History PlayingAgainstType / FilmActing

* Compare {{Allison Janney}}'s role as the press secretary on ''TheWestWing'' with her role as a nail stylist in ''{{Juno}}''. It makes it about 20 times funnier. ''TheWestWing'' would probably be the time she's playing against type, as she's been in many comedies like ''Film/DropDeadGorgeous'' and ''Private Parts''.

** Not to mention his role in ''TheWestWing'', where he played the tough negotiating leader of the Republican Party.

** Similarly, it's jarring to see [[{{Cheers}} George Wendt]] as a frighteningly brutal [[IncrediblyLamePun heavy]] in ''King of the Ants''.

* Pretty much the career of Anthony Perkins. Prior to ''{{Psycho}}'' he was known for playing sensitive young men and was an almost teen idol. After ''Psycho'', him ''not'' playing a creepy psychopath was considered him playing against type.
** Like a nerdy scientist in Disney's ''TheBlackHole''. He gets eviscerated in a surprisingly horrific scene.

* On the subject of ''IClaudius'', Lucius Sejanus, bastard extraordinaire, as played by... [[StarTrekTheNextGeneration Captain Picard]]?

* James Cromwell, the go-to guy for militant, ball-busting characters (he's the tall, intimidating evil exec of any movie that needs it), can soften up on occasion, from his signature role as the stern but human farmer in ''{{Babe}}'' to the eccentric, rock-and-roll loving scientist in ''StarTrekFirstContact''.

** Also, him playing the MagnificentBastard Kruge in ''StarTrekIIITheSearchForSpock''. Colorful, but definitely not comedic.

* LeonardNimoy (besides playing Spock from the show ''StarTrek'') was actually famous for voicing [[TransformersTheMovie Galvatron,]] one of the most vile and despicable Decepticons that ever lived. However, he was cast as the noble and wise Autobot Sentinel Prime in ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon''.

* JimCarrey broke through with a string of wildly over-the-top comedic characters. Even staying within his niche, he upset audience expectations with ''TheCableGuy'' by playing a humorously disturbed villain rather than a whimsical buffoon. Eventually he got TomHanksSyndrome and went after critical respect with a number of serio-comic roles such as ''TheTrumanShow'' and ''EternalSunshineOfTheSpotlessMind''.

* Rob Schneider is probably better known for playing [[FunnyForeigner funny foreigners]] or one kind of ButtMonkey or another. Well, in ''{{Benchwarmers}}'', not only is he a competent, respectable, '''dignified''' male lead, his character is an excellent baseball player with genuine depth. The film [[{{YMMV}} had its problems]], but Rob's performance was quite a welcomed break from the norm.

* Tom "Tiny" Lister, usually typecast in his movie appearances as the ScaryBlackMan, made a rather decent go as the President of '''Earth''' in Luc Besson's ''Film/TheFifthElement''.

* ChristopherLloyd played a lot of funny and colorful characters in the 80's, like [[Film/BackToTheFuture Doc Brown]] and [[Series/TheAddamsFamily Uncle Fester]]. Then, he played the BigBad [[WhoFramedRogerRabbit Judge Doom]], and he was extremely good at that too....maybe a little bit too good, because he [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel/WhoFramedRogerRabbit traumatized]] every single kid who [[AnimationAgeGhetto accidentally]] saw that movie.
** This Troper would also like to mention him playing the MagnificentBastard Kruge in ''StarTrekIIITheSearchForSpock''. Colorful, but definitely not comedic.

* The African-American anthology horror film ''TalesFromTheHood'' has ''InLivingColor's'' David Alan Grier playing a brutal man who abuses his girlfriend and her son.

* Known for his comedic roles in ''KnockedUp'', ''{{Superbad}}'', and ''GetHimToTheGreek'', Jonah Hill stars in the drama ''{{Moneyball}}''.

** Despite mainly being known for his physique and accent, Arnold has always had a gift for comedic timing (just watch ''{{Commando}}'' if you don't believe this). So starring in a comedy isn't ''too'' much of a stretch for the Austrian action film icon.

* Jessica Lange, normally so sweet and honest, plays an absolutely monstrous character in Julie Taymor's version of ''{{Titus|Andronicus}}''. Her equally evil and far creepier sons are played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Matthew Rhys, both of whom are normally cast as nice guys, Rhys in particular. Perhaps the greatest example of Playing Against Type in the film, however, is when Anthony Hopkins bakes both of them into a pie and [[ImAHumanitarian doesn't eat any himself.]]

* The producers of ''{{Flightplan}}'' cast SeanBean specifically to make viewers think he was part of the villainous plot.

** After ''Film/HouseOfWax'' established Price as That Guy Who Plays Villains, this was subverted in two WilliamCastle movies (''[[spoiler: HouseOnHauntedHill]]'' and ''[[spoiler: TheTingler]]'') where Price is set up as the obvious villain, only for the real baddie to be revealed as someone else in the final act, and suddenly, Vincent is the hero.

** [=MacMurray=] was actually chided by a woman at Disneyworld for taking the role in ''Film/TheApartment'', because he [[RuinedForever "ruined it."]]

* Can you say "Samantha Stephens took an axe and gave her mother 40 whacks?" ''{{Bewitched}}'' star Elizabeth Montgomery played the title character of an ABC movie titled ''The Legend of Lizzie Borden''.

** [[CrazyAwesome In the end]], [[SoCoolItsAwesome it worked]] pretty damn well.

* Jake Gyllenhaal: action hero? In ''[[Film/PrinceOfPersia Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time]]'', yes.

* ''TheApartment'' has two: JackLemmon, known for playing comedic secondary characters, plays the still somewhat comedic, but also dramatic lead, and Fred [=MacMurray=], who at the time was widely recognized as the dad from ''MyThreeSons'', played his adulterous, selfish, and all-around asshole of a boss.
** [=MacMurray=] was actually chided by a woman at Disneyworld for taking the role in TheApartment, because he [[RuinedForever "ruined it."]]

** Another [=MacMurray=] example is ''TheApartment'', where he plays Jack Lemmon's cheating, corrupt douchebag of a boss.

* RobertDeNiro has made a career for the past ten or more years out of subverting, parodying, or deconstructing the tough-guy cred he had accumulated over a long and illustrious career. Examples include ''AnalyzeThis'' and ''{{Stardust}}''.

* GregoryPeck, known for playing noble and dignified characters (such as [[ToKillAMockingbird Atticus Finch]]) played Josef Mengele in the 1978 film ''TheBoysFromBrazil''. One of many theories given for the film's failure at the box office was that the public simply refused to see Gregory Peck as a villain. Peck, for his part, took the part just so he'd have the change to work with LaurenceOlivier.

* Eddie Deezen is one of the ultimate {{Hollywood Nerd}}s on film... which is why he was naturally cast as a ''bully'' in ''{{Laserblast}}''. [[Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000 Mike and the Bots]] had fun with this.

* Haylie Duff, usually in teen comedy roles like her sister Hilary, played a frontier era doctor in ''Love Takes Wing'' and ''Love Finds A Home''.

* PeterSellers never really had a type per se, but by the end of the 1970s his best-known role by far was LargeHam FunnyForeigner Inspector Clouseau in the slapstick series ''ThePinkPanther'', so seeing him as the serene, subdued Chance in the satire ''BeingThere'' reminded a lot of audiences and critics of the true depth of his talent (and he was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar).

** To be fair, the Sejanus role predates Picard by a good decade.

* ''TheGoodGirl'' features JenniferAniston soon after ''{{Friends}}'', taking the lead role as a young woman trapped in a dreary, depressing life in a small Texas town. Her attempts to escape the crushing tedium result in terrible consequences with which she must live. Critics refer to it as Aniston's finest hour.

* Macauley Culkin was ''so'' sick of being associated with [[HomeAlone Kevin]] and that goddamn cheek-slapping "AAAUGH!!!" that he decided to play a psychopathic boy who murdered his brother, [[KickTheDog shoots a dog for no reason]], and tries to murder his cousin in ''TheGoodSon''.

* This is a plot point in ''S.O.B.'', in which an actress with a sugary-sweet reputation is asked to show her breasts in a soft-core film. The best part? The actress was played by JulieAndrews, whose actual film career had suffered after the one-two punch of ''MaryPoppins'' and ''TheSoundOfMusic'' typecast her. This was one of several films her husband Blake Edwards directed her in that broke her out of this mold in various ways. (Others included ''10'' and ''[[VictorVictoria Victor/Victoria]]''.)

** Her roles in ''ThePrincessDiaries'' movies and ''Tooth Fairy'' seem to be a return to her roots.

** And now she's playing [[TheDarkKnightSaga Catwoman]]. Let's hope she doesn't go the same way as HeathLedger.

* In ''{{Eraser}}'', a [[ArnoldSchwarzenegger Schwarzenegger]] film, the bad guy turns out to be [[spoiler: James Caan.]]

* KurtRussell doesn't appear to be Playing Against Type in ''{{Grindhouse}}: Death Proof'' until it's revealed that [[spoiler: his character has a VERY low tolerance for any non-self-inflicted pain.]]

** It should be noted that at the time he made ''Film/DieHard'', Willis' smartalecky ''Moonlighting'' persona was already considered yesterday's news, and ''Die Hard'' resurrected his career. Then the public tired of him as an action hero, and he required a ''second'' comeback, successfully transitioning into dramatic roles with ''PulpFiction''.

*** He also played a certifiable CompleteMonster in Woody Allen's ''MatchPoint'', a sadistic cult-leader in ''Octane'', a cruel, bitter murderer in ''Alexander'', a petulant ManipulativeBastard in ''the Lion in Winter'' (tv version), and a cold, selfish borderline-megalomaniac in ''VelvetGoldmine''. Admittedly, he has played quite a variety of 'nice guy' roles also, a number of which were pretty high profile...but whether the (admittedly '''insane''') part of Chiron can truly be considered playing against type is debatable.

* Cary Elwes did this when cast as the villain in ''Ella Enchanted'', especially after being the hero of ''ThePrincessBride'' and ''RobinHoodMenInTights''

* MichaelCaine often played characters of the LoveableRogue[=/=]FirstPersonSmartass type when younger, making his cold-blooded HeroicSociopath in ''Get Carter'' fairly out of character. His character in the movie ''Zulu'' is also against type, seeing as he is an OfficerAndAGentleman, whereas Caine usually played lower class Cockney characters.
* Prior to ''Film/{{Airplane}}'', Leslie Nielsen, Lloyd Bridges, Robert Stack, and Peter Graves were well-known as serious dramatic actors. Leslie Nielsen's entire career [[LeslieNielsenSyndrome since then was a parody of his former rep.]] Lloyd Bridges later appeared in both ''Hot Shots'' comedies.

* When TimBurton cast MichaelKeaton as ''Film/{{Batman}}'', audiences were dubious because Keaton was best known for his comedic roles. Burton already had a working relationship with Keaton and thought he would fit as the somewhat out-of-sync and antisociable Bruce Wayne that the script called for. Since that time, Keaton has played other menacing and even villainous characters.

* When HeathLedger was cast as the Joker in ''{{The Dark Knight|Saga}}'', he was best known for playing hunky, romantic characters in films such as ''TenThingsIHateAboutYou'', ''AKnightsTale'', and ''{{Film/Casanova}}''. Even his dramatic breakout role as a hunky, closeted gay rancher in ''BrokebackMountain'' didn't stray all that far from his niche. Audiences had no idea what to expect from Ledger playing a [[CompleteMonster hideous]] MonsterClown. And both the gay rancher and monster clown provided the page image.

* GaryOldman is primarily known for playing villains of all kinds. But in ''[[TheDarkKnightSaga Batman Begins]]'' and ''{{The Dark Knight|Saga}}'', he played the heroic Jim Gordon, Batman's sole ally among the Gotham City police.
* JohnnyDepp was perceived as merely a teen idol - then he played ''EdwardScissorhands'', an almost textbook example of TheGrotesque, for Tim Burton. This is regarded as the turning point of Depp's career, so much so that eccentrics ''are'' his type whenever he works with Tim Burton. Also, Anthony Michael Hall was cast against type in that film as [[JerkJock the brutish Jim]]; he was best known at the time for his nerdy roles.

** He plays a NietzscheWannabe, albeit a rather amiable and charming one, in ''Rope''.

** ''{{Vertigo}}'' he plays an obsessive, borderline psychotic AntiHero.

** Of course, anyone who saw ''APrairieHomeCompanion'' was already aware that Meryl could sing.

* You remember Kate Capshaw? That annoying DistressedDamsel from IndianaJonesAndTheTempleOfDoom who was always screaming and getting into trouble and needed Indy to get her out. Among her lesser known roles is a 1987 made-for-tv film called ''The Quick and the Dead'' (nothing to do with the [[TheQuickAndTheDead Sam Raimi film]]) where she actually plays a strong-willed, independent woman who becomes an ActionGirl by the end.

** After ''HouseOfWax'' established Price as That Guy Who Plays Villains, this was subverted in two WilliamCastle movies (''[[spoiler: HouseOnHauntedHill]]'' and ''[[spoiler: TheTingler]]'') where Price is set up as the obvious villain, only for the real baddie to be revealed as someone else in the final act, and suddenly, Vincent is the hero.

* SethRogen got known playing wise-cracking characters who are often stoners. In ''DonnieDarko'', however, he plays the school bully (though this was before his type was established), and in ''ObserveAndReport'' he plays a darkly unbalanced, bi-polar security guard. He is also ''Film/TheGreenHornet''.

* Between ''Swingers'' and ''Made'', Vince Vaughn dabbled in dramatic works such as ''The Cell'' and villainous creepy roles such as the evil stepfather in ''Domestic Disturbance'' and the role of Norman Bates himself in the 1998 Gus Van Sant remake of ''Psycho''. During the phase, RogerEbert once said of Vaughn, "[He] plays a creep better than just about anybody else."
* James Cromwell, the go-to guy for militant, ball-busting characters (he's the tall, intimidating evil exec of any movie that needs it), can soften up on occasion, from his signature role as the stern but human farmer in ''Babe'' to the eccentric, rock-and-roll loving scientist in ''StarTrekFirstContact''.

* GeorgeClooney, in the (paraphrased) words of QuentinTarantino when he cast him for ''FromDuskTillDawn'', went from "playing a doctor in an [[{{Series/ER}} Emergency Room]] to playing a guy that ''puts'' people in the emergency room".

* SylvesterStallone's attempted forays into comedy with ''Rhinestone'', ''[[StopOrMyMomWillShoot Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot!]]'', and ''Oscar''. He also made a stab at acting credibility by playing an overweight and schlubby loser in ''CopLand'', which went a lot better than his comedy work.

** An early example is his role in ''DeathRace2000'', in which he plays a mouthy LargeHam villain.

** ''{{Elf}}'' is a bit of a playing-against-type role for him, too; while he's still a bit of a buffoon in there, it's more "good-natured but exuberant AdultChild" instead of "lecherous jerkass."
** Speaking of ''Elf'', you can make a case for tough-guy James Caan playing the straight man father figure to Will Ferrell's man-elf, his deadpan delivery leading to some laughs as well.
* ''[[TheDarkKnightSaga Batman Begins]]'' had LiamNeeson, usually cast as the noble hero, as the baddie, and GaryOldman, usually cast as the villain (or at least violently conflicted anti-hero) as one of the few good guys left in Gotham.

* Bradley Cooper, best known for nice guy roles like Will Tippin from ''Series/{{Alias}}'', plays one of the most despicable [[RomanticFalseLead Romantic False Leads]] in romantic comedy history in ''Wedding Crashers''. It seems like he's decided that it's his new type. He didn't exactly play sympathetic characters in ''[=~He's Just Not That Into You~=]'' or ''TheHangover''. And he plays the obsessive, borderline-psychotic protagonist in the (pretty good) horror film ''TheMidnightMeatTrain''.
* {{Dustin Hoffman}}'s career and reputation as one of the supreme American actors began when he shed his image as the innocent Benjamin in ''TheGraduate'' and played the disreputable Ratso in ''Midnight Cowboy''.
* John Candy did a few serious roles, like the sleasy lawyer Dean Andrews in ''JFK''.

* DonaldPleasence, typically cast as slimy villains, reinvented himself as the heroic Dr. Loomis in ''Film/{{Halloween}}''. Interestingly, John Carpenter's original choice for the role was the equally villain typecast ChristopherLee, and Rob Zombie's remake did the same thing by casting Malcolm Mcdowell in the role.

* While he's never come out and given this as the exact reason, ChristopherLee has gone on the record as saying that one of the few regrets he has about his career was turning down the role of Dr. Loomis. Probably because it would help him shake off the villainous reputation he's picked up (mostly for his endless ''{{Dracula}}'' movies and ''TheWickerMan'', and revived by ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings''.) Lee gets to play a character with a sensitive side in TimBurton's ''Film/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory'', and in the biopic ''Jinnah'' (where he plays Mohammad Ali Jinnah, founder of modern Pakistan) but... that's really about it. (Though he's a flat-out good guy in ''TheDevilRidesOut'').

* Danny [=DeVito=] is usually cast as {{Jerkass}} or JerkWithAHeartOfGold characters, so seeing him play AndyKaufman's friendly, grounded-in-reality agent George Shapiro in ''{{Man on the Moon}}'' is an interesting change of pace. In the same film, Vincent Schiavelli (best known for oddball-if-not-creepy roles such as the Subway Ghost in ''Ghost'') appears as an uptight ABC executive, and Andy's sharp-but-down-to-earth girlfriend Lynne Margulies is played by Courtney Love.

* The movie [[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102603/ Oscar]] has TimCurry as GeniusDitz Dr. Thornton Poole, most likely the least evil character he has ever played. That, or [[TheWildThornberrys Nigel Thornberry]] (see WesternAnimation below).
* [[{{Film/Superman}} General Zod]], [[Film/TheMatrix Agent Smith]], and that guy from ''{{Film/Memento}}'' played drag queens in the 1994 movie, ''TheAdventuresOfPriscillaQueenOfTheDesert''.
* Dean Jones plays the cruel, selfish veterinarian in ''Beethoven'' (one critic notes that in his Disney heyday, Jones would've been the sympathetic family man lead - as was the case in the [[AnimatedAdaptation animated TV series]], where he voiced dad George[[hottip:*:played by Charles Grodin in the movie]]).

** And then he goes to a bizarre middle ground between those two character types by doing the voice for the Robot Santa in ''{{Futurama}}''.

** Goodman also played a quite intimidating criminal in ''Death Sentence''.

* Jean-Claude Van Damme plays against type ''[[CharacterAsHimself as himself]]'' in ''{{JCVD}}''.

** Freeman got his first Oscar nomination for playing a nasty, violent pimp in 1987's ''Street Smart'', a role that must come as a surprise for audiences who had previously known him mainly for his role as Easy Reader on ''{{The Electric Company}}''.

** Despite early success with ''SaturdayNightFever'', Travolta never really moved out from under the shadow of his [[WelcomeBackKotter Vinny Barbarino]] character, and so failed to establish a film career until he was cast as a hitman in ''PulpFiction''.
* Sir Alec Guinness in an over-the-top comedy role as the [[TheButlerDidIt blind butler]] in ''MurderByDeath'' would surprise anyone only familiar with his work in the epics of David Lean and/or the ''StarWars'' films. But in fact, he was once best known as one of England's great comic actors, with such highlights as his epic eight roles in the black comedy ''KindHeartsAndCoronets'' (from kindly vicar to insolent old woman) and the gang leader in the original version of ''The Ladykillers''.

* Arjun Rampal as a villain in ''OmShantiOm''.

*** Watch ''Chopper'', seriously Eric Bana can play [[VillainProtagonist f*** ed-up.]]

** And then he [[{{Biopic}} played]] RayCharles...

* The movie ''{{Precious}}'', based on the novel ''{{Literature/Push}}'', has Mo'Nique as the title character's abusive mother, which is very much against type for her. She is usually the SassyBlackWoman in comedies.

* The thriller ''TheWatcher'' criss-crossed actor types by casting James Spader as the cop and Keanu Reeves as the serial killer. In the same year, Reeves also played an abusive redneck boyfriend in ''TheGift''. Spader has played a number of sympathetic characters, though he was known for his creep roles at the time.

** He also played a pretty sleazy money launderer in ''ThreeThousandMilesToGraceland''.

** Ford also played an unlikeable character in ''Mosquito Coast'', which he says was one of the reasons for the film's financial failure. He was a scientist who, while well-meaning, yells at Brendan Fraser, in ''ExtraordinaryMeasures''.

* AmyAdams is best known for her role as a sweet and innocent ManicPixieDreamGirl in both ''{{Enchanted}}'' and ''Junebug''. She earlier played [[CompleteMonster Katherine]] in ''CruelIntentions 2'', a racist in an episode of ''{{Buffy|TheVampireSlayer}}'', and a [[ImAHumanitarian cannibal]] in an episode of ''{{Smallville}}''.
* In ''Film/LakePlacid'', we see BettyWhite (previously the sweet, ditzy Rose Nylund on ''GoldenGirls'') as Mrs. Delores Bickerman, a foul-mouthed, possibly insane local who [[spoiler: fed her husband to a giant crocodile.]]
** See also the ''GoldenGirls'' entry below in Live Action Television.

* ''BillAndTedsExcellentAdventure'' had KeanuReeves playing against type... [[InvertedTrope before]] [[DullSurprise his type]] was established.

* Glenn Close, the go-to actress for {{Magnificent B|astard}}itches, [[AmbitionIsEvil power hungry]] female tyrants, {{Manipulative B|astard}}itches and heartless villainesses in general, plays the 'nice girl' in the movie ''TheNatural'', as well as Mona Simpson in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', who was not a magnificent bitch in any sense of the word, although she was a hippie.

* RupertGrint (best known for playing Ron Weasley in the Film/HarryPotter movies) admitted that he made a conscious effort to "play against type" in the Irish teen drama ''{{Film/Cherrybomb}}'', in which he can be seen swearing, drinking, stealing, having sex and snorting cocaine.
* Beverley Mitchell, best known as the middle daughter in ''Series/SeventhHeaven'', plays a jigsaw victim in ''{{Saw}} II''.

* GinaGershon mostly plays {{Manipulative B|astard}}itches, raunchy seductresses and several other villainous types. But in ''UglyBetty'', she plays a campy, hilariously over-the-top cosmetics mogul.
* PeterSellers never really had a type per se, but by the end of the 1970s his best-known role by far was LargeHam FunnyForeigner Inspector Clouseau in the slapsticky PinkPanther series, so seeing him as the serene, subdued Chance in the satire ''BeingThere'' reminded a lot of audiences and critics of the true depth of his talent (and he was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar).

* Chris Farley played the more level headed sidekick (usually reserved for David Spade) in ''AlmostHeroes'', rather than the IdiotHero.

* {{Halle Berry}}'s turn as a HollywoodHomely down-on-her-luck waitress who often physically and verbally abused her overweight son won her an Oscar.

** And his (former) squeeze, the usually sweet and demure VanessaHudgens, as a kickass gun-toting babe in the upcoming ''Film/SuckerPunch''.

* ChristopherLloyd played a lot of funny and colorful characters in the 80's, like [[BackToTheFuture Doc Brown]] and [[Series/TheAddamsFamily Uncle Fester]]. Then, he played the BigBad [[WhoFramedRogerRabbit Judge Doom]], and he was extremely good at that too....maybe a little bit too good, because he [[NightmareFuel traumatized]] every single kid who [[AnimationAgeGhetto accidentally]] saw that movie.

* MichaelMadsen, known for [[KillBill playing]] [[ReservoirDogs malevolent]] [[SinCity bad guys]], played the [[HotDad kindly adoptive father]] in ''FreeWilly'', which rather confused his younger fans who saw him in that ''first'' and then were later horrified to see Glenn hacking off a cop's ear.

* QuentinTarantino loves to play with this trope. Examples include casting RobertDeNiro as a slovenly hoodlum in ''JackieBrown'', and Sonny Chiba as the retired sword crafter in ''KillBill''. PamGrier said that she cracked up laughing at the filming of a courtroom scene in ''Jackie Brown'' when she saw who played the judge: Sid Haig, who had appeared in many movies with her, but always as a villain.

* DanielleHarris, usually a FinalGirl or victim in horror films, turns out to be the killer in ''Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet''. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkIKhtRKn2Y It is awesome]].
* KathyBates as a milquetoast housewife in ''FriedGreenTomatoes''.

* Rob Schneider is probably better known for playing [[FunnyForeigner funny foreigners]] or one kind of ButtMonkey or another. Well, in ''{{Benchwarmers}}'', not only is he a competent, respectable, '''dignified''' male lead, his character is an excellent baseball player with genuine depth. The film [[YourMileageMayVary had its problems]], but Rob's performance was quite a welcomed break from the norm.

** For that matter, Patrick Dempsey. That's right. [[GreysAnatomy Dr. McDreamy]] is playing a slimeball businessman who [[spoiler: sold out to the Decepticons in order to keep his girlfriend and get on the corporate fast track.]]

* JamieLeeCurtis did this twice. The start of her film career was playing the FinalGirl in the original slasher films, then she did an about face and played a prostitute in ''Trading Places''. The 1985 ''Perfect'' made her a sex symbol but that didn't work out so well and she switched to playing quirky housewife characters in various genres.
* Bubbly and cheerful ReeseWitherspoon who stars in ''LegallyBlonde'' and similarly feelgood romantic comedies plays the violent, white-trash and vicious [[VillainProtagonist Vanessa]] in ''{{Freeway}}''.

* Adrien Brody, best known for playing nerdy characters or appearing in dramatic roles, did action turns in the ''KingKong'' remake, ''{{Predators}}'' and ''The Experiment''.
* HelenaBonhamCarter used to play proper English ladies. Then she starred in ''FightClub'', and now she's always playing batshit insane women who LooksLikeCesare.
* Roy Cheung is best known for playing psychopathic triad gangsters and other villains, such that his role as a Shaolin monk in ''InfernalAffairs'' was very much this.

* JackieChan in Shinjuku Incident. When watching this movie don't expect him to pull off any of his high flying kung fu or watching him act like the comedic quirky hero he's normally seen as.
* Albert Brooks, always known for playing comedic protagonists or the neurotic comic relief, played the ruthless and sinister crime lord Bernie Rose in ''{{Drive}}''.

* EdwardNorton is known mainly for his leading man roles. Yet somewhere in his filmography you find the [[TheItalianJob2003 remake of The Italian Job]]. Yet to be made: the main villain in The Bourne Legacy.

* Eddie Deezen is one of the ultimate HollywoodNerds on film... which is why he was naturally cast as a ''bully'' in ''{{Laserblast}}''. [[MysteryScienceTheater3000 Mike and the Bots]] had fun with this.

** It didn't quite work. As an adult he played a HollywoodAtheist in ''{{Saved}}''.

* SeanConnery is best known for playing BadAss characters with a lot of grit to them. In ''[[IndianaJones Indiana Jones And the Last Crusade]]'', however, he plays Indiana's father as a bumbling, academic pacifist who survives with creativity rather than action skills.

* TomHanks was well-known for playing sly, comedic characters in '80s comedies. [[TomHanksSyndrome And then came a little film called]] ''{{Philadelphia}}'', and [[InspirationallyDisadvantaged another film called]] ''ForrestGump''. Since then he became better known for playing upstanding men of integrity in such films as ''Film/SavingPrivateRyan'' and ''CatchMeIfYouCan''. He subverted this new reputation with ''RoadToPerdition'', in which he played a mob hitman.