Actors who can only play one part

[Brokenchair1]

By that I don't mean that they are bad actors but that they are so attached with one character that they always seem to become a caricature of themselves.

So for example yesterday DD and I watched Christopher Robin the movie. As soon as Mark Gatiss came on, despite playing a serious character, all I could see/hear was "Yes Mrs Levinson".

Now watching Night at the museum. Ricky Gervais always sounds like David Brent.

Can anyone think of any other actors that you struggle to see in other roles?

Saw Daniel Radcliffe on stage - he was excellent and very much not Harry Potter.

Martin Freeman, however, always plays Tim from The Office

Agree with Martin Freeman. I always see Tim from the office in anything else he's in.

@ShirleyPhallus

Kristen Stewart seems to only be able to play surly teenagers with the personality of an ironing board

In fairness, I'm pretty sure the casting directors are specifically looking for a woman with a face like a slapped arse when she's invited to audition.

Much like Natalie wotserface is hired for being more wooden than a set of shelves and Cate Blanchett is supposed to be willowy, ethereal and completely blankfaced.

It's shit writing for female parts that's the problem. If parts were better, other people would be in with a chance. As it is, they don't want great female actors for most things, they want great figures and faces, not performances.

Ray Winstone always the same character - he was in a sitcom years ago with Kate Winslet and John Bardon, played ‘East End lad made good, then lost it all’. Same as every other role but without the violence.

That said, he was funny as the guy living in Victor’s shed in ‘One Foot in the Grave’.

David Jason was good as Pop Larkin, but that role
is essentially Del Boy in 1950s Kent.

I’ve said on other forums I’m on that ‘Goodnight Sweetheart’ was only so well received because of the affection the public had for ‘Rodney’. The Sky production ‘Bliss’ with Stephen Mangan was basically the same but without the time travel and it sank without trace after one series.

George Clooney’s only really got the one song. Bemused smoothie, possibly bonkers.

Keira Knightley normally blurs into one for me as she plays very similar characters

Hugh Grant always plays the same bumbling well spoken English gent a la Four Weddings and a Funeral- still love him though!

This woman

Sorry, don’t want to be an arse, but I don’t think OP means actors that are always the same no matter what character they’re playing (because if so then Nicola Walker would win that hands down and no one else need apply.....) I think OP means actors soooo synonymous with one part that you can never see them doing anything else without thinking they’re that character. Eg Rupert Grint no matter what he does I cannot get the idea that it’s Ron Weasley playing the part. Also, whatever Kit Harrington ever does in future, it’ll be Jon Snow doing it

@Howdoin

Jim Carrey -he is the same in every film.

With big teeth and odd voice

Sean Bean.

Gill Halfpenny

Another one...... no matter what he does, Ardal O’Hanlon is always Father Dougal McGuire

Sean Connery is the epitome of one-dimensional acting

Yes, he was terrible in DIP

Also Lee Mack

@orzo15

Keira Knightley normally blurs into one for me as she plays very similar characters

Yes! This is why I struggled with her playing Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice

Melissa McCarthy is nearly always the “am I sweet/am I badass” underdog who swears a lot.
Bridesmaids, the heat, spy, Tammy, the boss, life of the party, identity thief she’s basically the same woman
Saying that a lot of these films are guilty pleasures of mine so I enjoy her in them a lot!

Chris Pratt was great as Andy in Parks and Recreation. Then he was cast as Starlord in the Marvel movies and was basically Andy In Space.

Having said that I went to see Jurassic World and was mildly disappointed that he was not Andy With Velociraptors.

Nicholas Hoult will always be Tony Stoneham in Skins.

I always felt that way about Hugh Grant, he was brilliant in paddington 2 but he was pretty much playing himself, but then he was terrific as Jeremy Thorpe. And David Jason was Del boy, then he morphed into Frost, and Clooney was great in a space age thing recently, very unlike his usual role. I think it really is a matter of lazy casting a lot of the time.

Judy Dench

For me it’s Jason Bateman. He plays the same character in anything he’s in.

Nicola Walker. I know that's Mumsnet sacrilege to say.

@IHaveBrilloHair

Hugh Grant as the bumbling posh guy

No! I saw Paddington 2 and commented 'I had no idea Hugh Grant could act '

Johnny Depp’s career was ruined by Jack Sparrow far before his behaviour came into the spotlight.