History Main / IAmNotLeonardNimoy

* [[MrT Mr. T]] shall always be Mr. T, [[CatchPhrase fool]]!

** A magazine said Brad Pitt has two flavors: playing Brad Pitt (''Legends of the Fall, MeetJoeBlack, The Mexican, Ocean's Eleven'') and weird roles in weird movies (''{{Se7en}}, FightClub, TwelveMonkeys, {{Snatch}}'')

** [[BrutalLegend and videogames.]]

** Also averted in RaisingArizona: It's honestly hard to take him seriously in any of his other roles after watching it.
** And that scene in the second National Treasure movie where he pretends to be drunk. After seeing several less emotive performances from him, it's pretty dang surprising.
** This NicolasCage character only really emerged fully when he took up action roles, around the time of ConAir. Before that he'd played a variety of types, often quirky comedies (like RaisingArizona), but including his Oscar-winning role is LeavingLasVegas.

** The only reason that you [[spoiler:''never'' suspect he is the bad guy]] in ''Wanted'' is ''precisely'' because he is Morgan Freeman

* JuliaRoberts

* {{Lampshaded}} and subverted in ''TheSimpsons'':
--->Lisa: ''"Wait, {{Xena}} can't fly!"''
--->Lucy Lawless: ''"How many times do I have to tell you? I'm not Xena, I'm Lucy Lawless."''

For an actor's career, this can be a double-edged sword. If people like the actor's personality or schtick, they'll stay loyal to him and see his movies regardless of what they're about. On the other hand, if audiences turn against the actor, they won't be able to appreciate his work no matter how good the material is.

* Matthew Perry, who plays [[{{Friends}} Chandler]] in every single one of his movies. {{Aaron Sorkin}}'s productions seem to allow him to break free of this type to some degree. As Matt Albie on ''{{Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip}}'' he's at worst a {{darker and edgier}} version; and when he guest starred for a few episodes of ''{{The West Wing}}'' he played it completely straight and didn't come off like Chandler at all.

** A magazine said Brad Pitt has two flavors: playing Brad Pitt (''Legends of the Fall, MeetJoeBlack, The Mexican'') and weird roles in weird movies (''{{Se7en}}, FightClub, TwelveMonkeys, {{Snatch}}'')

* RickyGervais after his appearance in ''TheOffice'' basically plays himself.

** What, was he ever anything else?
*** Yes. In JurassicPark, he plays a computer tech, never swear, never kick anything's ass and gets attacked and eaten by the raptors off-screen. Not to metion he gets tricked by WayneKnight of all people.
** The {{Rifftrax}} for RevengeOfTheSith parodies this, by inserting bleeps into Mace Windu's dialog.

*** It's Dirty Harry after he was put into witness protection. Not to protect him from anybody, mind you, but to protect witnesses from ''him''.

** Chris Tucker had a problem with this, as seen in the HilariousOuttakes from ''RushHour''.

** Except when he's playing himself.
** Or [[BubbaHoTep Elvis]].
** Or [[BurnNotice Sam]]
*** No, he's still Bruce.
* You could say this about {{Eminem}} in ''8 Mile'' and [[FiftyCent 50 Cent]] in ''Get Rich or Die Tryin''', though ''8 Mile'' was loosely based on his life.

* RickyGervais after his appearance in ''TheOffice'' basically plays himself, perhaps with a bit of AdamWesting (or maybe he ''is'' that much of a jerk.) An arrogant egotist with a sharp and chastising sense of humour.
* RobertDowneyJr does always seem to be playing a smartass these days. And not just a smart ass, but a flawed, womanising (with varying success) and substance-abuse-prone smart ass. In fact he seems to just play himself. (Except TropicThunder when he's black.)
* Umm... MorganFreeman. He never changes his act, not even when he's playing {{God}}. Arguably this is for the better; when he tried to sound like a ruthless killer in ''{{Wanted}}'' his entire role fell flat.
** Are you saying "Then shoot '''this''' motherfucker!" wasn't a CrowningMomentOfAwesome for him?
*** [[{{Narm}} That is correct]].

* It bears repeating: WillSmith.
* SethGreen is sort of like this. He seems to have that same humorous personality, no matter what part he's playing. He's also pretty good at getting in character though, so he comes off as some hybrid of Seth Green and whoever he's playing.

* KeanuReeves. "Whoah, dude." Also inverted: for some time he apparently worried that his tombstone was inevitably going to read "Here Lies [[BillAndTedsExcellentAdventure Ted]]." The there was ''TheMatrix''.
* NathanFillion. As the quote on his page says, "Nathan Fillion always seem to play Nathon Fillion. And frankly I'm okay with that."
* Look! It's Owen Wilson as a spy! Check it out, Owen Wilson as a Cowboy/Cop/Model/Pseudo Sergeant! Occasionaly averted, since he is rounded enough to play other roles. But is rarely cast as anthing but Owen Wilson as a...

* HarrisonFord, thanks to having ''two'' iconic [[StarWars film]] [[IndianaJones roles]]. Although those roles are big and famous enough to override it; in those he's Han Solo and Indiana Jones. In anything else, he's HarrisonFord. The poster for ''Film/AirForceOne'' actally says "HARRISON FORD is [[OurPresidentsAreDifferent the President of the United States of America]]."

* PARIS HILTON. To such a degree that "See Paris Hilton being gruesomely murdered!" was the [[DancingBear unique selling point]] for ''HouseOfWax''

* Averted ''hard'' by Peter Sellers. In an interview, he was asked what he, personally was like. He paused for a moment, looking honestly puzzled, and responded, "I don't know."

* PARIS HILTON. To such a degree that "See Paris Hilton being gruesomely murdered!" was the [[DancingBear unique selling point]] for ''HouseOfWax''

* JackNicholson is always Jack Nicholson, whether he's {{Satan}}, [[Film/{{Batman}} the Joker]], or [[TheShining a psychotic writer]]. With the notable exceptions of Charley Partanna in ''Prizzi's Honor'' (Remember? He's stupid) and the detective in ''Chinatown''.

** Jean-Claude Van Damme's films can almost all be summed up by "Jean-Claude Van-Damme gets into kickboxing fights."

--->Lisa: ''"Wait, Xena can't fly!"''

* Sir Ian [=McKellen=] is known for playing a really powerful {{Chessmaster}}, whether he be a [[LordOfTheRings wizard]], [[XMen mutant who controls magnetism]], or [[ThePrisoner the ruler of The Village]].
* LiamNeeson is an extremely talented and versatile actor, but of late many of his films, despite his excellent and varied performances, can best be described as [[ClashOfTheTitans Liam Neeson is Zeus]], [[TheATeam Liam Neeson Flies a Tank]], [[BatmanBegins Liam Neeson Fights Batman]], and [[{{Taken}} Liam Neeson Beats Up Everyone]].

* Lampshaded and subverted in ''TheSimpsons'':

* HarrisonFord, thanks to having ''two'' iconic [[StarWars film]] [[IndianaJones roles]]. Although those roles are big and famous enough to override it; in those he's Han Solo and Indiana Jones. In anything else, he's HarrisonFord. The poster for ''Film/AirForceOne'' pretty much says "HarrisonFord IS [[OurPresidentsAreDifferent the President of the United States of America]]."

Sometimes an actor is so iconic, famous, or interesting that their celebrity casts a shadow over the roles they play. That's not ''{{Hancock}}'' in skin tight leather flying around saving people; that's WillSmith! And in ''{{Hitch}}'', that's Will Smith giving dating advice. Audiences are unable to commit to a [[IncrediblyLamePun Willing]] [[WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief Suspension of Disbelief]] and simply see the actor on screen rather than his character.

* JackNicholson is always Jack Nicholson, whether he's {{Satan}}, [[Film/{{Batman}} the Joker]], or [[TheShining a psychotic writer]].
** With one notable exception: Charley Partanna in ''Prizzi's Honor''. Remember? He's stupid.
** And he's also the detective in ''Chinatown''.

** Except when he's [[SpongeBobSquarePants MermaidMan]]
*** No, that's still Ernest Borgnine.

** ChuckNorris, who then jumped to the small screen with ''WalkerTexasRanger'' and arguably reversed himself into an IAmNotSpock.

* CaryGrant always played the handsome, cool, smooth leading man.
** He's not really cool in ''BringingUpBaby'' or ''ArsenicAndOldLace''.
*** Those are both earlier movies; as his career progressed, he was more and more pigeonholed into that one role, the 'Cary Grant leading man' role. Which he enjoyed a lot, naturally.
* Matthew Perry, who plays [[{{Friends}} Chandler]] in every single one of his movies.
**{{Aaron Sorkin}}'s productions seem to allow him to break free of this type to some degree. As Matt Albie on ''{{Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip}}'' he's at worst a {{darker and edgier}} version; and when he guest starred for a few episodes of ''{{The West Wing}}'' he played it completely straight and didn't come off like Chandler at all.
* Michael Caine whenever he's not [[TheItalianJob telling people to only blow the bloody doors off.]] A great problem in ''ThePrestige'' starring Michael Caine, Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale where I couldn't remember any of the characters names while watching the movie.
**Oh, Pish. The Prestige was really Batman vs Wolverine and everyone knew it.

* [[WilliamShatner William... Shatner.]]

* PARIS HILTON

* You could say this about {{Eminem}} in ''8 Mile'' and [[FiftyCent 50 Cent]] in ''Get Rich or Die Tryin'''.
** Wasn't ''8 Mile'' supposed to be loosely based on his life?

* BenStiller often plays very similar characters.
** Sometimes, even with his father, Jerry Stiller. You might know him better as [[{{Seinfeld}} George's dad]]. Yup, Ben Stiller is ''his'' son.
* Ricky Gervais after his appearance in ''TheOffice'' basically plays himself. An arrogant egotist with a sharp and chastising sense of humour.
* Is it just me, or does RobertDowneyJr always seem to be playing a smartass these days?
**Not just a smart ass, but a flawed, womanising (with varying success) and substance abuse prone smart ass. In fact he seems to just play himself.
***Except TropicThunder when he's black

*KeanuReeves. "Whoah, dude." [[SoYeah Nuff said]].

* Lampshaded and subverted in the Simpsons, of all places.

* It might just be because of TypeCasting, but to this troper, ChristopherLee is ''always'' Christopher Lee instead of whoever he's meant to be.
** It's more like the character he's playing IS Christopher lee. This troper is certain he's actually a vampire.
* Surprised he hasn't been mentioned already: HarrisonFord, thanks to having ''two'' iconic [[StarWars film]] [[IndianaJones roles]].
* Sir Ian McKellen is known for playing a really powerful {{Chessmaster}}, whether he be a [[LordOfTheRings wizard]], [[XMen mutant who controls magnetism]], or [[ThePrisoner the ruler of The Village]].

** For a very jarring exception, watch him in ''After the Thin Man''. [[spoiler: He spens most of the movie playing his usual nice guy persona, so it's very unexpected when it turns out he's the murderer...and a complete psychotic nut to boot!]]

**** Nigga, [[NeverGoFullRetard you just went full retard]].
* Umm... MorganFreeman, [[strike:always]] IS the MagicalNegro. He never changes his act, not even when he's playing {{God}}. Arguably this is for the better; when he tried to sound like a ruthless killer in ''{{Wanted}}'' his entire role fell flat.