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Name Actors That Play The Same Character In Every Film

iwakar

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Madame Chana said something in another discussion that jogged a personal observation--
am i the only one who finds her extremely irritating? i hate her whole quirky girl with bangs shtick and she just plays some variation on herself in every role. plus those fucking cotton commercials.

I find that these actors often portray the same idiosyncrasies, facial ticks, and mannerisms in every film --usually just playing some simplified version of themselves. And often it works until it doesn't any more... or they're pigeon-holed for life. --But there are actors that I like that manage this, like Christopher Walken and Seth Rogen. But then there's the bubbly girl cadre that indefinitely pisses me off, like Jennifer Aniston, or indecisive, weak-willed neurotics-r-us, like Woody Allen.

Why is this phenomenon? And why does it work sometimes and sometimes not? Who are actors that play the same tired stereotype in every role they take on?

I'll nominate a few: Woody Allen, Angelina Jolie (tired of your tough, angry, wounded bitch schtick), Jennifer Aniston, and Seth Rogen (likable, but always the awkward, hapless underdog that luck smiles on after unleashing a shitstorm).
 

Qlip

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Clint Eastwood, Keanu Reeves, Jerry Lewis.. and probably most stand-up comedians gone movie star: Chris Rock, Chris Tucker, more.
 

ZPowers

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A number of people involved in action films. Statham, Schwartzenegger, etc.

Same for girls who go into rom-coms. Katherine Heigel, Kate Hudson, Meg Ryan, Zooey Deschanel (though her characters are slightly more memorable to me).

Joe Pesci doesn't have a ton of range, nor does Sean Connery.

Adam Sandler only knows how to play a semi-functional manchild. Could argue the same about Will Farrell.
 

iwakar

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Total zing on Meg Ryan. I've enjoyed her films and the personal relatability, but as a theatrical study, she bores the shite out of me.
 

Stigmata

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Pretty much everyone in the Judd Apatow crew (seth roger, jonah hill, paul rudd)

Will Ferrell
 

chickpea

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Michael Cera is super guilty of this.
 

Beargryllz

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Nicholas Cage is almost always the same character (Leaving Las Vegas, Con Air, The Rock, The Wicker Man, Lord of War, etc.), but he has been in just enough films to make him appear to be a more diverse actor

I believe Jason Statham has always played the same character in every movie I have seen with him
 

Rasofy

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lol interesting thread
my first thought was Sarah Wayne Callies (Sara Tancredi in Prison Break)
 

INTP

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Cheech marin, tommy chong(cheech and chong), silent bob and jay(cba to google their real names)
 

JivinJeffJones

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I'm trying to decide if post-Fight Club Brad Pitt fits this category. I'm leaning towards yes, but willing to forgive since I enjoy the character.
 

Fluffywolf

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Nicholas Cage is almost always the same character (Leaving Las Vegas, Con Air, The Rock, The Wicker Man, Lord of War, etc.), but he has been in just enough films to make him appear to be a more diverse actor

I believe Jason Statham has always played the same character in every movie I have seen with him

I disagree with Cage, Just watch Matchstick man, he plays a pretty unique character in that! :p

Jason always plays the same though, yeah, but he's awesome at it so it's all good. :p
 
A

Anew Leaf

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Nicholas Cage has a week chin just like Shia le Bouf or whatever his name is. either way they both suck equally in each film they "act" so therefore they qualify.

also robert pattinson....

tony danza (who hiliarously enough is always named Tony in each of his major roles)

Sean Bean - I love this man but he always plays the guy who dies. Except in the movie the Lost Future, but in some ways his career dies with that movie so it still fits.

Christian Bale is starting to slide into this arena with his batman voice permeating every role.

Michelle Rodriguez plays the tough as nails and wearing a wife beater shirt in every role.

And that's all I have time for at the moment.
 

SilkRoad

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Agree about Jennifer Aniston, who I do like, and Nicholas Cage, who I can't stand!

I thought the same for a long time after Pride and Prejudice about Colin Firth, as much as I love his Darcy. Same character over and over. But I'm so glad he did The King's Speech and showed his range and talent as an actor. Ok, so he's still a posh English guy, but that was just brilliant.

Martin Freeman - who is in the British (original) version of The Office, and will be Bilbo in the Hobbit - currently John Watson in Sherlock with Benedict Cumberbatch. I love him as Watson, he was great in the Office, will probably be an excellent Bilbo, etc. But he doesn't strike me as an actor with a very wide range - always the Everyman.

EDIT: oh yeah, how could I possibly forget Hugh Grant! Who I love in About A Boy, but mostly he irritates me.
 

Engineer

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Michelle Rodriguez, before I learned her name, was known as "Angry Latina Woman" to me. Because, quite literally, that's the only role she played in the movies I saw.

Nick Cage... hahaha he plays Nick Cage in every single movie he's in. For which respect, he's kind of a terrible actor.

I'd disagree with Sean Bean, however, he was phantasmic in the Sharpe's series on BBC, and he totally did not die in that, he was just a freakin' badass. Movies wise... eh.

John Goodman usually plays that "good ol' big guy/tank" role. With the exception of O Brother Where Art Thou, where he totally subverted that by being heinous.
 
T

ThatGirl

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Lisa Kudrow, Merril Streep, Uma Therman

Lisa Kudrow definitely plays the same personality over and over.

Merril Streep and Uma Thurman, look like the same people playing different characters. Idk what it is about them they just put their personality into different characters rather than going into the personality of the character.
 
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