# Roles you really can't imagine any other actor doing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 19, 2005, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roles-you-really-cant-imagine-any-other-actor-doing/300121 "2005-04-19T20:29:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![gommsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bcef8e/32.png) [@gommsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gommsn)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roles-you-really-cant-imagine-any-other-actor-doing/300121/21 "2005-04-19T23:43:55Z")
**Bond…James Bond** We all know who owns that role! Yes, Yes, that’s right. You know who I mean ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roles-you-really-cant-imagine-any-other-actor-doing/300121/22 "2005-04-19T23:51:26Z")
> [@brownie55](#): > > LOUD SCREAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. Sorry, it will be alright. Tom Hanks plays Tom Hanks acting like [insert character here] in every movie, every time. Sorry for the hijack, I’ll slink off now, but… What do you think of Kevin Costner? Because that’s how I’d describe Kevin Costner ---
**Author:** ![gommsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bcef8e/32.png) [@gommsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gommsn)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roles-you-really-cant-imagine-any-other-actor-doing/300121/23 "2005-04-19T23:56:27Z")
You nailed that one **Lobsang**. I always picture someone just off camera with a huge picture board with all the nice words on them for Kevin to read. Especially painful when you think of what any competent actor could have done with some of the roles he’s had. Robin Hood with a Bronx accent!!! Oh My Og!!! ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roles-you-really-cant-imagine-any-other-actor-doing/300121/24 "2005-04-20T00:19:40Z")
Al Pacino as John Milton/Satan in _Devil’s Advocate_. The role was basically _written_ for him. Marlon Brando as Don Corleone. Though I may hear disagreements, I thought it would’ve been quite unjust for Sean Connery to kick the bucket without having played the role of King Arthur. Unfortunately, _First Knight_ didn’t do him justice. ☹ Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. Much of the humor in the Indy movies came from Ford himself. Laurence Fishburne as Professor Maurice Phipps in _Higher Learning_. If you’ve seen the movie, you know what I mean. Adam ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roles-you-really-cant-imagine-any-other-actor-doing/300121/25 "2005-04-20T00:20:42Z")
> [@Garfield226](#): > > Sir Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in **Silence of the Lambs** , **Hannibal** and **Red Dragon**. > > Rick Moranis as Seymour Krelborne in **Little Shop of Horrors**. > \*\*. Brian Cox was the first to play Lecter, in **Manhunter**. I have never seen the movie because I can’t imagine anyone else but Hopkins playing Lecter. I know that’s a lousy reason, as I’ve heard it’s a really good movie and I like Brian Cox. But I just can’t. I’m sorry. As for **Little Shop of Horrors** , Jonathan Haze played Seymour in the original Roger Corman movie. He was pretty good. Well, as good as an actor can be in a movie whose shooting schedule is less than three days. ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMule](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@MonkeyMule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMule)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roles-you-really-cant-imagine-any-other-actor-doing/300121/26 "2005-04-20T00:35:15Z")
my god, I can’t believe it. Nobody has mentions **Scarface** Can ANYONE else play TTony Montana? ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roles-you-really-cant-imagine-any-other-actor-doing/300121/27 "2005-04-20T00:43:18Z")
> [@MonkeyMule](#): > > my god, I can’t believe it. Nobody has mentions **Scarface** Can ANYONE else play TTony Montana? I think [Paul Muni](http://imdb.com/title/tt0023427/) might have been pretty good . . . ---
**Author:** ![Delly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Delly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delly)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roles-you-really-cant-imagine-any-other-actor-doing/300121/28 "2005-04-20T00:48:29Z")
I read the thread title and came in with two names and both have already been mentioned. The first was Jake G\* in Donnie Darko, and the second was Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins. Like **well hes back** I had reservations about Elijah Wood playing him, but he was excellant. Also I think Ewan McGregor did a great job Moulin Rouge, I cant really imagine anyone else in that part, or maybe Idont want to… I was suprised to read that the part came down to Ewan, Jake and some other guy. Can anyone imagine Donnie Darko as Christian? I dont know if anyone else could have played Red as well as Morgan Freeman did in The Shawshank Redemption. \*I cannot spell his name ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roles-you-really-cant-imagine-any-other-actor-doing/300121/29 "2005-04-20T00:59:31Z")
> [@Delly](#): > > \*I cannot spell his name I’ll admit it’s a toughie, I couldn’t even _pronounce_ it until I watched the cast interviews on the extras. But didn’t cut-n-paste help you with the name? It’s Gyllenhall by the way ---
**Author:** ![Roadfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc348/32.png) [@Roadfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadfood)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roles-you-really-cant-imagine-any-other-actor-doing/300121/30 "2005-04-20T01:18:08Z")
Kurt Russell as Snake Pliskin in _Escape from New York_ ---
**Author:** ![PastAllReason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@PastAllReason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastAllReason)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roles-you-really-cant-imagine-any-other-actor-doing/300121/31 "2005-04-20T01:18:19Z")
Pretty much any cast member of _Casablanca._ ---
**Author:** ![hanna\_the\_curious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/34f0e0/32.png) [@hanna\_the\_curious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hanna_the_curious)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roles-you-really-cant-imagine-any-other-actor-doing/300121/32 "2005-04-20T01:46:46Z")
[QUOTE=Delly] I read the thread title and came in with two names and both have already been mentioned. The first was Jake G\* in Donnie Darko, and the second was Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins. Like **well hes back** I had reservations about Elijah Wood playing him, but he was excellant. [end QUOTE] I third Elijah Wood as Frodo … masterful job with a difficult character who carries most of the story. Next thought: Peter OToole in Lawrence of Arabia (talk about improbable casting) and both Henry the 2nd roles, Becket & Lion in Winter. And Cary Grant in almost anything, William Powell & Myrna Loy in the Thin Men series … Roz Russell in the original nonmusical Mame and musical (sort of) Gypsy. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roles-you-really-cant-imagine-any-other-actor-doing/300121/33 "2005-04-20T01:52:01Z")
John Belushi in _Animal House_ John Travolta in _Saturday Night Fever_ Christopher Reeve in _Superman_ Julie Andrews in _The Sound of Music_ For that matter, Kathleen Turner as Jessica Rabbit ---
**Author:** ![Cheez\_Whia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@Cheez\_Whia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheez_Whia)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roles-you-really-cant-imagine-any-other-actor-doing/300121/34 "2005-04-20T01:57:29Z")
Ethel Merman as the loudmouthed mother-in-law in “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World”. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roles-you-really-cant-imagine-any-other-actor-doing/300121/35 "2005-04-20T02:42:57Z")
robert preston as professor harold hill — the music man bette midler — the rose paul newman — cool hand luke rod steiger and sidney poitier — in the heat of the night ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roles-you-really-cant-imagine-any-other-actor-doing/300121/36 "2005-04-20T03:07:58Z")
Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels as the Lone Ranger and Tonto. ---
**Author:** ![dare\_devil007](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@dare\_devil007](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dare_devil007)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roles-you-really-cant-imagine-any-other-actor-doing/300121/37 "2005-04-20T03:14:27Z")
> [@Only Mostly Dead](#): > > Alan Rickman as Severus Snape. JK Rowling has expressed dismay that he’s been TOO good in the role, and turned a real git into a complex character. “Mr. Potter…our new…_celebrity_.” ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roles-you-really-cant-imagine-any-other-actor-doing/300121/38 "2005-04-20T03:17:10Z")
Brian Cox is a great Lecter in _Manhunter_, but it’s a completely, utterly different Lecter than Hopkins’. In TV recently, having seen Ian McShane be Al Swearingen in _Deadwood_ I cannot imagine anybody else in the role. He inhabits it so fully, it’s like he really is the guy. They could bring the real live Al Swearingen back from the dead and he would look like a crappy actor next to Ian McShane. ---
**Author:** ![Guy\_Incognito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guy_incognito/32/3920_2.png) [@Guy\_Incognito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guy_Incognito)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roles-you-really-cant-imagine-any-other-actor-doing/300121/39 "2005-04-20T03:31:13Z")
Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes (Sorry, but I like his portrayal of Holmes more than Basil Rathbone’s) Jerry Orbach as Lennie Brisco in _Law & Order_ Vincent D’Onofrio as Private Pyle / Leonard Lawrence in _Full Metal Jacket_. This goes double for R. Lee Ermey as Gunnery Sgt. Hartman in the same movie. Jerry Lewis as Jerry Langford in _The King of Comedy._ Dennis Hopper as Frank Booth in _Blue Velvet._ ---
**Author:** ![Coulbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Coulbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coulbean)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roles-you-really-cant-imagine-any-other-actor-doing/300121/40 "2005-04-20T05:35:49Z")
Jeff Bridges as The Dude, actually Donnie and Walter too… (Steve Buscemi and John Goodman, respectively) Uma Thurman in Kill Bill [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roles-you-really-cant-imagine-any-other-actor-doing/300121.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/roles-you-really-cant-imagine-any-other-actor-doing/300121.md?page=3)