighter, Dumbledore, Jack Ryan, etc etc ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-movie-where-two-actors-play-the-same-character/294860/46 "2005-03-16T22:59:23Z")
If TV movies count, there were three (count them three) actresses (including herself) who played Patty Duke in the [the movie version](http://imdb.com/title/tt0099209/) of her autobio _Call Me Anna_. I think, however, that the imdb has the credits wrong as the youngest actress listed would have been 21 and playing Patty as a 7 year old. If you add in Kathy, that’s actually two characters each that they played. Two actresses played Celie in _The Color Purple_, one as an adolescent and the other when she turns into Whoopi Goldberg. Some of the characters on _The Simpsons_ have been played by two actresses if I’m not mistaken. ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-movie-where-two-actors-play-the-same-character/294860/47 "2005-03-16T23:06:24Z")
> [@HPL](#): > > If Casino Royale counts, then it’s the most actors playing a single character ever, particulary at the end. Does that count? Sure, they had the same code name, but Jimmy Bond was his nephew, and the others were just other people with the same code name. Kinda like in the “real” Bond movies, now that I think of it. (If everyone can pretend that sequels never happened, than I can pretend that there is a reason why James Bond looks like different people.) ---
**Author:** ![tripthicket](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripthicket/32/297_2.png) [@tripthicket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tripthicket)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2005, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-movie-where-two-actors-play-the-same-character/294860/48 "2005-03-16T23:35:34Z")
**Mare Winningham** and **Judy Ledford** as Julia North in _Who Is Julia?_ Sort of, anyway. Mare plays most of the movie as Julia’s brain in Mary Frances Bodine’s body. Interesting movie. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-movie-where-two-actors-play-the-same-character/294860/49 "2005-03-17T00:15:18Z")
The TV show _Cold Case Files_ often has two different actors playing a part in different eras. Their casting is phenomenal – Each pair of actors really looks like older and younger versions of the same individual. The best was, I think, the '70s disco murder - all these Farrah Fawcet clones who are now tenured professors, bank presidents, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-movie-where-two-actors-play-the-same-character/294860/50 "2005-03-17T14:37:21Z")
The young Yuri Zhivago was played by Tarik Sharif, son of Omar. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-movie-where-two-actors-play-the-same-character/294860/51 "2005-03-17T15:21:52Z")
Also - how about “Full House”? Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen played Michelle. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-movie-where-two-actors-play-the-same-character/294860/52 "2005-03-17T17:45:18Z")
How about _Babe_ and its sequel? I read over fifty different actors played the title role during production. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-movie-where-two-actors-play-the-same-character/294860/53 "2005-03-17T18:09:54Z")
Any movie that ever used a stunt double. ---
**Author:** ![HeadNinja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b4bc9f/32.png) [@HeadNinja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeadNinja)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-movie-where-two-actors-play-the-same-character/294860/54 "2005-03-17T19:59:42Z")
Keyser Söze Even 10 years later I won’t spoil it, but it isn’t the same guy that shows up in the flashback. The Importance of Being Earnest. In which evereyone plays Earnest, but no one is. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-movie-where-two-actors-play-the-same-character/294860/55 "2005-03-17T21:11:28Z")
> [@HeadNinja](#): > > Keyser Söze > Even 10 years later I won’t spoil it, but it isn’t the same guy that shows up in the flashback. HUGE freakin’ spoiler, but I have to, to correct the above. **DO NOT LOOK IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE MOVIE (The Usual Suspects) BECAUSE THIS IS THE ENTIRE SECRET AND THE WHOLE BASIS FOR THE FILM!!!** There IS no Keyser Soze. Any portrayal of him as a character was a figment of Verbal Kint’s storytelling. So, no, it’s not the same guy that shows up in the flashback, because it’s not a flashback - it never happened. ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-movie-where-two-actors-play-the-same-character/294860/56 "2005-03-17T21:27:55Z")
Disney’s The Kid. Bruce Willis is a man who’s earlier self comes forward in time to remind him about the important things in life. ---
**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:** [March 17, 2005, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-movie-where-two-actors-play-the-same-character/294860/57 "2005-03-17T22:34:07Z")
Dylan and Sprouse Cole (twins) played the kid in _Big Daddy_. Speaking of the Cole twins: In the TV show _Grace Under Fire_, grace had four children who, over the course of the series, were played by seven actors (three of them playing the one son). There are also lots of movies where one actor plays numerous characters (_The Nutty Professor, Joe Versus the Volcano, Kind Hearts and Coronets, etc_). Was there ever a _Doctor Who_ show featuring three or more iterations of the Doctor? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2005, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-movie-where-two-actors-play-the-same-character/294860/58 "2005-03-17T22:51:39Z")
> [@LifeOnWry](#): > > HUGE freakin’ spoiler, but I have to, to correct the above. **DO NOT LOOK IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE MOVIE (The Usual Suspects) BECAUSE THIS IS THE ENTIRE SECRET AND THE WHOLE BASIS FOR THE FILM!!!** > > There IS no Keyser Soze. Any portrayal of him as a character was a figment of Verbal Kint’s storytelling. So, no, it’s not the same guy that shows up in the flashback, because it’s not a flashback - it never happened. Actually… Kint IS Keyser Soze. Keaton addresses him as such and the burned Hungarian names and describes Kint as Soze. I know all the flashbacks are fake, but the Soze-hunting Hungarians are real, as is the 93-million-dollar informant. The film’s opening scene, where a mysterious man pisses out a fire and then shoots Keaton, is _not_ a flashback. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-movie-where-two-actors-play-the-same-character/294860/59 "2005-03-18T01:49:23Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > Was there ever a _Doctor Who_ show featuring three or more iterations of the Doctor? There was “the Five Doctors”. When it was made, William Hartnell, the first Doctor, had died, so another actor filled in for him. Tom Baker only appeared briefly, in a scene cut from a show that I understand didn’t actually air. He and the second Romana got caught up in some kind of time warp and didn’t really function in the plot. But Patrick Troughton was there, John Pertwee, with Sarah Jane, and Peter Davison. Oh, and at least two actors have played the Master, Roger Delgado and Anthony Ainley. I’m not counting whoever was under the makeup in that episode that took place on Gallifrey, with Tom Baker. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2005, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-movie-where-two-actors-play-the-same-character/294860/60 "2005-03-18T02:47:29Z")
I got dragged to this one by my girlfriend, but I have 2 in the same movie: Ryan Gosling/James Garner as Noah, and Rachel McAdams/Gena Rowlands as Allie in _The Notebook_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-movie-where-two-actors-play-the-same-character/294860.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-a-movie-where-two-actors-play-the-same-character/294860.md?page=4)