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?

@AntigoneLost

Matt Smith will always be the Eleventh Doctor. He’s got such a distinctive look that I struggle to see him as anything else.

He was a convincing Prince Philip!

@LadyofMisrule

Have you seen Sean Bean in Accused: Tracie's story? It's a long way from Sharpe.

Or as a priest in the excellent Broken

This is 99.9% of Indian TV actors. They seem to find a niche and then just play the same character over and over again.

@LunaHeather

I thought you meant actors with a limited range....but you mean actors who have been typecast?

I love Mark Gatiss but I don't know that line.

Yes, isn’t it more a matter of what you’ve seen them in? I’ve seen Mark Gatiss in a few things, but he’s mostly Mycroft Holmes to me, probably because it’s the most screen minutes of any of them. Lots of other actors who are pretty prolific — Bill Nighy, Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham-Carter, Saoirse Ronan — I don’t associate with one of their roles more than another.

I think it’s more when someone has a wonderful part and never subsequently has anything near as good that you think of them as their character — Alison Janney is forever CJ for me, ditto Richard Schiff as Toby.

@caoraich

I thought the same about Hugh Grant til I saw the Gentlemen - he's brilliant in it and so different to the bumbling poshos

Absolutely agree!

Brilliant film and Hugh Grant was amazing in it

I know what you mean op.
It’s worse when you see someone like Mark Gattis playing a straight role. I can’t take him seriously.

I was at school with a lad who went on to have a middling successful acting career. Ruined so many things for me. He would turn up and I could only see him as him, if you see what I mean.

Sarah Jessica Parker always plays herself. I mean, I like her in Hocus Pocus, but she is Carrie Bradshaw with a broomstick.

*CandyLeBonBon

Meryl Streep.

I'll get my coat.*

She isn’t an example of being typecast, or too strongly associated with just one character, but she is IMO not as good as actress as she is always made out to be. Everything I see her in, I see Meryl Streep ACTING AND EMOTING more than I see the character themselves. So I agree that she only plays one part, that of herself ACTING.

All Pacino. He can shout, that's it.

Going back to the start of the thread. Nicholas lyndhurst was good in goodnight sweetheart.

David Jason. He's either Ger-Granville or Del Boy. That's it.

Tom cruise in any action movie
Hugh grant
Will Farrell
Owen Wilson

I'll defend Liam Neeson by citing the superb 'Schindler's List' and Rupert Graves was excellent in 'Take A Girl Like You' and 'Intimate Relations' to name a few.

Bill Murray only ever plays Bill Murray. We watched Groundhog Day tonight and much though I love it, he was definitely 100% bill Murray. You felt like he was could zap a ghost or talk about suntory time without breaking character.

Tim McInnerie who played Captain Darling in Blackadder. He always looks like he is in a parody series. He was in The Serpent recently and he was so distracting.

The actor who plays Jim McDonald in Corrie.

Sean Pertwee, he plays himself in everything I have ever seen him in, even when he was in Gotham

@Melange99

Tim McInnerie who played Captain Darling in Blackadder. He always looks like he is in a parody series. He was in The Serpent recently and he was so distracting.

The actor who plays Jim McDonald in Corrie.

I saw Jim McDonald on stage in a play called Art, he was really different in that. He’s a great actor, so he is! Catch yourself on!

Daniel Radcliffe is the only one that came to mind, Harry Potter only

Nicola Walker. It's partly her facial expressions and intonation.

@user1493494961

Most Soap actors only play themselves.

I saw Terry Duckworth from Coronation street in the pub once. He was wearing the same green jacket as he wore on screen and was a bit rude, so basically Terry Duckworth.

Not sure this is answering the question but I would say some people are film actors (or tv or whatever). And some are film stars. Love Cary Grant and Humphrey Bogart but would say they fall into the film star category and largely play that part!

Nicholas Hoult will always be Tony Stoneham in Skins

I just see him as the kid from about a boy.
Even when he was in X men my gut reaction to him is always 'ahhh bless'

Funnily enough it was also the first film I'd seen where I though Hugh Grant was actually attractive.

Yes to Bill Murray just being Bill Murray.

@AfterSchoolWorry

All Pacino. He can shout, that's it.

To be fair he does quite a lot of not shouting as Michael Corleone.

Yes to Meryl Streep - she always has the same physical mannerisms (bar when she did Thatcher). The toss of the head, every single role.

Jeff Goldbloom. Every time. The misunderstood scientist. Boring...