### Author:  [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2009, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-i-never-knew-that-actor-was-in-this-movie/492719/1 "2009-04-11T02:41:37Z")
Tonight I was in the mood for some mindless cheese, so I popped in my DVD of **Dracula 2000** , mainly for the Jeri “Resistance is Futile” Ryan’s scenes where she befangedly chews the scenery (I was a little dissapointed when I first watched this mindless little diversion that not once did Ms. Ryan utter the infamous “Resistance is Futile” line, there were _plenty_ of places where Vamp-Jeri could have snuck it in…)
Anyway, the lead heroine is in the church, talking with the priest, and I say to myself “his voice sounds _so_ familiar…”
then I realized, that’s Nathan “Captain “Mal” Hammer” Fillion!, what the frell is he doing playing a gorram priest?
I know that Fillion is known for more than his work in Firefly and Dr. Horrible, he’s also in the horror-comedy “Slither”, It just seems vaguely strange hearing “Mal’s” voice coming from a priest though…
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### Author:  [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2009, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-i-never-knew-that-actor-was-in-this-movie/492719/2 "2009-04-11T03:12:44Z")
> [@MacTech](#):
>
> \I know that Fillion is known for more than his work in Firefly and Dr. Horrible, he’s also in the horror-comedy “Slither”, It just seems vaguely strange hearing “Mal’s” voice coming from a priest though…
Not really. If you’re a fan of _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ he played an evil priest in season 7.
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### Author:  [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2009, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-i-never-knew-that-actor-was-in-this-movie/492719/3 "2009-04-11T03:26:10Z")
Character actor [Beth Grant](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0335275/) is in so many tv shows and films that I’m often surprised to see her in something because I’ve lost track of the fact she was in it. For instance, I happened upon _To Wong Foo_ last weekend and was surprised to see that she was in that.
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### Author:  [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2009, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-i-never-knew-that-actor-was-in-this-movie/492719/4 "2009-04-11T05:18:38Z")
Christian Slater was in “The Wizard.” Yes, I mean the Nintendo commercial from the late 80’s, featuring Fred Savage, an autistic boy, Super Mario 3, and “He touched my BREASTS!”
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### Author:  [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2009, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-i-never-knew-that-actor-was-in-this-movie/492719/5 "2009-04-11T05:42:41Z")
I was surprised when I rewatched _WarGames_ after a number of years and recognized the missile officers at the beginning - John Spencer and Michael Madsen.
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### Author:  [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2009, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-i-never-knew-that-actor-was-in-this-movie/492719/6 "2009-04-11T05:54:47Z")
It was years down the road before I realized that Leslie Nielsen was Commander JJ Adams in “Forbidden Planet” and Patrick Stewart was Leondegrance in “Excalibur”.
And of course I had to use IMDB to check the name in Excalibur and just now found out that Helen Mirren was Morgana. And Liam Neeson was Gawain.
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### Author:  [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2009, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-i-never-knew-that-actor-was-in-this-movie/492719/7 "2009-04-11T06:42:23Z")
> [@jayjay](#):
>
> Character actor [Beth Grant](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0335275/) is in so many tv shows and films that I’m often surprised to see her in something because I’ve lost track of the fact she was in it. For instance, I happened upon _To Wong Foo_ last weekend and was surprised to see that she was in that.
I went to a party at Beth Grant’s house. She’s a hoot and a half.
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### Author:  [@Khan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khan)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2009, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-i-never-knew-that-actor-was-in-this-movie/492719/8 "2009-04-11T08:26:12Z")
> [@Small\_Hen](#):
>
> Christian Slater was in “The Wizard.” Yes, I mean the Nintendo commercial from the late 80’s, featuring Fred Savage, an autistic boy, Super Mario 3, and “He touched my BREASTS!”
He was also the officer on the Excelsior who woke Sulu up in Star Trek VI. Apparently his mom was responsible for getting him that gig.
And speaking of Nathan Fillion, I was surprised to find out he was James Frederick Ryan, from Minnesota in Saving Private Ryan, although I haven’t seen that movie since before I saw Firefly.
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### Author:  [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2009, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-i-never-knew-that-actor-was-in-this-movie/492719/9 "2009-04-11T11:41:29Z")
Benny Hill is the Toymaker in “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”
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### Author:  [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2009, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-i-never-knew-that-actor-was-in-this-movie/492719/10 "2009-04-11T16:46:25Z")
> [@Khan](#):
>
> And speaking of Nathan Fillion, I was surprised to find out he was James Frederick Ryan, from Minnesota in Saving Private Ryan, although I haven’t seen that movie since before I saw Firefly.
Yeah, I had a “Whoa!” moment the other day while watching \*\*Saving Private Ryan \*\*for the first time since I saw it in the theater. When they found the wrong Private Ryan I exclaimed, “That’s not Private Ryan–it’s Captain Tightpants!” 😃 Of course Nathan Fillion _would_ provide one of the only moments of levity in such a serious movie.
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### Author:  [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2009, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-i-never-knew-that-actor-was-in-this-movie/492719/11 "2009-04-11T18:34:05Z")
> [@Valgard](#):
>
> It was years down the road before I realized that Leslie Nielsen was Commander JJ Adams in “Forbidden Planet” and Patrick Stewart was Leondegrance in “Excalibur”.
>
> And of course I had to use IMDB to check the name in Excalibur and just now found out that Helen Mirren was Morgana. And Liam Neeson was Gawain.
Nielson was also the captain of the original Poseiden.
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### Author:  [@Linty\_Fresh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linty_Fresh)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2009, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-i-never-knew-that-actor-was-in-this-movie/492719/12 "2009-04-11T19:39:52Z")
I’ll post what I always say in these threads: Archie, the mohawked punk from **Repo Man** was played by [Miguel Sandoval](http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2854914560/nm0762153).
I _still_ can’t believe it!
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### Author:  [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-i-never-knew-that-actor-was-in-this-movie/492719/13 "2009-04-11T19:43:50Z")
> [@Small\_Hen](#):
>
> Christian Slater was in “The Wizard.” Yes, I mean the Nintendo commercial from the late 80’s, featuring Fred Savage, an autistic boy, Super Mario 3, and “He touched my BREASTS!”
And a young Tobey Maguire is one of Lucas’s cronies.
I was surprised to discover Brent “Data” Spiner played Dr. Okun, the scientist who is killed by an alien, in _Independence Day_.
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### Author:  [@parthenokinesis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parthenokinesis)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2009, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-i-never-knew-that-actor-was-in-this-movie/492719/14 "2009-04-11T19:47:44Z")
Just caught a bit of _First Blood_ on cable last week and the nice deputy was played by David Caruso. Same reaction I had when I rewatched Hudson Hawk a few years ago and realized he played Kit-Kat. He was so much better before he had Ego Augmentation surgery.
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### Author:  [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2009, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-i-never-knew-that-actor-was-in-this-movie/492719/15 "2009-04-11T19:48:19Z")
I saw _Priscilla, Queen of the Desert_ not long after it first came out at an art-house theater in Uptown Minneapolis. However, I didn’t realize that [Bernadette](http://www.rockymusic.org/showimage/73894d0e7173dc4c7e0aa9947df21b31.php) was [General Zod](http://artfiles.art.com/images/-/Terence-Stamp---General-Zod-Photograph-C12142626.jpeg) for YEARS…and just about choked when I realized it.
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### Author:  [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-i-never-knew-that-actor-was-in-this-movie/492719/16 "2009-04-11T20:02:26Z")
> [@jayjay](#):
>
> I saw _Priscilla, Queen of the Desert_ not long after it first came out at an art-house theater in Uptown Minneapolis. However, I didn’t realize that [Bernadette](http://www.rockymusic.org/showimage/73894d0e7173dc4c7e0aa9947df21b31.php) was [General Zod](http://artfiles.art.com/images/-/Terence-Stamp---General-Zod-Photograph-C12142626.jpeg) for YEARS…and just about choked when I realized it.
Heh, that’s nothing. Pritzi is effin’ Agent Smith. I wish I’d seen Priscilla first, though. I’m sure Matrix 2 and 3 would have been more enjoyable had I imagined Agent Smith in fabulous drag.
In the same vein, I’m always amazed that Tim Curry, a guy who’s made a career out of playing slimy corporate jerkasses used to be Dr. Frank 'N Furter.
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### Author:  [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2009, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-i-never-knew-that-actor-was-in-this-movie/492719/17 "2009-04-11T20:24:19Z")
> [@Kobal2](#):
>
> Heh, that’s nothing. Pritzi is effin’ Agent Smith. I wish I’d seen Priscilla first, though. I’m sure Matrix 2 and 3 would have been more enjoyable had I imagined Agent Smith in fabulous drag.
I can assure you, it was.
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### Author:  [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2009, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-i-never-knew-that-actor-was-in-this-movie/492719/18 "2009-04-11T20:24:25Z")
Christian Slater was a big Star Trek fan as a kid, that is why he did that cameo in ST 6. He screwed up his eyebrows trying to make them look like Spock , they still look strange even now.
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### Author:  [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2009, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-i-never-knew-that-actor-was-in-this-movie/492719/19 "2009-04-11T20:47:53Z")
Remember that early-80s teen flick, [My Bodyguard](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081207/)? You probably only remember Matt Dillon from that, maybe Joan Cusack. Turns out it was [Adam Baldwin’s](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000284/) first film role; he played the bodyguard! Check out a very young Adam in [this picture](http://pic4.sdnews.com.cn/NewsImg/2008/3/25/U2411P28T3D1960544F523DT20080325153321.jpg).
He was also memorable in a small role in [Independence Day](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116629/), playing Major Mitchell. He played the guy who shoots the can off the spaceship in the hangar, when trying to figure out how to bring down its defenses, and also shoots the alien in the base.
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### Author:  [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2009, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whoa-i-never-knew-that-actor-was-in-this-movie/492719/20 "2009-04-11T20:54:39Z")
> [@mobo85](#):
>
> I was surprised to discover Brent “Data” Spiner played Dr. Okun, the scientist who is killed by an alien, in _Independence Day_.
You are just going to love [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrLvtoKZfxY).
> [@parthenokinesis](#):
>
> Just caught a bit of _First Blood_ on cable last week and the nice deputy was played by David Caruso. Same reaction I had when I rewatched Hudson Hawk a few years ago and realized he played Kit-Kat. He was so much better before he had Ego Augmentation surgery.
Caruso also had a recurring role on _Hill Street Blues_ (the head of the Shamrock street gang) and was in _An Officer and a Gentleman_ (as the cadet who almost drowns during the evacuation training in the pool).
Nigel Hawthorne (_The Madness of King George_ and _Yes, Minister_) is in the 1982 Clint Eastwood movie _Firefox_.
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