# Which charcter will always come to mind when you see an actor/actress? \*spoilers?\* **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 8, 2003, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-charcter-will-always-come-to-mind-when-you-see-an-actor-actress-spoilers/187082 "2003-07-08T20:36:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-charcter-will-always-come-to-mind-when-you-see-an-actor-actress-spoilers/187082/1 "2003-07-08T20:36:26Z")
Not _necessarily_ a typecasting scenario here, but what character comes to mind whenever you see a particular actor or actress? For example: Whenever **Mrs. Bernse** sees _Sam Neil_, she automatically thinks of “the guy with no eyes” from _Event Horizon_. Whether we are watching a video of him with the dinosaurs in \*Jurasic Park[i/], or EO in _Hunt for Red October_. Whenever I see _Patrick Stewart_, I can’t help but think of him as **Captain Picard** at first, no matter what. I don’t believe he is typecast either as he has quite a sucessful carrer with other projects and I really think he is a talented actor. Hearing _James Earl Jones_ speak makes me think Darth Vader is around the corner in every movie he is in. _Danny Glover_ will always be _Sgt. Murtaugh_ from Lethal Weapon. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-charcter-will-always-come-to-mind-when-you-see-an-actor-actress-spoilers/187082/2 "2003-07-08T20:51:43Z")
Unless the actor has been dead a long time, or unless I’ve only seen one performance of theirs, I can’t think of a one that has locked me to a particular role. Maybe some other replies will trigger something, but I just can’t seem to get anything to click at this point. If you mean something like whenever I see a photo of an actor does that bring a particular role to mind, or hear that actor’s name out loud, then I guess I still have a fairly open mind. The only one that even approaches what you’re asking is Michael Pare in some dreadful piece of schlock called “Instant Justice.” To the point of not being curious if he ever did anything good afterwards (or before). Once was plenty. ---
**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:** [July 8, 2003, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-charcter-will-always-come-to-mind-when-you-see-an-actor-actress-spoilers/187082/3 "2003-07-08T21:07:10Z")
I cannot hear Kelsey Grammar without thinking “Sideshow Bob”’ nor Jon Lovitt without thinking “Jay Sherman.” ---
**Author:** ![raz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@raz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raz)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-charcter-will-always-come-to-mind-when-you-see-an-actor-actress-spoilers/187082/4 "2003-07-09T00:18:54Z")
Anytime I see Matthew Perry in any movie, I think “Hey, it’s Chandler!” ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9dc877/32.png) [@Mr\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-charcter-will-always-come-to-mind-when-you-see-an-actor-actress-spoilers/187082/5 "2003-07-09T00:39:19Z")
Cameron Diaz is just “Cameron Diaz, Celeb” to me, though I still enjoy her. I would think tv actors have the hardest time with this. ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-charcter-will-always-come-to-mind-when-you-see-an-actor-actress-spoilers/187082/6 "2003-07-09T01:07:49Z")
Audrey Tautou _is_ Amélie. ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-charcter-will-always-come-to-mind-when-you-see-an-actor-actress-spoilers/187082/7 "2003-07-09T01:19:05Z")
I agree with the Chandler thing. David Schwimmer is always Ross. Owen Wilson will forever be the asshole date in _Cable Guy_ for me. It’s a shame, because I hate that character, thus I hate Wilson. And I’d really like to like him, since he’s well regarded, but… I know there are a few others, but I’m unable to place them right now. Seems like I said that about a movie I saw just the other day… ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-charcter-will-always-come-to-mind-when-you-see-an-actor-actress-spoilers/187082/8 "2003-07-09T01:28:14Z")
Micheal Madsen is always Mr. Blonde to me. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-charcter-will-always-come-to-mind-when-you-see-an-actor-actress-spoilers/187082/9 "2003-07-09T01:29:48Z")
Alan Ruck will forever be Cameron Frye, Ferris’s buddy in **Ferris Bueller’s Day Off**. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-charcter-will-always-come-to-mind-when-you-see-an-actor-actress-spoilers/187082/10 "2003-07-09T01:35:56Z")
Although not typecast into the role, **Marissa Tomei** will always be (to me) Miss Mona Lisa Vito from “My Cousin Vinny”. ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-charcter-will-always-come-to-mind-when-you-see-an-actor-actress-spoilers/187082/11 "2003-07-09T01:53:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Max Torque \* > \*\*Alan Ruck will forever be Cameron Frye, Ferris’s buddy in **Ferris Bueller’s Day Off**. \*\* Heh. True enough. When I saw **Star Trek: Generations** had a hard time believing Cameron could be Captain of the Enterprise. ---
**Author:** ![jeanster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc348/32.png) [@jeanster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeanster)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-charcter-will-always-come-to-mind-when-you-see-an-actor-actress-spoilers/187082/12 "2003-07-09T02:10:07Z")
When I see Rowan Atkinson I always see him as Blackadder. A close second would be Mr. Bean. ---
**Author:** ![av8rmike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/edb3f5/32.png) [@av8rmike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/av8rmike)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-charcter-will-always-come-to-mind-when-you-see-an-actor-actress-spoilers/187082/13 "2003-07-09T02:41:45Z")
Anybody in a long-running TV series trying to make the transition to the big screen. For instance, any of the _Friends_. Anyone on Star Trek. For straight movie actors, Alan Rickman will always be a bad guy. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-charcter-will-always-come-to-mind-when-you-see-an-actor-actress-spoilers/187082/14 "2003-07-09T02:42:12Z")
Lara Flynn Boyle will always be Wayne’s psycho-hose beast ex, Stacy–as Rob Lowe will always be the asshole Benjamin. Too bad, too, because they’re in a bunch of stuff nowadays, but I just can’t take them seriously. ---
**Author:** ![RangerDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9e8a1a/32.png) [@RangerDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RangerDude)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-charcter-will-always-come-to-mind-when-you-see-an-actor-actress-spoilers/187082/15 "2003-07-09T02:58:38Z")
Patrick Macnee will always be John Steed to me. And Diana Rigg will always be Emma Peel to me. (“Mrs. Peel, you’re needed.” Patrick McGoohan will always be The Prisoner to me. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-charcter-will-always-come-to-mind-when-you-see-an-actor-actress-spoilers/187082/16 "2003-07-09T04:39:21Z")
Claire Danes is always Angela from _My So Called Life_. Especially in _Princess Mononoke_’s English dub, unfortunately. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-charcter-will-always-come-to-mind-when-you-see-an-actor-actress-spoilers/187082/17 "2003-07-09T04:54:37Z")
Sarah Michelle Gellar is Buffy Summers and that’s all there is to it. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-charcter-will-always-come-to-mind-when-you-see-an-actor-actress-spoilers/187082/18 "2003-07-09T05:21:20Z")
Whenever I see Ron Livingston I always refer to him as \* Office Space \* ---
**Author:** ![green\_bladder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@green\_bladder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_bladder)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-charcter-will-always-come-to-mind-when-you-see-an-actor-actress-spoilers/187082/19 "2003-07-09T05:29:29Z")
I don’t think I’ll ever be able to watch a movie with Paul McCrane in it without thinking ‘that asshole _Robert Romano_’ in _ER_. _Red_ from _Shawshank Redemtpion_ will always come to mind when I see Morgan Freeman, and _Lester_ from _American Beauty_ whenever I see Kevin Spacey. And pretty much all the _Friends_ characters. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2003, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-charcter-will-always-come-to-mind-when-you-see-an-actor-actress-spoilers/187082/20 "2003-07-09T06:09:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Max Torque \* > \*\*Alan Ruck will forever be Cameron Frye, Ferris’s buddy in **Ferris Bueller’s Day Off**. \*\* Have you seen him on _Spin City_? A complete 180 from Cameron, and totally hysterical in the role. For me, Gary Cole will always be Bill Lumbergh and any time I see Stephen Root I start screaming, “Milton!” And Shatner? Kirk, always Kirk. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-charcter-will-always-come-to-mind-when-you-see-an-actor-actress-spoilers/187082.md?page=2)