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?

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!

@Brokenchair1 I thought coogan was brilliant in “Philomena”; successfully broke away from Partridge in that (though word is Dench was appalled when she learned he was to play Martin Sixsmith). It was a lovely film, I thought.

Coogan was excellent in Stan and Ollie. Caught the character without simply doing an impersonation.

@TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross

As a challenge to this thread, I'd like to present Hugh Laurie.

That anyone can go from Bertie Wooster and Prince George to Richard Roper in The Night Manager via Greg House - that's range.

Yes he is very good

Neil Morrissey is fab in Line of Duty. Utterly believable as a bitter, lazy bent copper

I’ve just thought of another one whose mannerisms are the same in almost everything he does: Eddie Redmayne.

I wouldn't have said that about The Theory of Everything.

@ErrolTheDragon

Me neither. That's why I said ALMOST everything he's in. Beyond that film he just seems to mooch about buckling under the weight of his hair.

@Lampzade

Jason Statham plays the same role in every film. Monosyllabic, brooding action hero

Michael Caine doesn’t even change his accent for a role.

Nobody watches Jason Statham for the acting, it's about watching the martial arts and action.

Will smith! Plays the same character over and over again

Will Smith was amazing in 6 Degrees of Separation ( I recommended it on the other thread about films) It was his first film role and shows he could have gone in a very different direction.

Jack. Nicholson.

I can not believe anybody suggested Jason Bateman - he was very nearly the father of my children. It's just a shame I never actually met him. Bloody gorgeous though - loved him from his days in the Hogan Family.

Same goes for Will Smith - swoon. He and I would have made beautiful children.

John Malkovich is the same in everything.
(But I do love him in con air and birdbox).

@Brokenchair1

Agree with Harry Potter. David Jason was great in The Darling Buds of May and Open all Hours. I think that's a testament to his acting skills.

David Jason also nailed the “young” Arkwright in the remake of Open All Hours.

I've never seen The League of Gentleman but Mark Gatiss basically always plays the OTT, slightly sinister weirdo. His acting range runs from comedy OTT sinister weirdo to serious drama OTT sinister weirdo, but it's always there.

Bill Nighy. Exactly the same Bill Nighyness in every single part
he’s ever played.

Tom cruise always seems to take on all the action roles, and dare devil stunts. He did Eyes Wide Shut and Rain man in earlier films though.

John Cleese

Anna Faris is the same always. Has she ever done any gritty parts?

I didn’t find bill nighy very bill nighy in Harry Potter

The first thing i ever saw Bill Nighy in was a film where he played a very posh gentleman who was a serial adulterer. He was very different to his Love Actually character.

Colin Firth was very typecast for a long time. He said himself that if he ever travelled to Mars, the newspaper headline would be ' Mr Darcy lands on Mars'.

@PepeSilviaDoesNotExist

I didn’t find bill nighy very bill nighy in Harry Potter

In fairness, what I remember mostly about his Rufus Scrimgeour was The Wig, which should have had an acting credit of its own.

John McArdle is always a shouty hot headed type.

I can’t agree with the poster who named David Jason. I completely forget he’s Del Boy when watching him in Frost.

John Travolta got stuck for a long time which is a shame as he was great in Broken Arrow.

Julian Sands.