History Main / PoorMansSubstitute

** Thomas Kretschmann looks quite like him too. But he would also do a good RalphFiennes.

* TomSizemore: the poor man's MichaelMadsen.
** Have you taken a good look at MichaelMadsen's filmography? He might be a poor man's TomSizemore these days.

* After her roles in ''{{Superbad}}'', ''The Rocker'', ''The House Bunny'' and ''Film/{{Zombieland}}'', EmmaStone seems to have become an uncannily perfect substitute for LindsayLohan.

* KeiraKnightley herself was the poor man's NataliePortman in ''StarWars [[ThePhantomMeance Episode I]]'': she was cast as the decoy queen because of her resemblance to Portman, who was playing the actual queen.
* Averted when NathanLane voiced Timon on the ''Timon and Pumbaa'' animated series, but played straight when he was replaced by Kevin Schon after the first season. Schon also replaced Lane in Disney's ''Teacher's Pet'' in a few episodes, sometimes with both voices appearing ''in the same episode.''

** Chris Tucker is a (VERY) poor man's substitute for ChrisRock.

* Here's a fun drinking game. Go on JesseEisenberg's IMDb board, take a shot every time you see a thread title with "MichaelCera" in it.

* Can't get LeaSalonga, {{Disney}}? Don't worry, there's always Liz Callaway.

* According to an interview, KieferSutherland started his career by calling places and claiming he could do "Donald Sutherland voiceovers"...for half price.

* Since WesleySnipes wouldn't resume his role as {{Blade}} for ''BladeTheSeries'', the creators replaced him with rapper Kirk "Sticky Fingaz" Jones, who actually didn't do that bad, although YMMV on this one.

* German-born [[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001424/ Udo Kier]] for ArmandAssante.
* Need an AlecBaldwin sound-alike? Look no further than FredTatasciore.
* JimCummings is the embodiment of this trope. He's replaced SterlingHolloway as Winnie the Pooh, LouisPrima as Louie from the Jungle Book, and MelBlanc as the Tasmanian Devil in Tasmania.

* If JasonStatham isn't available to do the ''{{Transporter}}'' TV series, ChrisVance (''PrisonBreak'', ''{{Mental}}'', ''BurnNotice'', ''{{Dexter}}'') can drive around and kick butt, while retaining the accent.

* Casting for TaxiDriver, Scorcese asked for a "CybillShepherd type". When her agent offered Shepherd herself for the part, Scorcese replied "We can't afford her." The agent told him "She'll do it for whatever you can pay." At that time, Shepherd had just come off Daisy Miller for which she got bad reviews; coupled with her relationship with the recently-backlashed Peter Bogdanovich, she was desperate for the credibility that the role would bring.

* Supposedly AlecBaldwin had volunteered to voice himself in ''TeamAmerica'' but the creators refused on the grounds that [[MauriceLaMarche the guy they had]] was better.

* ZachBraff has stated in interviews that when GardenState was in development, he and his friends kept saying they wanted somebody ''like'' NataliePortman for the lead female role, never dreaming that they might actually get ''her''.

** Played for laughs in {{Friends}} when Rachel breaks up with nerdy paleontologist Ross (played by DavidSchwimmer) and hooks up with nerdy periodontist Russ (played by DavidSchwimmer).

On ''MysteryScienceTheater3000'', Joel and the Bots call this the "Wayne Rogers Effect", after the actor who replaced ElliottGould in the TV adaptation of ''[[{{MASH}} M*A*S*H]]''.

* Here's one convoluted example: LorenzoMusic substituted for BillMurray in ''TheRealGhostbusters''. BillMurray returned the favor (a few years after Music's death) in the big screen adaptation of ''Garfield''.

** The sequel to ''{{Pocahontas}}'' replaces Mel Gibson with his brother Donald.

** Averted by the sequel to ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'' (only Laverne is replaced, due to original actress dying) and ''{{Disney/Hercules}}: The Animated Series'' (only DannyDeVito and Rip Torn didn't return).
** ''{{Mulan}}'': MarkMoseley replaces EddieMurphy as Mushu.
** ''[[Disney/TheEmperorsNewGroove The Emperor's New School]]'' had to substitute DavidSpade and JohnGoodman (although the latter, just for one season).
*** Similarly, if you can't get EdwardNorton for a voice, use DavidSpade!

** On ''BuzzLightyearOfStarCommand'', PatrickWarburton was ThePoorMansSubstitute for TimAllen as the voice of Buzz Lightyear.
** Actually, this happens quite a bit in ''KingdomHearts'', probably due to the nature of the whole thing - TateDonovan apparently turned down the role of Hercules for the first game, so Disney hired SeanAstin of all people. ''Sean freakin' Astin''. However, once it took off, Donovan reprised the role for ''II''. Nowadays, they still have [[TheOtherDarrin three Darrins]], the voice actresses for Kairi and Naminé, presumably because HaydenPanettiere was doing ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' and BrittanySnow was off doing... something, and the voice actor for Ansem (RichardEpcar replacing BillyZane, doing a passable job in ''Re: Chain of Memories'' but an awful one in ''Kingdom Hearts II''). Also, all of the voices of the Hollow Bastion Restoration committee (plus Sephiroth) were replaced for ''II'' (resulting in MandyMoore, Aerith, being replaced by a much worse actress, and resulting in a hugely amusing voicing situation for Yuffie). And the game ''RE: Chain of Memories'' offers Darrins for the entire Castle Oblivion party because all their voice clips in the [[ChainOfMemories original game]] were of Japanese actors simply with any sentences or spoken phrases removed. There are, however, quite a few surprising aversions for this trope, regardless; the original game had Kathryn Beaumont, ''the original voice actress of [[Disney/AliceInWonderland Alice]] and [[PeterPan Wendy]]''.
** KeithFerguson replacing OwenWilson as the voice of [[{{Cars}} Lightning McQueen]] in the ''[[PixarShorts Cars Toons]]'' series of shorts (Larry the Cable Guy still reprises his role as Mater, however).
* NigelBennett (''{{Lexx}}'', ''Series/ForeverKnight'') can fill in for {{Malcolm McDowell}} in a pinch, and {{Malcolm McDowell}} can fill in for [[Music/ThePolice Sting]] given the right wig.
** Also TimCurry is often the answer to the question "Who's available for the {{Malcolm McDowell}} role when Malcolm is busy on another role that requires "An English Person"?
** Uh, TerenceStamp for live action and CoreyBurton for voiceover?
** Funny that {{Malcolm McDowell}} fills in for a lot of roles that don't exactly call for "An English Person": Asian Ryu-Ken (''FistOfTheNorthStar''), Native American John Rainbird (''{{Firestarter}} II: Rekindled''), and Vietnam Vet F.E. Cochrane (''BlueThunder'').
* BryceDallasHoward was substituted for NicoleKidman in {{Lars von Trier}}'s ''Manderlay'', when Kidman refused to work with him again after ''{{Dogville}}''.
* CharlesDurning was described as "the fat man's BrianDennehy" (though in recent years both men have slimmed down quite a bit).
** BruceCampbell's autobiography mentions BrianKeith feeling kind of like a Poor Man's BrianDennehy (although not in those words), since Keith kept losing roles to Dennehy.
* JonathanLloydWalker, playing Rankol in the new ''Series/FlashGordon'' series, is clearly a Poor Man's GaryOldman.
* Before the second war in Iraq, JerryHaleva made a living portraying Saddam Hussein in multiple movies (both comedy and drama). He was frequently cast due to his uncanny resemblance to the Iraqi despot.

** MimiRogers, with eerie accuracy, played an actress playing WendieMalick's character in an episode of ''Dream On''.

** And BillyCrudup would make a decent ChristianBale. It's just that one of them has a much cooler name than the other.
* EthanHawke has also been described as a cut-rate TomCruise.
* BenStiller and ZachBraff play pretty much the same type of character, making ZachBraff a quick and painless substitute.
* RonSilver is an obvious replacement for "Hoo-ah"-era AlPacino, and played a Pacinoesque actor in the film ''Lovesick''.
* In the forgotten TV version of the movie ''Harry and the Hendersons'', BruceDavison and MollyCheek were substitutes for JohnLithgow and MelindaDillon.

* JamesCallis (Dr. Gaius Baltar, ''Series/BattlestarGalacticaReimagined'') has been described by sci-fi fans as "the poor man's AlexanderSiddig" (Dr. Julian Bashir, ''StarTrekDeepSpaceNine''), though the two actors are similarly accomplished. RonMoore, who has worked on both shows, was once asked by a fan if he noticed this resemblance, and he replied that he hadn't... but now couldn't ''stop'' seeing it after having it pointed out, and that he considered it seriously creeped him out.
* Also from ''Series/BattlestarGalacticaReimagined'', Matthew Bennett (AaronDoral) has been dubbed "a poor man's KevinSpacey".
* GregBaldwin has been used as a replacement for the late Makoto "{{Mako}}" Iwamatsu on ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''.
* Almost happened to DudleyMoore at the height of his American success. He had his biggest box-office hit in ''Arthur'' just a year after PeterSellers, a fellow Brit star (in fact, a friend and colleague), had died. Though he was a ''very'' different personality than Sellers, two films that had been in development for Sellers were made with Moore (''{{Lovesick}}'' and ''UnfaithfullyYours''). He was even the initial choice to take over the role of Inspector Clouseau in ThePinkPanther series, but according to Wikipedia was only willing to do the script Sellers had co-written as a GrandFinale, ''Romance of...'', and only if BlakeEdwards (who wasn't supposed to have been associated with it) would direct it; Edwards didn't want to film that script, and ultimately Moore moved on.

** TomKane often stands in for FrankOz as Yoda.

** NickJameson as a VA stand-in for Ian [=McDiarmid=] as Emperor Palpatine.

* Though this poor man you speak of could afford neither, when I see a trailer for a movie with either TobeyMaguire or ElijahWood, I usually have to wait for the voice-over to tell me which one it is.
** Throw TopherGrace in there, too.
** Ditto JakeGyllenhall.

* Really, the only reason that Michael Ironside has had such a successful career is that Jack Nicholson is so damn expensive.

** Thomas Kretschmann looks quite like him too.

*** In games and merchandising for Disney/Pixar's {{Toy Story}}, Woody is not voiced by TomHanks but his brother Jim.

* JonathanLloydWalker, playing Rankol in the new ''FlashGordon'' series, is clearly a Poor Man's GaryOldman.

On ''MysteryScienceTheater3000'', Joel and the Bots call this the "Wayne Rogers Effect", after the actor who replaced Elliot Gould in the TV adaptation of ''[[{{MASH}} M* A* S* H]]''.

*** In a PC CD-ROM game of Disney/Pixar's {{Toy Story}}, Woody is not voiced by TomHanks but his brother Jim.

*** Even people who don't like TelltaleGames' ''BackToTheFuture'' series are blown away by AJ Locascio's MichaelJFox impression.

* NigelBennett (''{{Lexx}}'', ''Series/ForeverKnight'') can fill in for {{Malcolm McDowell}} in a pinch, and {{Malcom McDowell}} can fill in for Sting given the right wig.

** Funny that {{Malclom McDowell}} fills in for a lot of roles that don't exactly call for "An English Person". Asian Ryu-Ken (Fist of the North Star), Native American John Rainbird (Firestarter II: Rekindled), and Vietnam Vet F.E. Cochrane (Blue Thunder).

* In the forgotten TV version of the forgotten movie ''Harry and the Hendersons'', BruceDavison and MollyCheek were substitutes for JohnLithgow and MelindaDillon.

** Nick Jameson as a VA stand-in for Ian [=McDiarmid=] as Emperor Palpatine.

** Actually the Kenobi situaition is quite funny, as [=Ewan MacGregor's=] performance is supposed to be an impression of Sir Alec Guiness in the first place.

* Though this poor man you speak of could afford neither, when I see a trailer for a movie with either Tobey Maguire or Elijah Wood, I usually have to wait for the voice-over to tell me which one it is.
** Throw Topher Grace in there, too.
** Ditto Jake Gyllenhall.

*** Apparently Wood, Maguire and ''Daniel Radcliffe'' get mistaken for each other quite a lot.
* After her roles in ''{{Superbad}}'', ''The Rocker'', ''The House Bunny'' and ''Film/{{Zombieland}}'', Emma Stone seems to have become an uncannily perfect substitute for LindsayLohan.

* Averted when Nathan Lane voiced Timon on the ''Timon and Pumbaa'' animated series, but played straight when he was replaced by Kevin Schon after the first season. Schon also replaced Lane in Disney's ''Teacher's Pet'' in a few episodes, sometimes with both voices appearing ''in the same episode.''

* EliRoth looks a lot like Zachary Quinto. Apparently, Eli has Twittered about getting mistaken for Zach.
* Here's a fun drinking game. Go on Jesse Eisenberg's IMDB board, take a shot every time you see a thread title with "MichaelCera" in it.

* Charles Shaughnessy looks a lot like Richard Gere. His most well known role is [[TheNanny Maxwell Sheffield]] - exactly the [[EstrogenBrigadeBait kind of guy]], Gere is often [[TypeCasting type-casted]] as.

* If {{Jackie Chan}} is not available, there is always James Sie. James Sie is Jackie Chan in ''{{Jackie Chan Adventures}}'' cartoon segments while the real Jackie Chan is in the live action segments. Ironically, Sie voices Master Monkey in ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPandaLegendsOfAwesomeness'' and the video game adaptation of the original movie.

* Several actors have tried being poor man's versions of JimCarrey, to varying degrees of success. Eric Christian Olsen played a younger version of Carrey's character Lloyd in ''Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd''. Jamie Kennedy played a character similar to Carrey's from ''TheMask'' in ''SonOfTheMask'', a movie suffering from one of the most acute cases of {{sequelitis}} ever recorded.

* Non - acting example: Long before his death, JerryGoldsmith was often the poor man's substitute to JohnWilliams. If you can't get the more expensive JohnWilliams (who is often picky about the films he wanted to score) you could get the equally awesome JerryGoldsmith to score your films.

* ''Game/ThePunisher'' (the 2005 video game) is a good subversion. The game itself was written by long time writer GarthEnnis, and was loosely based on various events from his run with the comic as well as events from the 2004 movie. Imagine the surprise the developers had when Thomas Jane responded to the casting call.

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*** Simba had the same voice in both movies (save for his singing voice, which was different in both--JosephWilliams vs. CamClarke), as did Nala. ([[AllStarCast For all of the two lines she appeared in it]].) CamClarke also did Simba's speaking voice in ''Timon and Pumbaa'' ''House of Mouse'' and ''Kingdom Hearts II''.

* And speaking of ''Series/BattlestarGalacticaReimagined'', it subverted the trope for the miniseries, when the casting agents were asking for "a MaryMcDonnell type" for Laura Roslin, and wound up ''getting'' Mary [=McDonnell=]. Apparently, the same thing happened with Edward James Olmos for Commander Adama.

* Non - acting example: Long before his death, JerryGoldsmith was often the poor man's substitute to JohnWilliams. If you can't get the more expensive JohnWilliams (who is often picky about the films he wanted to score) you could always get the always available JerryGoldsmith to score your films.

* JimCummings is the embodiment of this trope. He's replaced SterlingHolloway as Winnie the Pooh, LouisPrima as Louie from the Jungle Book, and MelBlanc as the Tasmanian Devil in Tasmania.
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-->--''TheSimpsons'', "A Star Is Burns"

** ''[[TheEmperorsNewGroove The Emperor's New School]]'' had to substitute DavidSpade and JohnGoodman (although the latter, just for one season).

* Supposedly AlecBaldwin had volunteered to voice himself in ''TeamAmerica'' but the creators refused on the grounds that the guy they had was better.

Often, when you've got a pretty good and recognizable actor, there will be an EvilTwin actor who is awfully similar except that he's not quite as good/famous.

* Eric Loomis voice subs for [[RobertDowneyJr Robert Downey Junior]] as Iron Man for the tie in game to the second film and AvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes. It's actually pretty damn close and since those he's reprised the role for the new Marvel vs Capcom game.

* This can arguably be seen with Michael Gambon stepping in to play Dumbledore at Richard Harris' death. And, given how many times my students have asked "Didn't Ian McKellen play Dumbledore?", I suppose "older British actors wearing long beards" are all poor versions of each other and interchangeable.

** Another version of this story is that Paris was originally going to ''be'' Locarno, but the producers decided that the character was unredeemable... then hired [=McNeill=} anyway.

** MimiRogers, with eerie accuracy, played an actress playing WendyMalick's character in an episode of ''Dream On''.

*** Funnily enough, Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Macguire are now starring in a movie where they play brothers.

* Several actors have tried being poor man's versions of JimCarrey, to varying degrees of success. Eric Christian Olsen played a younger version of Carrey's character Lloyd in Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd. Jamie Kennedy played a character similar to Carrey's from ''TheMask'' in ''SonOftheMask'', a movie suffering from one of the most acute cases of {{sequelitis}} ever recorded.

** Including himself as DenzelWashington's substitute ("If want Denzel Washington and all you can get is me, WAIT! Denzel is a fine actor. He wouldn't never do ''Pootie Tang''. After I did ''Pootie Tang'', Cuba Gooding sent me a check for $80.").

** If Nicholson starts getting to old, ChristianSlater is still up for his jobs. At least that's what they did in ''{{Heathers}}''.

* You want ChristopherWalken on a tv budget? Call [[ArrestedDevelopment Jeffrey Tambor]].

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