History Main / TomHanksSyndrome

* Creator/BradleyCooper: Zigzagged between comedies and dramas until ''Film/TheHangover'' after which he did more comedies than dramas (some of which were romantic comedies) -- at least until his starring role in ''Film/SilverLiningsPlaybook'' for which he was nominated for an Oscar and his appearance in ''Film/ThePlaceBeyondThePines''. Cooper then did Creator/DavidORussell's ''Film/AmericanHustle'' and Creator/CameronCrowe's ''Film/{{Aloha}}'', in between which he provided the voice of Rocket Raccoon in ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy''.

* ''Film/SullivansTravels'' is the UrExample, as a director wants to make a serious film ''O Brother Where Art Thou'', and by the end of the film realizes that his comedies ''do'' have just as much of an impact on society as dramas do.

* ''[=SNL=]'' alumnus Creator/DanAykroyd nabbed an Oscar nomination for his role in the 1989 light drama ''Film/DrivingMissDaisy'' (as Jessica Tandy's character's son) and he successfully pulled off his role in another light drama, 1991's ''My Girl''.

* Creator/SteveCarell went for the same thing. He's known entirely for comedies -- though people who watched ''Film/LittleMissSunshine'', ''Film/CrazyStupidLove'' and ''Film/SeekingAFriendForTheEndOfTheWorld'' knew he had plenty of range, and his performance as [[Series/TheOfficeUS Michael Scott]] had given a surprising amount of dramatic depth to a character who was basically a well-meaning buffoon. In 2014 he starred in ''{{Film/Foxcatcher}}'', a bleak drama where he plays a dark and disturbed character. It paid off and he got a Best Actor nomination. The same film also featured Creator/ChanningTatum taking a break from comedies -- though Channing had got his start doing gritty films such as ''Film/AGuideToRecognizingYourSaints'' and ''Film/StopLoss''.
** Humorously, Carell zig-zagged this trope with ''Little Miss Sunshine,'' though not intentionally. When the film was shot, Carell was a relative unknown in Hollywood, best known for small roles in ''Film/BruceAlmighty'' and ''Film/AnchormanTheLegendOfRonBurgundy.'' But between ''Sunshine'' being filmed and being released, he began to star in a little TV comedy called ''[[Series/TheOfficeUS The Office]]''. Suddenly, everyone viewed him as a clown, which made his turn as a depressed gay suicide seeker in ''Sunshine'' all the more surprising.

* Creator/AubreyPlaza had her breakthrough as April Ludgate on ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'', which got her typecast in dry-witted, {{emotionless|Girl}} DeadpanSnarker roles to the point that she was a popular fan casting to play a live-action [[WesternAnimation/{{Daria}} Daria Morgendorffer]] (which she herself acknowledged in a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBQXugKu8L4 fake trailer]] for Website/CollegeHumor) or a grown-up [[Franchise/TheAddamsFamily Wednesday Addams]]. In 2017, however, she won acclaim for her dramatic role on ''Series/{{Legion|2017}}'' as Lenny, PlayingAgainstType [[spoiler:as a swaggering and terrifying villain based on Music/DavidBowie]], as well as for her role as the AntiVillain title character in ''Film/IngridGoesWest''. Since then, she's increasingly taken on more dramatic roles in films like ''Film/ChildsPlay2019'' and ''Emily the Criminal''.

* Creator/KeanuReeves was mostly known for playing [[Film/BillAndTed Theodore "Ted" Logan]] before 1995. Nobody, but nobody, saw his future as an action star in films such as ''Film/{{Speed}}'', ''Film/TheMatrix'', and ''Film/{{Constantine}}'' coming. This is emphasized even more in the 2010s with his famous role in the ''Film/JohnWick'' trilogy as the titular character and in CD Projekt Red's ''VideoGame/Cyberpunk2077'', so much so that younger audience were surprised in 2020 when ''Bill and Ted: Face The Music'' was announced starring him.

* Creator/AmyAdams rose to fame with ''{{Film/Enchanted}}'' and became Hollywood's favorite go-to girl for TheCutie and ManicPixieDreamGirl in various light-hearted projects. Starting with ''{{Film/Doubt}}'' and ''Film/TheFighter'' she began to veer towards different roles. She expressed a bit of distaste for this when promoting ''Film/AmericanHustle'', saying she missed playing innocent characters.

* Creator/EricBana got his start as a stand-up comedian, with appearances on ''Full Frontal'' and his own show ''Eric'', and has a small role in ''The Castle'' before playing notorious criminal Chopper Read in ''Film/{{Chopper}}'' and became better known for serious roles.
** Averted for American audiences; he didn't gain fame in the United States until ''Film/{{Hulk}}'' and ''Film/{{Troy}}'' came out, so many had no idea that he was a comedian in the first place.

* [[Music/HilaryDuff Hilary]] "Series/LizzieMcGuire" [[Music/HilaryDuff Duff]] seems to be trying her hand at this. After the show ended, she was type-cast in her typical tween-appealing roles before venturing for slightly more dramatic territory in ''Film/RaiseYourVoice'' Ultimately it backfired as the film did rather poorly at the box-office and was not well received by critics, afterwards she went back to doing comedies and turned down DarkerAndEdgier roles, stating that she felt that doing those types of roles would be a betrayal to her teen fanbase. In spite of that there was talk of her starring in a remake of Bonnie and Clyde, though that was delayed due to her pregnancy, and after she gave birth the filmmakers considered re-casting but the film ultimately went into DevelopmentHell and little has been heard since, though Hilary has since starred in some more serious DirectToVideo films and was in ''Series/GossipGirl''.

* In many 90's films, you can see Ed O'Neill trying to squeeze himself in the cast as Cop #1 or Cop #2. (In fact, his breakout role was as an undercover FBI agent who commits suicide in ''Series/MiamiVice''.) He'll usually have only one line or two, and only when the closeup comes you'll go "Is that Al Bundy?". He probably wanted a dramatic cop-show role or something, which he got on the short-lived ''LA Franchise/{{Dragnet}}''. Looks like some of [[Series/MarriedWithChildren Al Bundy's]] hell has rubbed on the actor. He did land the role of Governor of Pennsylvania, but that was on ''Series/TheWestWing'', where he was a failed Democratic presidential hopeful.
** To be fair, while the transition has been hard, he's been critically acclaimed in all his performances. He now has a leading role on ''Series/ModernFamily''. It's a family sitcom again, but, unlike ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'''s Al Bundy, Jay is happily married to the kind of woman that Al would have lusted after on ''MWC'', has one son, and is retired from working (though he still is a DeadpanSnarker in some places).
** His first post-''Married With Chidren'' role was playing Relish the Troll King in ''Series/TheTenthKingdom''. So we can't say he's afraid to try new things. He also had a role in ''Film/TheSpanishPrisoner'' which didn't go over well with test audiences. (Basically, his face [[WTHCastingAgency made 'em laugh when they shouldn't.]])
** He had a key role as an investigative reporter in the sports drama ''Blue Chips''.
** And DaChief in ''Film/TheBoneCollector''.

* Another British example is Bill Oddie, formerly one third of ''Series/TheGoodies'', was also a member of the Cambridge Footlights. Now he's known for presenting [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springwatch_with_Bill_Oddie Springwatch]] and other nature shows.

* Creator/BobOdenkirk has the distinction of the doing this with a single character. Odenkirk, whose almost entire career beforehand was in sketch and improv comedy, was cast as Saul Goodman in ''Series/BreakingBad'' to act as PluckyComicRelief for a show that was only going to get darker and outright said that he often didn't know what he was doing. Saul became a BreakoutCharacter enough to get his own spinoff. ''Series/BetterCallSaul'' sees him play the character with his trademark charm and sleaziness, but also has Odenkirk playing him far more dramatically as an incredibly sympathetic and TragicVillain, a SadClown using his AmoralAttorney persona to distract himself from his past guilts, horrific trauma and deep feelings of self-loathing.

* Creator/AdamSandler is notorious for his low-brow comedies such as ''Film/HappyGilmore'', ''Film/TheWaterBoy'', and ''Film/LittleNicky''. He soft transitioned to a romantic dramedy with 2004's ''Film/Spanglish'' before coming out with a serious role in 2019's crime thriller ''Film/UncutGems''. While promoting the film, he threatened that he would make a film that was "so bad on purpose" if it didn't win an Oscar.

* Creator/AdamSandler is notorious for his low-brow comedies such as ''Film/HappyGilmore'', ''Film/TheWaterBoy'', and ''Film/LittleNicky''. Then he came out in a serious role with the 2019 crime thriller ''Film/UncutGems''. While promoting the film, he threatened that he would make a film that was "so bad on purpose" if it didn't win an Oscar.

* Creator/ShiaLaBeouf is most remembered for starting off as the goofy younger brother from ''Series/EvenStevens''. One of his other popular roles as a child was his work as Stanley from ''Literature/{{Holes}}'', which isn't a comedy but isn't completely solemn either. As an adult he's most well-known for his action or dramatic roles such as the ''Film/TransformersFilmSeries'', ''Film/{{Lawless}}'', ''Film/{{Fury}}'' and ''Film/HoneyBoy''.

* For Japanese Voice Actress Creator/AyakoKawasumi, the role of Chikane in ''Manga/DestinyOfTheShrineMaiden'' allowed her to ''finally'' break her (albeit beloved) typecast as "the sweet and nice GirlNextDoor with a soft voice" (such as a Aoi of ''Manga/AiYoriAoshi'' and Akari of ''VisualNovel/ToHeart'') in romantic comedies; henceforth, she is as a '''rule''' cast as the serious, mature badass lady with a [[ContraltoOfDanger deep and sexy voice]] such as Saber of ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight''. She went on to pass this syndrome onto fellow actresses she mentored, and the actresses ''they'' mentored as well (in order, [[MasterApprenticeChain like a chain:]] Creator/MamikoNoto, Creator/KanaHanazawa, Creator/SaoriHayami)

** Creator/ToshioFurukawa whose famous early role included Ataru Morobishi from ''Manga/UruseiYatsura'' would also star as Sakamoto, goofy sidekick to Godai in ''Manga/MaisonIkkoku''. In ''Anime/LegendOfGalacticHeroes'', he voices Oliver Poplin, who looks and acts like an older version of Sakamoto. Many of his comedic roles were snarky, cackling, pervy and clueless characters. Kai Shiden from ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'' started out this way but became more serious (just a little) due to CharacterizationMarchesOn. On the other hand, later on in his career, he also later voiced serious roles such as Shin from ''Anime/FistOfTheNorthStar'' and Freeman from ''Manga/CryingFreeman'' both of which were not only serious roles but handsome, alpha male characters. And then there's the gruff, humorless Piccolo from ''Anime/DragonballZ''.

* Creator/WillSmith was first known for his humorous rapping and as a sitcom star in ''Series/TheFreshPrinceOfBelAir''. After ''Film/BadBoys'' paired him with fellow comedian Martin Lawrence as {{action hero}}es, Smith continued his action turn in the blockbuster ''Film/IndependenceDay'', cementing him as a full-fledged movie star able to do action, comedy, and romance. ''Film/ThePursuitOfHappyness'' and ''Film/SevenPounds'' added drama to the repertoire. 1993's ''Six Degrees of Seperation'' was critically acclaimed and earned an Oscar nod.

* Chris Weitz started his early career working with his brother Paul directing films like ''Film/AmericanPie'' and ''Film/DownToEarth'', which were decidedly comedic in tone. However, after they wrote ''Film/AboutABoy'' together, Chris parted ways with his brother and his solo directorial efforts, like ''A Better Life'' and ''Film/OperationFinale'', are serious dramas containing little of the comedy that he became known for. By contrast, Paul has been able to stick with comedy films outside of a couple exceptions.

[[folder: Tom Hanks]]

[[folder: Specific Examples]]

* Music/DianaRoss, largely known as a singer and occasional guest-star on variety shows, ''attempted'' to do this by lobbying extremely hard for the role of Dorothy in ''Film/TheWiz''; historian and author Pauline Kael cites this as "the strongest example of sheer will in film history." Unfortunately, in addition to a notoriously troubled production, Ross herself was largely considered a terrible choice for the part--she was far too old to play a little girl or even a teenager--which forced the creative team to do extensive rewrites of the original script--but still acted hysterical and childish throughout the film. ''The Wiz'' was a massive box-office bomb, and nearly every critic blamed Ross for it, which put the final nail in her coffin as a serious actress.

* Creator/JenniferAniston has tried her hand at this. In the 2000s she was in umpteen romantic comedies and tried to go against type as TheVamp in ''Derailed'' - but it didn't work out. ''Film/TheGoodGirl'' was another attempt that won her lots of critical acclaim. The crowner seems to be the 2014 drama ''Cake'', which critics called her finest hour. She still does plenty of comedy though.

*** Since his movies before ''Film/GangsOfNewYork'' were all roles where his characters' youth- [[DawsonCasting or at least appearance of it]] were important to the part, it's more that he took years to be accepted as an adult actor. ''Film/TheManInTheIronMask'', which he starred in right after ''Titanic'', flopped.

* Creator/RobbieColtrane was primarily known as a comedic actor-- until his work as the title character in the original British version of ''Series/{{Cracker}}'' cemented him as an actor. Now, you'll see him in everything from ''Film/GoldenEye'' to ''Film/FromHell'' to the ''Film/HarryPotter'' films as half-giant Rubeus Hagrid-- a character Creator/JKRowling says was based on Coltrane's likeness. Add to that various documentaries on ITV focusing on his love of travel and means there of-- yes, he really can act. And inform.

* Creator/SteveCarell went for the same thing. He's known entirely for comedies - though people who watched ''Film/LittleMissSunshine'', ''Film/CrazyStupidLove'' and ''Film/SeekingAFriendForTheEndOfTheWorld'' knew he had plenty of range, and his performance as [[Series/TheOfficeUS Michael Scott]] had given a surprising amount of dramatic depth to a character who was basically a well-meaning buffoon. In 2014 he starred in ''{{Film/Foxcatcher}}'', a bleak drama where he plays a dark and disturbed character. It paid off and he got a Best Actor nomination. The same film also featured Creator/ChanningTatum taking a break from comedies - though Channing had got his start doing gritty films such as ''Film/AGuideToRecognizingYourSaints'' and ''Film/StopLoss''.

* Creator/TakeshiKitano was first known as a wildly popular slapstick TV comedian Beat Takeshi. He then suddenly went on to direct and act in a number of extremely dark, dramatic crime films playing badass yakuza characters (years later, he embraced his reputation of Japanese Charles Bronson, playing in several successful yakuza films by other directors'). Even though he continued to brandish his own brand of irreverent, absurdist comedy in his later films, he still managed to go even ''darker'' – directing a couple of heart-rending tragedies after a near-fatal bike accident. Western viewers who were first exposed to his bloody yakuza films (or a suicidal ''Film/{{Fireworks}}'', or hipsterific and elegiac ''Dolls'') were quite surprised to see the old scarface in old reruns of the loopy game show ''Series/TakeshisCastle''.

[[folder: General Examples]]

* Meta example: The classic movie ''Film/ToBeOrNotToBe'' (both versions) is a dramedy about a comedian who wants to play Hamlet who is actually played by "a comedian who wants to play Hamlet"--Jack Benny in the original and Creator/MelBrooks in the remake.

* Since the seventh generation of console gaming Sony's "platformer trio" of Creator/InsomniacGames, Creator/NaughtyDog and Creator/SuckerPunch shifted away from their kid-friendly roots towards a more mature fare. During the [=PS1=] and [=PS2=] eras, these studios developed kid-friendly cartoony platformers ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot'', ''Franchise/SpyroTheDragon'', ''Franchise/RatchetAndClank'', ''VideoGame/SlyCooper'', and ''VideoGame/JakAndDaxter''. When working on making games for the [=PS3=] though, they began switching to making more serious, photorealistic action-adventure games. While still committed to making light-hearted games, Insomniac created the ''VideoGame/{{Resistance}}'' trilogy that depicts humanity fighting a losing war against alien hordes in a bleak alternate timeline. Insomniac's ''VideoGame/SpiderManPS4'', while still colorful and idealistic, is much darker than previous ''Spider-Man'' games with realistic terrorist attacks and even an uncensored suicide. Naughty Dog underwent an identical transition with ''VideoGame/{{Uncharted}}'' and ''VideoGame/TheLastOfUS''; while the the latter game is still idealistic and whimsical, it had more realistic violence [[spoiler: along with horror elements involving cursed artifacts]] while the latter game went even further with BodyHorror, DeathOfAChild and a post-apocalyptic setting. Sucker Punch experienced a similar albeit less drastic shift. While their VideoGame/{{Infamous}} games are gritty and photorealistic, they are still idealistic and fantastical; even their first M-rated, ''VideoGame/GhostOfTsushima'' didn't have the bleakness or cynicism of ''Resistance'' and ''The Last of Us''. That said, Administrivia/TropesAreNotBad as the several of these darker games by these studios are as well-received as their earlier lighter entries.

[[folder: In-Universe Examples]]

* Creator/AdamMcKay made a living making Creator/WillFerrell[=/=]Creator/JohnCReilly-driven slapstick comedies like ''[[Film/AnchormanTheLegendOfRonBurgundy Anchorman 1]]'' ''[[Film/Anchorman2TheLegendContinues and 2]]'', ''[[Film/TalladegaNightsTheBalladOfRickyBobby Talladega Nights]]'' and ''Film/StepBrothers''. He later began to display symptoms of this making films like ''Film/TheBigShort'' and ''Film/{{Vice|2018}}'' which were highly dramatic features (albeit with ''some'' comedic flair) and have been nominated for Oscars. These were then followed up with ''Film/DontLookUp'', a sci-fi BlackComedy that teeters the line at moments.

* Creator/DonaldGlover got his big breaks through comedy, from the online series Derrick Comedy and a breakthrough starring role in ''{{Series/Community}}'', to his stand-up routines to releasing upbeat rap mixtapes and albums as "Childish Gambino". As of the mid-2010's, while he's not averse to doing more lighthearted roles, he's become increasingly well-known for acting, directing, and producing much more dramatic work, such as the surrealist dramedy series ''Series/{{Atlanta}}'', the heavily introspective and cynical ConceptAlbum ''because the internet'', and the politcally-charged single/music video "Music/ThisIsAmerica".

* Creator/JimCarrey began his career in a variety of small roles, but rose to fame as a comedic actor in ''Series/InLivingColor'' before breaking out in ''Film/AceVenturaPetDetective'' as a spastic clown. He went on to a variety of other comedic roles before earnestly pursuing more dramatic roles, such as his acclaimed performances in ''Film/TheTrumanShow'' and ''Film/EternalSunshineOfTheSpotlessMind'', though he always kept his comic edge. He lampshaded the trope in his first Golden Globe acceptance speech:

* A lot of VoiceActors who primarily do WesternAnimation (as opposed to {{Anime}}) could be seen as this in some roles. Most Western animated shows are comedic, so when they play characters in DC or Marvel superhero cartoons, or action/story-driven series (that are more dramatic and serious in tone), it can be seen as this. Creator/JeffBennett in ''{{WesternAnimation/Gargoyles}}'', Creator/DeeBradleyBaker in ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', and Creator/TaraStrong and Creator/JohnDiMaggio in ''WesternAnimation/SymBionicTitan'' could be seen as this. Additional, some more story and drama-driven video game roles can also serve this purpose, such as Creator/RobPaulsen voicing the Cyborg Ninja in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidTheTwinSnakes''.