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4->''"The line between fantasy and reality has been put in a wrist lock and ripped out of its socket. There is now a reality show about Creator/StevenSeagal being an actual policeman. Without a doubt, this idea is as incredible as it is insane. All that time we watched him play a cop, he was training to be a real cop."''
5-->-- '''Creator/{{Seanbaby}}''', [[https://www.cracked.com/blog/the-7-super-powers-of-steven-seagal-lawman/#ixzz31rCQFvPB "The 7 Super Powers That Steven Seagal Actually Believes He Has"]]
6
7Sometimes, an actor will get cast in one type of part so often that, eventually, [[TypeCasting all he ever gets cast as]] is that same sort of role. In the case of But I Play One On TV, the actor is so identified with the role he plays that, when people see him walking around town, or actually bump into him and manage to talk to him, the fans refer to him by the name of the character he plays. It isn't uncommon, for example, for an actor who plays a doctor to be asked to dispense medical advice by a fan he meets on the street.
8
9This problem is often exacerbated by tabloid news sources, especially gossip magazines and "news programs" that concentrate on celebrity and entertainment, who in their stories are constantly referring to actors by their characters' names rather than the proper name of the actor. This is generally an editorial decision, as it can make it easier for the audience to identify the actors involved, but at the same time contributes to blurring the line between fiction and reality in viewers' minds.
10
11Most SoapOpera actors say that this happens to them so often that they've become used to just going along with it. This trope is the measure Hispanic SoapOpera actors use to know how well they are doing in the role and how well the soap is going.
12
13It gets interesting when the actor is playing AsHimself or AdamWesting. In those cases the line between fiction and reality becomes a bit blurry, and people can be forgiven for thinking they're the same in real life as on the screen if it's not specifically stated that they're playing a caricature of themselves.
14
15Distinguish:
16* IAmNotSpock, which refers to an actor who's unable to get any part other than the character for which he or she is known.
17* IAmNotShazam, which refers to the confusion of a character with the ''title'' of a work or with the character's catchphrase.
18
19A SubTrope of CannotTellFictionFromReality. See ActorRoleConfusion for the InUniverse version.
20
21Not to be confused with ImNotADoctorButIPlayOneOnTV.
22
23----
24!!Real Life Examples:
25
26[[foldercontrol]]
27
28[[folder:Advertising roles]]
29* In the 1970s, Creator/JamesGarner and Mariette Hartley did a number of commercials for Polaroid cameras. The way they played against each other, one would get the impression they were in fact a domestic couple, though this was never stated in the commercials. Mariette Hartley took to wearing these lettered sweatshirts that read "I am not James Garner's wife". Her baby has a shirt that read "I am not James Garner's child".
30[[/folder]]
31
32[[folder:Film roles]]
33* A possibly apocryphal anecdote about Creator/ChristopherReeve: When the actor (before his accident) confronted someone trying to steal his bicycle, the thief panicked and said, "No, Franchise/{{Superman}}! Don't hit me!"
34* In September 2008, when Creator/MichaelDouglas spoke at the United Nations about the U.S. financial crisis, a reporter asked him, "Are you saying, Gordon, that [[{{Greed}} greed is not good]]?" The actor replied, "I'm not saying that. And my name is not Gordon. [[Film/WallStreet He's a character I played 20 years ago.]]" It was even worse than that; he was actually there to talk about nuclear proliferation. The reporters derailed it into a discussion of the financial crisis, just because they were talking to the guy who played Gordon Gekko.
35* With the release of the ''Film/{{Twilight}}'' film adaptation, it seems a number of young fangirls have confused actor Creator/RobertPattinson with his character Edward Cullen. According to the ''[[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/17/movies/17twil.html?_r=1 New York Times]]'' one girl, seeing him at the Apple store in [=SoHo=], asked him to bite her.
36* Creator/JimCaviezel, who played UsefulNotes/{{Jesus}} in ''Film/ThePassionOfTheChrist'', reportedly had this happen to him while on a vacation in Mexico. This must have been even more awkward as he's a Catholic himself.
37* Creator/MorganFreeman reported in an interview that in the press conference for ''Film/DeepImpact'' (where he plays the President of the US), many reporters called him "Mr. President".
38* Jerome "Curly" Howard was assaulted in public simply because it was so funny when they did it on ''Film/TheThreeStooges''.
39* ''Film/HarryPotter'':
40** Fiona Shaw and Richard Griffiths (who played Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon, respectively) have noted that small children are sometimes scared when they see them. Shaw mentioned that one little boy was even reduced to tears.
41** Creator/TomFelton (a.k.a. Draco Malfoy) has noted that when younger children meet him, they tend to be afraid: "We get a lot of kids down in the studios all the time and are very excited to meet Creator/{{Daniel|Radcliffe}}, Creator/{{Rupert|Grint}} and Creator/{{Emma|Watson}}, and they get the handshakes and the hugs! I try to be as friendly as I can, but no matter how much I try they seem to hide behind their parents legs or cower behind some object. I don’t get a good rap from the children! I take it as a compliment, if they think I’m evil then I must be doing something right!" However, there was also a bizarre incident with a not-quite-so-young fan. An American man legally changed his name to "Lucius Malfoy" and sent Felton paperwork which would allow him to disown his parents and be adopted by "Lucius", who had additionally named his house "Malfoy Manor".
42** Creator/MaggieSmith has apparently frequently explained to young children that she can't really turn into a cat.
43** Mark Williams (Arthur Weasley) "went out with the twins and Rupert, and we went out for a curry and a pint, that was hilarious. There were a load of teenagers with their phones, really polite, going, 'Can we take a picture of you?' to the guys. And one girl turned to me and said, 'And your dad.'"
44*** [[FridgeBrilliance Though, if you think about it, it's probably the least embarrassing way to address an actor whose name you've forgotten or even never really knew at all.]]
45* Creator/LivTyler reports this happening to her after the release of ''Film/TheLordOfTheRingsTheFellowshipOfTheRing''. "My husband and I were sleeping, and I woke to the sound of our friend's two little boys going around the bedrooms opening the doors and looking in. When they got to our door, one little boy went to open it and the other said, 'No! Don't open that door. The princess is sleeping in there."
46* According to Creator/JimmyStewart, people asked if ''Film/{{Harvey}}'' was around for many years after that movie. He usually said that Harvey was at home with a cold.
47* Creator/TimCurry spent a long time after ''Film/TheRockyHorrorPictureShow'' trying to distance himself from Dr. Frank-N-Furter. His "more rabid fans" is the reason Tim put on weight, grew a beard and refused to have anything to do with Rocky Horror until recently.
48* Sir Creator/IanMcKellen has stated that, outside of his native British Isles, most fans recognize him as characters such as Gandalf from ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings''. When he came to New York to lend support post-911, a policeman actually smiled at him and said, "Thanks for helping out, ComicBook/{{Magneto}}." Rather than be upset by it, he finds it an honor to be associated with such iconic characters. In fact, apparently when a reporter said "I don't know how to call you, [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever Sir, Sir Ian, Sir McKellen]]" his reply was "Call me Gandalf." (helps that he discourages being called "Sir Ian").
49* Creator/ElliotPage has a strong {{Hatedom}} among some people who actually think that he is exactly like his character in ''Film/HardCandy'' in real life. Sadly, these same people haven't seemed watch any of his other movies or seen him in real life.
50* John Hinckley, Jr., LoonyFan and probably the greatest example of a MisaimedFandom in history, thought assassinating UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan would impress 18-year-old Creator/JodieFoster, through some sort of confused combination of the plot elements of ''Film/TaxiDriver''. He didn't just confuse Foster for her character in the film; the attempted assassination of a politician by the main character was also completely unrelated to her character even within the film's story. Mentioning this to Ms. Foster, by the way, is [[BerserkButton a supremely bad idea]].
51* When his daughter was in elementary school, Creator/BillyDeeWilliams (Lando Calrissan in ''Franchise/StarWars'') would have children run up to him and angrily say [[NeverLiveItDown "You betrayed Han Solo!"]], and [[IDidWhatIHadToDo he'd attempt to explain why Lando did what he did]].
52* According to Creator/LaurenceFishburne, it took a few years for women to stop giving him the evil eye after playing [[DomesticAbuse Ike Turner]] in ''Film/WhatsLoveGotToDoWithIt1993''.
53* Canadian actor Creator/JulianRichings starred in the Creator/CasperVanDien sci-fi/action vehicle ''Film/ThrillSeekers'', in which he played a disaster tourist from the future who went back in time to visit various catastrophes. When Van Dien's character spots him onboard a plane, he immediately realizes that the plane is about to crash. As a result, anytime someone recognized Richings when he had to fly somewhere they would mildly panic, and he had to reassure them that nothing was going to happen to the flight. Nowadays, since his exposure on ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'', people who recognize him instead go "hey look, it's [[TheGrimReaper Death]]!"
54* On December 23, 2016, in the wake of Creator/CarrieFisher suffering a massive heart attack and being rushed into Intensive Care, dozens of media outlets posted the story carrying a headline that read as if "[[Franchise/StarWars Princess Leia]]" had the heart attack, and not the actress who portrayed her. And after her death, there was as much "we've lost Leia" as Carrie.
55* As in the Laurence Fishburne example above, Paul Le Mat said many people reacted to him with hostility after he played the role of abusive husband Mickey Hughes in the MadeForTVMovie ''Film/TheBurningBed''.
56* One of the most famous examples is Creator/MargaretHamilton who was still getting stopped in the street by children decades later wanting to ask her why [[Film/TheWizardOfOz she was so cruel to Dorothy]]. In 1975, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DI-40zWqVbY she appeared on]] ''Series/MisterRogersNeighborhood'' to talk not just about film vs. reality, but about her portrayal of the Witch's motivations and personal emotions.
57* ''Film/TheParentTrap1961'' and ''Film/TheParentTrap1998'' movies have convinced a fair number of people, mainly children, that Creator/HayleyMills and/or Creator/LindsayLohan actually has a twin. Understandable for the 1961 version, since the DoubleVision technique was new at the time.
58* Happens constantly when an actor plays a gay role. Harry Hamlin, who played gay in ''Film/MakingLove'', once remarked on the number of times he was asked whether he was himself gay and how no one ever asks an actor playing a murderer if they are a murderer in real life.
59* When Creator/JohnnyDepp intervened in a mugging involving his friend, the mugger recognized him and said "I ain't stealing from [[Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean Captain Jack]]."
60* The writer Marc Hanes [[https://edition.cnn.com/2017/05/24/entertainment/roger-moore-marc-haynes-post/index.html tells the story]] of seeing Franchise/JamesBond in an airport when he was seven, asking his grandad to get his autograph, and being confused and disappointed that Bond had signed it "Creator/RogerMoore", a name that meant nothing to him. When this was explained to him, Moore told Hanes that he was using a false name to keep Blofeld off his trail, and that Hanes was now entrusted with the secret. Many years later, Hanes met Moore again during the filming of a piece about UNICEF, and mentioned their first meeting. Moore said he didn't remember, but he was glad Hanes got to meet Bond. Then, as they were leaving, he said he remembered perfectly, but the cameramen could have been working for Blofeld.
61* This trope is the reason why a lot of BDSM porn ends with an interview segment with the untied sub, to assure the audience that yes, the scene was consensual and they didn't just kidnap someone off the street. This may seem unnecessary, especially if the sub is a well-known porn star (and most viewers tend to... finish before the interview even begins), but some jurisdictions ''legally require'' such clarity in an effort to curb sex trafficking.
62[[/folder]]
63
64[[folder:Live-Action TV roles]]
65* Creator/RobertYoung, who played the title character in ''Series/MarcusWelbyMD'', often said that people would ask him for medical advice.
66* People today associate actor turned U.S. Senator Fred Dalton Thompson with being tough on crime more because of his role as District Attorney Arthur Branch in ''Series/LawAndOrder'' than because of his career as an attorney and service as minority counsel to the Senate Watergate Committee.
67* There were actually people who thought Creator/StephenColbert really was the [[StrawmanPolitical conservative whackadoo]] he played on ''Series/TheColbertReport'', including the organizers (and attendees) of the 2006 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, who were, needless to say, relatively shocked when they found out otherwise. (Though apparently ''not'' George W. Bush, given the opening act.)
68* Creator/DennisHaysbert (who played President David Palmer on ''Series/TwentyFour'') tells a story about a couple of fans who freaked out when they saw him hanging out with actor Gregory Itzin (who plays President Charles Logan, [[spoiler:the man who ordered his assassination]], on the same show). The fact that the two actors are good friends apparently never occurred to anyone.
69* The late David Jackson was once mistaken by a kid for Olag Gan, his ''Series/BlakesSeven'' character, while the actor was shopping in Harrods.
70--> "Mum, he's got a [[RestrainingBolt chip]] in his head!"
71* Infotainment shows constantly referred to the star of ''Series/GreysAnatomy'' as "Doctor [=McDreamy=]". Hey, you... yes, you the guy at ''Series/EntertainmentTonight''! He's got a name. It's Creator/PatrickDempsey! He's only been a fairly well-known actor now for the last 20 years or so.
72** I think you mean ''Doctor'' Patrick Dempsey. NotThatKindOfDoctor, though.
73* David James Elliott was constantly referred to as ''Series/{{JAG}}'' during the run of that show. The ''really'' stupid part being [[IAmNotShazam that wasn't his character's name]]... it was his character's ''job''. ''Series/EntertainmentTonight'' later did a story about Elliott joining the cast of ''Close to Home''. They still called him "Series/{{JAG}}".
74* In a guest appearance on ''Series/TheTonightShow'', Jason Hervey, who played Kevin's bullying older brother on ''Series/TheWonderYears'', said that a man once drove up beside him and demanded to know why "he" was always so mean to his brother and why didn't he pick on someone his own size?
75** Another ''Wonder Years'' cast member, Alley Mills (Kevin's mother Norma), also a ''Tonight Show'' guest, said that a fan once asked her whether she was related to Jay Leno. When Mills asked what she meant, the fan explained, "Well, you're Kevin's mother, and Kevin looks like a young Leno, so..."
76* ''Series/TheAdventuresOfSuperman'' star Creator/GeorgeReeves had it much rougher than Creator/ChristopherReeve, as his younger fans would often try to test his invulnerability. The worst case was when a boy brought his father's gun to a set to see if Superman was really bulletproof. Reeves convinced him to hand over the gun saying that the bullet would bounce off and hurt somebody else. (The incident was depicted in the biopic ''Film/{{Hollywoodland}}'', where he's played by Creator/BenAffleck.) When he appeared on ''Series/ILoveLucy'', Reeves was only referred to as "Superman" so as not to break the illusion of younger viewers. Basically, to enforce this trope.
77* In one of his books, Creator/TimAllen mentions that while on a flight one of the pilots came back and asked for actual advice on [[Series/HomeImprovement fixing up his home]]. Which just goes to show it's not just actors who play ''competent'' experts that have to deal with this.
78* Creator/WilliamShatner:
79** He was on a tourist cruise when another tourist fell into the water and began drowning. Like any normal human being, he stood aside while professional help was obtained. So many people were staring at him, expecting him to act [[TheKirk the hero]] that he eventually [[TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive caved in]] to peer pressure and dived in after the struggling tourist. As any lifeguard will tell you, [[DontTryThisAtHome this is the worst thing you can do]]. Both Shatner and the original victim had to be rescued.
80** Several pages on Priceline.com are written in first person in the voice of Shatner's "Priceline Negotiator" persona. The "terms and conditions" link at the bottom of the page is introduced with the text: "I'm not a lawyer ([[Series/BostonLegal I played one on TV]]), but here is the legal information you need to know."
81** He was traveling in Nepal, riding a little mountain pony up a steep slope. His group came upon a little hut/tea house and the old dude running the teashop looked at Shatner and said "Captain Kirk?". Turned out he had an ancient black & white TV, run off a truck battery and ''Star Trek'' was one of his favorite programs.
82* In his first autobiography, the trope-naming ''I Am Not Spock'', Creator/LeonardNimoy described a fan cornering him to ask if he could touch her friend's blind eye and use his Vulcan powers to heal her. Nimoy was shaken by the experience, but realized similar things happen to actors all the time. Contrary to popular perception, fans with this type of confusion (NOT his frustration with being typecast) are what inspired the title of the book.
83* There were stories back when ''Series/TheWestWing'' was on that people around Hollywood started treating Martin Sheen like he was the President. The story goes that Sheen enjoyed this and began forming receiving lines, similar to what the real life President would do.
84* People have often said "''Hello'', Newman" to Creator/WayneKnight from ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'' in public. He hates it now.
85* When Creator/MichaelRichards got in trouble for his racial outburst about lynchings at a comedy club in 2006, people would refer to him only as [[Series/{{Seinfeld}} Kramer]] and gave nicknames like "[=KKKramer=]". It got to the point that Kenny Kramer, the Kramer character's namesake, issued a statement saying he wasn't racist.
86* Creator/ZacharyQuinto from ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' mentioned in an interview that he has walked into Starbucks before only to have the employees refer to him as Sylar.
87* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
88** Creator/AnnekeWills, who played the First/Second Doctor companion Polly, says she only realized what she was really a part of when a little girl came up to her and asked her what it was like living inside the TARDIS and if she was scared of the Cybermen.
89** Children used to come up to Creator/TomBaker and ask him if he enjoyed travelling in time and could they come with him. (Apparently he used to play along with it rather than traumatize a young mind.) He also has said in interviews that once in a while men would try to pick fights with him, to show they were tougher than The Doctor, and he would have to talk them out of it. Baker has also reported that when he goes to hospital, the (real, medical) doctors like to pretend they're working with the Doctor and ask him to explain things, and he plays along by coming up with gibberish {{Technobabble}}.
90** At Comic Con in 2012, a little girl once asked Creator/MattSmith if he was scared of the Weeping Angels. Smith, perhaps taking a leaf from Baker's book above, countered by asking if ''she'' was scared of the Weeping Angels. When the little girl nodded, Smith promptly told her not to worry, [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments because he'd fight them off]]. He then went on to say that while the Weeping Angels were [[NightmareFuel scary]] to him, they were also his favorite monsters in the show.
91* Rhys Darby from ''Music/FlightOfTheConchords'' has been asked on multiple occasions to manage peoples bands, where he's given a response along the lines of "First, my name is Rhys, second, I only play a manager on TV, and thirdly, not a very good one."
92* When Christopher Moltisanti was "whacked" from ''Series/TheSopranos'', Creator/MichaelImperioli said that he had been receiving flowers as condolence - for his own death!
93* A shoplifter once surrendered to uniformed actors on the set of ''Series/HomicideLifeOnTheStreet'', believing them to be real law enforcement personnel.
94** This happened more than once to Creator/RichardBelzer, due to Detective JustForFun/JohnMunch's [[CharacterOverlap wide range of appearances]].
95* James Michael Tyler (Gunther on ''Series/{{Friends}}'') was yelled at by a woman on the subway for being partially responsible for breaking up Ross and Rachel.
96* ''Series/{{Smallville}}'''s Tom Welling intervened and fought off men attempting to mug a woman. When she saw who had saved her, she reportedly said, "Wow, you really are Franchise/{{Superman}}." She was kidding, but she apparently wasn't that far off.
97* Creator/EdWestwick gets a lot of disappointment from fans when they realize he's not as dark and brooding as his ''Series/GossipGirl'' character. While he seems a bit tired of being mistaken for having the same faults as his character he has admitted that the line: "''I'm Chuck Bass''" usually works really well for him to pick up women.
98* Malcolm Jamal-Warner, who played Theo on ''Series/TheCosbyShow'', wrote in his autobiography that half his fan mail was addressed to his character's name, and kids would frequently ask to be adopted into his family so they could appear on the show.
99* At the height of the show's popularity, so many people approached Creator/EdwardWoodward who played ''Series/TheEqualizer'' for help that he started carrying leaflets for various organizations that could assist them. He would also top off about to expire parking meters and leave a "Courtesy of The Equalizer" calling card on the car's windshield.
100* When Ron Palillo of ''Series/WelcomeBackKotter'' died in 2012, at least two media outlets (''Radio/TheStephanieMillerShow'' and local {{UsefulNotes/Cleveland}} radio show ''Rover's Morning Glory'') referred to him only as Horshak (his character's name).
101* Creator/DavidMcCallum has studied so much forensic science during the 11 years playing Medical Examiner Ducky Mallard on ''Series/{{NCIS}}'' that he has been invited to speak at conventions to ''actual'' medical examiners and coroners. Donald P. Bellisario (the creator and producer of ''NCIS'') has joked that he owes [=McCallum=] about five years' worth of back pay for being the show's unofficial scientific adviser.
102* Creator/JohnBarrowman has recounted being accosted on the street by fans who insist that he ''is'' Captain Jack Harkness from ''Series/DoctorWho'' and ''Series/{{Torchwood}}''. One time on the Paul O'Grady show, he told of an occasion in which he'd played along, telling a little boy he'd been sent by the Doctor to find a Cyberman...
103* On a special detailing Australian police shows John Wood tells a story of an incident that occurred during ''Series/BlueHeelers'': he was walking down the street one day and a crook climbs over a fence in front of him. The crook sees him and goes, "Oh shit, you're Tom Croydon." and bolts.
104* When ''Franchise/{{Dragnet}}'' was on the air, so many people came to the LAPD asking to meet Joe Friday that the desk people took to telling them it was Joe's day off. Jack Webb did get an LAPD funeral, though, and Friday's badge 714 was retired.
105* Several fans have approached Creator/WilliamPetersen on the golf course and tried to speak to him in sign language, not realizing that he only learned a little for one ''Series/{{CSI}}'' episode.
106* Although Creator/GarySinise is best known for ''Film/ForrestGump'', he does relate a story about getting in a minor accident and how the other driver kept giving shocked reactions that indicated he was sort of blending Gary with his Mac Taylor character on ''Series/{{CSINY}}''.
107* Ted Knight used to get irritated because people kept confusing him with his [[TheDitz ditzy]] Ted Baxter character on ''Series/TheMaryTylerMooreShow''.
108* Mia Kirshner told a story about how once when she was with some friends in a club in Vancouver, another girl came up to her and said "I hope you die." Presumably she was talking about [[TheScrappy Jenny Schecter]] from ''Series/TheLWord''. Mia Kirshner however would have none of that, took the woman aside and explained she (like the woman) was here to have fun, and she worked to make money. Jenny was a fictional character, and it was fine it she wanted her to die. It was not okay to want Mia herself to die, because that was hurtful. The woman was taken aback.
109* ''Series/GameOfThrones'':
110** Some people confuse Creator/JackGleeson for the detestable [[TheCaligula King Joffrey, Worst of His Name]], sometimes even to the point of harassment. Gleeson himself is the epitome of MeanCharacterNiceActor, and Creator/GeorgeRRMartin once said to him, "Congratulations on your marvelous performance, everyone hates you!" This trope is largely the reason why Gleeson has quit screen acting in favor of the stage in his native Ireland.
111** Creator/LenaHeadey, who portrays Cersei Lannister, recalls in some interviews that some people call her a bitch to her face because they found her character so unlikeable.
112* Creator/MichaelWeatherly, who plays Anthony Dinozzo on the crime drama ''Series/{{NCIS}}'', has noted that he has been slapped on the back of the head in public because in-show, his boss Gibbs often gives him [[DopeSlap "Gibbs slaps"]]. (Although in-show, it's not done out of spite, as Gibbs has a funny way of showing [[TheStoic appreciation.]])
113* Creator/AlanAlda at one time visited Chile, and during his time there developed a severe intestinal problem which required surgery. The Chilean surgeon tried to explain the procedure... before Alda cut him off and described the entire procedure in correct, technical terms. He then explained to the surgeon that he played a surgeon on a TV show called ''Series/{{MASH}}'', and that his character had performed the exact same procedure in an episode recorded a while earlier. The surgeon cracked up.
114* Fans still occasionally ask Creator/RandolphMantooth if he's a real paramedic, 40 years after ''{{Series/Emergency}}'' He isn't, but he has helped when seeing an accident on two occasions. A woman had a heart attack on a plane, and he and co-star Kevin Tighe helped until the plane landed and real paramedics arrived. More recently, Mantooth stopped when he saw a car crash and did some first aid, then got a funny look when the real paramedics arrived and found he knew what a non-rebreather is and could go get it. (One guy recognized him vaguely but didn't realize who he was until he said.) Justified in that Mantooth and Tighe really went through paramedic training in preparing for their roles.
115* For the actors who play the parts of criminals in ''Series/AmericasMostWanted's'' re-enactments, this was apparently a recurring problem as tipsters would frequently call the police to report seeing the actors instead of the actual crooks. Apparently a couple have had to have special cards assigned to show police because it happened so frequently.
116* During the actors boot camp for ''Series/BandOfBrothers'', Creator/NealMcDonough's weapon went off and he suffered damage to his face. He went to Shane Taylor, expecting him to stitch it up since he was playing the medic Doc Roe. Taylor did so and, not surprisingly, the wound got infected and [=McDonough=] had to be taken to a hospital.
117* This is the reason that Creator/JeanBoht decided she could not continue playing Nelly Boswell on the sitcom ''Series/Bread1986''. The show was set in Liverpool, where she lived, and many people confused her with the character. She said people have had arguments with her over her fictional TV family and how she treated them, and cab drivers not taking her because of the programme.
118* In ''Growing Up Brady'', Barry Williams tells how Susan Olsen was ostracized by her peers, practically overnight, after the premiere of ''Series/TheBradyBunch'' episode "The Tattle-Tale". It did no good, she says, to protest their treatment of her by yelling "I'm not Cindy! I'm ''not'' a tattle-tale!" The whole situation inspired in her a deep loathing for Cindy Brady.
119* Creator/HenryWinkler recounts a tale about his appearance at a charity event at a park in L.A. Before the incident, he says, it somewhat grated on him that he was so closely associated with the role of Arthur Fonzarelli on ''Series/HappyDays''. After, he began to understand how much "The Fonz" meant to others, and changed the way he saw the character. While standing around at the park, he heard from behind him the word "Fonzie!", obviously uttered by a young girl. He turned around, and was confronted by a young mother holding the hand of a little girl of eight or nine. The mother was staring, chin on chest, apparently in utter shock, but not for the reason Winkler suspected. After the mother recovered a little, she told Winkler that it was the first time her daughter had ever spoken.
120* Creator/AnthonyStewartHead was called in to host a show called ''True Horror'' looking at supernatural myths. He refers to his role of Giles in ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' and how despite him playing a supernatural expert when preparing to host the show realized he had next to no knowledge of the topic, so conducted research to do a better job.
121* Invoked in an article about a Creator/RockHudson TV movie in ''TV Guide''. The writer called out the tendency to prominently discuss a straight actor's spouse if they are playing a gay role. Elsewhere in the same issue an article about a lesbian kiss on ''Series/TwentyOneJumpStreet'' kicked off its second paragraph with 'Holly Robinson, who is married to..."
122* Larry Drake's portrayal of Benny Stulwicz on ''Series/LALaw'' prompted occasional viewers to ask him if he really was mentally challenged. He took this as the highest of compliments.
123* ''Series/RuPaulsDragRace'' is mixed on this trope. While the DragQueen contestants ''are'' real people, the show relies on ManipulativeEditing just as much as any other RealityShow, resulting in many queens being given the "[[AccentuateTheNegative bitch edit]]" even if that's not their normal personality. It also doesn't help that many queens have admitted to playing a character on the show to try to make themselves more memorable, only to have it backfire and ''hurt'' their careers if the character they created [[TheScrappy wasn't very likable]]. But where this really harms the queens is when unhinged fans send them hatemail and death threat all because of how they acted on the show. Even queens who legitimately don't like each other have defended each other from online abuse.
124[[/folder]]
125
126[[folder:Voice acting roles]]
127* Voice actor Creator/CrispinFreeman once [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvGRIV-N86Q recalled getting an email from someone asking for incestuous dating advice]] on the basis that, because he once voiced a character in ''Manga/AngelSanctuary'' who was [[BrotherSisterIncest in love with his sister]], he must have a good deal of experience in screwing his sister in real life.
128* David Faustino was harassed on Twitter by several ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' fans based on some of his character Mako's actions/choices.
129* Abby's voice actress in ''VideoGame/TheLastOfUsPartII'', Creator/LauraBailey, [[https://twitter.com/LauraBaileyVO/status/1279173199918292992 received harassment and death threats]] for [[spoiler:"killing" Joel.]]
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132[[folder:Web Videos]]
133* People who do {{Video Review Show}}s in-character, such as WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic, have noted how often people think they are just like the characters they play. This is more understandable than most examples on this page because quite a lot of these people knowingly or unknowingly create a lot of overlap between their online selves and the characters they purport to play, sometimes even using the same online names they use in their review shows when they add comments as their "real selves". WebVideo/TheSpoonyExperiment is a good example, and Spoony[=/=]Creator/NoahAntwiler has even cited the problem of not sufficiently separating himself from "The Spoony One", which caused people to think they're the same. These reviewers also inject a lot of their personal opinions into their reviews, even when they're technically playing a character. It's hardly surprising that people start to wonder where to draw the line.
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136[[folder:Actors invoking or playing with this]]
137* Creator/HarlanEllison wrote in the intro for his book ''Strange Wine'' that he talked with Dan Blocker (Hoss from ''{{Series/Bonanza}}'') about this phenomenon. Apparently, Blocker once had a woman come up to him in a supermarket and ask him about how Hoss was. When Blocker replied that he ''wasn't'' Hoss and Hoss was fictional, the woman said, "I know that, all I want to know is if he's alright!"
138* At the ''Franchise/StarTrek'' 30th anniversary celebration, Joan Collins mentioned that whenever she was asked "Aren't you Alexis, that ''[[RichBitch bitch]]'' from ''Series/{{Dynasty|1981}}''?", she replied, "No, I'm Edith Keeler, Depression-era social worker from ''Series/{{Star Trek|The Original Series}}''" ("[[Recap/StarTrekS1E28TheCityOnTheEdgeOfForever The City on the Edge of Forever]]").
139* Dr Pepper has had some fun [[PlayingWithATrope playing with this]] lately in a series of commercials where celebrities Creator/NeilPatrickHarris, [[Music/{{Kiss}} Gene Simmons]], and [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation Julius Erving]] tell us that we can trust them, because they're doctors. That'd be Dr. Doogie Howser (played on TV), Dr. Love (popular song), and Dr. J (nickname), respectively. Neil Patrick Harris also did [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TusJ8HSLaUs&feature=related this commercial for Old Spice]], claiming he "used to be a doctor for pretend". [[note]][[WebVideo/DoctorHorriblesSingAlongBlog More than one]], in fact.[[/note]]
140* Creator/JohnDeLancie, the actor playing Q in ''Franchise/StarTrek'', said at one time that he was, more jokingly or more seriously, randomly asked by people on the street how is it to be an all powerful entity. Reportedly, he'd answer them "It's just a role". OTOH he told an anecdote about being confronted by a big tattooed biker type who he was sure was going to mug him, at the very least:
141-->'''Biker:''' You're Q, right?\
142'''John:''' ''(deciding his chances of survival are greater if he pretends to be omnipotent)'' Um... yeah.\
143'''Biker:''' So can you bring dead people back to life?\
144'''John:''' Only if I like them.\
145'''Biker:''' (''grunts and walks off and John thinks 'Trekkies come in all forms.''')
146* Creator/AmyAdams told the story on a talk show about how a young girl recognized her as Giselle from ''Film/{{Enchanted}}'', and wondered why she was walking around as a regular person. Adams replied that she didn't want to draw attention to herself, and asked the girl [[YourSecretsSafeWithMeSuperman not to tell anyone]].
147* Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who played the President of Ukraine in Series/ServantOfThePeople, ran for the actual Ukrainian presidency in 2019 and won in a landslide. He even ran under the "Servant of the People" party!
148* A similar story was told by Music/SelenaGomez. A young fan came up to her and asked, "[[Series/WizardsOfWaverlyPlace Alex]]? Is the magic real?" She asked him, [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve "Do you believe it's real?"]] He replied, almost crying, "Yes, I do believe it's real." She smiled and said, "That's all that matters."
149* Franz Xaver Kroetz who played gossip reporter "Baby Schimmerlos" in the German series ''Series/KirRoyal'' was asked by some newspapers to write columns for them and did so - despite the fact that he had no experience with this kind of writing and the result was... meager. Though Kroetz was an already a renowned playwright, they just overestimated his ability to write for them.
150* In one of the ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' DVD extras, Creator/JamesMarsters says, "I'm not a vampire, but I play one on TV."
151* Hilariously subverted when two crooks tried to rob Creator/ChuckNorris, known for his 80s action movies and his then-airing show ''Series/WalkerTexasRanger''. They figured that because he's a movie star that must mean all the crazy stunts he does onscreen are faked. In fact Norris is an expert in several martial arts disciplines; he [[MuggingTheMonster easily whooped their asses]] before the cops arrived to pick them up.
152* In a commercial for a credit card company, where they advertise that if you have 25,000 points you can get airline tickets, Creator/AlecBaldwin ends up sitting in the ''co-pilot'' seat of an airliner, telling the pilot, "Don't worry, I've played a pilot before."
153* Music/{{Eminem}} got pretty LostInCharacter as his HeroicComedicSociopath character Slim Shady in the early 2000s, up to and including threatening people with a gun. While he snapped out of the worst of this after the courts gave him mandatory drug testing and therapy in 2001, he still used his Slim Shady persona to get around an incident where he was being extorted by the Crips in LA in 2003. He hired a neutral Samoan gang to serve as his bodyguards, who were happy to do it for free in return for him providing guest verses on their GangstaRap records, in which they brag about how their gang is so dangerous, they even have ''Slim Shady'' riding with them.
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156[[folder:Inversions]]
157* In a weird reversed example, ''Star Trek''[='s=] Grace Lee Whitney states in her autobiography that she sometime has difficulty differentiating reality and fantasy. For example, she recalls being disillusioned when she filmed an episode of the [[TheWestern Western]] TV series ''Series/{{Bat Masterson|1958}}'' and saw Creator/GeneBarry wincing in pain after stubbing his toe, despite the fact that any injury he sustained while in-character was OnlyAFleshWound. She also apparently tended to get so into roles that she started to forget it was fake. A therapist even told her that part of the reason she was so upset about being written out of ''Star Trek'' was because she had difficulty separating herself from Yeoman Rand.
158* Michael O'Hare, who played Commander Jeffrey Sinclair for one season of ''Series/BabylonFive'', left the series because he began experiencing severe paranoid delusions and would be antagonistic towards other actors because of their characters' actions. He was written out of the show at his own request because he didn't want his mental illness to affect everybody's jobs. Aside from a handful of guest roles on other shows, and one return appearance on ''Babylon 5'' to finish his character's arc, he withdrew from acting. It wasn't until after O'Hare's death that [=JMS=] (per O'Hare's request) made his mental illness publicly known and talked about the real reason behind his departure from the show.
159* During a red-carpet interview at the Golden Globe Awards, actress Creator/MayimBialik of ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'' was asked if people expected her to be able to do calculus in her head and act like a scientist when they met her in real life. Bialik gave the interviewer a short, scathing look, then pointed out that, as she had earned a [=Ph.D.=] in Neuroscience, she ''is'' a scientist in real life, and yes, she can also do calculus in her head. The interviewer looked suitably sheepish after that.
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