# Wait, that's the same guy?? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 2, 2006, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-the-same-guy/359165 "2006-06-02T17:26:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-the-same-guy/359165/1 "2006-06-02T17:26:17Z")
Inspired by Hal’s post [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7445263&postcount=50), when have you had one of those moments where you realize two or more memorable roles (or better yet, bit parts) are played by the same person? For me, I was proud to recognize that the guy who played the big dumb jock in Roxanne was the same guy that rode the police bicycle in Pacific Blue, and then was the guy who was all set to marry Julianna Margulies at the beginning of ER before being stood up at the altar: [Rick Rossovich](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.meekermuseum.com/rossov2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.meekermuseum.com/rossov.html&h=426&w=360&sz=25&tbnid=3kWAIKAWtv9LjM:&tbnh=122&tbnw=103&hl=en&start=1&prev=/images%3Fq%3DRick%2BRossovich%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN). Also, Jamey Sheridan reminds me of him! ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-the-same-guy/359165/2 "2006-06-02T17:30:49Z")
For _years_ I was under the impression that Billy Bob Thorton and Harry Dean Stanton were two distinct individuals. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-the-same-guy/359165/3 "2006-06-02T17:33:03Z")
Actually, I felt almost stupid when I finally realized that Mitzi from Priscilla queen of the desert was agent Smith from the matrix and also Elrond from LOTR. Loved all those movies, loved his work in each, had no freaking clue for the longest time that it was the same guy. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-the-same-guy/359165/4 "2006-06-02T17:35:05Z")
It was weird when I realized that the Vulcan woman from Star Trek VI was Kim Cattrall, of Sex and the City fame. (She’s been in lots of other stuff, too, but that was the weird one.) ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-the-same-guy/359165/5 "2006-06-02T17:37:45Z")
I just recently realized that “Van” from [The Last Days of Disco](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120728/) (the guy with the accent) and the “Flock of Seagulls” guy in _Pulp Fiction_ were both played by [Burr Steers](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0824882/). ---
**Author:** ![Nutty\_Bunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d07c76/32.png) [@Nutty\_Bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nutty_Bunny)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-the-same-guy/359165/6 "2006-06-02T17:38:20Z")
Yes, I just realized that the guy that played **Napoleon Dynamite** ’s uncle is Lazlo from **Real Genius**. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-the-same-guy/359165/7 "2006-06-02T17:42:52Z")
It was only afterwards that I realised that Kevin Kline played Chief Inspector Dreyfuss in the 2006 version of The Pink Panther. He’s a bit like Alec Guiness, in his ability to submerge his identity into a movie role. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-the-same-guy/359165/8 "2006-06-02T17:42:57Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > Actually, I felt almost stupid when I finally realized that Mitzi from Priscilla queen of the desert was agent Smith from the matrix and also Elrond from LOTR. Loved all those movies, loved his work in each, had no freaking clue for the longest time that it was the same guy. For me, it was reconciling Guy Pearce from _Priscilla_ and him in _LA Confidential_. Oh, and I was so riveted by the Pakistan guy in \*My Beautiful Laundrette \* that I didn’t realize for years that Daniel Day-Lewis was the hot edgy blond guy. ---
**Author:** ![waits](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df788c/32.png) [@waits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waits)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-the-same-guy/359165/9 "2006-06-02T17:43:03Z")
David Strathairn. Saw him in **Return of the Secaucus Seven, Brother from Another Planet, Matewan,** and the TV series **The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd**. It was only when I saw **Eight Men Out** that I thought, “I’ve seen this guy somewhere.” I felt pretty silly when I realized that I’d seen him everywhere! ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-the-same-guy/359165/10 "2006-06-02T17:58:40Z")
Well, I was pretty proud of myself when I figured out that the guy who played Spencer on Spin City was the same guy who played Ferris Bueller’s sidekick Cameron. I’m old. ---
**Author:** ![ErinPuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@ErinPuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ErinPuff)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-the-same-guy/359165/11 "2006-06-02T18:00:57Z")
The third or fourth time I watched the first season West Wing episode about the death penalty, I realized that Toby’s rabbi was one of the guys who kidnapped Stanley in [UHF](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098546/). ([David Proval](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0698998/)) ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-the-same-guy/359165/12 "2006-06-02T18:02:56Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > Actually, I felt almost stupid when I finally realized that Mitzi from Priscilla queen of the desert was agent Smith from the matrix and also Elrond from LOTR. Loved all those movies, loved his work in each, had no freaking clue for the longest time that it was the same guy. And he was the voice of Rex the dog in the movie **Babe**. Now I can’t watch the movie (one of my kids’ faves) without seeing the sheepdog but hearing Agent Smith… ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-the-same-guy/359165/13 "2006-06-02T18:04:45Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > For me, it was reconciling Guy Pearce from _Priscilla_ and him in _LA Confidential_. Or Terence Stamp in _Priscilla_ and _The Limey_. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-the-same-guy/359165/14 "2006-06-02T18:54:33Z")
I was watching Major League on cable last weekend, and it finally dawned on me that the Voodoo practicing, Jobu offering Cuban guy in the film is Dennis Haysbert, or as I yelled out to the TV, “Holy shit, that’s David Palmer!” (The recently departed president on 24). Hats for Jack…keep Jack warm. Very good. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ensign\_Edison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ab992/32.png) [@Ensign\_Edison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ensign_Edison)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-the-same-guy/359165/15 "2006-06-02T18:58:54Z")
For years, two unconnected thoughts floated around my brain: What ever happened to that little girl from Interview With the Vampire, and Where did this Kirsten Dunst chick come from? ---
**Author:** ![Ensign\_Edison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ab992/32.png) [@Ensign\_Edison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ensign_Edison)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-the-same-guy/359165/16 "2006-06-02T19:01:38Z")
My most triumphant moment with this is still when I realized that the lead alien in Galaxy Quest is the balding photographer guy from that David Spade/Laura Sangiacomo sitcom the name of which I seem to have blacked out from my brain. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-the-same-guy/359165/17 "2006-06-02T19:01:57Z")
**Sirius Black** from \*Harry Potter \* is the same guy as **Zorg** from _The Fifth Element_ is the same guy as **Commisioner Gordon** from _Batman Begins._ All done by Gary Oldman. That guy is amazing. ---
**Author:** ![velvetjones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f9b8f/32.png) [@velvetjones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velvetjones)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-the-same-guy/359165/18 "2006-06-02T19:02:38Z")
David Krumholtz in The Santa Claus same guy who was the guy who killed that cute little blonde intern on ER that same year and also the love crazed doorman from Sidewalks of New York. Funny thing is I saw these three items in reverse order from when they were released. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-the-same-guy/359165/19 "2006-06-02T19:03:55Z")
> [@Dung Beetle](#): > > Well, I was pretty proud of myself when I figured out that the guy who played Spencer on Spin City was the same guy who played Ferris Bueller’s sidekick Cameron. I had an interesting moment watching Spin City some time ago… The mayor came on the screen, and it clicked… ‘BRAD!’ ---
**Author:** ![Orbifold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orbifold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orbifold)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-the-same-guy/359165/20 "2006-06-02T19:05:34Z")
I saw an episode of _Jeeves and Wooster_ for the first time a week or two ago, and I turned to my wife and said “That guy (points to guy playing Wooster), should I recognize him?” She just stared at me for a second. “That’s Hugh Laurie. From _House_.” Apparently, famous British actors occasionally can be seen in old British television series, who knew? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wait-thats-the-same-guy/359165.md?page=2)