History Main / TypeCasting

Genre television has a reputation for pigeonholing actors. ''DoctorWho'' has traditionally had a "Three-Year Rule" of actors exiting the lead role to avoid being typecast in the future. This tradition began with PatrickTroughton, who eventually gave up and embraced the fact that ''[[IAmNotLeonardNimoy he would always be]]'' The Doctor.

* Before his recent Oscar [[Film/ASingleMan nominated]] [[TheKingsSpeech roles]] ColinFirth every role the poor guy got since PrideAndPrejudice has just been a role saying "hey look, this guy was Mr Darcy! Look at him be Mr. Darcy!" BridgetJones turned this up to eleven, by actually basing his character on Mr. Darcy. In universe, BridgetJones is a fan of Colin Firth and of his portrayal of Mr Darcy.

* Creator/DeborahKerr's career was mostly her playing the English Rose ProperLady in lavish costume dramas - something which ''From Here To Eternity'' [[note]] Where she played a FakeAmerican unhappy wife who cheats on her husband with a Pearl Harbour soldier [[/note]] was an attempt to break out of. She also played a lot of governesses - ''Theatre/TheKingAndI'', ''The Chalk Garden'', ''TheInnocents''.

* Overweight black actresses (such as Mo'Nique and QueenLatifah) are often typecast as the SassyBlackWoman, or as a [[EthnicMenialLabor Mammy]] type back in the day. Such actresses are often criticized for only choosing stereotypical roles, despite the fact that these roles are often the only ones they can get.
** Mo'Nique completely averts this in ''{{Precious}}'', and it could very well launch her career into new heights.

* Amy Acker tends to play scientists whenever Joss Whedon casts her - ''{{Angel}}'', ''{{Dollhouse}}'', ''TheCabinInTheWoods''.

* MichaelIronside as either a BadAss (who may or may not be an amputee and is increasingly likely to be an OldMaster) or as a [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]] BigBad who either has superpowers or is trying to kill an orca. In recent movies (''TerminatorSalvation'', ''Film/XMenFirstClass''), he's played [[NonActionGuy non-action]] naval commanders.

* Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger, in any action movie he stars in, plays unstoppable badasses. Once he is committed to a given task, ''[[{{Determinator}} nothing]]'' (including invisible alien, shape-shifting robots or Satan) [[{{Determinator}} is going to sway him or stand in his way]]... no, actually, except for [[{{Terminator}} Sarah Connor]] and [[Film/BatmanAndRobin Batman]]. And if he is playing a father or is otherwise in charge of kids, ''[[PapaWolf do not mess with them if you value your life]]''.

* A truly bizarre spin on the trope: judging by his most high-profile roles, SamWorthington has been typecast as... a HalfHumanHybrid (''TerminatorSalvation'', ''Film/{{Avatar}}'', ''ClashOfTheTitans'').

* Deborah Kerr's career was mostly her playing the English Rose ProperLady in lavish costume dramas - something which ''From Here To Eternity'' [[note]] Where she played a FakeAmerican unhappy wife who cheats on her husband with a Pearl Harbour soldier [[/note]] was an attempt to break out of. She also played a lot of governesses - ''TheKingAndI'', ''The Chalk Garden'', ''TheInnocents''.

* Peter Keleghan is the doofus on Canadian television. (''TheRedGreenShow'', ''MadeInCanada'', ''The Newsroom'')

* AshtonKutcher, barring ''TheGuardian'' and ''TheButterflyEffect'', has essentially been playing [[That70sShow Michael Kelso]] for the last decade and a half.

* MalcolmMcDowell has been cast in roles that weren't a villainous or otherwise evil character, but most of them are overshadowed by his roles as a bad guy of some flavor (''Film/AClockworkOrange'', ''Film/BlueThunder'', ''Film/StarTrekGenerations'' and ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'', among others).

* MalcolmMcDowell has been cast in roles that weren't a villainous or otherwise evil character, but most of them are overshadowed by his roles as a bad guy of some flavor (''Film/AClockworkOrange'', ''{{Caligula}}'', ''Film/BlueThunder'', ''Film/StarTrekGenerations'' and ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}'', among others).

* Steve Buscemi as the paranoid, fast-talking, nervy rodenty guy who is either a snarky, JerkAss, loserish protagonist or a sympathetic, loserish scumbag of a villain / AntiVillain. Sometimes voice-acts actual rodents. He has a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMS4rqqiN20 low chance of surviving until the end of a movie]].

* Can you say ''Michael Cera''? Ever since ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment'' ended, he's been typecast as [[http://www.cracked.com/funny-3759-michael-cera/ the skinny, awkwardly sweet kid that falls in love with a quirky girl]] in all his films. Though he seems to be playing against type in ''Youth in Revolt''[[hottip:* :Skinny, awkwardly sweet kid, with a skinny TOTAL MENACE alter ego]] and ''ScottPilgrim vs. the World''... Sorta.

** Only exception is ''InsideMan'', where he's a helpful cop... and arguably [[{{Platoon}} Sgt. Elias]].
** Another exception — arguably, anyway — is his role as John Clark in ''Film/ClearAndPresentDanger''.
** Also, ''Antichrist''.
** Another subversion - ''Jesus'' in ''The Last Temptation of Christ''.

* WillemDafoe always plays more subtle psychos who are the EvilChancellor or CorruptCorporateExecutive with a [[SplitPersonality hidden side]]. Less passive-agression, more grinning!

* If your film needs a JerkAss villain, RalphFiennes is your man. He's either that or an introverted, brooding hero. Or an introverted, brooding villain, like he was in ''RedDragon''.

*** His last role before ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' was a hitman. A 17 year old hitman in a brilliant comedy. He was the best part of it.

* Period Movie: A type of film which features KeiraKnightley wearing GorgeousPeriodDress and [[MsFanservice occasionally nude]]. She's the plucky main character and is most likely a little ahead of her time.

* HelenaBonhamCarter used to be TheIngenue. Since the late nineties, however, she's typically been a darkly funny nutcase, often with a dishevelled look (''FightClub'', ''Film/HarryPotter'', ''Film/SweeneyToddTheDemonBarberOfFleetStreet''), and when not, she is virtually ''always'' in a less-than-glamorous/villainous role (''PlanetOfTheApes'', ''Film/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory'', ''Film/AliceInWonderland'')

* TildaSwinton as the androgynous IceQueen.

* FeliciaDay has made a living as the soft-spoken, slightly neurotic geek girl (DrHorriblesSingAlongBlog, TheGuild, her part on Series/{{Eureka}})

* Has JenniferLawrence ever not played a troubled protagonist who spends half the film having her personal problems haunt her?

*** Same with TheBeaver in that she wasn't the protagonist, but TypeCasting is still in effect, otherwise.

* Since becoming an A-list actor, only three movies JimCarrey has starred in aren't comedies in some way: ''The Majestic'', ''EternalSunshineOfTheSpotlessMind'' and ''The Number 23''. (''Film/TheTrumanShow'' is a dark satire, his role in ''Film/BatmanForever'' is comedic, and ''ManOnTheMoon'' is a {{Biopic}} of AndyKaufman, so all of them have a comic element.)

* In general, non-white actors often face a great deal of difficulty in getting roles that don't play up the fact that they aren't white, and so they are often typecast as "ethnic" characters. It's only been recently that this has started to change. Specific examples can be seen above.
** And if you're particularly unlucky, even the roles written for your ethnic group will [[RaceLift suddenly be handed to white actors instead]].

* BruceCampbell has played so many jerks spouting one-liners that most fans don't know what to think when he tries something new.

* JeffreyCombs has made a career out of playing psychopaths and Star Trek characters.

* Steve Buscemi as the paranoid, fast-talking, nervy rodenty guy who is either a snarky, JerkAss, loserish protagonist or a sympathetic, loserish scumbag of a villain / AntiVillain. Sometimes voice-acts actual rodents.

* [[HeyItsThatGuy Brad Dourif.]] You've never heard his name, but if you've ever watched a [[ScienceFiction sci-fi]] show or {{horror}} movie with [[ParanoiaFuel a creepy-looking dude]] with scary, intense, and [[TheWoobie oddly woobieish]] eyes, you know who he is. If you have ever seen [[LordOfTheRings Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers]] and been oddly compelled to hug the traitorous [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Grima Wormtongue]], you know who he is. If you have ever played ''Myst III: Exile'' and [[TearJerker sobbed your damn heart out over Saavedro's plight]], then you ''definitely'' know who he is.

** Except for "Matilda".