Line #132 Main/IAmNotLeonardNimoy


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4	[[quoteright:350:[[Webcomic/JoeLovesCrappyMovies https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/samual_jackson_5.jpg]]]]
5	[-[[caption-width-right:350:Creator/SamuelLJackson as [[Film/PulpFiction Jules Winnfield]], [[Franchise/StarWars Mace Windu]], and [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse Nick Fury]].]]-]
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11	->''"And yeah, that's what I'm calling him. I know the character has a name, but fuck it, you're never going to call him that, you're just going to call him 'Creator/WillSmith fish'."''
12	-->-- '''Creator/DougWalker''' on ''WesternAnimation/SharkTale''
13
14	Sometimes an actor is so iconic, famous, or interesting that their celebrity casts a shadow over the roles they play. That's not Film/{{Hancock}} in skin-tight leather flying around saving people; that's Creator/WillSmith! In ''Film/{{Hitch}}'', that's Will Smith giving dating advice. ''Film/IndependenceDay'' has Will Smith as a fighter pilot! Audiences are unable to commit to a [[{{Pun}} Willing]] [[WillingSuspensionOfDisbelief Suspension of Disbelief]]; they simply see the actor on screen rather than the character.
15
16	Sometimes this occurs because the actor is a media darling or tabloid punching bag, constantly in the news. After a while, audiences become so familiar with the actor's personal life that they can no longer see him or her as another person. Other times this is the result of movie stars becoming typecast or having limited range. Audiences come to expect the actor to play the same role over and over again, which becomes part of the actor's larger-than-life persona.
17
18	Polar opposites of this trope are actors such as Creator/GeoffreyRush, Creator/GaryOldman, and -- to a lesser extent --
19	Creator/BradPitt, who are capable of putting masks on and completely ''becoming'' another character or person entirely. Hence, this isn't an inherently [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools bad thing]]; some of the most successful actors in history have been of the "As themselves" type. So they can still be very good; they just tend not to be very versatile, and you'll usually only see them in the same (or similar) types of roles.
20
21	For an actor's career, this can be a double-edged sword. If people like the actor, they'll stay loyal to him and see his movies regardless of what they're about. On the other hand, if audiences turn against the actor, they won't be able to appreciate his work no matter how good the material is. And if they really want to be taken seriously and play ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'', it's a real (but not impossible) obstacle to overcome.
22
23	The complete opposite of this trope is IAmNotSpock, where an actor is unable to step out of the shadow of their most famous role. See also TypeCasting and AdamWesting, when an actor falls into this and cultivates it willingly.
24
25	'''Important Notice:''' On this wiki, please try to avoid saying, for example, "Creator/JeffGoldblum's character" instead of the character's actual name. It's usually very easy to find the character names if you're unfamiliar or can't remember by going onto the actual work page to double-check.
26
27	----
28	!!Examples:
29	[[foldercontrol]]
30
31	[[folder:Actors]]
32	* Creator/SeanConnery was always Sean Connery, mostly due to him NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent. It didn't matter if he was playing Film/JamesBond, [[Film/TheUntouchables1987 an Irish cop]] in [[TheRoaringTwenties Prohibition-era]] UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}}, [[Film/TheHuntForRedOctober a Lithuanian submarine captain in the Soviet Navy]], an [[Film/IndianaJonesAndTheLastCrusade American history professor]], a freaking ''[[Film/{{Highlander}} Spaniard]]''[[note]]"I'm not Spanish, I'm Egyptian!"[[/note]], or even someone who was evidently as American as apple pie, he [[FunetikAksent shtill had that shignature Shcottish brogue]]. Most other Bond actors were not so lucky, succumbing to [[IAmNotSpock the opposite trope]].
33	* Creator/JohnWayne was famous for "playing himself" in almost all of his films. His personality was so larger than life that his characters were ultimately just different names for the same man in different circumstances. Wayne himself admitted as much, though he did at least find his role as Ethan Edwards in ''Film/TheSearchers'' so unique that he named his son after the character. When Wayne tried to branch out too far, such as by [[QuestionableCasting playing]] UsefulNotes/GenghisKhan in ''Film/TheConqueror'', the results were predictably disastrous (although filming near the Nevada Test Site and getting dusted with radioactive fallout certainly didn't help).
34	* Creator/SamuelLJackson is generally perceived to be [[MemeticBadass "Samuel L. Motherfuckin' Jackson"]] in any role he played after ''Film/PulpFiction''. Even as a motherfuckin' ''Jedi'', he was ''still'' Samuel L. Jackson, [[FullNameBasis and yes, the "L" is important]]. [[http://www.digitalpimponline.com/comic/movie/109/ As]] [[http://www.digitalpimponline.com/comic/movie/373/ shown]] [[http://www.digitalpimponline.com/comic/movie/396/ here.]] That said, certain roles like [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse Nick Fury]] and [[Franchise/TheIncredibles Frozone]] are equally well-known as both characters and Jackson roles (though Fury isn't helped by the fact that the "Ultimate" version of the character, upon which the MCU version was based, was ''deliberately'' made to look like him, with comic book-fan Jackson's permission).
35	* Creator/ClintEastwood's roles in westerns are always seen as simply the "Clint Eastwood Gunfighter" character. Beginning with his role as "The ManWithNoName" in the ''Film/DollarsTrilogy'' with Creator/SergioLeone, any future western with Eastwood would undoubtedly be seen as that character in a different setting, regardless of any actual backstories. The character has even come out of retirement twice, once after having become a priest in ''Film/PaleRider'' and once after having settled down as a farmer in ''Film/{{Unforgiven}}''. However, Eastwood has gone on record as saying that as far as he's concerned, William Munny from ''Unforgiven is'' the Man With No Name, and that it's the end of his story.
36	** On the other hand, he's also ''Film/DirtyHarry'' half the time, to the extent that ''Film/GranTorino'' has been called "the sixth ''Dirty Harry'' film". Arguably, though, ''Gran Torino'' is more successful for it.
37	* Creator/HumphreyBogart was an extremely popular actor who played characters with very similar personalities, encouraging this trope.
38	* Creator/EdwardGRobinson did the same, playing basically a sneering gangster whether he was on paper playing an [[Film/LittleCaesar actual gangster]] or an [[Film/TheTenCommandments1956 ancient Israelite]].
39	* Creator/JackieChan's films are, well... Jackie Chan films. People watch them to see Jackie get up to crazy action hijinks. His characters are even called [[TheDanza "Jackie"]] in many dubs. The ''Film/RushHour'' blooper reels have multiple instances of Chris Tucker addressing him as "Jackie" instead of his character's name. Realizing the take was wasted already, he often responded in kind.
40	-->'''Creator/DonCheadle:''' His name is Lee, goddamn it!
41	* Creator/JackNicholson is always Jack Nicholson, whether he's [[Film/TheWitchesOfEastwick Satan]], [[Film/Batman1989 the Joker]], or [[Film/TheShining a psychotic writer]]. With the notable exceptions of Charley Partanna in ''Film/PrizzisHonor'' (Remember? He's stupid), Jack Gittes the detective in ''Film/{{Chinatown}}'', and a [[Film/AboutSchmidt retired insurance salesman]].
42	* Creator/BelaLugosi was typecast as a horror villain, and especially as {{Dracula}}. Later, he would try to break type by auditioning for other roles, but inevitably got second billing or no contracts at all. Upon his return to America, Lugosi was interviewed for television, and revealed his ambition to play more comedy. Independent producer Jack Broder took Lugosi at his word, casting him in a jungle-themed comedy that even had Lugosi's name on its title: ''Bela Lugosi Meets A Brooklyn Gorilla'' (1952). It did not work. Much better had been 1933's ''International House'' where Lugosi played a White Russian nobleman who'd been married to Peggy Hopkins Joyce and now wanted her back.
43	* Creator/ChristopherWalken began playing a [[AdamWesting caricature of himself]] somewhere around the mid-to-late nineties and hasn't looked back.
44	* From ''Film/BlueVelvet'' to the end of his life, Creator/DennisHopper basically played the same guy who always seemed at least a little crazy, in a possibly dangerous way. Even when he played [[Film/SuperMarioBros1993 King "Bowser" Koopa]], gaming's most iconic villain, he was still just playing Dennis Hopper.
45	* Creator/AdamWest, who used to be [[IAmNotSpock the other trope]], until he embraced it and played parodies of himself, [[AdamWesting naming a new trope in the process]].
46	* Creator/TommyLeeJones always plays basically the same character in all of his movies. Namely, Tommy Lee Jones. Now he's very '''good''' at playing Tommy Lee Jones, but in general its always the same guy with maybe one minor twist here and there (ie. an alcoholic in ''Film/RulesOfEngagement'')
47	** Oddly, Creator/JoshBrolin is also [[Film/MenInBlack3 very good at playing Tommy Lee Jones]], but that is what made that performance so impressive. (Brolin himself is usually [[IAmNotSpock the opposite trope]], especially concerning [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse Thanos]].)
48	* Creator/BruceLee always played his own personal avatar in every film. Hey, if you see a man kung fu fighting like Bruce Lee, how are you supposed to think he's not Bruce Lee?
49	** Put this way: Does anybody remember the names of the actual characters he played in any of his movies? Every character is ''just'' "Bruce Lee". It's hard to stand out when you're played by what many consider to be [[WorldsBestWarrior the greatest martial artist to have ever lived]]. (This is especially true for ''Film/EnterTheDragon'', where his character's name actually ''is'' [[TheDanza Lee]].)
50	* Most B-movie action films have such shallow stories and characterization that they rely heavily on the action persona of their star, leading the star to essentially play the same role over and over again under different circumstances:
51	** Creator/StevenSeagal plays his fantasy version of himself in every film.
52	** Creator/ChuckNorris, who then jumped to the small screen with ''Series/WalkerTexasRanger'' and arguably reversed himself into an IAmNotSpock. [[MemeticBadass Before the memes came around, that is, and reversed him right back to this trope.]]
53	** Creator/JeanClaudeVanDamme's films can almost all be summed up by "Jean-Claude Van-Damme gets into kickboxing fights." This is spectacularly played with in ''Film/{{JCVD}}''.
54	* Shahrukh Khan is always Shahrukh [[BigOlEyebrows "EYEBROWS"]] Khan.
55	* Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger, to the point that whole films have been made specifically to be Arnold does X: "[[Film/{{Junior}} Ahnold gets pregnant]]," "[[Film/JingleAllTheWay Ahnold shops for Christmas toys]]," etc.
56	** One review of ''Film/LastActionHero'' pointed out that the idea Danny is a fan of Jack Slater, not Arnold Schwarzenegger, is interesting, but Arnie is entirely the wrong actor for the point.
57	** The Website/{{Cracked}} article "[[https://www.cracked.com/blog/4-things-people-mistakenly-think-are-automatically-hilarious/ 4 Things [Which] People Mistakenly Think Are Automatically Hilarious]]" discusses this trope at length while discussing the tendency for reviews to attempt to add cheap comedy by simply referring to a character by their actor's name or the name of a character that actor is more famous for, noting how when this sort of thing is done ''right'', it's done to point out this trope. It goes on to speak on Arnold specifically, and how basically every role of his was "here's Arnold if he were an ''<insert movie-worthy occupation>''", ending by noting that saying something like "here's the scene in ''Junior'' where Arnold Schwarzenegger is about to give birth" isn't a forced joke formula, that's actually what the scene comes across as.
58	** Even [[Franchise/{{Terminator}} his most iconic role]] falls into this, as fans will sometimes refer to the individual T-800 units as "Arnold" to differentiate them from other Terminator models.
59	** Taken to the logical extreme with the Taiwanese title for ''Film/TheRunningMan'', which is simply "Arnold the Devil" (devil means badass here).
60	* People from sketch-comedy shows tend to fall into this.
61	** Creator/AdamSandler plays the exact same character in nearly every movie he is in.
62	** Creator/DavidSpade, ''especially'' in works like ''Film/JoeDirt'', ''Series/JustShootMe'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewGroove''. You might as well just replace on the cast-list "Finch" with "AsHimself".
63	* Creator/JimmyStewart was always Jimmy Stewart, even when playing real people like [[Film/TheSpiritOfStLouis Charles Lindbergh]] or Music/GlennMiller. [[RealityIsUnrealistic Unless he happened to be your superior officer in the Air Force]], in which case, his name was General Stewart.[[note]]Everyone in the US armed forces with a star is addressed in speaking as solely "General" or "Admiral" regardless of the holder's actual rank (Brigadier General in Stewart's case); the actual rank is used in other types of communication.[[/note]]
64	* Creator/CaryGrant always played the handsome, cool, smooth leading man, except in ''Film/BringingUpBaby'' or ''Film/ArsenicAndOldLace''. Those are both earlier movies; as his career progressed, he was [[TypeCasting more and more pigeonholed into that one role]], the "Cary Grant leading man" role. Which he actively worked to cultivate over the years, noting wryly at one point that "Even ''I'' want to be Cary Grant."
65	* Creator/RonaldColman tended to play himself, whether he was a [[Film/ThePrisonerOfZenda royal impersonator]], a [[Film/BeauGeste gallant Foreign Legionnaire]], a [[Film/LostHorizon wanderer finding his place in life]], a [[Theatre/{{Kismet}} smooth-talking magician-thief]], or [[Film/ADoubleLife an actor who's gone quietly, murderously mad]]. For some reason, starting in his silent film days, he was repeatedly cast in dual roles, usually a decent guy with an EvilTwin.
66	* Creator/WilliamShatner's hammy persona and trademark delivery dominates his various roles. Of course, [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries Captain Kirk]] is still an iconic and recognizable character in pop culture, but few other Shatner roles have that notability.[[note]]"[[Series/BostonLegal Denny Crane.]]"[[/note]]
67	* Creator/TheMarxBrothers played virtually the exact same characters in all of their movies. Despite the fact that their respective characters were essentially identical in all of their films, in each film the characters have different names, jobs, and backstories. Even so, to the audience they're still always Groucho, Chico and Harpo... and sometimes Zeppo. (They were billed as themselves in ''Monkey Business''.)
68	* Creator/AbbottAndCostello, to the point where most of their later films simply had them playing themselves.
69	* Look everyone, it's Creator/BruceCampbell -- er, whatever cocky, sarcastic character he's playing this time. Let's be honest, the only Campbell role people know by the character's name is [[Franchise/EvilDead Ash]].
70	* Creator/WoodyAllen will ''always'' play a version of his professional persona: an insecure, put-upon, wise-cracking Jew from New York.
71	* Creator/RobertDowneyJr does always seem to be playing a smartass these days. And not just a smartass, but a flawed, womanizing (with varying success), substance-abuse-prone, freakishly charming smartass. In fact he seems to just play himself. (Except ''Film/TropicThunder'' when he's playing Christian Bale/Russell Crowe.) Administrivia/TropesAreNotBad: the above traits are why his portrayal of [[Film/IronMan Tony Stark]] is so spot-on.
72	* Creator/MorganFreeman has acquired such a reputation as a calm, smooth man of authority that most of his later film roles became simply Morgan Freeman calmly and smoothly delivering exposition. This is in contrast to his earlier career, with roles like ''Film/LeanOnMe'', before he'd earned this reputation.
73	* Somewhere along the way Creator/TomCruise both stopped aging and stopped disappearing into his roles. This may or may not be related to his perennial fondness for playing an [[ActionHero action hero]] who uncovers [[TheConspiracy various secrets and plots]] (not that there's much to disappear into in most cases.)
74	* As it says at the top, Creator/WillSmith. Back in the mid to late 90's, he was the same smooth-talking [[TheCasanova ladies' man]]-slash-flippant, snarky action hero, always locked and loaded with an "Aw, hell naw" at the ready to take down [[Film/IndependenceDay giant ships]], [[Film/MenInBlack giant bugs]] or [[Film/WildWildWest giant spiders]]. He's expanded post-millenium to more serious dramas but all that means is he's now seen by fans as 'Will Smith acting really well'.
75	* Creator/JeffGoldblum is another. Whether he's [[Film/JurassicPark running from dinosaurs]], [[Film/IndependenceDay hacking alien computers]], or [[Film/TheFly1986 turning into a fly]], people still identify him as Jeff Goldblum.
76	* Creator/SethGreen seems to have the same {{deadpan\|Snarker}} personality, no matter what part he's playing. He's also pretty good at getting in character though, so he comes off as some hybrid of Seth Green and whoever he's playing.
77	* Creator/SethRogen is widely known as a lovable stoner manchild with a hearty laugh. He plays this persona in just about every role except ''Film/ObserveAndReport'', which seems to have been made specifically to break his TypeCasting.
78	* Creator/KeanuReeves. "Whoa, dude." Also inverted: for some time he apparently worried that his tombstone was inevitably going to read "Here Lies [[Franchise/BillAndTed Ted]]." Then there was ''Film/TheMatrix'' and ''Franchise/JohnWick''.
79	* Creator/NathanFillion. As the quote on his page says, "Nathan Fillion always seem to play Nathan Fillion. And frankly I'm okay with that."
80	* Look! It's Owen Wilson as a spy! Check it out, Owen Wilson as a Cowboy/Cop/Model/[[Franchise/{{Cars}} Racecar]]/Pseudo Sergeant! Occasionally averted, since he is rounded enough to play other roles; he just doesn't very often.
81	* Creator/HarrisonFord, thanks to having ''two'' iconic [[Franchise/StarWars film]] [[Franchise/IndianaJones roles]]. Although those roles are big and famous enough to override it; in those he's Han Solo and Indiana Jones. In anything else, he's Harrison Ford. The poster for ''Film/AirForceOne'' actually says "HARRISON FORD is [[OurPresidentsAreDifferent the President of the United States of America]]." The character's name is James Marshall, but let's be honest, you don't care.
82	-->"[[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/starsandstories/8243909/Harrison-Ford-interview-for-Morning-Glory.html It doesn't interest me to be Harrison Ford.]] It interests me to be [[Film/MorningGlory Mike Pomeroy]] and Franchise/IndianaJones and Literature/JackRyan."
83	* Sir Creator/IanMcKellen is known as the distinguished classical British actor, no matter what he does. He only just escaped [[IAmNotSpock I Am Not Gandalf]] (or, to a lesser extent "I Am Not Magneto" in ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'') by being so darn respectable and having a Sir on the front of his name. The likes of ''Film/AptPupil'' prove he can transcend the "Look, It's Sir Ian [=McKellen=]" effect.
84	* Creator/LiamNeeson is an extremely talented and versatile actor, but of late many of his films, despite his excellent and varied performances, can best be described as [[Film/ThePhantomMenace Liam Neeson is a Jedi]], [[Film/ClashOfTheTitans2010 Liam Neeson is Zeus]], [[Film/TheATeam Liam Neeson Loves It When A Plan Comes Together]], [[Film/BatmanBegins Liam Neeson Fights Batman]], and [[Film/{{Taken}} Liam Neeson Demonstrating His Particular Set of Skills]].
85	** As well as [[Film/SchindlersList Liam Neeson Vs. the Nazis]].
86	** And [[Film/TheChroniclesOfNarnia Liam Neeson wearing a catsuit]] as [[CrystalDragonJesus Golden Lion Jesus]].
87	** And [[Film/TheGrey Liam Neeson Fights Wolves]].
88	** Even the case when he was cast as the dad in the English dub of ''Anime/PonyoOnTheCliffByTheSea''.
89	** And [[Film/{{Nell}} Liam Neeson, M.D.]]
90	** Also, [[VideoGame/Fallout3 Liam Neeson is your dad]].
91	** This can partly be attributed to the fact that he's [[TheBigGuy insanely tall]] and has a very distinctive voice, and neither are things one can really disguise, especially not the voice. Even when he's trying on other accents, his voice is very deep and, well, really easy to spot as Liam Neeson.
92	** Except for the time he was [[Film/{{Darkman}} a borderline psychotic anti-hero]].
93	** And don't forget [[WesternAnimation/TheLEGOMovie Liam Neeson is literally]] a GoodCopBadCop.
94	* Averted by Creator/PeterSellers. In an interview, he was asked what he, personally was like. He paused for a moment, looking honestly puzzled, and responded, "I don't know."
95	** Sellers somehow averted this trope ''and'' IAmNotSpock.
96	** Perhaps it was by [[Film/DrStrangelove being good enough to play three different characters in the same movie?]] [[Film/TheMouseThatRoared Twice]]?
97	** In his appearance on ''Series/TheMuppetShow'', he claimed to have had his "real self" surgically removed.
98	* Creator/PatrickStewart seems to pull off both this trope ''and'' [[IAmNotSpock I Am Not Picard/Xavier]], interestingly.
99	** It helps that he's tapped into his [[AdamWesting inner goofball]] with roles like the agency director in ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' and his all around ability to poke good-natured fun at himself, while still having survived ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' with a still-bankable career outside of the convention circuit.
100	* Creator/MrT shall always be Mr. T, fool!
101	* Creator/TomHanks mostly just plays Creator/TomHanks these days. He does have roles that are iconic as characters, like Film/ForrestGump and [[Franchise/ToyStory Woody]], but mostly, people just see Tom Hanks in a role.
102	** Oddly enough he did the same early in his career, but [[TomHanksSyndrome the two Hanks are very different.]]
103	* For years, Creator/RyanReynolds was known for playing the cool, funny guy in a romantic comedy or screwball comedy. This reputation completely changed after he played Film/{{Deadpool\|2016}}, to the point where this may have evolved into IAmNotSpock. Pretty much all of his roles after that can be described as "[[Film/TheHitmansBodyguard Deadpool as a bodyguard]]", "[[Film/PokemonDetectivePikachu Deadpool in a Pokémon's body]]", or "[[Film/HobbsAndShaw Deadpool cameoing as an FBI agent]]".
104	** And even as Ryan Reynolds, he's "[[Advertising/AviationGin Deadpool selling gin]]" and "[[Series/WelcomeToWrexham Deadpool buying a Welsh soccer team]]".
105	* Creator/TimCurry is always Tim Curry. If he turns up in anything, it's odds-on that he is evil and/or will die at the end. [[WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAm King Acorn]], [[Theatre/{{Spamalot}} King Arthur]], and [[WesternAnimation/TheWildThornberrys Nigel Thornberry]] are notable exceptions; many don't even recognize him as the latter.
106	* Creator/SteveCarell is an example similar to Harrison Ford above. In ''Series/TheOfficeUS'' and ''Film/AnchormanTheLegendOfRonBurgundy'', he's Michael Scott and Brick Tamland, respectively. In anything else, he's Steve Carell. Even [[Franchise/DespicableMe Gru]] can best be described as "Steve Carell doing a silly accent".
107	** Except ''Film/LittleMissSunshine'', where he's a wistful, suicidally depressed and very withdrawn gay man who nevertheless becomes the film's center.
108	** And ''Film/{{Foxcatcher}}'', where he played a mentally-ill millionaire and [[SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct got himself an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor]].
109	** And ''Film/{{Bewitched}}'' where he did a near perfect Creator/PaulLynde as Uncle Arthur impersonation.
110	* Most of the lead actors in ''Film/TheExpendables''. They're not Barney Ross, Lee Christmas, and Yin Yang. They're Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, and Jet Li.
111	* While pretty much no one can complain about his performance, several people lamented the fact that having Creator/JKSimmons voice Cave Johnson in ''VideoGame/Portal2'' had the drawback of making it pretty much impossible to picture someone other than Simmons saying those lines, regardless of all the portraits of Johnson lying around. Simmons in general falls into this as well. Unless it's [[Film/SpiderManTrilogy J. Jonah Jameson]] (a role so iconic he reprised it in [[WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan2012 a cartoon]] [[spoiler:[[Film/SpiderManHomecomingTrilogy and an entirely separate movie franchise]].]]), you're not going to bother learning his character's name.
112	** For British players, this also applies to Wheatley. Try to hear his voice without picturing Creator/StephenMerchant. Bonus points if you start expecting Karl Pilkington, Creator/RickyGervais or [[{{Series/Extras}} Barry from Eastenders]] to turn up, as Merchant's voice almost sounds strange without them.
113	* Voice Acting Example: Creator/NorioWakamoto as [[Literature/{{Baccano}} a newspaper editor]]; Creator/NorioWakamoto as [[Anime/CodeGeass the Emperor of Britannia]]; Creator/NorioWakamoto as [[Manga/AzumangaDaioh a flying cat.. alien... thing... that may or may not be Santa Claus]]; Creator/NorioWakamoto as [[Literature/NyarukoCrawlingWithLove a vacuum cleaner]]. The only role of his that completely escapes this is [[Franchise/DragonBall Cell]], and that's partly due to the dub being more well-known internationally and Dameon Clarke being pretty iconic in the role.
114	* Creator/MichaelCera is pretty much the same awkward young guy in every role, to the point that some are getting a little sick of it.
115	** Creator/JesseEisenberg seemed slated for the same fate but escaped it due to a combination of GenreSavvy and SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct. That doesn't stop people from confusing Cera and Eisenberg, however, and Eisenberg occasionally falls into this, such as "[[Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice Jesse Eisenberg trying to play Lex Luthor]]."
116	* Creator/BrianBlessed: Completely and utterly embraces this trope, absolutely revels in his reputation as a BoisterousBruiser in spite of the fact he is [[SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct perfectly capable of "proper" acting]] if he feels like it (see ''Series/IClaudius'' for proof).
117	* Creator/StephenFry is this through and through; if he isn't playing "''Stephen Fry as a...''", then he can easily be found using his [[VideoGame/LittleBigPlanet instantly]] [[VideoGame/{{Fable}} identifiable]] [[Film/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy2005 voice]] [[Franchise/WinnieThePooh to]] [[Franchise/HarryPotter narrate]] [[CozyVoiceForCatastrophes soothingly.]]
118	** [[http://www.the-editing-room.com/v-for-vendetta.html The Editing Room]] justifies this by pointing out that Stephen [[MetaCasting pretty much plays the role of "Stephen Fry"]] in ''Film/VForVendetta'':
119	-->'''Stephen Fry:''' [[spoiler:My role in this film as a gay, intelligent man with a sense of humor and appreciation for high culture is a real stretch for me.]]
120	* Creator/RobinWilliams, with the exceptions of ''Film/OneHourPhoto'', ''Film/{{Insomnia}}'', ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'', and probably [[WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} The Genie]]. Although even in his SVU appearance, his penchant for doing funny voices ''is specifically made into a plot point''.
121	* Creator/BruceWillis, unless he's playing [[Franchise/DieHard John McClane]].
122	** Or his quiet, haunted, mustached Vietnam vet in the little-seen ''Film/InCountry''.
123	*** Oddly Creator/JosephGordonLevitt [[Film/{{Looper}} also plays a pretty decent Bruce Willis]]... who knew.
124	* Creator/ColinFirth is always playing a stuffy Brit.
125	* Creator/RobSchneider is...[[WesternAnimation/SouthPark a carrot!]]
126	* This one's an odd case... Music/EltonJohn is best known for being a musician, and whenever he does do an occasional acting bit, he almost always plays himself. However, when he was talked into taking up a part in TheMovie version of Music/{{Tommy}}, a ConceptAlbum turned RockOpera by Music/TheWho, he ended up not playing himself, but rather a character called the Local Lad, also known as The Champ (though the character's often called the Pinball Wizard by mistake because of the song he sings). Even though it's not Elton, the character seems to oddly have his fashion sense and style (and there's even a keyboard built into his pinball machine), thus people seem to easily confuse the character for Elton himself, which has not happened to any of the other performers in that movie (save for the previously-mentioned Creator/JackNicholson). It also doesn't help that a lot of people don't know the character's real name since it was never really said by anyone...Or the fact that he got to keep the boots afterwards...
127	* Creator/JudeLaw became this trope in a single year -- having five films on the market at once will do that. Even when he's not acting, scandals about his personal life usually sell, to the point where ''Film/{{Closer}}'' becomes a retroactive invocation of this trope: at the time, Law was famous for being very attractive and playing undeniably charming Lotharios. In ''Film/{{Closer}}'', his character repeatedly cheats, holds others to a double standard, and is the movie's least sympathetic protagonist. As Law's personal life increasingly became news, with the scandals focused on his tendency to cheat on his wives, his role in ''Closer'' suddenly became playing to type.
128	* Music/ElvisPresley, similarly to Music/EltonJohn, is primarily known as a musician, and pretty much was playing "Elvis" no matter what the role. It didn't help that most of his films were formulaic "Elvis musicals" as his manager, UsefulNotes/ColonelTomParker, had contracted him to play, and much to Elvis' eventual frustration, he rarely got to break away from the formula (though films like ''Love Me Tender'' and ''Flaming Star'' showed he had [[SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct potential as an actor]].)
129	** Creator/EddieMurphy in ''Delirious'' observed that it was easier to get Elvis to sing than act. "Lemonade... That cool refreshing drink."
130	** Equally, too, so had Music/TheBeatles, at least together, but at least Music/JohnLennon and especially Music/RingoStarr showed themselves capable of different roles years later.
131	* Music/IceT admitted that his ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'' character is "what I'd be like if I were a cop".
132	* According to Filipino writer Jessica Zafra, Romnick Sarmienta suffered from this trope: "when you see Romnick Sarmienta on the screen, you don't see the role he plays. You see... Romnick."
133	* Creator/JohnnyDepp. When was the last time anyone saw a Depp featured movie that wasn't "Johnny Depp wears a silly costume and speaks in a funny voice?" Though there's a bit of Peter Sellers-like behavior here as well. Will he be a soft-spoken nerd? Or a cowardly hero? Or manic-depressive chaos magnet? Yeah, you go to his movies to see Johnny Depp, but the only thing you know in advance is that he won't be normal.
134	* Creator/DwayneJohnson, aka [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]]. Most of his on-screen characters are just toned down versions of The Rock character. [[Film/TheMummyReturns The Scorpion King]] is the lone exception though, around the time he got his own movie, he was a bit more in line with The Rock. This trope is {{lampshade\|Hanging}}d in ''Film/Rampage2018'' when his character uses American Sign Language to communicate with George the gorilla -- the sign he uses to refer to himself is "rock".
135	* Creator/CharlieSheen seems to play himself (or a toned-down version) in his more recent TV series such as ''Series/TwoAndAHalfMen'' and ''Series/AngerManagement''. He appears as TheDanza and is almost AdamWesting.
136	* Like Creator/PatrickStewart, Creator/LeVarBurton zig-zags between this trope and IAmNotSpock. Although widely known as Geordi, he's also prominent for hosting ''Series/ReadingRainbow'' and starring in ''Series/{{Roots\|1977}}''.
137	* Whether he's in [[Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2014 outer space]], [[Film/JurassicWorld an amusement park full of dinosaurs]], or [[Film/TheMagnificentSeven2016 the Wild West]], you can usually count on Creator/ChrisPratt to be playing the same kind of friendly-but-snarky action hero. One notable exception would be the hapless naive everyman [[WesternAnimation/TheLEGOMovie Emmett]], to which the "snarky" descriptor does not apply whatsoever.
138	* Creator/JamesDean didn't have a long enough career -- dying at the age of 25 -- and so has experienced this. His two most famous roles, ''Film/EastOfEden'' and ''Film/RebelWithoutACause'', feature him memorably playing TroubledButCute teenagers who are both very similar. As ''Rebel'' especially is iconic, people will dress up wearing his costume from that, saying they're dressing up as him rather than his character (not helped by the character's name being [[TheDanza Jim]]). His final film, ''Film/{{Giant}}'', features him PlayingAgainstType clearly in an attempt to break away from troubled teen roles. It's the least-remembered of his three starring roles partially for this reason. Of course in this case there is some merit to this, as James was very much like those characters. Elia Kazan remarked that James's relationship with his father was almost identical to Cal and Adam's, and John Steinbeck said "he ''is'' Cal" upon meeting him.
139	* There is apparently no such thing as Obadiah Stane in ''Film/IronMan1''. The movie's villain is Creator/JeffBridges. He probably falls into [[IAmNotSpock the opposite trope]] when it comes to [[Film/TheBigLebowski the Dude]], however.
140	* Sir Creator/ChristopherLee fell into this a bit, due to being 6'5" and having a noticeably deep voice. If he wasn't Dracula, he was Frankenstein's Monster, or Death, or Film/TheMummy1959, or Fu Manchu, or a comic book supervillain, or [[Franchise/LordOfTheRings a once-noble wizard who was corrupted by the]] BigBad, or a [[Film/AttackOfTheClones once-noble wizard]] [[Film/RevengeOfTheSith who was corrupted by the]] BigBad In Space! You get the idea. And if he's playing a good guy, except him to [[Film/{{Hugo}} be]] [[Film/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory gruff]] [[Film/SherlockHolmesAndTheDeadlyNecklace but]] [[Film/ThePrivateLifeOfSherlockHolmes ultimately]] [[Literature/TheColourOfMagic kind-hearted.]]
141	* Creator/JackBlack is pretty much Jack Black in most of his movies. Jack Black as [[Film/SchoolOfRock a guitar player kicked out of his band]], Jack Black as [[Film/GulliversTravels2010 Gulliver]], Jack Black as [[WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda a panda]], Jack Black as [[Film/NachoLibre a wrestling monk]], and so on. Most of his serious roles were earlier ones.
142	[[/folder]]
143
144	[[folder:Actresses]]
145	* Creator/JessicaAlba is a well-known sex symbol of the 2000s. Almost all of her films including ''Film/SinCity'', ''Film/FantasticFourDuology'' and ''Film/IntoTheBlue'' have her in MsFanservice roles.
146	* Creator/AyaHirano is so popular for her voice acting roles in anime (e.g. ''Manga/DeathNote'', ''Literature/HaruhiSuzumiya'', ''Manga/FairyTail'', ''Manga/LuckyStar'') that her characters don't have their voices, it is always she who is speaking.
147	* At one point, Creator/JenniferAniston wanted to appear on one of her favorite shows, ''Series/TwentyFour''. The producers refused, saying that she was so well-known, it would kill the effect, instead of seeing the character, they'd see Jennifer. This may be averted with her exceedingly PlayingAgainstType role in ''Film/HorribleBosses''. She also won critical acclaim for her dramatic role in ''Film/{{Cake}}'' and many were insisting that she win an Oscar for it. She had shown earlier that she could disappear into a role that didn't cater to typecasting in ''Film/TheGoodGirl''.
148	* Creator/JessicaBiel tends to experience this, and general reaction whenever she stars in something is "oh, there's Music/JustinTimberlake's wife". Her infamous topless photo shoot at age 17, and her biggest hit being the remake of ''Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre2003'', pretty much solidified her image as a sexy ActionGirl. The roles where she does go against type -- ''Film/TheIllusionist2006'' and ''Film/EasyVirtue'' -- were well-received but not what you'd call hits. Because of this she felt she was a shoo-in for the role of Catwoman in ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises''.
149	* Creator/JoanCrawford was a prime example of this in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Many biographies of her insist that Joan was not an actress; she was a movie star. In her films she played an IronWoobie who suffered through ninety minutes of drama, usually with a slap delivered to her antagonist. Audiences went to see Joan. The lone exception seems to be ''Film/MildredPierce'', the only Oscar she ever won. She did go against type in her horror movies towards the end of her career, but it was impossible for audiences to see her as anyone other than Joan.
150	* Creator/HilaryDuff in her early 2000s popularity was always a cool "loser" who was still beautiful enough to be desirable, wholesome enough to be a role model and not too perfect to be relatable. Basically variations of her StarMakingRole in ''Series/LizzieMcGuire'' (and even Lizzie was tweaked in the second season to become a much more wholesome character). As pointed out [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfaXcf9Ox7o here]], her roles in ''Film/RaiseYourVoice'', ''Film/ACinderellaStory'', ''Cadet Kelly'', ''The Perfect Man'' and ''Film/MaterialGirls'' were all interchangeable so as to fit the TeenIdol persona. As her fan base grew up and without the pressures of maintaining her role model status, she was able to play against type in ''Film/WarInc'', ''Series/GossipGirl'' and ''According to Geta''. That being said, she's still seen as just an older version of her 2000s persona. The Huffington Post put it best in an article:
151	--> "Being on a hit series has sort of created a dual life for Duff. Her public image is tied to the character of 'Lizzie'."
152	* Creator/JodieFoster is always an unassuming woman who'll put up with a bit of abuse before kicking some ass. Whether it be [[Film/SilenceOfTheLambs a man that makes suits out of human skin]], [[Film/Flightplan2005 a terrorist kidnapping her daughter]] or [[Film/TheBraveOne shooting a man in the face to get her dog back]]. It just doesn't matter. Averted when she's not very unassuming as the negotiator in ''Film/InsideMan''.
153	* Creator/DakotaFanning is always Dakota Fanning. Creator/TomCruise being in this trope as well had a weird effect on ''Film/TheWarOfTheWorlds''. Essentially, the central characters are Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, and [[IAmNotSpock Robbie]]. And while everyone else in ''Film/{{Twilight}}'' is in IAmNotSpock mode, Jane might just as well be named Evil Dakota Fanning.
154	* Creator/MeganFox became such an iconic sex symbol in the 2000s that she experienced this. It was partially enforced by the wishes of her husband, as Megan reportedly wanted to move past the generic MsFanservice parts and go against type, but they [[MoneyDearBoy needed the money]]. As a result, her casting as April O'Neal in ''Film/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2014'' was met with uproar. The fanbase is split down the middle as to whether she did a good job or April was turned into a "Megan Fox character". It doesn't help that even before her StarMakingRole in the ''Transformers'' films, her roles were usually as {{Alpha Bitch}}es or the BrainlessBeauty. That being said, her character in ''Film/JennifersBody'' has been [[VindicatedByHistory re-evaluated as time has gone on]] to be seen as a more nuanced take on the typical Megan Fox character (fittingly enough, some attribute the film flopping to people being [[NeverTrustATrailer promised another Megan Fox hottie by advertising]] and getting annoyed when the film didn't deliver).
155	* Creator/SarahMichelleGellar. Although she's done other work, including situational comedy, she only really has a single character; a greater or less intense version of the ActionGirl she played in ''Series/{{Buffy\|The Vampire Slayer}}''. Also, people who know Gellar personally have said that when she acts, she's often just playing herself in a costume. An aversion seems to be her role in ''Film/IKnowWhatYouDidLastSummer'', where she plays a former teen beauty queen who ends up as a DamselInDistress (though it's considered an underrated performance from her).
156	* Fiona Gubelmann often tends to play AlphaBitch, {{Jerkass}} or JerkWithAHeartOfGold characters that some people are surprised by it being MeanCharacterNiceActor. Her public image is tied to either LifetimeMovieOfTheWeek productions (especially ''911 Nightmare'' from 2016 where she played the protagonist Christine [=McCullers=], and some ActorRoleConfusion was in play for a time. It was also PlayingAgainstType since the protagonist was ''not'' a {{Jerkass}} but a NiceGirl 911 operator), [[SugarWiki/AHallmarkPresentation Hallmark Christmas movies]] or her role as Dr. Morgan Reznick, in ''Series/TheGoodDoctor'' which she has been in since 2018. In general, though, she has attempted to branch out into other roles, but seems iconically associated with the three roles listed (technically, four if you include ''911 Nightmare'').
157	* Part of the [[https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/07/fashion/what-is-anne-hathaway-doing-wrong.html surprising amount of hate]] Creator/AnneHathaway gets may be due to the fact that so many of her characters are this good girl who's always trying (or even basically Cinderella; yes, even ''Literature/TheDevilWearsPrada'' is a somewhat disguised Cinderella story), a character not too far from the way she comes off herself. But see ''Film/RachelGettingMarried'' for the exception. And then there's ''Film/{{Havoc\|2005}}'', which [[BestKnownForTheFanservice most males have seen just because she gets her kit off a lot]]. Her role in ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'' even seems to play with this; her character is introduced seemingly like a typical Anne Hathaway doe-eyed Woobie. Then with the word "oops" she reveals herself to be a BitchInSheepsClothing who is actually ComicBook/{{Catwoman}} -- it, too, is widely regarded as one of her best performances.
158	* Meghan Heffern is a Canadian actress noted for LifetimeMovieOfTheWeek is often seen as a [[SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct She Really Can Act]] actress, but is mainly seen as "''the'' eccentric or BlitheSpirit female character" and has rarely had roles as the lead. Meghan is seen as fairly low on the fame scale, being a C-lister who is noted for being a good actress. She hasn't had the same level of over-exposure as other actresses and although [[MoneyDearBoy there are a lot of roles she did for the paycheck]], she is up-and-coming despite being near 35-36 years old.
159	* Creator/ParisHilton, to such a degree that "See Paris Hilton being gruesomely murdered!" was the [[DancingBear unique selling point]] for ''Film/HouseOfWax2005''. The album of John Ottman's score for the film calls the cue for that scene "Paris Gets It" -- even though Miss Hilton's character is called Paige. [[Film/RepoTheGeneticOpera You can also see her face fall off!]]
160	* Creator/KateHudson is essentially seen as herself in most of her films. She's almost always a cute dorky ditz of EveryoneLovesBlondes variety who's LookingForLoveInAllTheWrongPlaces. Even her most iconic role in ''Film/AlmostFamous'' is an example of this. The exception seems to be the horror movie ''Film/TheSkeletonKey'', where she played a hospice nurse. It sparked SugarWiki/SheReallyCanAct reactions.
161	* Creator/AngelinaJolie is the premier -- some say ''only'' -- action heroine of Hollywood. Any film she is in (e.g., ''Film/LaraCroftTombRaider'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Beowulf\|2007}}'', ''Film/{{Salt}}'', ''Film/MrAndMrsSmith2005'') is more about watching Angelina play the part of sexy action hero than watching sexy action heroes. Then again, half her movies are dramatic... which fit more with her real-life persona!
162	* Creator/MarilynMonroe is such an iconic sex symbol, even back when she was still in movies, that it's nearly impossible for a viewer to see her as anything but.
163	* Creator/MaryTylerMoore was so closely identified with Laura Petrie that, when she got [[Series/TheMaryTylerMooreShow her own show]], the network nixed the show's original idea to have Mary Richards be recently divorced since the audience would think she had left Dick. It took until ''Film/OrdinaryPeople'' for her [[SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct to establish herself as a dramatic actress]] playing [[EvilMatriarch a cold, emotionally repressed mother]] in a troubled family.
164	* Creator/MaryKateAndAshleyOlsen in their various direct-to-video movies (and their sitcoms ''Series/TwoOfAKind'' and ''So Little Time''). Mary-Kate is always the rebellious edgy tomboy, and Ashley the responsible GirlyGirl. Even Mary-Kate's role as the witch Kendra in ''{{Literature/Beastly}}'' caters to this. The lone exception is the film ''Winning London'' where Mary-Kate is the uptight bookworm Chloe, and Ashley the easygoing LadEtte Riley.
165	* Creator/MaryPickford is one of the earliest examples of this. She was known as America's Sweetheart -- and had an iconic image of long ringlets and angelic dresses. Many famous [[TheIngenue ingenues]] were played by her -- such as {{Literature/Pollyanna}}, [[Literature/ALittlePrincess Sara Crewe]], {{Literature/Cinderella}}, Theatre/MadameButterfly. As such she was one of the first examples of ContractualPurity. Even when she appeared AsHerself in World War I propaganda films, she still portrayed a squeaky-clean cutie version of herself. When she finally played against type in an adult role -- at the age of ''37'' in the film ''Coquette'' -- there was outrage. She retired from films not long afterwards.
166	* Creator/NataliePortman. Reviews of ''Film/BlackSwan'' often noted that whether the fascination came in watching "Nina" or "Natalie" succumb to the pressure for perfection was unclear, as Portman was largely playing [[AdamWesting an exaggerated version of herself]]. Similarly, her performance in ''Film/{{Closer}}'' was entirely dependent on the fact that audiences were willing to believe that "Natalie Portman is Amazingly Desirable and Needs Your Love." Whether or not Portman herself can act is a contested issue, as her primary purpose in films seems to be playing the audience's fantasy of herself. (Ironically, Portman herself went to Harvard and seems quite level-headed, so she may be sliding toward AdamWesting.) Portman's attempts at branching out by taking dramatic or less sympathetic roles have not been well-received.
167	* Creator/JuliaRoberts tends to be TypeCast in a narrow range of roles, in which she is so consistently a polarizing personality that "Julia Roberts movie" is almost a genre. Like Creator/TomCruise, she seems to have crossed some event horizon into whatever is beyond acting. She is the entity called Julia Roberts. Sometimes this entity makes a film. The advertising posters will declare Julia Roberts to be in a film. The public will base their decision on whether or not to see this film solely on this fact...eerie. Roberts may be moving toward aversion in TheNewTens. Her performance in ''Film/{{Closer}}'' was well-received and she was considered the least of the four leads. It may help that she is now "too old" to be the ingenue (by Hollywood standards). Over-exposure and formulaic movies during the '90s and early '00s kept her TypeCast, but that may be ending.
168	* Creator/AmandaSeyfried is a versatile actress but is primarily known for her MsFanservice roles such as ''Film/{{Chloe}}'' and ''Film/{{Lovelace}}''.
169	* Creator/ShirleyTemple is always seen as a {{Cheerful\|Child}} HeartwarmingOrphan who sings and dances. Four of her characters were actually [[TheDanza named "Shirley"]]. Like Tom Cruise and Julia Roberts, Shirley Temple has passed the event horizon into the realm beyond acting. The real Shirley Temple went on to do some grown-up roles which no one remembers, retired from acting, become a diplomat, and finally died in 2014 at the age of 85. But the pop culture entity of Shirley Temple is forever locked in time to her twee 1930s child self. Shirley herself did not like this even as a small child. She wanted to play some of her roles differently, putting more ActionGirl and SpoiledBrat stuff into her characters; her mother backed her up on this, but the studio wouldn't allow it.
170	[[/folder]]

Context Main / IAmNotLeonardNimoy