History Main / AlterEgoActing

** A strange example of this: on Australian program Rove Live, Sacha was playing {{Bruno}} while promoting the film of the same name. When Rove did his usual "20 bucks in 20 seconds" questionnaire, his final question was for Bruno to tell Rove what he thought of a picture of Borat, to which Bruno replied that Borat was "an incredibly racist stereotype" and "he's played by Sacha Baron-whatever, right? Yeah, he really can't act", so that's what, a double subversion as well as playing it straight?

* Near the height of Music/GarthBrooks' career in country music, he released an alternative rock album under the pseudonym Chris Gaines. He clearly played it as though he was creating a character, going so far as to release a VH-1 mockumentary, and hosting SNL as Garth Brooks but being the musical guest as Chris Gaines.

* The members of {{GWAR}} would sometimes open shows as the band "X-Cops." In the mid-90s it was spun off as a new band made up of non-GWAR members.
** This was also done by [[ThisIsSpinalTap Spinal Tap]] who perform in character (they are actually actors). Christopher Guest as well as many of the other writers and actors from ''Spinal Tap'' made a similar mockumentary called ''Film/AMightyWind''. They did one show in which the band from ''Mighty Wind'' opened for ''Spinal Tap''. They were booed off the stage by fans who were either unaware or uncaring that they were the same people.

* John Lydon invented the [[TheSexPistols Johnny Rotten]] persona to handle public appearances, as he (Rotten) says he's (Lydon) extremely shy in real life. Depending on whether he's promoting TheSexPistols and gonzo work or PublicImageLtd, he appears as either Rotten or Lydon.

* Experimental rock band TheResidents have never been seen without their masks, never dropped out of character in public, and have never released their real names. They've managed to keep their identities a secret for ''40 years.'' It is, however, long been suspected that "The Cryptic Corporation," a group of two "spokesmen" who speak for the band in all interviews, are actually the creative core of the band. The Cryptic Corporation admits to collaborating with the Residents, but always denies that they are actual bandmembers.

** Al Gore, perhaps from fatigue, forgot who was interviewing him and casually mentioned Colbert's character to Colbert's character. [[http://www.aoltv.com/2011/09/14/al-gore-slips-up-refers-to-stephen-colberts-character-video/ Colbert's character didn't know who he was talking about.]]

** This has led to an occasion where the Critic made various comments about [[MaraWilson a child actress's]] acting ability, only for fans of the Critic [[FanDumb to email said actress that they agreed with the Critic]]. Holly (TGWTG web mistress) then had to email her personally to explain that the Critic is just a character and it wasn't really Doug's opinion.

** ToddInTheShadows stated that "I may exaggerate my anger a little, but I'm not a good enough actor to adopt a different persona." There is still a difference between Todd Nathanson and Todd In The Shadows, as the real Todd is friendly with the real cast and dating [[WebVideo/TheNostalgiaChick Lindsay Ellis]],making him happy, romantic and positive about life, while the character is still a sad, pathetic, rather creepy StalkerWithACrush for ObscurusLupa and obnoxious to the rest of TGWTG.

* This is how Music/DavidBowie approached such ConceptAlbum / concert personas as Ziggy Stardust in TheSeventies. He struggled with SecretIdentityIdentity as a result -- [[Creator/{{TheBBC}} the BBC]]'s documentary profile ''Cracked Actor'' (1975) has him discussing his choice to drop the Ziggy persona because he was afraid it would overtake him. Unfortunately, he was far from his right mind (addicted to cocaine, etc.) when he created the cruel Thin White Duke for 1976's ''Station to Station'' and it proved to be his final such persona; one fansite that focuses on this period has an [[http://www.angelfire.com/my/tvc15/faq.html FAQ]] that discusses how the persona and the performer got disastrously entangled.

* Music.FlightOfTheConchords: Bret and Jemaine on the show are just exaggerated versions of the real Bret and Jemaine.

** This has led to an occasion where the Critic made various comments about [[MaraWilson a child actress]] acting ability only for fans of the Critic [[FanDumb to email said actress that they agreed with the Critic]]. Holly (TGWTG web mistress) then had to email her personally to explain that the Critic is just a character and it wasn't really Doug's opinion.

** One episode parodied this. It featured the fake Stephen Colbert thinking he was going to interview the animated members of the cartoon band Music/{{Gorillaz}}, but was disappointed to find out he was only interviewing their creators Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett (after Murdoc Niccals called Stephen up and explained he couldn't make it). Stephen stormed off the set, necessitating the real Stephen to fill in.

* In an unusual subversion, comedian Andrew Clay Silverstein has been practically forced into a sort of Type 2 version of this trope. His character, Creator/AndrewDiceClay, is seen as such an [[UpToEleven over the top]] misogyist and homophobe that fans and detractors alike are unable or unwilling to separate the actor from his character, despite the profound difference between his real and assumed personalities, and his more recent attempts to distance himself from "The Diceman". This hasn't been help by many other performers refusing to perform or appear with Silverstein, even out-of-character.

** This was also done by [[ThisIsSpinalTap Spinal Tap]] who perform in character (they are actually actors). Christopher Gest as well as many of the other writers and actors from ''Spinal Tap'' made a similar mnockumentary called ''Film/AMightyWind''. They did one show in which the band from ''Mighty Wind'' opened for ''Spinal Tap''. They were booed off the stage by fans who were either unaware or uncaring that they were the same people.

* Creator/TomBaker kept up the persona of the fourth Doctor during his time on ''Series/DoctorWho'', and if fans met him in the street, he always tried to make sure they met the Doctor.

* Likewise, the Australian rock-band T.I.S.M. made a point of never appearing (on stage or for interviews) without wearing some sort of identity concealing outfit, and referred to each other only by their stage names (such as Ron Hitler-Barassi and Humphrey B. Flaubert).

** The fact that Brad Jones does reviews and other shows on both TGWTG and his own site as himself instead of his [[WebVideo/TheCinemaSnob Cinema Snob]] character probably makes his real self a bit more visible than other contributors who review as exaggerated "characters".

In a case of RealLifeWritesThePlot, Alter Ego Acting isn't limited to the actors themselves; many of the fans, especially with sci-fi or fantasy series (like the {{furry fandom}}) use this trope to various levels in regards to their internet personas. In a reversal to the trope being applied to the actors, the third method is usually the most used, to the point where the fans refuse to respond to anything but their alter ego's name. Typically, though, the alter ego has enough personality quirks that only work within the confines of fantasy, the alter ego is unable to be fully emulated in the 'real world' during standard, off-line living and, thus, their real selves are markedly different, no matter how much they try.

* Members of the FurryFandom vary wildly on how they apply this trope to themselves and their characters, with some considering themselves and their characters to be entirely separate and never referring to themselves as their character in real life (unless wearing a fursuit or other costume); some viewing their characters as real people whom they "channel", speaking of them in third person and slipping in and out-of-character in public; some refusing to answer to any name but their furry name (further complicated by people who get their names legally changed, not all of whom believe their furry self to be real or separate from themselves); and some not even ''having'' a "fursona", just an online handle. But in general most furries are of the Type 3 variety, acknowledging or even proudly admitting that their fursona is just like real life, only with animal features (or a different body type), with very different fursonas either being a challenging exercise in roleplaying or indulging in wish fulfillment about their ideal self.

** In truth, Miley only performed as both Hannah and herself between 2006 and early 2008. She ''does'' take on a wilder, more extroverted "wild" persona live, though, especially when wearing outrageous costumes and wardrobes.

->''I created a monster''

->''They want Shady -- I'm chopped liver''

* In an unusual subversion, comedian Andrew Clay Silverstein has been practically forced into a sort of Type 2 version of this trope. His character, AndrewDiceClay, is seen as such an [[UpToEleven over the top]] misogyist and homophobe; that fans and detractors alike are unable or unwilling to separate the actor from his character; despite the profound difference between his real and assumed personalities, and his more recent attempts to distance himself from "The Diceman". This hasn't been help by many other performers refusing to perform or appear with Silverstein, even out-of-character.

* As in the page quote, Music/{{Eminem}} generally raps as his alter ego Slim Shady, although he frequently blurs the line between the two personalities.

* Paul Reubens tended to portray Pee-Wee Herman as a completely separate person, even billing the character as being played by "himself" in movie credits. He had never been interviewed as Paul Reubens until the film ''MysteryMen'' came out. Even then he managed to get through the first few minutes of the interview without saying a word, responding with nodding or shaking his head until forced to answer a non yes/no question.

*** Noah himself has said that this is the case, but confessed that he's not as good at separating himself from the Spoony persona as Walker is with Nostalgia Critic or James Rolfe is with the Angry Video Game Nerd. This has resulted in some backlash, as seen in his ''FinalFantasyX'' review where Spoony angrily calls for people to murder fans of the game and forced Noah to do some backtracking and apologizing when people believed that he felt the same way in real life.

*** Seeing Cactus Jack beat up Mick Foley was the closest TNA has come to a [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome Crowning Moment of Awesome]] in a long time.

** Which, regardless of how one feels about Mr. Brooks' music, led to the CrowningMomentOfFunny when [[EvenTheGuysWantHim Mango]] (who had shot down Garth Brooks in a previous SNL episode) fell in love with Chris Gaines.

** It got really interesting at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, where the Fake!Colbert "[[TakeThat praised]]" GeorgeWBush's administration ("'Oh, they're just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.' First of all, that is a terrible metaphor. This administration is not sinking. This administration is soaring. If anything, they are rearranging the deck chairs on the Hindenburg!").

* DanielDayLewis has a major case of this, as he heavily researches his film roles to get into character - months before shooting even begins. When he's involved in the production process of films like ''Film/LastOfTheMohicans'', ''GangsOfNewYork'', ''Film/ThereWillBeBlood'' and many others, he won't refer to himself as anything other than the name of his character on or off-set. One story mentions that this has caused at least one friendship to break down - Liam Neeson won't even talk to Day-Lewis anymore because, when they were exercising together during an off day while filming ''Gangs'', Day-Lewis wouldn't respond to Neeson calling him his real name - he would only speak if he was referred to as "Bill The Butcher".

* TomBaker kept up the persona of the fourth Doctor during his time on ''Series/DoctorWho'', and if fans met him in the street, he always tried to make sure they met the Doctor.

*** Seeing Cactus Jack beat up Mick Foley was the closest TNA has come to a CrowningMomentOfAwesome in a long time.
* Gregory Helms, best known for his {{Superhero}} [[TheGimmick gimmick]] of "the Hurricane," would at times appear on WWE TV as a reporter under his own name.

->''I created a monster,''
->''Cuz nobody wants to see''
->''Marshall no more, they want''
->''Shady -- I'm chopped liver''

See also AdamWesting, where a celebrity's public persona is a self-parody, but still uses their real name.

In a case of RealLifeWritesThePlot, AlterEgoActing isn't limited to the actors themselves; many of the fans, especially with sci-fi or fantasy series (like the furry fandom) use this trope to various levels in regards to their internet personas. In a reversal to the trope being applied to the actors, the third method is usually the most used, to the point where the fans refuse to respond to anything but their alter ego's name. Typically, though, the alter ego has enough personality quirks that only work within the confines of fantasy, the alter ego is unable to be fully emulated in the 'real world' during standard, off-line living and, thus, their real selves are markedly different, no matter how much they try.

* Near the height of Garth Brooks' career in country music, he released an alternative rock album under the pseudonym Chris Gaines. He clearly played it as though he was creating a character, going so far as to release a VH-1 mockumentary, and hosting SNL as Garth Brooks but being the musical guest as Chris Gaines.

* For some time, Devo did the same thing, opening for themselves as Dove: the Band of Love. At first they were hippies, but during the 80's they became right-wing Christians, and even captured and brain-washed Devo's mascot Booji Boy during a show. Devo's music was held as Satanic and horrible, despite the fact that Dove played an awful lot of covers.

** One episode made fun of this. It featured the fake Stephen Colbert thinking he was going to interview the fictional persona of the band Music/{{Gorillaz}}, but was disappointed to find out he was only interviewing Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, the creators of Gorillaz (after Murdoc Niccals called Stephen up and explained he couldn't make it). Stephen stormed off the set, necessitating the real Stephen to fill in.

* When JimCarrey was cast as AndyKaufman in ''Man on the Moon'' [[MethodActing he stayed in character(s) for the duration of the shoot]] (see above and below); this included not responding to his own name. (In addition, after the shoot was completed, Tony Clifton was discussed in Type One terms by all the participants.)

* Music/EltonJohn, at least by the time he started wearing silly glasses and costumes, had a very introverted onstage persona, the antithesis of his shy, awkward private personality. Elton also claimed his "Elton John" image was/is the opposite of everything his strict biological father wanted him to be: conservatively-clothed, with a sedate job like a banker or lawyer. Unfortunately, at the heart of his substance abuse problems (cocaine in particular) was a desire to open up more and be more sociable.