# Performers that Completely Change the Character they Played **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [November 10, 2023, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performers-that-completely-change-the-character-they-played/992944 "2023-11-10T15:33:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2023, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performers-that-completely-change-the-character-they-played/992944/1 "2023-11-10T15:33:37Z")
George Lucas has said he wrote C-3P0 as a sleazy used car salesman type (you can see this in the dialogue of A New Hope. It’s especially evident in the Droid Sale early in the movie) but Anthony Daniels’ prim and proper performance just completely took over that character and it was changed for the rest of saga and franchise. While I have never seen anything official, it seems pretty clear that Tom Hiddleston’s charisma and popularity encouraged them to remake Loki into an anti hero rather than Thor’s foil. And while I don’t read it, my understanding is this has also changed the character in the comics as well. What are some other examples when the performance (or something about the actor or actress playing the part) changed the character from it’s original intent? ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2023, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performers-that-completely-change-the-character-they-played/992944/2 "2023-11-10T15:46:47Z")
Captain Jack Sparrow in the original POTC was supposed to be a heroic, swashbuckling, Errol Flynn-type. Not the eccentric Keith Richards-esque characterization that Depp came up with. The studio was not happy with his character choices initially, but it worked. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2023, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performers-that-completely-change-the-character-they-played/992944/3 "2023-11-10T15:48:14Z")
Robert Downey Junior brought a smart-alecky quality to Tony Stark I that was never there in the comics. He was pretty much a “furturist” establishment type before RDJ, but after, the comics brought a measure of his performance to the page. ---
**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:** [November 10, 2023, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performers-that-completely-change-the-character-they-played/992944/4 "2023-11-10T16:08:10Z")
George Lucas also originally intended Obi-Wan Kenobi to be a sort of wasted, oblivious ex-Jedi who gets reclaimed. But Alec Guinness put a stop to that. Similarly, in **The Sting** , Gordorff was supposed to be a down-and-out ex-con-man, fully living up to Johnny Hooker’s contemptuous “The Great Henry Gondorff” line. But Paul Newman insisted on playing him as da still with-it conman temporarily down on his luck. To the benefit of the film, I think. Jonathan Harris apparently greatly increased the importance and visibility of his character Dr. Smith, making him the focal point of **Lost in Space**. > [@](#): > > Robert Downey Junior brought a smart-alecky quality to Tony Stark I that was never there in the comics. He was pretty much a “furturist” establishment type before RDJ, but after, the comics brought a measure of his performance to the page. I liked Downey’s performance as Stark. I was never a big fan of the character before, but Downey’s take really brought him to life. ---
**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:** [November 10, 2023, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performers-that-completely-change-the-character-they-played/992944/5 "2023-11-10T16:14:42Z")
Jerry Lewis took the character of Kreton in **Visit to a Small Planet** and completrely changed it (and the story) completely away from Gore Vidsal’s original teleplay and later the stage play. Kreton was supposed to be very much like Trelane, the Squire of Gothos in the Star Trek episode. In fact, I think that entire episode was essentially a ripoff of VtoSP. Jerry Lewis’ version was, well, Jerry Lewis. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2023, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performers-that-completely-change-the-character-they-played/992944/6 "2023-11-10T16:19:27Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I liked Downey’s performance as Stark. I was never a big fan of the character before, but Downey’s take really brought him to life. As a long time Comic Book Guy, I heartily agree ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2023, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performers-that-completely-change-the-character-they-played/992944/7 "2023-11-10T16:34:30Z")
> [@B.Serum](#): > > Robert Downey Junior brought a smart-alecky quality to Tony Stark I that was never there in the comics. Replace “Tony Stark” with “Sherlock Holmes,” and “comics” with “novels,” and it’s still pretty true. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2023, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performers-that-completely-change-the-character-they-played/992944/8 "2023-11-10T16:46:54Z")
Chris Hemsworth also got the chance to change Thor’s character. Thor got looser and funnier after The Dark World after Hemsworth pushed for it with director Taika Waititi. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2023, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performers-that-completely-change-the-character-they-played/992944/9 "2023-11-10T17:10:22Z")
Jed Bartlet was supposed to be an ancillary background character on The West Wing, which was to focus on the lives of the staffers, until Martin Sheen shifted the attitude and shared the focus. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2023, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performers-that-completely-change-the-character-they-played/992944/10 "2023-11-10T18:50:21Z")
On **Absolutely Fabulous** , Edina’s assistant Bubble was originally supposed to be a neutral character, cute and young and good at booking lunches, not much else. When Jane Horrocks was cast, the idea was for Bubble to be the one person who made Edina look stable and competent. Which led to her taking a message from Yasmine Le Bon’s husband, Simon Le Bon. “I thought it was very progressive of him, taking his wife’s name!” Likewise, on Gilligan’s Island, Mrs. Howell originally had no characterization beyond being the “And then what happened?” person. Natalie Schaefer said “I’d like to be more of a [Dulcy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dulcy_(1940_film)).” Meaning, good-hearted but frivolous and silly. Which led to lines such as “I often wish I was alone, particularly when I’m by myself,” and “But what does one _wear_ to a kidnapping?” ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2023, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performers-that-completely-change-the-character-they-played/992944/11 "2023-11-10T18:52:11Z")
Beetlejuice was not supposed to be funny. Michael Keaton did his thing and they let him, to the overall improvement of the film. ---
**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:** [November 10, 2023, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performers-that-completely-change-the-character-they-played/992944/12 "2023-11-10T18:54:41Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Beetlejuice was not supposed to be funny. Really? With the Office in Hell full of suicides as Civil Servants, the magician’s assistant cut in half, and the white African Explorer with the shrunken head? ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2023, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performers-that-completely-change-the-character-they-played/992944/13 "2023-11-10T18:57:45Z")
I meant the character, _Keaton_ brought himself to the audition and it changed the feel of the film. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2023, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performers-that-completely-change-the-character-they-played/992944/14 "2023-11-10T19:26:19Z")
James Brolin’s interpretation of Pee Wee Herman was a daring re-imagining, but gave the character a steely edge and confident toughness that was a hit with drive-in audiences. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2023, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performers-that-completely-change-the-character-they-played/992944/15 "2023-11-10T19:36:17Z")
Apparently David Lynch chose Patrick Stewart to play Gurney Halleck (which while not an all time classic, kick started his Hollywood career and led to being cast as Captain Piccard) in Dune based on his performance of MacDuff in a stage play of Macbeth. The thing was in that play he was made up to look like a bearded Scottish warrior and nothing like Patrick Stewart, so ended up playing the character as well Patrick Stewart not as David Lynch imagined Gurney Halleck. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2023, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performers-that-completely-change-the-character-they-played/992944/16 "2023-11-10T19:39:36Z")
Don’t know if this was intentional, but Maggie Gylenhaal turned Rachel Dawes (in _The Dark Knight_) into a rather smarmy, smirking, dislikable character - quite different than Katie Holmes’ portrayl. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2023, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performers-that-completely-change-the-character-they-played/992944/17 "2023-11-10T20:36:55Z")
James Bond is a prime example. Compare and contrast eg. Moore with Craig or Dalton. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2023, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performers-that-completely-change-the-character-they-played/992944/18 "2023-11-10T20:50:24Z")
The Joker as portrayed by Heath Ledger is not much like the comic Joker (altho there are dozens and dozens of different comics), and was IMHO- one of the best acted but worst in the sense of true to the character Jokers ever. Great acting- terrible Joker. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2023, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performers-that-completely-change-the-character-they-played/992944/19 "2023-11-10T21:01:11Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > The Joker as portrayed by Heath Ledger is not much like the comic Joker (altho there are dozens and dozens of different comics), and was IMHO- one of the best acted but worst in the sense of true to the character Jokers ever. Bruce Wayne, a rich and handsome celebrity with the confident grin of a guy who knows a gossip columnist will ask about the model he’s dating, was played by George Clooney, _ **as** _ George Clooney, the year he was named People’s sexiest man alive: using his regular voice and mannerisms, because, well, of course he would; you could even argue that such a portrayal is true to the comics. Clooney also played Batman the same way, which is jarring. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2023, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performers-that-completely-change-the-character-they-played/992944/20 "2023-11-10T21:24:03Z")
> [@solost](#): > > Captain Jack Sparrow in the original POTC was supposed to be a heroic, swashbuckling, Errol Flynn-type. Not the eccentric Keith Richards-esque characterization that Depp came up with. Ahem. According to Depp, he played CJS as a mix of Keith Richards AND Pepe Le Pew. I, for one, loved it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/performers-that-completely-change-the-character-they-played/992944.md?page=2)