# People Who Get Typecast as Histotical Characters

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-get-typecast-as-histotical-characters/313627>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [July 22, 2005, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-get-typecast-as-histotical-characters/313627 "2005-07-22T13:15:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![lhovis73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecd19e/32.png) [@lhovis73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lhovis73)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2005, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-get-typecast-as-histotical-characters/313627/41 "2005-07-25T18:08:16Z")

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Let’s not forget another of Martin Sheen’s historical roles: General Robert E. Lee in Gettysburg.

Gary Oldman isn’t exactly typecast for historical roles (not really a Masterpiece Theater sort of actor), but the list of historical figures he’s played is kinda interesting: Beethoven and Sid Vicious…Pontius Pilate and Joe Orton…Lee Harvey Oswald and Dracula…etc.

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**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2005, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-get-typecast-as-histotical-characters/313627/42 "2005-07-25T18:23:09Z")

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Ben Kingsley has always felt so typecast by his performance in **Gandhi** that he deliberately accepted the role in **Sexy Beast** to be as far opposite all the drippy peace and love stuff as humanly possible.

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**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:** [July 25, 2005, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-get-typecast-as-histotical-characters/313627/43 "2005-07-25T18:34:34Z")

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John Wayne always played John Wayne.

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**Author:** ![lhovis73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecd19e/32.png) [@lhovis73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lhovis73)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2005, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-get-typecast-as-histotical-characters/313627/44 "2005-07-25T18:38:42Z")

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Except when he played…Genghis Khan! (In The Conqueror )

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**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:** [July 25, 2005, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-get-typecast-as-histotical-characters/313627/45 "2005-07-25T19:25:50Z")

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> [@lhovis73](#):
>
> Except when he played…Genghis Khan! (In The Conqueror )

Yes, but the Wayne still shined through.

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**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\
**Post date:** [July 27, 2005, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-get-typecast-as-histotical-characters/313627/46 "2005-07-27T12:46:27Z")

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Rowan Atkinson has played several historical charactors from the noblility of England, from various periods. I believe he’s even played the ancestors of earlier charactors that he’s portrayed. What an actor!

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