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** Except for the occasional transsexual ex-NFL player in the ''The World According to Garp'') or excitable airplane passenger (as originally played by [[LargeHam William Shatner]]) in ''Twilight Zone: The Movie'', and a comedic role in ''Harry and the Hendersons''.
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** Except for the occasional transsexual ex-NFL player in the ''The World According to Garp'') or excitable airplane passenger (as originally played by [[LargeHam William Shatner]]) WilliamShatner) in ''Twilight Zone: The Movie'', ''TwilightZoneTheMovie'', and a comedic role in ''Harry and the Hendersons''.
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** He played a cynic in ''SenseAndSensibility''. The character is very similar to his ''Series/{{House}}'' character, but is actually a decent person. And he doesn't have an American accent, obviously.
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** He played a cynic in ''SenseAndSensibility''.''Film/SenseAndSensibility''. The character is very similar to his ''Series/{{House}}'' character, but is actually a decent person. And he doesn't have an American accent, obviously.
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** Don't forget ''{{Highlander}}''. The Kurgan is the strongest - and nastiest - of all the immortals.
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** Don't forget ''{{Highlander}}''.''Film/{{Highlander}}''. The Kurgan is the strongest - and nastiest - of all the immortals.
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** And then, of course, there's Richard Belzer, who before becoming Detective John Munch (on ''{{Homicide}}'') was most widely known for his stand-up comedy.
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*** Stewart also played a pretty skeevy informant in an episode of ''{{Castle}}''.
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** He also gets a non-smarmy, non-JerkAss turn in ''HarrysLaw''.
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** He also gets On ''HarrysLaw'', he may play a non-smarmy, non-JerkAss turn in ''HarrysLaw''.smarmy JerkAss, but for once, he's a ''heroic'' smarmy JerkAss.
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** He also gets a non-smarmy, non-JerkAss turn in ''HarrysLaw''.
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** See also her playing something of an AlphaBitch of a country singer on ''Nashville''.
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* ReneAuberjonois got a rep for playing an effeminate wimp during his stint on ''{{Benson}}'', but ended up played tough guy Odo on ''StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', even making his voice more gravelly.
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* ReneAuberjonois Rene Auberjonois got a rep for playing an effeminate wimp during his stint on ''{{Benson}}'', but ended up played tough guy Odo on ''StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', even making his voice more gravelly.gravelly.
** And then there was his playing [[spoiler: a child-molesting priest]] on ''SavingGrace''.
** And then there was his playing [[spoiler: a child-molesting priest]] on ''SavingGrace''.
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* Jenna Leigh Green is best remembered for playing a [[AlphaBitch certain cheerleader]] on ''SabrinaTheTeenageWitch''. However, in the ''ColdCase'' episode "Wednesday's Women", Green plays the younger version of an [[spoiler:undercover schoolteacher who taught African-Americans kids in the Jim Crow-era South]] who [[spoiler:[[ItsAllMyFault feels guilty]] in recruiting her [[WideEyedIdealist best friend]] who ends getting murdered after they're found out]].
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* Jenna Leigh Green is best remembered for playing a [[AlphaBitch certain cheerleader]] on ''SabrinaTheTeenageWitch''. However, in the ''ColdCase'' ''Series/ColdCase'' episode "Wednesday's Women", Green plays the younger version of an [[spoiler:undercover schoolteacher who taught African-Americans kids in the Jim Crow-era South]] who [[spoiler:[[ItsAllMyFault feels guilty]] in recruiting her [[WideEyedIdealist best friend]] who ends getting murdered after they're found out]].
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Nightmare Fuel cleanup; see thread for reference
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* SharonSmall in the TV movie ''No Child of Mine''. She is most famous for sympathetic, genuinely good-hearted characters like Barbara Havers on ''TheInspectorLynleyMysteries'' and Trudi Malloy on ''Mistresses'', and is absolutely ''[[{{Moe}} adorable]]''. In ''No Child Of Mine'', however, she plays a pathologically, violently abusive mother, and does it [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel so convincingly]] that the result can be quite literally ''nauseating''.
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* SharonSmall in the TV movie ''No Child of Mine''. She is most famous for sympathetic, genuinely good-hearted characters like Barbara Havers on ''TheInspectorLynleyMysteries'' and Trudi Malloy on ''Mistresses'', and is absolutely ''[[{{Moe}} adorable]]''. In ''No Child Of Mine'', however, she plays a pathologically, violently abusive mother, and does it [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel so convincingly]] convincingly that the result can be quite literally ''nauseating''.
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* Bill Pullman normally plays good guys or at least aloof heroes. So seeing him as [[CompleteMonster a pedophilic child murderer]] on ''Series/TorchwoodMiracleDay'' is very [[NightmareFuel disturbing]] and surprising.
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* Bill Pullman normally plays good guys or at least aloof heroes. So seeing him as [[CompleteMonster a pedophilic child murderer]] on ''Series/TorchwoodMiracleDay'' is very [[NightmareFuel disturbing]] disturbing and surprising.
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** Speaking of StephenKing miniseries', his own take on ''TheShining'' contains ''two'' examples of PlayingAgainstType; Steven Weber (famous at the time for playing goofball Brian Hackett from ''{{Wings}}'') played the slowly losing his mind Jack Torrence, and Rebecca De Mornay (famous for being typecast as psychotically dangerous women) played the very meek and demure wife Wendy.
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** Speaking of StephenKing miniseries', his own take on ''TheShining'' contains ''two'' examples of PlayingAgainstType; Steven Weber (famous at the time for playing goofball Brian Hackett from ''{{Wings}}'') ''Series/{{Wings}}'') played the slowly losing his mind Jack Torrence, and Rebecca De Mornay (famous for being typecast as psychotically dangerous women) played the very meek and demure wife Wendy. Wendy.
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** Speaking of StephenKing miniseries', his take on his own ''TheShining'' contains ''two'' examples of PlayingAgainstType; Steven Weber (famous at the time for playing goofball Brian Hackett from "Wings") played the slowly losing his mind Jack Torrence, and Rebecca DeMornay (famous for being typecast as psychotically dangerous women) played the very meek and demure wife Wendy.
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** Speaking of StephenKing miniseries', his own take on his own ''TheShining'' contains ''two'' examples of PlayingAgainstType; Steven Weber (famous at the time for playing goofball Brian Hackett from "Wings") ''{{Wings}}'') played the slowly losing his mind Jack Torrence, and Rebecca DeMornay De Mornay (famous for being typecast as psychotically dangerous women) played the very meek and demure wife Wendy.
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** Speaking of StephenKing miniseries', his take on his own ''TheShining'' contains ''two'' examples of PlayingAgainstType; Steven Weber (famous at the time for playing goofball Brian Hackett from "Wings") played the slowly losing his mind Jack Torrence, and Rebecca DeMornay (famous for being typecast as psychotically dangerous women) played the very meek and demure wife Wendy.
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** Let's not forget the original Playing Against Type actor that ''LawAndOrder'' exhibited: The late, great Jerry Orbach. Originally a Musical Theatre star, he was then-best known for playing sleazy {{Amoral Attorney}}s (so like [[{{Chicago}} Billy Flynn]], a role he originated). Turning him into a jaded, [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]] LawfulNeutral detective was an unexpected masterstroke, and he stayed attached to the show until his untimely death.
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** Let's not forget the original Playing Against Type actor that ''LawAndOrder'' exhibited: The late, great Jerry Orbach. Originally a Musical Theatre star, he was then-best known for playing sleazy {{Amoral Attorney}}s (so like [[{{Chicago}} Billy Flynn]], a role he originated).originated); In fact, he even played a defense lawyer on L&O before they recast him. Turning him into a jaded, [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]] LawfulNeutral detective was an unexpected masterstroke, and he stayed attached to the show until his untimely death.
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** Let's not forget the original Playing Against Type actor that ''LawAndOrder'' exhibited: The late, great Jerry Orbach. Originally a Musical Theatre star, he was then-best known for playing sleazy {{Amoral Attorney}}s (so like {{Chicago}} Billy Flynn]], a role he originated). Turning him into a jaded, [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]] LawfulNeutral detective was an unexpected masterstroke, and he stayed attached to the show until his untimely death.
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** Let's not forget the original Playing Against Type actor that ''LawAndOrder'' exhibited: The late, great Jerry Orbach. Originally a Musical Theatre star, he was then-best known for playing sleazy {{Amoral Attorney}}s (so like {{Chicago}} [[{{Chicago}} Billy Flynn]], a role he originated). Turning him into a jaded, [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]] LawfulNeutral detective was an unexpected masterstroke, and he stayed attached to the show until his untimely death.
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** Let's not forget the original Playing Against Type actor that ''LawAndOrder'' exhibited: The late, great Jerry Orbach. Originally a Musical Theatre star, he was best known for playing sleazy {{Amoral Attorney}}s (so like [[Chicago}} Billy Flynn]], a role he originated). Turning him into a jaded, [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]] LawfulNeutral detective was an unexpected masterstroke, and he stayed attached to the show until his untimely death.
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** Let's not forget the original Playing Against Type actor that ''LawAndOrder'' exhibited: The late, great Jerry Orbach. Originally a Musical Theatre star, he was best then-best known for playing sleazy {{Amoral Attorney}}s (so like [[Chicago}} {{Chicago}} Billy Flynn]], a role he originated). Turning him into a jaded, [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]] LawfulNeutral detective was an unexpected masterstroke, and he stayed attached to the show until his untimely death.
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** Let's not forget the original Playing Against Type actor that ''LawAndOrder'' exhibited: The late, great Jerry Orbach. Taking a Musical Theatre star and turning him into a jaded, [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]] LawfulNeutral detective was a brilliant masterstroke, and he stayed attached to the show until his untimely death.
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** Let's not forget the original Playing Against Type actor that ''LawAndOrder'' exhibited: The late, great Jerry Orbach. Taking Originally a Musical Theatre star and turning star, he was best known for playing sleazy {{Amoral Attorney}}s (so like [[Chicago}} Billy Flynn]], a role he originated). Turning him into a jaded, [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]] LawfulNeutral detective was a brilliant an unexpected masterstroke, and he stayed attached to the show until his untimely death.
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* [[Series/{{Firefly}} Nathan FIllion]] turned up as the villainous Caleb in ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' after playing roguish hero Captain Malcom Reynolds on ''Series/{{Firefly}}''.
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* [[Series/{{Firefly}} Nathan FIllion]] turned up as the villainous Caleb in ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' after playing roguish hero Captain Malcom Reynolds on ''Series/{{Firefly}}''. Not to mention the JerkJock DesignatedHero [[HeroAntagonist Antagonist]] Captain Hammer in DoctorHorriblesSingAlongBlog.
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** However, some people familiar with Chase's off-screen antics claim that he's actually [[AdamWesting playing himself]].
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** ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' is good at this. Peter Capaldi is best known for playing MagnificentBastard AntiHero Malcolm Tucker in ''TheThickOfIt'' — a man with no scruples or shame over the corrupt government he works for. In ''[[Recap/TorchwoodS3MSChildrenOfEarth Children of Earth]]'', he plays John Frobisher, a ButtMonkey AntiVillain who is so ashamed of his governments' acts [[PaterFamilicide he commits suicide after murdering his family]] to spare them from being turned over to the 456.
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** ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' is good at this. Peter Capaldi is best known for playing MagnificentBastard AntiHero Malcolm Tucker in ''TheThickOfIt'' — a man with no scruples or shame over the corrupt government he works for. In ''[[Recap/TorchwoodS3MSChildrenOfEarth ''[[Series/TorchwoodChildrenOfEarth Children of Earth]]'', he plays John Frobisher, a ButtMonkey AntiVillain who is so ashamed of his governments' acts [[PaterFamilicide he commits suicide after murdering his family]] to spare them from being turned over to the 456.
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* Dick Van Dyke, who usually plays the comic relief in musicals like ''MaryPoppins'' or ''ChittyChittyBangBang'', as well as ad exec Dick Burgess on ''TheDickVanDykeShow'', played the Murderer of the Week (a henpecked photographer who shoots his wife and the man he hired to make it look like a murder/suicide) on an episode of ''Series/{{Columbo}}''.
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* Dick Van Dyke, DickVanDyke, who usually plays the comic relief in musicals like ''MaryPoppins'' or ''ChittyChittyBangBang'', as well as ad exec Dick Burgess on ''TheDickVanDykeShow'', played the Murderer of the Week (a henpecked photographer who shoots his wife and the man he hired to make it look like a murder/suicide) on an episode of ''Series/{{Columbo}}''.
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* And Dwight Schultz as the timid engineer Barclay, a few years after playing the clinically insane "Howling Mad" Murdock on ''TheATeam''.
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* And Dwight Schultz as the timid engineer Barclay, a few years after playing the clinically insane "Howling Mad" Murdock on ''TheATeam''.''Series/TheATeam''.
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Adding an example.
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** [[TheAdventuresOfBuckarooBanzaiAcrossTheEighthDimension Lord John Whorfin]] was ''anything'' but a "serious villain."
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* What do [[{{Enchanted}} Amy]] [[MissPettigrewLivesForADay Adams]], [[TheWonderYears Dan]] [[ShakespearianActors Lauria]], [[FormerChildStar Jonathan]] [[Disney/TheLionKing Taylor]] [[Series/HomeImprovement Thomas]], [[TeenIdol Brian]] [[BeverlyHills90210 Austin]] [[Series/FantasticFour Green]], [[LoisAndClark Dean]] [[MythologyGag Cain]], [[BeverlyHills90210 Tori]] [[SavedByTheBell Spelling]], [[Film/{{X-Men}} Shawn]] [[Series/{{Animorphs}} Ashmore]], and [[{{Psych}} Maggie]] [[PartyOfFive Lawson]] have in common? They're all ''{{Smallville}}'' villains, of course.
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* What do [[{{Enchanted}} [[Film/{{Enchanted}} Amy]] [[MissPettigrewLivesForADay Adams]], [[TheWonderYears Dan]] [[ShakespearianActors Lauria]], [[FormerChildStar Jonathan]] [[Disney/TheLionKing Taylor]] [[Series/HomeImprovement Thomas]], [[TeenIdol Brian]] [[BeverlyHills90210 Austin]] [[Series/FantasticFour [[WesternAnimation/FantasticFour Green]], [[LoisAndClark Dean]] [[MythologyGag Cain]], [[BeverlyHills90210 Tori]] [[SavedByTheBell Spelling]], [[Film/{{X-Men}} Shawn]] [[Series/{{Animorphs}} Ashmore]], and [[{{Psych}} Maggie]] [[PartyOfFive Lawson]] have in common? They're all ''{{Smallville}}'' villains, of course.
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* WillArnett playing a loving, caring husband and father on UpAllNight is far removed from the [[Series/ArrestedDevelopment selfish]] [[ThirtyRock jerks]] he normally is known to play.
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* WillArnett playing a loving, caring husband and father on UpAllNight is far removed from the [[Series/ArrestedDevelopment selfish]] [[ThirtyRock [[Series/ThirtyRock jerks]] he normally is known to play.
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* WillArnett playing a loving, caring husband and father on UpAllNight is far removed from the [[ArrestedDevelopment selfish]] [[ThirtyRock jerks]] he normally is known to play.
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* WillArnett playing a loving, caring husband and father on UpAllNight is far removed from the [[ArrestedDevelopment [[Series/ArrestedDevelopment selfish]] [[ThirtyRock jerks]] he normally is known to play.
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Rene Auberjonois
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* Charlie Hunnam was known for playing {{Bishounen}} roles in shows like ''{{Undeclared}}'' and films like ''NicholasNickleby''. That is, until he played the lead BadassBiker on ''SonsOfAnarchy''.
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* Charlie Hunnam was known for playing {{Bishounen}} roles in shows like ''{{Undeclared}}'' and films like ''NicholasNickleby''. That is, until he played the lead BadassBiker on ''SonsOfAnarchy''.''SonsOfAnarchy''.
* ReneAuberjonois got a rep for playing an effeminate wimp during his stint on ''{{Benson}}'', but ended up played tough guy Odo on ''StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', even making his voice more gravelly.
* ReneAuberjonois got a rep for playing an effeminate wimp during his stint on ''{{Benson}}'', but ended up played tough guy Odo on ''StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', even making his voice more gravelly.
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* An in-show example of this occurs in the Christmas Special of ''TheWorstWitch'' where nasty, scary and mean Miss Hardbroom is cast as the kind and benevolent Fairy Godmother in the pantomime of ''{{Cinderella}}''.
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* An in-show example of this occurs in the Christmas Special of ''TheWorstWitch'' where nasty, scary and mean Miss Hardbroom is cast as the kind and benevolent Fairy Godmother in the pantomime of ''{{Cinderella}}''."Literature/{{Cinderella}}".
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Addendum to Bob Newhart\'s ER role
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**[[spoiler: He didn't just contemplate it.]]
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* Andy Griffith, best known as either kindly small-town sheriff [[TheAndyGriffithShow Andy Taylor]] or folksy defense attorney [[{{Matlock}} Ben Matlock]], went years without playing villainous characters after he rose to fame on television, but broke the streak in the early 1980s when he was cast as John Wallace in ''Murder in Coweta County''; the movie was the true story of John Wallace, a wealthy but sadistic landowner who kills one of his sharecroppers for stealing his cattle (by he and his goons beating up the hapless farmer, then pistol whipping him so hard he caused his gun to discharge), and it took a hard-nosed sheriff (Johnny Cash) to bring him to justice. A year before ''Matlock'' debuted, Griffith played Judge Julius Sullivan, a callously cruel judge who sentences two teen-aged girls to prison for a minor crime. After ''Matlock'', Griffith returned to roles against type, playing the sociopathic Jack[=MacGruder=] in the made-for-TV film ''Gramps''; [=MacGruder=] turns even more sinister in his attempts to sexually molest his grandson, Matthew, and physically makes his true character known to anyone who stands in his way. In each of his three "bad guy" roles, Griffith retained his "small-town character" traits, making each of these roles even more memorable.
* [[Series/{{Firefly}} Nathan FIllion]] turned up as the villainous Caleb in ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' after playing roguish hero Captain Malcom Reynolds on ''Series/{{Firefly}}''.
** JossWhedon loves to cast heroes from one show as villains on another. Gina Torres went from playing heroic, [[DeadpanSnarker deadpan-snarking]] [[TheLancer Zoe]] on ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' to playing villainous DarkMessiah Jasmine on ''{{Series/Angel}}''. Adam Baldwin went from playing dim-bulb mercenary Jayne on ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' to playing BigBad ManipulativeBastard Marcus Hamilton on ''{{Series/Angel}}''. And Alan Tudyk goes from the sweet, [[BunnyEarsLawyer Bunny Ears Pilot]] Wash in ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' to [[spoiler: the remorseless serial-killer Alpha]] in ''{{Dollhouse}}''.
* When the StephenKing miniseries TheLangoliers was made, most people thought that the AxCrazy Craig Toomey would be played by [[QuantumLeap Dean Stockwell]]. Instead, it was played by [[PerfectStrangers Balki]]!
* ''BattlestarGalactica'' did this wonderfully with Dean Stockwell as Brother Cavil.
--> ''Let's get this genocide on the road.''
* Ben Browder of ''Series/{{Farscape}}'' fame played an AxCrazy man on ''CSIMiami'' who set a fire that he intended to put out to prove he was good enough to join the fire department after their psychological screenings declared him unfit. The fire gets out of control and people died. His declarations that he's "A hero" are particularly disturbing as he ''did'' put out the fire, but seems unaware that people frown on that whole ''murder'' thing.
* The British show ''UpstairsDownstairs'' was loaded with actors playing against type, including Angela Baddeley, Jean Marsh, Rachel Gurney, Gordon Jackson, and Meg Wynn Owen. Angela Baddeley was so aristocratic in RealLife that her name appeared in Burke's Peerage, yet she played a servant convincingly.
* Marc Warren, best known for playing a LoveableRogue [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold With a Heart of Gold]] on ''{{Hustle}}'', stars in the TV adaptation of ''[[{{Literature/Discworld}} Hogfather]]'' as nightmarish Willy Wonka-like hitman Jonathan Teatime. And he's also played Count Dracula. Shiver. What's particularly interesting about the ''Hogfather'' role was that Warren himself thought up that presentation of Teatime and was actually hired with the expectation that he would play the character as something like [[AffablyEvil a psychopathic Danny Blue]].
* Fred Savage (yes, the Fred Savage of ''TheWonderYears'', ''Film/ThePrincessBride'', and ''Film/TheWizard'') once played a charismatic rapist on an episode of ''LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit''.
** He and his TV brother Jason Hervey also switched characterizations on an episode of ''JusticeLeague'', with Savage playing the angry Hawk and Hervey playing the gentler Dove.
** Fred Savage also played an abusive boyfriend (stereotypically a wrestler) opposite ''FullHouse'''s Candice Cameron in a LifetimeMovieOfTheWeek.
** He also played a lecherous professor on ''BoyMeetsWorld'' who harasses Topanga and tries to get Corey kicked out of college for defending her (That of course would be Corey played by Fred's real-life younger brother Ben Savage).
** Not to mention a clarinet-playing heroin addict in ''[[TheFilmOfTheBook The Rules of Attraction]].''
** Then factor in he's directed several episodes of ''Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia''...
* Speaking of the ''LawAndOrder'' franchise, Fred Savage isn't the only one doing that trick. If we go to SVU, Melissa Joan Hart played a teacher raped by her student and [[AdamWesting Jerry Lewis]] played [[JohnMunch Detective John Munch's]] mentally impaired uncle Andy. And in the original, Chevy Chase played an anti-Semitic ManipulativeBastard who made his son kill a Jewish woman he had a grudge against.
** Don't forget Dean Cain. To see Superman playing a serial rapist...Brrrr.
*** [[CompleteMonster Scott Peterson]]. That is ''all''.
*** Also StephenColbert as the killer in an episode of L&O: Criminal Intent, as well as WhoopiGoldberg as a "Ma Barker" type gangleader, and Michael York as a metrosexual [[CompleteMonster Charles Manson]]! Even Julia Roberts got to play a killer in ''LawAndOrder'' once (she took the part because she was dating Benjamin Bratt at the time). The ''LawAndOrder'' franchise is arguably the best place for established "good guy" actors to show that they can play villains.
** Try and unhear [[HappyDays The Fonz]] sneering "shut up, you stupid bitch" after being revealed to have plotted his wife's assault.
** Adorable child actor ElleFanning also played the part of an abused child [[spoiler: who turned out to be a sociopathic liar and wound up setting one of the detectives' apartments on fire so they could stay together forever. It was very creepy.]]
*** {{Dakota|Fanning}} (Elle's older sister) played an abused child with an entirely different twist in ''{{Series.CSI}}'': [[spoiler: she was the product of [[ParentalIncest incestuous rape]], and her mother/"sister" had the rest of the family killed when her father in both senses of the word turned his attention to her.]]
*** In the same vein, notoriously sweet, good-girl actress Hilary Duff (best known as LizzieMcGuire, and for being as nice IRL as she is in most of her roles) played a neglectful, hard-partying teen mother in an episode of SVU.
*** On Criminal Intent, NeilPatrickHarris played a serial killer who ''ate'' part of his victims.
** Christopher Meloni went in the other direction, playing the coach in ''GymTeacherTheMovie'' on {{Nickelodeon}}.
*** And a cynical pediatrician on ''{{Series/Scrubs}}'', as well as oddball mutant Freakshow in ''Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle'' and another oddball KKK leader in the sequel.
*** Plus the oddball camp cook in ''WetHotAmericanSummer''.
*** And the FlamboyantGay hotel clerk in ''FearAndLoathingInLasVegas'', which is particularly funny in contrast to his previous appearance in a TerryGilliam film, ''Twelve Monkeys'' - as a cop.
*** Let us not forget the role he was best known for before he played Stabler: DepravedBisexual Chris Keller on ''{{Oz}}''. Not only does he treat MurderTheHypotenuse as a commandment regarding his lover, Beecher, he ''broke Beecher's arms and legs'' because Beecher had rejected him.
*** Arguably, his dramatic roles are the initial Playing Against Type for him, as through his initial stages of acting, his background was actually in comedy.
** Let's not forget the original Playing Against Type actor that ''LawAndOrder'' exhibited: The late, great Jerry Orbach. Taking a Musical Theatre star and turning him into a jaded, [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]] LawfulNeutral detective was a brilliant masterstroke, and he stayed attached to the show until his untimely death.
*** Orbach had played a very similar character to Briscoe in the 1981 film ''PrinceOfTheCity''. Right before L&O, he played a sinister Mob type in ''Crimes And Misdemeanors''.
** A currently active one: Anthony Anderson's Kevin Bernard. Last longest role was as CompleteMonster Antwon Mitchell on ''TheShield''.
*** Mitchell was also very much against type for Anderson, prior to that, he was known as the go-to BlackBestFriend or ComicRelief.
* Whoopi Goldberg, mentioned above, also played against her own sassy black woman stereotype when she played the immortal free-spirited bartender Guinan on ''StarTrekTheNextGeneration''.
* Speaking of TNG, you owe it to yourself to watch the episode of ''Extras'' with Patrick Stewart. He's got some wonderful ideas for a screenplay.
* And Dwight Schultz as the timid engineer Barclay, a few years after playing the clinically insane "Howling Mad" Murdock on ''TheATeam''.
* Andrew Sachs, known to most as the clumsy waiter Manuel of ''FawltyTowers'', played as a twitchy crafty paedophile in ''TheBill''.
* Pauline Quirke, known for her comedic fat lady role in ''Birds of a Feather'', literally turned heads in her role as a serial killer in a crime drama called ''The Sculptress''.
* Christopher [=McDonald=] who always plays smarmy, Jerkass characters showed up in ''Series/StargateUniverse'', in a row everyone expected to be a smarmy, Jerkass self interested Senator as quite a few politicians have been before him in the franchise. Then he turns out to be smart and noble and ends up performing a HeroicSacrifice to save the crew.
* Bob Saget, best known as playing Danny Tanner on ''FullHouse'' and serving as the original host of ''Series/AmericasFunniestHomeVideos'', was and still is an incredibly vulgar stand-up comedian. He once stated in an interview he took the "clean" jobs because he needed the money for his family.
** So does he need the money again, now that he's the narrator in ''HowIMetYourMother''?
** He also seemed to enjoy the dissonance and shock value that comes from people who only know his "wholesome" work discovering his stand-up comedy.
* Phil Silvers, famous for playing fast-talking swindlers, appears in an episode of ''[[KolchakTheNightStalker Kolchak: The Night Stalkers]]'' as a Jewish retiree scraping by on his pension in a decaying neighborhood. He's a thousand miles away from Sergeant Bilko and also completely convincing.
* ''{{Series/Lost}}'' has Dominic Monaghan of ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' fame playing Mancunian failed rock-star heroin addict Charlie Pace. Though as the show progressed and he kicked the junk, he seemed to revert to a lovable (albeit taller) hobbit.
* Another example from ''{{Series/Lost}}'' is Yunjin Kim, who gained fame in Korea playing {{Action Girl}}s, but her character in ''Lost'', Sun, is pretty much TheWoobie.
* Prior to ''TheGoldenGirls'', BettyWhite had played raunchy Sue Ann on ''TheMaryTylerMooreShow'', while Rue [=McClanahan=] had played TheDitz on ''Maude''. Thus Betty was originally considered for Blanche and Rue was considered for Rose. Neither actress wanted to play such a similar role, so they suggested the switch. As a result, younger viewers are astonished to see their prior series.
** Betty White probably shocks a lot of people with her dirty mouth when she appears in skits on the ''TheLateLateShow with Craig Ferguson''.
*** ...as her former one-time MTM "rival" Cloris Leachman did on ''DancingWithTheStars'' and the roast of Bob Saget.
*** White's career has cycled through types a few times. The role of Sue Ann itself was playing against the type she'd established in various programs in the 1950s and 1960s. Then, having reestablished herself as the super-nice one on ''Golden Girls'', she's spent the 1990s and 00s playing against it: for example, in her guest appearance in ''{{Everwood}}'', where her character was slightly racist; or on ''BostonLegal'', where she killed a man; or on ''UglyBetty'', where she played herself as a manipulative gambling addict ("All that ''Golden Girls'' money went right down the nickel slots!"), or Kitty's JerkAss mother in ''Series/That70sShow''.
*** One of the drawing points of the film ''Lake Placid'' was the chance to see Betty White play a foul-mouthed role.
* ''CriminalMinds'' enjoys casting former child and teen stars as crazed killers. James Van Der Beek (as a multiple personality stricken home invasion murderer) and Frankie Muniz (as an insane comic book artist turned gang member butcher) appeared in the second and third seasons, respectively. In the fourth season, Luke Perry and WilWheaton appeared as unsubs. As one cast member joked:
-->'''Matthew Gray Gubler''' ''(Spencer Reid)'': I'm always getting held hostage by teen idols - first James Van Der Beek was a guest star and held Reid hostage, and this time it's Luke Perry. I actually saw Scott Baio out front, and I swear he looked at me.
** Comedic actors are not immune, either: Jamie Kennedy played a cannibalistic serial killer in the third season episode "Lucky", and [[{{Seinfeld}} George Costanza]] (Jason Alexander) played a mastermind manipulator in the fourth season episode, "Masterpiece".
*** Alexander also played against type with a surprisingly low-key turn as an [[StrawVulcan ice-cold]], utterly amoral supergenius on ''StarTrekVoyager''.
**** At the height of ''Seinfeld'', Alexander went way against type as a charming, charismatic mentalist on ''Remember WENN'', written by his longtime friend Rupert Holmes.
** The pilot episode features DJ Qualls as one half of a serial killing partnership. Qualls had, to that point, mostly been known for playing awkward comic relief characters.
** Jackson Rathbone played a janitor suspected of murdering a number of young men [[spoiler: and the janitor's ''female'' split personality who was the actual killer]]. He was [[GoMadFromTheRevelation absolutely brilliant]]. It almost makes you cry when you see what he was reduced to in ''Literature/{{Twilight}}''.
** Try picturing Gideon delivering that immortal line: "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." This troper never even realised it was the same actor.
** ''CriminalMinds'' just had French Stewart as a serial killer. Bad [[Film/InspectorGadget Gadget!!]] Bad, ''bad'' Gadget!
** Mitch Pileggi as the shotgun-wielding remorse killer in "Normal". [[Series/{{TheX-Files}} No, not Skinner!]]
* Prior to ''Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun'', John Lithgow mostly played serious villains.
** Except for the occasional transsexual ex-NFL player in the ''The World According to Garp'') or excitable airplane passenger (as originally played by [[LargeHam William Shatner]]) in ''Twilight Zone: The Movie'', and a comedic role in ''Harry and the Hendersons''.
** And a DeadpanSnarker engineer in ''2010''.
** And then a serious [[SerialKiller psychopathic]] villain in ''Dexter''.
* After playing a sugary-sweet, innocent maternal character in ''La Ninera'', Florencia Pena played the greedy, dysfunctional, politically incorrect mother in ''Casados Con Hijos''. Guillermo Francella, whose roles as fathers are always of the Greg Brady type, was cast as the drunken, idiotic and also greedy and dysfunctional father.
** The same happened in the Chilean version of ''Casado con Hijos''. Javiera Contador plays the mother, and she actually was known as TheIngenue heroine in several telenovelas...
* Another Chilean case in the 80's. Deceased lead actor Tennyson Ferrada was typecast as sweet and gentle grandpa-type mentors, but then ''La Última Cruz'' (''The Last Cross'') came... and he played the MagnificentBastard BigBad patriarch.
* Dianne Wiest, more usually known as the sweet, motherly type (for just a few among many examples, consider: the preacher John Lithgow's wife in ''{{Footloose}}'', the mother in ''TheLostBoys'', and conservative senator Gene Hackman's wife in ''TheBirdcage''), instead gets to appear as the wonderfully menacing, insane, and monstrous Evil Queen in ''TheTenthKingdom''. As she put it herself in the behind-the-scenes featurette, "It's quite delicious really. I get to kill anybody who gets in my way, so you'd better stay away from me. Otherwise you might end up dead."
** She also then appeared as the hard-bitten D.A. in charge of Sam Waterson's prosecutor's office on ''LawAndOrder''.
* Michael Kostroff built his career with film after film where he played a heroic crusading lawyer. Then comes ''TheWire'' where he played Maurice Levy, Baltimore's go-to attorney for drug dealers and one of the most vile and unlikable characters in a show that deals almost exclusively with {{Black and Grey Morality}}.
* Michael Shanks' main role for the past decade or so has been the nerdy, courageous archeologist Daniel Jackson, in ''{{Stargate SG-1}}''. Then you've got ''BurnNotice'', where he's cast as Victor, a psychotic, amoral super-scary spy, who has it in for the protagonist. It's great to watch.
** Before that, he played the part of a psychopathic date rapist stalker in ''Judicial Indiscretions'', in which he is definitely ''not'' redeemed at the end, though he is (sort of) in ''BurnNotice''.
** He was also a spy in ''TwentyFour'', and a criminal in ''{{Eureka}}'' who nearly destroyed the entire town through his arrogance. And let's not forget his role as the sociopathic Balance of Judgement and his insane avatars in ''Andromeda''.
** While still a heroic character, his role as [[{{Hawkman}} Carter Hall/Hawkman]] on ''{{Smallville}}'' is nearly the complete opposite of Daniel Jackson in terms of personality.
* Done to a large extent in ''{{Roots}}'', which largely cast actors known for positive, wholesome roles as its nastier characters, including Robert Reed, Ralph Waite, Lorne Greene, Burl Ives, Sandy Duncan, and Chuck Conners. It also went the other way by casting Ed Asner, best known as the gruff, surly Lou Grant on ''TheMaryTylerMooreShow'', as a slave ship captain who is conflicted and tortured about his trade.
* WilWheaton did this on not one but two CBS shows in the 2007/08 season, guest starring as a selfish comic book creator (who shoulders a cosplaying Klingon out of his way) in an episode of ''NUMB3RS'' and as the aforementioned baddie of the week in ''CriminalMinds''. A few years earlier, he played a crazy homeless guy on ''{{CSI}}''.
** Not to mention a (more comedic) douchebag version of himself on ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'' to the point where he is now Sheldon's arch nemesis.
--->"''[[SkywardScream WHEATON!!!]]''"
* Eric Peterson, famous for the series ''Street Legal'', spent most of his career playing wise, smarter characters. Contrast his role as the cranky, short tempered, yelling at butterflies Oscar Leroy on Corner Gas
* Similar to the Fred Savage example above, Alan Tudyk (who is probably best remembered as the adorable pilot Wash, from ''Series/{{Firefly}}''), played a child molester on ''{{Series/CSI}}''.
** Contrast his role as Doc in ''3:10 to Yuma'' with his appearance on ''Dollhouse''. Dude's got ''range.''
*** As mentioned above, ''{{Dollhouse}}'' averted this trope with Alan Tudyk. Tudyk's first appearance on ''{{Dollhouse}}'' was as a stoner architect not unlike Wash. [[spoiler: It turned out to be Playing Against Type after all, though, because he was actually the Joker-esque psycho Alpha.]]
** Also playing against type was SummerGlau, playing Bennett. While she had previous roles that solidified her as the TropeCodifier for [[WaifFu small, badass women]], Bennett was distinctly meek and un-badass. Of course, she still played up [[AxeCrazy other]] [[TheWoobie aspects]] [[{{Moe}} of]] Summer's previous characters.
* HughLaurie was known in England for his comedy, particularly his cheerfully stupid roles in ''{{Blackadder}}'' and ''Series/JeevesAndWooster''. Then he adopted an American accent to play a cynical, near-HeroicSociopath genius in the American drama ''Series/{{House}}''. Thanks to the different accents, some people still can't quite accept Bertie Wooster and House as the same actor. It was also lampshaded in some of the FOX promos for the series, when the announcer announces Hugh Laurie's name, he then says derisively "You idiot!" before announcing that he's the star lead of House.
** He played a cynic in ''SenseAndSensibility''. The character is very similar to his ''Series/{{House}}'' character, but is actually a decent person. And he doesn't have an American accent, obviously.
** Don't forget that he also played an extremely loud-mouthed and scary [[InternalAffairs IAD]] officer in dirty cop drama ''StreetKings''.
* ''TheShield'' is famous for its resurrection of {{Michael Chiklis}}'s career, let alone allowing him to pretty much escape being typecast as the "stern, but lovable father figure" after his previous long-running series ''The Commish''. It also re-energized the career of comedic actor Anthony Anderson, whose tenure on the show as ruthless Machiavellian drug kingpin helped open up new acting opportunities for him, ultimately culminating in him landing a main character role on ''Law and Order''.
** Michael Chiklis now stars in ''NoOrdinaryFamily'' where he plays a nice guy once again. However, instead of a tough cop he now plays an insecure part time police sketch artist and it is the wife who is the successful scientist and breadwinner.
** ''The Commish'' also to a point, as before that he was best known for his portrayal of John Belushi in Wired, the ill-conceived bio of his life. In fact, many industry insiders considered his career over before it really started because of that movie.
* An in-show example of this occurs in the Christmas Special of ''TheWorstWitch'' where nasty, scary and mean Miss Hardbroom is cast as the kind and benevolent Fairy Godmother in the pantomime of ''{{Cinderella}}''.
* An example could be made of William Hartnell when he took on the role of ''Series/DoctorWho'' in 1963, after decades of playing "Hard Men" and Barking Sergeant Majors.
** Also ChristopherEccleston, better known at the time for his roles in serious dramas.
** Jon Pertwee was mostly known for ''[[TheGoons Goons]]-esque comedy roles before being cast as the suave GentlemanAdventurer-style Third Doctor.
*** Catherine Tate was well known for being a catchphrase driven comic (which is played pretty straight in her previous appearance in the Christmas special)- she surprised everyone by pulling off a serious role in the fourth series
* AshleyJohnson. [[{{Series/CSI}} Southern prostitute.]] That is all.
* Rik Mayall, known in the UK for his insane and violent roles in ''TheYoungOnes'' and ''{{Bottom}}'', as well as ''TheComicStripPresents'' and other similar shows, did a non-comedic and largely straight performance as a police detective in an episode of ''Series/JonathanCreek'', the first acting role he took after a serious head injury. He is also the narrator of a children's show called Jellikins / Jellabies, which is a show aimed at '''2-6 year olds'''.
* BrendaSong's breakout role was on Nick's ''Series/OneHundredDeedsForEddieMcDowd'' where she played an AsianAndNerdy character. Now she pretty much always plays {{Asian Airhead}}s. ''Way'' more bizarrely, she's a bitchy, sociopathic girlfriend of the lead of ''{{TheSocialNetwork}}'', who goes to such extremes as ''lighting a bed on fire.'' And makes it believable. Whoa, SheReallyCanAct.
* Jenna Leigh Green is best remembered for playing a [[AlphaBitch certain cheerleader]] on ''SabrinaTheTeenageWitch''. However, in the ''ColdCase'' episode "Wednesday's Women", Green plays the younger version of an [[spoiler:undercover schoolteacher who taught African-Americans kids in the Jim Crow-era South]] who [[spoiler:[[ItsAllMyFault feels guilty]] in recruiting her [[WideEyedIdealist best friend]] who ends getting murdered after they're found out]].
* ClancyBrown is very often a villain, with roles including a sadistic guard in ''TheShawshankRedemption'', TheAntichrist in ''{{Carnivale}}'' and Lex Luthor in ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'' and ''JusticeLeague'' - even his role as Mr. Krabs in ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'' is a pretty big JerkAss. So, it's kind of surprising that in the legal drama ''The Deep End'', his firm partner character is the nice one who is benevolent to the associates, and it's the other partner who is the unpleasant AmoralAttorney.
** Don't forget ''{{Highlander}}''. The Kurgan is the strongest - and nastiest - of all the immortals.
** He originally auditioned for the role of Superman himself in ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries''.
** In Earth Two he played one of the main protagonists... but found himself in frequent conflict with the other major protagonist.
** Brown was cast as ReasonableAuthorityFigure George Stacey in ''{{The Spectacular Spider-Man}}''. In the same series he also played the part of the dim-witted Rhino.
* ''BreakingBad'' Brian Cranson was known for playing a BumblingDad on ''MalcolmInTheMiddle''. Now he's won the emmy for best actor twice in a row playing a science AntiHero (or AntiVillain or VillainProtagonist as YMMV)
* A memorable episode of ''{{Series/ER}}'' had comedian Bob Newhart in a very unfunny role as an architect who is losing his sight and contemplating suicide.
* AtsukoTanaka is mostly a seiyuu known for her deep voice, which goes along great with professional {{Badass}} ladies with no-nonsense personality (eg: [[GhostInTheShell Major Motoko Kusanagi]]). Her deep alluring voice is also sometimes used for villainess roles. But, in ''JukenSentaiGekiranger'', she voiced the penguin-sensei Michelle Peng, who, while a professional in her own way, is very peppy and has a very high-pitched voice, you REALLY won't recognize her right off bat.
* What do [[{{Enchanted}} Amy]] [[MissPettigrewLivesForADay Adams]], [[TheWonderYears Dan]] [[ShakespearianActors Lauria]], [[FormerChildStar Jonathan]] [[Disney/TheLionKing Taylor]] [[Series/HomeImprovement Thomas]], [[TeenIdol Brian]] [[BeverlyHills90210 Austin]] [[Series/FantasticFour Green]], [[LoisAndClark Dean]] [[MythologyGag Cain]], [[BeverlyHills90210 Tori]] [[SavedByTheBell Spelling]], [[Film/{{X-Men}} Shawn]] [[Series/{{Animorphs}} Ashmore]], and [[{{Psych}} Maggie]] [[PartyOfFive Lawson]] have in common? They're all ''{{Smallville}}'' villains, of course.
* Character actor Kenneth [=MacDonald=], best known for playing smooth villains in ThreeStooges shorts and B westerns, had a recurring role as a judge on PerryMason.
* After decades of being mostly known for his role as the Enterprise's resident ButtMonkey on ''StarTrek'', I'm sure it was a relief for Walter Koenig to portray MagnificentBastard Al Bester on ''{{Babylon 5}}''.
* Dick Van Dyke, who usually plays the comic relief in musicals like ''MaryPoppins'' or ''ChittyChittyBangBang'', as well as ad exec Dick Burgess on ''TheDickVanDykeShow'', played the Murderer of the Week (a henpecked photographer who shoots his wife and the man he hired to make it look like a murder/suicide) on an episode of ''Series/{{Columbo}}''.
* ''CallMeFitz'' is pretty much a perfect example of this.
* For five years, Michael C. Hall played the timid but well-meaning and likable David Fisher on ''SixFeetUnder''. After it ended in 2005, he returned a year later as the cunning, monstrous, and sociopathic title character on ''{{Dexter}}''.
** Do you mean well-meaning and likable cunning monstrous sociopath?
** Further examples include Comic actor John Lithgow best known for ''3rd Rock From The Sun'' as the ultra Disturbing Trinity Killer in Season Four and Jimmy Smits, known for playing noble Heroes on ''NYPD Blue'' and ''TheWestWing'' as the increasingly unstable Partner in crime Miguel Prado in Season Three.
* The short lived 1991 series, ''Good and Evil'', had this trope as its selling point. Created by Susan Harris, the woman behind ''Soap'', ''Benson'', ''TheGoldenGirls'' and others, it was a soap opera spoof telling the story of two sisters, one good and one evil, and their families. The sisters were played by Teri Garr, known for her ditzy girl-next door roles, and Margaret Whitten, best known for her bitchy roles. Naturally, Garr played the bad girl, and Whitten the good girl.
* SharonSmall in the TV movie ''No Child of Mine''. She is most famous for sympathetic, genuinely good-hearted characters like Barbara Havers on ''TheInspectorLynleyMysteries'' and Trudi Malloy on ''Mistresses'', and is absolutely ''[[{{Moe}} adorable]]''. In ''No Child Of Mine'', however, she plays a pathologically, violently abusive mother, and does it [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel so convincingly]] that the result can be quite literally ''nauseating''.
* Katie Couric did something between this and AdamWesting in ''WillAndGrace.'' She played herself, but poked holes in her reputation as a chipper, energetic GenkiGirl and turned it into a BitchInSheepsClothing facade.
* Before playing ''{{Series/Supernatural}}'s'' Castiel, MishaCollins mostly played creepy guys (the serial rapist/murderer in {{Karla}}) or Russians ("Vlad" in ''{{Series/CSI}}'') or creepy Russians (Alexis Drazen in ''TwentyFour''). He probably only auditioned for Castiel because the part was advertised as a demon, rather than an angel.
** The humorless, uptight, conservative, virginal Cas is basically the opposite of Misha himself in every way. He has confirmed that the wildly altered future version of Castiel seen in the fifth-season episode "The End" is disturbingly similar to his real-life personality, noting that he [[SarcasmMode enjoyed preparing for the orgy scenes]].
* BillEngvall is mostly known for comedy (he's the "Here's Your Sign" guy). He plays Det. Jimmy Dupree in ''{{HawthoRNe}}'' [[KnightTemplar pretty damn vicious]], using tactics that would probably get an actual detective reprimanded at least.
* John Ritter is best known for portraying the happy-go-lucky [[ThreesCompany Jack Tripper]] and various comedic characters (plus, he had a RealLife reputation as a NiceGuy), so it was quite a shock to see him play a CompleteMonster in LifetimeMovieOfTheWeek ''Lethal Vows''. [[https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-x_eIVUiLjfo/TWytlFLv5sI/AAAAAAAAAoY/sUlPXTkio7U/lethalvowstruestory.jpg Just look at the poster]].
* Bill Pullman normally plays good guys or at least aloof heroes. So seeing him as [[CompleteMonster a pedophilic child murderer]] on ''Series/TorchwoodMiracleDay'' is very [[NightmareFuel disturbing]] and surprising.
** ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' is good at this. Peter Capaldi is best known for playing MagnificentBastard AntiHero Malcolm Tucker in ''TheThickOfIt'' — a man with no scruples or shame over the corrupt government he works for. In ''[[Recap/TorchwoodS3MSChildrenOfEarth Children of Earth]]'', he plays John Frobisher, a ButtMonkey AntiVillain who is so ashamed of his governments' acts [[PaterFamilicide he commits suicide after murdering his family]] to spare them from being turned over to the 456.
* Most of Chevy Chase's most well-known and beloved roles -- such as {{Fletch}}, [[NationalLampoonsVacation Clark Griswold]], etc -- tend to be smooth, intelligent and swift-witted {{Deadpan Snarker}}s who, even if they're not always on top of the situation, are usually the cleverest and funniest person in the room. Then there's Pierce Hawthorne in ''{{Series/Community}}'' who can be most easily summed up as [[SmallNameBigEgo basically the exact opposite of almost every single one of these traits]].
* Whatever you might think about HaydenPanettiere playing Amanda Knox in ''AmandaKnoxMurderOnTrialInItaly'' - and there were [[BritishNewspapers some who definitely disapproved]] not only of her casting but of the film being made in the first place - you can't deny that it's a change of pace, to put it mildly.
* In ''ShiningTimeStation'', the second Mr. Conductor is played by GeorgeCarlin. Mr. Conductor is a genuinely kind, supportive, and upbeat character, very different from Carlin's famous stage personality. In this case, George wanted to play against type very much, and this show gave him the opportunity.
* WillArnett playing a loving, caring husband and father on UpAllNight is far removed from the [[ArrestedDevelopment selfish]] [[ThirtyRock jerks]] he normally is known to play.
* Charlie Hunnam was known for playing {{Bishounen}} roles in shows like ''{{Undeclared}}'' and films like ''NicholasNickleby''. That is, until he played the lead BadassBiker on ''SonsOfAnarchy''.
* [[Series/{{Firefly}} Nathan FIllion]] turned up as the villainous Caleb in ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' after playing roguish hero Captain Malcom Reynolds on ''Series/{{Firefly}}''.
** JossWhedon loves to cast heroes from one show as villains on another. Gina Torres went from playing heroic, [[DeadpanSnarker deadpan-snarking]] [[TheLancer Zoe]] on ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' to playing villainous DarkMessiah Jasmine on ''{{Series/Angel}}''. Adam Baldwin went from playing dim-bulb mercenary Jayne on ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' to playing BigBad ManipulativeBastard Marcus Hamilton on ''{{Series/Angel}}''. And Alan Tudyk goes from the sweet, [[BunnyEarsLawyer Bunny Ears Pilot]] Wash in ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' to [[spoiler: the remorseless serial-killer Alpha]] in ''{{Dollhouse}}''.
* When the StephenKing miniseries TheLangoliers was made, most people thought that the AxCrazy Craig Toomey would be played by [[QuantumLeap Dean Stockwell]]. Instead, it was played by [[PerfectStrangers Balki]]!
* ''BattlestarGalactica'' did this wonderfully with Dean Stockwell as Brother Cavil.
--> ''Let's get this genocide on the road.''
* Ben Browder of ''Series/{{Farscape}}'' fame played an AxCrazy man on ''CSIMiami'' who set a fire that he intended to put out to prove he was good enough to join the fire department after their psychological screenings declared him unfit. The fire gets out of control and people died. His declarations that he's "A hero" are particularly disturbing as he ''did'' put out the fire, but seems unaware that people frown on that whole ''murder'' thing.
* The British show ''UpstairsDownstairs'' was loaded with actors playing against type, including Angela Baddeley, Jean Marsh, Rachel Gurney, Gordon Jackson, and Meg Wynn Owen. Angela Baddeley was so aristocratic in RealLife that her name appeared in Burke's Peerage, yet she played a servant convincingly.
* Marc Warren, best known for playing a LoveableRogue [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold With a Heart of Gold]] on ''{{Hustle}}'', stars in the TV adaptation of ''[[{{Literature/Discworld}} Hogfather]]'' as nightmarish Willy Wonka-like hitman Jonathan Teatime. And he's also played Count Dracula. Shiver. What's particularly interesting about the ''Hogfather'' role was that Warren himself thought up that presentation of Teatime and was actually hired with the expectation that he would play the character as something like [[AffablyEvil a psychopathic Danny Blue]].
* Fred Savage (yes, the Fred Savage of ''TheWonderYears'', ''Film/ThePrincessBride'', and ''Film/TheWizard'') once played a charismatic rapist on an episode of ''LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit''.
** He and his TV brother Jason Hervey also switched characterizations on an episode of ''JusticeLeague'', with Savage playing the angry Hawk and Hervey playing the gentler Dove.
** Fred Savage also played an abusive boyfriend (stereotypically a wrestler) opposite ''FullHouse'''s Candice Cameron in a LifetimeMovieOfTheWeek.
** He also played a lecherous professor on ''BoyMeetsWorld'' who harasses Topanga and tries to get Corey kicked out of college for defending her (That of course would be Corey played by Fred's real-life younger brother Ben Savage).
** Not to mention a clarinet-playing heroin addict in ''[[TheFilmOfTheBook The Rules of Attraction]].''
** Then factor in he's directed several episodes of ''Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia''...
* Speaking of the ''LawAndOrder'' franchise, Fred Savage isn't the only one doing that trick. If we go to SVU, Melissa Joan Hart played a teacher raped by her student and [[AdamWesting Jerry Lewis]] played [[JohnMunch Detective John Munch's]] mentally impaired uncle Andy. And in the original, Chevy Chase played an anti-Semitic ManipulativeBastard who made his son kill a Jewish woman he had a grudge against.
** Don't forget Dean Cain. To see Superman playing a serial rapist...Brrrr.
*** [[CompleteMonster Scott Peterson]]. That is ''all''.
*** Also StephenColbert as the killer in an episode of L&O: Criminal Intent, as well as WhoopiGoldberg as a "Ma Barker" type gangleader, and Michael York as a metrosexual [[CompleteMonster Charles Manson]]! Even Julia Roberts got to play a killer in ''LawAndOrder'' once (she took the part because she was dating Benjamin Bratt at the time). The ''LawAndOrder'' franchise is arguably the best place for established "good guy" actors to show that they can play villains.
** Try and unhear [[HappyDays The Fonz]] sneering "shut up, you stupid bitch" after being revealed to have plotted his wife's assault.
** Adorable child actor ElleFanning also played the part of an abused child [[spoiler: who turned out to be a sociopathic liar and wound up setting one of the detectives' apartments on fire so they could stay together forever. It was very creepy.]]
*** {{Dakota|Fanning}} (Elle's older sister) played an abused child with an entirely different twist in ''{{Series.CSI}}'': [[spoiler: she was the product of [[ParentalIncest incestuous rape]], and her mother/"sister" had the rest of the family killed when her father in both senses of the word turned his attention to her.]]
*** In the same vein, notoriously sweet, good-girl actress Hilary Duff (best known as LizzieMcGuire, and for being as nice IRL as she is in most of her roles) played a neglectful, hard-partying teen mother in an episode of SVU.
*** On Criminal Intent, NeilPatrickHarris played a serial killer who ''ate'' part of his victims.
** Christopher Meloni went in the other direction, playing the coach in ''GymTeacherTheMovie'' on {{Nickelodeon}}.
*** And a cynical pediatrician on ''{{Series/Scrubs}}'', as well as oddball mutant Freakshow in ''Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle'' and another oddball KKK leader in the sequel.
*** Plus the oddball camp cook in ''WetHotAmericanSummer''.
*** And the FlamboyantGay hotel clerk in ''FearAndLoathingInLasVegas'', which is particularly funny in contrast to his previous appearance in a TerryGilliam film, ''Twelve Monkeys'' - as a cop.
*** Let us not forget the role he was best known for before he played Stabler: DepravedBisexual Chris Keller on ''{{Oz}}''. Not only does he treat MurderTheHypotenuse as a commandment regarding his lover, Beecher, he ''broke Beecher's arms and legs'' because Beecher had rejected him.
*** Arguably, his dramatic roles are the initial Playing Against Type for him, as through his initial stages of acting, his background was actually in comedy.
** Let's not forget the original Playing Against Type actor that ''LawAndOrder'' exhibited: The late, great Jerry Orbach. Taking a Musical Theatre star and turning him into a jaded, [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]] LawfulNeutral detective was a brilliant masterstroke, and he stayed attached to the show until his untimely death.
*** Orbach had played a very similar character to Briscoe in the 1981 film ''PrinceOfTheCity''. Right before L&O, he played a sinister Mob type in ''Crimes And Misdemeanors''.
** A currently active one: Anthony Anderson's Kevin Bernard. Last longest role was as CompleteMonster Antwon Mitchell on ''TheShield''.
*** Mitchell was also very much against type for Anderson, prior to that, he was known as the go-to BlackBestFriend or ComicRelief.
* Whoopi Goldberg, mentioned above, also played against her own sassy black woman stereotype when she played the immortal free-spirited bartender Guinan on ''StarTrekTheNextGeneration''.
* Speaking of TNG, you owe it to yourself to watch the episode of ''Extras'' with Patrick Stewart. He's got some wonderful ideas for a screenplay.
* And Dwight Schultz as the timid engineer Barclay, a few years after playing the clinically insane "Howling Mad" Murdock on ''TheATeam''.
* Andrew Sachs, known to most as the clumsy waiter Manuel of ''FawltyTowers'', played as a twitchy crafty paedophile in ''TheBill''.
* Pauline Quirke, known for her comedic fat lady role in ''Birds of a Feather'', literally turned heads in her role as a serial killer in a crime drama called ''The Sculptress''.
* Christopher [=McDonald=] who always plays smarmy, Jerkass characters showed up in ''Series/StargateUniverse'', in a row everyone expected to be a smarmy, Jerkass self interested Senator as quite a few politicians have been before him in the franchise. Then he turns out to be smart and noble and ends up performing a HeroicSacrifice to save the crew.
* Bob Saget, best known as playing Danny Tanner on ''FullHouse'' and serving as the original host of ''Series/AmericasFunniestHomeVideos'', was and still is an incredibly vulgar stand-up comedian. He once stated in an interview he took the "clean" jobs because he needed the money for his family.
** So does he need the money again, now that he's the narrator in ''HowIMetYourMother''?
** He also seemed to enjoy the dissonance and shock value that comes from people who only know his "wholesome" work discovering his stand-up comedy.
* Phil Silvers, famous for playing fast-talking swindlers, appears in an episode of ''[[KolchakTheNightStalker Kolchak: The Night Stalkers]]'' as a Jewish retiree scraping by on his pension in a decaying neighborhood. He's a thousand miles away from Sergeant Bilko and also completely convincing.
* ''{{Series/Lost}}'' has Dominic Monaghan of ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' fame playing Mancunian failed rock-star heroin addict Charlie Pace. Though as the show progressed and he kicked the junk, he seemed to revert to a lovable (albeit taller) hobbit.
* Another example from ''{{Series/Lost}}'' is Yunjin Kim, who gained fame in Korea playing {{Action Girl}}s, but her character in ''Lost'', Sun, is pretty much TheWoobie.
* Prior to ''TheGoldenGirls'', BettyWhite had played raunchy Sue Ann on ''TheMaryTylerMooreShow'', while Rue [=McClanahan=] had played TheDitz on ''Maude''. Thus Betty was originally considered for Blanche and Rue was considered for Rose. Neither actress wanted to play such a similar role, so they suggested the switch. As a result, younger viewers are astonished to see their prior series.
** Betty White probably shocks a lot of people with her dirty mouth when she appears in skits on the ''TheLateLateShow with Craig Ferguson''.
*** ...as her former one-time MTM "rival" Cloris Leachman did on ''DancingWithTheStars'' and the roast of Bob Saget.
*** White's career has cycled through types a few times. The role of Sue Ann itself was playing against the type she'd established in various programs in the 1950s and 1960s. Then, having reestablished herself as the super-nice one on ''Golden Girls'', she's spent the 1990s and 00s playing against it: for example, in her guest appearance in ''{{Everwood}}'', where her character was slightly racist; or on ''BostonLegal'', where she killed a man; or on ''UglyBetty'', where she played herself as a manipulative gambling addict ("All that ''Golden Girls'' money went right down the nickel slots!"), or Kitty's JerkAss mother in ''Series/That70sShow''.
*** One of the drawing points of the film ''Lake Placid'' was the chance to see Betty White play a foul-mouthed role.
* ''CriminalMinds'' enjoys casting former child and teen stars as crazed killers. James Van Der Beek (as a multiple personality stricken home invasion murderer) and Frankie Muniz (as an insane comic book artist turned gang member butcher) appeared in the second and third seasons, respectively. In the fourth season, Luke Perry and WilWheaton appeared as unsubs. As one cast member joked:
-->'''Matthew Gray Gubler''' ''(Spencer Reid)'': I'm always getting held hostage by teen idols - first James Van Der Beek was a guest star and held Reid hostage, and this time it's Luke Perry. I actually saw Scott Baio out front, and I swear he looked at me.
** Comedic actors are not immune, either: Jamie Kennedy played a cannibalistic serial killer in the third season episode "Lucky", and [[{{Seinfeld}} George Costanza]] (Jason Alexander) played a mastermind manipulator in the fourth season episode, "Masterpiece".
*** Alexander also played against type with a surprisingly low-key turn as an [[StrawVulcan ice-cold]], utterly amoral supergenius on ''StarTrekVoyager''.
**** At the height of ''Seinfeld'', Alexander went way against type as a charming, charismatic mentalist on ''Remember WENN'', written by his longtime friend Rupert Holmes.
** The pilot episode features DJ Qualls as one half of a serial killing partnership. Qualls had, to that point, mostly been known for playing awkward comic relief characters.
** Jackson Rathbone played a janitor suspected of murdering a number of young men [[spoiler: and the janitor's ''female'' split personality who was the actual killer]]. He was [[GoMadFromTheRevelation absolutely brilliant]]. It almost makes you cry when you see what he was reduced to in ''Literature/{{Twilight}}''.
** Try picturing Gideon delivering that immortal line: "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." This troper never even realised it was the same actor.
** ''CriminalMinds'' just had French Stewart as a serial killer. Bad [[Film/InspectorGadget Gadget!!]] Bad, ''bad'' Gadget!
** Mitch Pileggi as the shotgun-wielding remorse killer in "Normal". [[Series/{{TheX-Files}} No, not Skinner!]]
* Prior to ''Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun'', John Lithgow mostly played serious villains.
** Except for the occasional transsexual ex-NFL player in the ''The World According to Garp'') or excitable airplane passenger (as originally played by [[LargeHam William Shatner]]) in ''Twilight Zone: The Movie'', and a comedic role in ''Harry and the Hendersons''.
** And a DeadpanSnarker engineer in ''2010''.
** And then a serious [[SerialKiller psychopathic]] villain in ''Dexter''.
* After playing a sugary-sweet, innocent maternal character in ''La Ninera'', Florencia Pena played the greedy, dysfunctional, politically incorrect mother in ''Casados Con Hijos''. Guillermo Francella, whose roles as fathers are always of the Greg Brady type, was cast as the drunken, idiotic and also greedy and dysfunctional father.
** The same happened in the Chilean version of ''Casado con Hijos''. Javiera Contador plays the mother, and she actually was known as TheIngenue heroine in several telenovelas...
* Another Chilean case in the 80's. Deceased lead actor Tennyson Ferrada was typecast as sweet and gentle grandpa-type mentors, but then ''La Última Cruz'' (''The Last Cross'') came... and he played the MagnificentBastard BigBad patriarch.
* Dianne Wiest, more usually known as the sweet, motherly type (for just a few among many examples, consider: the preacher John Lithgow's wife in ''{{Footloose}}'', the mother in ''TheLostBoys'', and conservative senator Gene Hackman's wife in ''TheBirdcage''), instead gets to appear as the wonderfully menacing, insane, and monstrous Evil Queen in ''TheTenthKingdom''. As she put it herself in the behind-the-scenes featurette, "It's quite delicious really. I get to kill anybody who gets in my way, so you'd better stay away from me. Otherwise you might end up dead."
** She also then appeared as the hard-bitten D.A. in charge of Sam Waterson's prosecutor's office on ''LawAndOrder''.
* Michael Kostroff built his career with film after film where he played a heroic crusading lawyer. Then comes ''TheWire'' where he played Maurice Levy, Baltimore's go-to attorney for drug dealers and one of the most vile and unlikable characters in a show that deals almost exclusively with {{Black and Grey Morality}}.
* Michael Shanks' main role for the past decade or so has been the nerdy, courageous archeologist Daniel Jackson, in ''{{Stargate SG-1}}''. Then you've got ''BurnNotice'', where he's cast as Victor, a psychotic, amoral super-scary spy, who has it in for the protagonist. It's great to watch.
** Before that, he played the part of a psychopathic date rapist stalker in ''Judicial Indiscretions'', in which he is definitely ''not'' redeemed at the end, though he is (sort of) in ''BurnNotice''.
** He was also a spy in ''TwentyFour'', and a criminal in ''{{Eureka}}'' who nearly destroyed the entire town through his arrogance. And let's not forget his role as the sociopathic Balance of Judgement and his insane avatars in ''Andromeda''.
** While still a heroic character, his role as [[{{Hawkman}} Carter Hall/Hawkman]] on ''{{Smallville}}'' is nearly the complete opposite of Daniel Jackson in terms of personality.
* Done to a large extent in ''{{Roots}}'', which largely cast actors known for positive, wholesome roles as its nastier characters, including Robert Reed, Ralph Waite, Lorne Greene, Burl Ives, Sandy Duncan, and Chuck Conners. It also went the other way by casting Ed Asner, best known as the gruff, surly Lou Grant on ''TheMaryTylerMooreShow'', as a slave ship captain who is conflicted and tortured about his trade.
* WilWheaton did this on not one but two CBS shows in the 2007/08 season, guest starring as a selfish comic book creator (who shoulders a cosplaying Klingon out of his way) in an episode of ''NUMB3RS'' and as the aforementioned baddie of the week in ''CriminalMinds''. A few years earlier, he played a crazy homeless guy on ''{{CSI}}''.
** Not to mention a (more comedic) douchebag version of himself on ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'' to the point where he is now Sheldon's arch nemesis.
--->"''[[SkywardScream WHEATON!!!]]''"
* Eric Peterson, famous for the series ''Street Legal'', spent most of his career playing wise, smarter characters. Contrast his role as the cranky, short tempered, yelling at butterflies Oscar Leroy on Corner Gas
* Similar to the Fred Savage example above, Alan Tudyk (who is probably best remembered as the adorable pilot Wash, from ''Series/{{Firefly}}''), played a child molester on ''{{Series/CSI}}''.
** Contrast his role as Doc in ''3:10 to Yuma'' with his appearance on ''Dollhouse''. Dude's got ''range.''
*** As mentioned above, ''{{Dollhouse}}'' averted this trope with Alan Tudyk. Tudyk's first appearance on ''{{Dollhouse}}'' was as a stoner architect not unlike Wash. [[spoiler: It turned out to be Playing Against Type after all, though, because he was actually the Joker-esque psycho Alpha.]]
** Also playing against type was SummerGlau, playing Bennett. While she had previous roles that solidified her as the TropeCodifier for [[WaifFu small, badass women]], Bennett was distinctly meek and un-badass. Of course, she still played up [[AxeCrazy other]] [[TheWoobie aspects]] [[{{Moe}} of]] Summer's previous characters.
* HughLaurie was known in England for his comedy, particularly his cheerfully stupid roles in ''{{Blackadder}}'' and ''Series/JeevesAndWooster''. Then he adopted an American accent to play a cynical, near-HeroicSociopath genius in the American drama ''Series/{{House}}''. Thanks to the different accents, some people still can't quite accept Bertie Wooster and House as the same actor. It was also lampshaded in some of the FOX promos for the series, when the announcer announces Hugh Laurie's name, he then says derisively "You idiot!" before announcing that he's the star lead of House.
** He played a cynic in ''SenseAndSensibility''. The character is very similar to his ''Series/{{House}}'' character, but is actually a decent person. And he doesn't have an American accent, obviously.
** Don't forget that he also played an extremely loud-mouthed and scary [[InternalAffairs IAD]] officer in dirty cop drama ''StreetKings''.
* ''TheShield'' is famous for its resurrection of {{Michael Chiklis}}'s career, let alone allowing him to pretty much escape being typecast as the "stern, but lovable father figure" after his previous long-running series ''The Commish''. It also re-energized the career of comedic actor Anthony Anderson, whose tenure on the show as ruthless Machiavellian drug kingpin helped open up new acting opportunities for him, ultimately culminating in him landing a main character role on ''Law and Order''.
** Michael Chiklis now stars in ''NoOrdinaryFamily'' where he plays a nice guy once again. However, instead of a tough cop he now plays an insecure part time police sketch artist and it is the wife who is the successful scientist and breadwinner.
** ''The Commish'' also to a point, as before that he was best known for his portrayal of John Belushi in Wired, the ill-conceived bio of his life. In fact, many industry insiders considered his career over before it really started because of that movie.
* An in-show example of this occurs in the Christmas Special of ''TheWorstWitch'' where nasty, scary and mean Miss Hardbroom is cast as the kind and benevolent Fairy Godmother in the pantomime of ''{{Cinderella}}''.
* An example could be made of William Hartnell when he took on the role of ''Series/DoctorWho'' in 1963, after decades of playing "Hard Men" and Barking Sergeant Majors.
** Also ChristopherEccleston, better known at the time for his roles in serious dramas.
** Jon Pertwee was mostly known for ''[[TheGoons Goons]]-esque comedy roles before being cast as the suave GentlemanAdventurer-style Third Doctor.
*** Catherine Tate was well known for being a catchphrase driven comic (which is played pretty straight in her previous appearance in the Christmas special)- she surprised everyone by pulling off a serious role in the fourth series
* AshleyJohnson. [[{{Series/CSI}} Southern prostitute.]] That is all.
* Rik Mayall, known in the UK for his insane and violent roles in ''TheYoungOnes'' and ''{{Bottom}}'', as well as ''TheComicStripPresents'' and other similar shows, did a non-comedic and largely straight performance as a police detective in an episode of ''Series/JonathanCreek'', the first acting role he took after a serious head injury. He is also the narrator of a children's show called Jellikins / Jellabies, which is a show aimed at '''2-6 year olds'''.
* BrendaSong's breakout role was on Nick's ''Series/OneHundredDeedsForEddieMcDowd'' where she played an AsianAndNerdy character. Now she pretty much always plays {{Asian Airhead}}s. ''Way'' more bizarrely, she's a bitchy, sociopathic girlfriend of the lead of ''{{TheSocialNetwork}}'', who goes to such extremes as ''lighting a bed on fire.'' And makes it believable. Whoa, SheReallyCanAct.
* Jenna Leigh Green is best remembered for playing a [[AlphaBitch certain cheerleader]] on ''SabrinaTheTeenageWitch''. However, in the ''ColdCase'' episode "Wednesday's Women", Green plays the younger version of an [[spoiler:undercover schoolteacher who taught African-Americans kids in the Jim Crow-era South]] who [[spoiler:[[ItsAllMyFault feels guilty]] in recruiting her [[WideEyedIdealist best friend]] who ends getting murdered after they're found out]].
* ClancyBrown is very often a villain, with roles including a sadistic guard in ''TheShawshankRedemption'', TheAntichrist in ''{{Carnivale}}'' and Lex Luthor in ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'' and ''JusticeLeague'' - even his role as Mr. Krabs in ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'' is a pretty big JerkAss. So, it's kind of surprising that in the legal drama ''The Deep End'', his firm partner character is the nice one who is benevolent to the associates, and it's the other partner who is the unpleasant AmoralAttorney.
** Don't forget ''{{Highlander}}''. The Kurgan is the strongest - and nastiest - of all the immortals.
** He originally auditioned for the role of Superman himself in ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries''.
** In Earth Two he played one of the main protagonists... but found himself in frequent conflict with the other major protagonist.
** Brown was cast as ReasonableAuthorityFigure George Stacey in ''{{The Spectacular Spider-Man}}''. In the same series he also played the part of the dim-witted Rhino.
* ''BreakingBad'' Brian Cranson was known for playing a BumblingDad on ''MalcolmInTheMiddle''. Now he's won the emmy for best actor twice in a row playing a science AntiHero (or AntiVillain or VillainProtagonist as YMMV)
* A memorable episode of ''{{Series/ER}}'' had comedian Bob Newhart in a very unfunny role as an architect who is losing his sight and contemplating suicide.
* AtsukoTanaka is mostly a seiyuu known for her deep voice, which goes along great with professional {{Badass}} ladies with no-nonsense personality (eg: [[GhostInTheShell Major Motoko Kusanagi]]). Her deep alluring voice is also sometimes used for villainess roles. But, in ''JukenSentaiGekiranger'', she voiced the penguin-sensei Michelle Peng, who, while a professional in her own way, is very peppy and has a very high-pitched voice, you REALLY won't recognize her right off bat.
* What do [[{{Enchanted}} Amy]] [[MissPettigrewLivesForADay Adams]], [[TheWonderYears Dan]] [[ShakespearianActors Lauria]], [[FormerChildStar Jonathan]] [[Disney/TheLionKing Taylor]] [[Series/HomeImprovement Thomas]], [[TeenIdol Brian]] [[BeverlyHills90210 Austin]] [[Series/FantasticFour Green]], [[LoisAndClark Dean]] [[MythologyGag Cain]], [[BeverlyHills90210 Tori]] [[SavedByTheBell Spelling]], [[Film/{{X-Men}} Shawn]] [[Series/{{Animorphs}} Ashmore]], and [[{{Psych}} Maggie]] [[PartyOfFive Lawson]] have in common? They're all ''{{Smallville}}'' villains, of course.
* Character actor Kenneth [=MacDonald=], best known for playing smooth villains in ThreeStooges shorts and B westerns, had a recurring role as a judge on PerryMason.
* After decades of being mostly known for his role as the Enterprise's resident ButtMonkey on ''StarTrek'', I'm sure it was a relief for Walter Koenig to portray MagnificentBastard Al Bester on ''{{Babylon 5}}''.
* Dick Van Dyke, who usually plays the comic relief in musicals like ''MaryPoppins'' or ''ChittyChittyBangBang'', as well as ad exec Dick Burgess on ''TheDickVanDykeShow'', played the Murderer of the Week (a henpecked photographer who shoots his wife and the man he hired to make it look like a murder/suicide) on an episode of ''Series/{{Columbo}}''.
* ''CallMeFitz'' is pretty much a perfect example of this.
* For five years, Michael C. Hall played the timid but well-meaning and likable David Fisher on ''SixFeetUnder''. After it ended in 2005, he returned a year later as the cunning, monstrous, and sociopathic title character on ''{{Dexter}}''.
** Do you mean well-meaning and likable cunning monstrous sociopath?
** Further examples include Comic actor John Lithgow best known for ''3rd Rock From The Sun'' as the ultra Disturbing Trinity Killer in Season Four and Jimmy Smits, known for playing noble Heroes on ''NYPD Blue'' and ''TheWestWing'' as the increasingly unstable Partner in crime Miguel Prado in Season Three.
* The short lived 1991 series, ''Good and Evil'', had this trope as its selling point. Created by Susan Harris, the woman behind ''Soap'', ''Benson'', ''TheGoldenGirls'' and others, it was a soap opera spoof telling the story of two sisters, one good and one evil, and their families. The sisters were played by Teri Garr, known for her ditzy girl-next door roles, and Margaret Whitten, best known for her bitchy roles. Naturally, Garr played the bad girl, and Whitten the good girl.
* SharonSmall in the TV movie ''No Child of Mine''. She is most famous for sympathetic, genuinely good-hearted characters like Barbara Havers on ''TheInspectorLynleyMysteries'' and Trudi Malloy on ''Mistresses'', and is absolutely ''[[{{Moe}} adorable]]''. In ''No Child Of Mine'', however, she plays a pathologically, violently abusive mother, and does it [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel so convincingly]] that the result can be quite literally ''nauseating''.
* Katie Couric did something between this and AdamWesting in ''WillAndGrace.'' She played herself, but poked holes in her reputation as a chipper, energetic GenkiGirl and turned it into a BitchInSheepsClothing facade.
* Before playing ''{{Series/Supernatural}}'s'' Castiel, MishaCollins mostly played creepy guys (the serial rapist/murderer in {{Karla}}) or Russians ("Vlad" in ''{{Series/CSI}}'') or creepy Russians (Alexis Drazen in ''TwentyFour''). He probably only auditioned for Castiel because the part was advertised as a demon, rather than an angel.
** The humorless, uptight, conservative, virginal Cas is basically the opposite of Misha himself in every way. He has confirmed that the wildly altered future version of Castiel seen in the fifth-season episode "The End" is disturbingly similar to his real-life personality, noting that he [[SarcasmMode enjoyed preparing for the orgy scenes]].
* BillEngvall is mostly known for comedy (he's the "Here's Your Sign" guy). He plays Det. Jimmy Dupree in ''{{HawthoRNe}}'' [[KnightTemplar pretty damn vicious]], using tactics that would probably get an actual detective reprimanded at least.
* John Ritter is best known for portraying the happy-go-lucky [[ThreesCompany Jack Tripper]] and various comedic characters (plus, he had a RealLife reputation as a NiceGuy), so it was quite a shock to see him play a CompleteMonster in LifetimeMovieOfTheWeek ''Lethal Vows''. [[https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-x_eIVUiLjfo/TWytlFLv5sI/AAAAAAAAAoY/sUlPXTkio7U/lethalvowstruestory.jpg Just look at the poster]].
* Bill Pullman normally plays good guys or at least aloof heroes. So seeing him as [[CompleteMonster a pedophilic child murderer]] on ''Series/TorchwoodMiracleDay'' is very [[NightmareFuel disturbing]] and surprising.
** ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' is good at this. Peter Capaldi is best known for playing MagnificentBastard AntiHero Malcolm Tucker in ''TheThickOfIt'' — a man with no scruples or shame over the corrupt government he works for. In ''[[Recap/TorchwoodS3MSChildrenOfEarth Children of Earth]]'', he plays John Frobisher, a ButtMonkey AntiVillain who is so ashamed of his governments' acts [[PaterFamilicide he commits suicide after murdering his family]] to spare them from being turned over to the 456.
* Most of Chevy Chase's most well-known and beloved roles -- such as {{Fletch}}, [[NationalLampoonsVacation Clark Griswold]], etc -- tend to be smooth, intelligent and swift-witted {{Deadpan Snarker}}s who, even if they're not always on top of the situation, are usually the cleverest and funniest person in the room. Then there's Pierce Hawthorne in ''{{Series/Community}}'' who can be most easily summed up as [[SmallNameBigEgo basically the exact opposite of almost every single one of these traits]].
* Whatever you might think about HaydenPanettiere playing Amanda Knox in ''AmandaKnoxMurderOnTrialInItaly'' - and there were [[BritishNewspapers some who definitely disapproved]] not only of her casting but of the film being made in the first place - you can't deny that it's a change of pace, to put it mildly.
* In ''ShiningTimeStation'', the second Mr. Conductor is played by GeorgeCarlin. Mr. Conductor is a genuinely kind, supportive, and upbeat character, very different from Carlin's famous stage personality. In this case, George wanted to play against type very much, and this show gave him the opportunity.
* WillArnett playing a loving, caring husband and father on UpAllNight is far removed from the [[ArrestedDevelopment selfish]] [[ThirtyRock jerks]] he normally is known to play.
* Charlie Hunnam was known for playing {{Bishounen}} roles in shows like ''{{Undeclared}}'' and films like ''NicholasNickleby''. That is, until he played the lead BadassBiker on ''SonsOfAnarchy''.
