History Main / PlayingWithCharacterType

* Comedians Creator/LilyTomlin and Creator/ChrisRock guest-starred in separate episode of ''Series/HomicideLifeOnTheStreet''. Their characters for their comic personas, but were both brutal murderers, making their quirks much more disturbing.

*** Creator/AkioOtsuka, the Japanese voice of Solid Snake in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', is jarring to hear if you're an English player more used to Creator/DavidHayter's GutturalGrowler version of the character. Ohtsuka has often played cool, deep-voiced characters who crack the odd BondOneLiner, but the voice he uses for Snake is more like the 'astringent', warm and likeable register he uses in his extensive career as a voice-over artist for television advertising, giving Snake an impression of DissonantSerenity that at first makes him seem like the most relatable, fun character in the cast, but gets progressively more desperate and brittle as the story continues and it becomes more apparent how messed-up a person he is.

* Creator/GreyGriffin as Major Doctor Ghastly from ''WesternAnimation/EvilConCarne'' shows her as a Mad Scientist who actually cares about other people compared to her other villainous roles, as in ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'', ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents'', and ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''. Her role as Karen Crawford[[note]]who, while rather corrupt and negligent, is still pleasant and emotionally balanced compared to her aforementioned villainous roles[[/note]] in the adult-oriented ''WesternAnimation/ParadisePD'' also qualifies.

* Creator/NickFrost in ''Slaughterhouse Rulez''. As usual, he plays an eccentric {{Cloudcuckoolander}} - here, however, his Cloudcuckoolander tendencies come off as more him being unstable than him merely being a goofball.

* Creator/GreyDeLisle as Major Doctor Ghastly from ''WesternAnimation/EvilConCarne'' shows her as a Mad Scientist who actually cares about other people compared to her other villainous roles, as in ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'', ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents'', and ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''.

* In the ''Franchise/StarWars'' Anthology film ''Film/RogueOne'', Creator/MadsMikkelsen - who is primarily typecast as villains in American films and television - plays a scientist working for '''THE''' TropeCodifier, if not the TropeNamer, of the EvilEmpire. The catch? In this film, he's actually a ''[[ReluctantMadScientist reluctant]]'' MadScientist ([[{{Pun}} pardon the pun]]) who ''helps'' the heroes in this movie [[spoiler:destroy the Death Star]].

* In ''Series/TheOuterLimits1995'' episode "Zig Zag", Creator/FrankWhaley seems to be playing the usual nebbish character he became famous for in TheNineties due to his youthful "whitebread" looks. However, in this episode, it's just a fake persona for a bold cyberterrorist who is using it to mask his ''real'' status as TheChessmaster.

* Creator/MarkHamill plays the superhero Spectre in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheBraveAndTheBold'', a sharp contrast to his usual typecast as the villain, most famously [[Characters/DCAUJoker the Joker]]. However, unlike Mark's most famous role as [[Franchise/StarWars Luke Skywalker]], the Spectre is an AntiHero who advocates vengeance and killing villains. And this naturally puts Hamill at odds with Creator/KevinConroy's Phantom Stranger over Batman's path as a hero, refitting their Joker and Batman relationship from ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'' in a new dynamic.

When successfully executed, this trope can cast an actor's earlier roles in an entirely new light and lead members of the audience to cry, "SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct!" When done poorly, it can seem jarring and awkward and may lead the audience to ask "WTHCastingAgency" (especially if the actor in question is insufficiently skilled to pull it off).

* Joseph Sugarman in ''WesternAnimation/BojackHorseman'' is just like any other character played by Creator/MatthewBroderick: friendly and charismatic... which makes his more horrific actions [[spoiler: such as getting his wife lobotomized, then threatening to do the same to his daughter if she couldn't keep her emotions in check]] that much creepier, especially since as far as society was concerned at the time, [[DeliberateValuesDissonance he was justified to do so.]]

* Creator/SarahSilverman often plays foul-mouthed, sarcastic jerks. It looked like her character Vanellope von Schweetz in ''WesternAnimation/WreckItRalph'' was just a more kid-friendly version of that. Of course [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer it wasn't]] nearly [[BreakTheCutie that]] simple.

* A dub example: In the Japanese dub of ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'', the titular character is played by Creator/JunkoTakeuchi. He ''would'' fit her {{Typecasting}} of goofy young boys (as in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', ''Anime/HunterXHunter'', ''Anime/{{Monster}}'', and ''VideoGame/InazumaEleven'')... if only Gumball didn't [[TookALevelInJerkass take a level in jerkass]] and become TheCynic in the second season.

** The Ancient Sleeping Magi of Life Giving is one of Creator/DanaSnyder's usual hammy Cloudcuckoolander, except with his mental problems played for tragedy rather than for laughs.
* Creator/GreyDeLisle as Major Doctor Ghastly from ''WesternAnimation/EvilConCarne'' shows her as a Mad Scientist who actually cares about other people compared to her other villainous roles, as in ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'', ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents'', and ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''.
* Creator/PatrickStewart as Seti from ''WesternAnimation/ThePrinceOfEgypt'' is a ReasonableAuthorityFigure who loves his sons... and had thousands of innocent children murdered without remorse. "They were only slaves."
* Creator/BillFagerbakke, best known for voicing [[TheDitz ditzy]] {{Manchild}} Patrick Star on ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'', voiced Broadway on ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'', who acted in a similar manner to Patrick, [[ObfuscatingStupidity but was actually fairly intelligent, mature, and romantic underneath his goofball exterior.]]
* A dub example: In the Japanese dub of ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'', the titular character is played by Creator/JunkoTakeuchi. He ''would'' fit her {{Typecasting}} of goofy young boys (as in ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', ''Anime/HunterXHunter'', ''Anime/{{Monster}}'', and ''VideoGame/InazumaEleven'')... if only Gumball didn't [[TookALevelInJerkass take a level in jerkass]] and become TheCynic in the second season.
* Creator/TaniaGunadi is typically known for playing free-spirited, young characters who fit GenkiGirl archetype as well as those who are a JerkWithAHeartOfGold. On ''WesternAnimation/SofiaTheFirst'', she voices Miss Elodie, who's also a free-spirited GenkiGirl but is an adult.
* Joseph Sugarman in ''WesternAnimation/BojackHorseman'' is just like any other character played by Creator/MatthewBroderick: friendly and charismatic...which makes his more horrific actions [[spoiler: such as getting his wife lobotomized, then threatening to do the same to his daughter if she couldn't keep her emotions in check]] that much creepier, especially since as far as society was concerned at the time, [[DeliberateValuesDissonance he was justified to do so.]]

*** Creator/AkioOtsuka, the Japanese voice of Solid Snake in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'', is jarring to hear if you're an English player more used to Creator/DavidHayter's GutturalGrowler version of the character. Ohtsuka has often played cool BadassBaritone characters who crack the odd BondOneLiner, but the voice he uses for Snake is more like the 'astringent', warm and likeable register he uses in his extensive career as a voice-over artist for television advertising, giving Snake an impression of DissonantSerenity that at first makes him seem like the most relatable, fun character in the cast, but gets progressively more desperate and brittle as the story continues and it becomes more apparent how messed-up a person he is.

* ''Series/TheLastOfUs2023'' stars Creator/PedroPascal as anti-heroic Joel Miller, in his third instance of portraying a morally-grey single father on Creator/{{HBO}}. Previously, he made [[StarMakingRole his big break]] playing ''Series/GameOfThrones'' anti-hero Oberyn Martell, then depicted ''Film/WonderWoman1984'' anti-villain Maxwell Lord. Unlike Oberyn and Maxwell, Joel [[OutlivingOnesOffspring outlives his own daughter]] in the series premiere (Pascal's children in ''[=GoT=]'' and ''[=WW84=]'' either outlive him or have no death scene at all), a tragedy that renders him less confident or friendly than most of Pascal's screen roles. Joel spends the rest of the season caring for a surrogate child, becoming more daring and open as he develops into an effective protector for her.

** Virgil, voted the handsomest one on the show by an audience of mostly men, plays a swishy CampGay who [[EvenTheGuysWantHim Harry finds extremely cool and mysterious]]. On the show more fun is poked at Virgil's foppish geekiness AmbiguousDisorder than him being especially camp or cool.

* ''Series/TheLastOfUs2023'' stars Creator/PedroPascal as anti-heroic Joel Miller, in his third instance of portraying a morally-grey single father on Creator/{{HBO}}. Previously, he made [[StarMakingRole his big break]] playing ''Series/GameOfThrones'' anti-hero Oberyn Martell, then depicted ''Film/WonderWoman1984'' anti-villain Maxwell Lord. Unlike Oberyn and Maxwell, Joel [[OutlivingOnesOffspring outlives his own daughter]] in the series premiere (Pascal's children in ''[=GoT=]'' and ''[=WW84=]'' either outlive him or have no death scene at all), then cares for a surrogate child during the remainder of the first season.

* ''Series/BreakingBad'':
** Creator/BryanCranston was best known for his performance as Hal in sitcom ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'', an archetypal BumblingDad and HenpeckedHusband frustrated by his dead-end job and poor financial standing. His character in the series, Walter White, starts off as a very similar sort of character, which makes [[ProtagonistJourneyToVillain his transformation into a vicious, ruthless drug dealer]] all the more shocking.
** For those who watched ''Series/FridayNightLights'' first, it at first seemed that Creator/JessePlemons as Todd was playing a criminal version of Landry: an extreme NiceGuy and even a little dorky. Then [[WouldHurtAChild he unexpectedly murders a child with no hesitation]] and [[TheSociopath only gets more creepy as the show progresses.]]

* ''Series/TheLastOfUs2023'' stars Creator/PedroPascal as anti-heroic Joel Miller, in his third instance of portraying a morally-grey single father on Creator/{{HBO}}. Previously, he made [[StarMakingRole his big break]] playing ''Series/GameOfThrones'' anti-hero Oberyn Martell, then depicted ''Film/WonderWoman1984'' anti-villain Maxwell Lord. Unlike Oberyn and Maxwell, Joel [[OutlivingOnesOffspring outlives his own daughter]] in the series premiere (Pascal's children in ''[=GoT=]'' and ''WW84'' either outlive him or have no death scene at all), then cares for a surrogate child during the remainder of the first season.

* ''Series/TheLastOfUs2023'' stars Creator/PedroPascal as anti-heroic Joel Miller, in his third instance of portraying a morally-grey single father on Creator/{{HBO}}. Previously, he made [[StarMakingRole his big break]] playing ''Series/GameOfThrones'' anti-hero Oberyn Martell, then depicted ''Film/WonderWoman1984'' anti-villain Maxwell Lord. Unlike Oberyn (who gets killed before ''[=GoT=]'' formally introduces his daughters) and Maxwell (who survives the events of ''[=WW84=]'', along with his son), Joel [[OutlivingOnesOffspring outlives his own daughter]] in the series premiere, then cares for a surrogate child during the remainder of the first season.

* ''Series/TheLastOfUs2023'' stars Creator/PedroPascal as anti-heroic Joel Miller, in his third instance of portraying a morally-grey single father on Creator/{{HBO}}. Previously, he made [[StarMakingRole his big break]] playing ''Series/GameOfThrones'' anti-hero Oberyn Martell, then depicted ''Film/WonderWoman1984'' anti-villain Maxwell Lord. Unlike Oberyn (who gets killed before ''[=GoT=]'' formally introduces his daughters) and Maxwell (who survives the events of ''[=WW84=]'', along with his son), Joel [[OutlivingOnesOffspring outlives his daughter]] in the series premiere, then cares for a surrogate child during the remainder of the first season.

* ''Series/TheLastOfUs2023'':
** Creator/PedroPascal stars as anti-heroic Joel Miller, in his third instance of portraying a morally-grey single father on Creator/{{HBO}}. Previously, he made [[StarMakingRole his big break]] playing ''Series/GameOfThrones'' anti-hero Oberyn Martell, then depicted ''Film/WonderWoman1984'' anti-villain Maxwell Lord. Unlike Oberyn and Maxwell, Joel [[OutlivingOnesOffspring outlives his offspring]] in the series premiere, then cares for a surrogate child during the remainder of the first season.
** Creator/NickOfferman as Bill starts out basically playing [[Series/ParksAndRecreation Ron Swanson]] after the [[AfterTheEnd collapse of civilization]] whose only focus is on basic survival. Meeting and falling in love with Frank turns him into the lead of tender love story and ends up making Bill a much better and more idealistic person by the end.

** Creator/NickOfferman as Bill starts out basically playing [[Series/ParksAndRecreation Ron Swanson]] after the collapse of civilization. Meeting and falling in love with Frank turns him into the lead of tender love story and ends up making Bill a much better and more idealistic person by the end.

* ''Series/TheLastOfUs2023'' stars Creator/PedroPascal as anti-heroic Joel Miller, in his third instance of portraying a morally-grey single father on Creator/{{HBO}}. Previously, he made [[StarMakingRole his big break]] playing ''Series/GameOfThrones'' anti-hero Oberyn Martell, then depicted ''Film/WonderWoman1984'' anti-villain Maxwell Lord. Unlike Oberyn and Maxwell, Joel [[OutlivingOnesOffspring outlives his offspring]] in the series premiere, then cares for a surrogate child during the remainder of the first season.