One Trick Pony Actors: Actors Great At Only One Type of Role

[Zero Hunter]

Jeff Goldblum plays the same character in every movie.

There is your answer. He is not even playing a character anymore that is just a slightly exagerated version of himself. The man got lazy.

[K7P5V]

I think it's important to make a distinction between one-note actors and actors that are type-cast.

Many actors have a lot a range and can or have played a variety of parts, but are frequently cast as one particular thing (be it villains or comic relief or love interests) for one reason or another.

I know, right?! My father said the same thing about Anthony Perkins.
No matter what movie he appeared in, everyone still associates him with Psycho (1960):

[Mormel]

There is your answer. He is not even playing a character anymore that is just a slightly exagerated version of himself. The man got lazy.

It's because he keeps forgetting his mantra! :P

[Frobisher]

It's because he keeps forgetting his mantra! :P

Well it's not a very good bloody mantra then is it?

[CSTowle]

I don't blame actors so much as I do producers and directors. Part of it is if they're shelling out millions to put a Will Smith on the poster they don't want
"Six Degrees of Separation" Will Smith, they want MIB/Independence Day Will Smith. Then you have guys like Pacino/Deniro/Walken that play themselves so much you'd be disappointed if they didn't.

[DrNewGod]

...you have guys like Pacino/Deniro/Walken that play themselves so much you'd be disappointed if they didn't.

I feel the same about Jack Nicholson.

[Timothy Hunter]

I don't blame actors so much as I do producers and directors. Part of it is if they're shelling out millions to put a Will Smith on the poster they don't want
"Six Degrees of Separation" Will Smith, they want MIB/Independence Day Will Smith. Then you have guys like Pacino/Deniro/Walken that play themselves so much you'd be disappointed if they didn't.

I think Deniro, Nicholson, and Walken are much more versatile actors than Will Smith. Paccino used to be before the late 90s when he started thinking shouting the entire film would substitute a good performance.

[CSTowle]

I think Deniro, Nicholson, and Walken are much more versatile actors than Will Smith. Paccino used to be before the late 90s when he started thinking shouting the entire film would substitute a good performance.

When I saw Will Smith in "Six Degrees of Separation" I'd only known him as TV's "the Fresh Prince" and it shocked the s##t out of me. I'm not an expert, but it seemed like an impressive performance (again, to me). At least showed some range. But then you had "Independence Day" and that was the guy they wanted. Same as Ryan Reynolds, he can pull it off so well why not have him do what works I suppose (even if he's capable of more). Again, blame that on bottom-line thinkers and not so much on the actors.

[Username taken]

When assessing an actor you have to look at their ENTIRE body of work. I think that's getting a little bit lost in the discussion.

With the exception of "character actors" most of the bigger names get cast because they can play a certain kind of character. And after a while, they get type cast to play that sort of character. It takes conscious effort from actors to avoid this stuff (Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio have been very keen and vocal about avoiding this stuff).

Will Smith has shown to be quite a good actor from his work in Six Degress of Separation to Ali to Pursuit of Happyness and even crap like Seven Pounds. Guys like DeNiro and Pacino are known for their more boisterous characters but skim over their entire careers and you'll notice they've played a rather large variety of characters.

[DanMad1977]

Bronson and Eastwood.

Bud Spencer and Terence Hill.

[caj]

Bea Arthur pretty much played the same kind of character in all her comedic roles.

But she was so great and hilarious in all of them that you didn't care. But Dorothy on Golden Girls was my favorite.

[Powerboy]

I was so impressed with Aaron Paul's performance in Breaking Bad that I decided to watch two other films starring him, Welcome Home and Triple 9. Regardless of the fact that these were lame movies, I was disappointed how similar the characters he played were to Jessie Pinkman.

Are there other actors that come to mind, that are great but have limited acting range?

First name that came to mind was Sylvester Stallone. He won Best Actor, Best screenplay and Best picture Oscars for Rocky and then dropped into standard action movies, never again rising to that level. Now, he's had tons of successful movies and characters but I'm just saying he never again achieved anything of that level.

[ChrisIII]

Bronson and Eastwood.

Bud Spencer and Terence Hill.

Bronson used to have more range I think but he kind of got stuck in the vigilante roles after a while.


As for Clint, yeah he usually plays stoic western characters or somewhat grumpy old men, and still a pretty good director. Sure, his politics (sometimes which show up in his films) might not be for everyone but he's been relatively reserved about it compared to some others....

[DrNewGod]

Bronson used to have more range I think but he kind of got stuck in the vigilante roles after a while.


As for Clint, yeah he usually plays stoic western characters or somewhat grumpy old men, and still a pretty good director. Sure, his politics (sometimes which show up in his films) might not be for everyone but he's been relatively reserved about it compared to some others....

I don't know that he's been outside his most typical role since Play Misty For Me. Unforgiven got close tho.

[Castle]

Jackie Chan comes to mind. I mean he plays the Asian guy in every movie he was in!

Chan like many Asian actors is marginalised to the same role. So I don't think it is fair to put him on this list. Apparently Hollywood thinks Asian actors can only do action martial arts theme movies.