From Adam Sandler to Ryan Reynolds, Hollywood isn’t lacking examples of typecast actors who play the same character in every film. Such performances aren’t inherently unsatisfying, because actors like Jesse Eisenberg or Nicolas Cage have entertaining characters, even if they’re the same in most movies. The characters become less distinct with time, and our enjoyment stems from watching the actors.

Then some actors play such an iconic character, often repeatedly, that the diverse nature of their portfolios is easily forgotten. Both Robert Downey Jr. and Hugh Jackman have taken on a wide range of roles, but due to their portrayals of Iron Man and Wolverine, respectively, they’re actors inseparable from that one character they played.

RDJ’s set to return to the MCU as Dr. Doom in 2026, 7 years after he left, and Jackman finally reprised his role of Wolverine in 2024, 7 years after he last played the character. However, the actors reinvented themselves after being typecast as the same character, and proved they could do something other than their most famous character.

10

The Farewell (2019)

Awkwafina

Comedian Awkwafina is known for her slapstick comedy and the awkwardness of her humor. Her role as Goh Peik Lin in Crazy Rich Asians made her a household name because her impeccable comic timing amplified the dramatic tension in the film. She played significant characters in Ocean’s Eight and Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, but Lin became her most famous character.

Then came her Golden Globe-winning performance in The Farewell. Even though she won in the comedy or musical category, The Farewell is a much drier drama with elements of dark comedy. Awkwafina’s layered performance in the film is arguably still her best ever, and it showcases how well she works with material more serious than what’s usually ᴀssociated with her.

9

Gifted (2017)

Chris Evans

Marvel has announced Steve Rogers will be recast, but it’ll be nigh on impossible to think of Captain America and not automatically picture Chris Evans. Ever since his first appearance in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, the actor has become inextricably linked with Captain America. His cocky playboy characters, including Fantastic Four‘s Johnny Storm, weren’t ᴀssociated as much anymore.

However, in 2017, a year after Captain America: Civil War, Chris Evans starred in a completely different role as the father of a gifted girl in Gifted. A heartwarming family drama, Gifted saw Evans almost seamlessly turning into a charming and caring father with none of Cap’s machismo or grandeur. It proved he has more range than given credit for.

8

Tully (2018)

Charlize Theron

The action genre today would look very different if Charlize Theron had stuck to the romance and adventure genres ᴀssociated with her earlier years. A couple of years after her Oscar-winning performance in Monster, she appeared in Aeon Flux, taking her career on a new trajectory, culminating in her most famous role of Furiosa in 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road.

However, in 2018, she starred as a tired mother of three in Tully, demonstrating her range as an actress in a dramatic role after over a decade of being heavily ᴀssociated with action cinema. The soft performance in Tully is proof she can make any character her own, which she again proved a year later as Megyn Kelly in Bombshell.

7

The Holiday (2006)

Jack Black

The quintessential slapstick comedian of our generation, whose comedy keeps being silly, even if it may have lost some of its charm now, Jack Black is known for his goofy shenanigans in low-grade comedies, his performance as Po in Kung Fu Panda. However, in the 2000s, he was known for playing Dewey Finn in Richard Linklater’s movie, School of Rock.

An eccentric down-on-his-luck music teacher with a heart of gold, Finn represents the persona that Black portrayed in many of his minor roles involving obnoxious and over-the-top silliness. However, Nancy Meyers’ The Holiday sees Black playing a soft-spoken romantic hero. Opposite Kate Winslet, he is surprisingly calm and comforting, proving he can play characters different from his most famous ones.

6

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

Kate Winslet

The cultural impact of some movies is so big that, years later, they can still define entire careers, and few actresses have experienced this more than Kate Winslet. While Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind‘s Clementine, The Holiday‘s Iris, The Reader‘s Hanna, and Revolutionary Road‘s April are memorable characters, Kate Winslet will always be тιтanic‘s Rose to most of us.

A sci-fi movie with an incredible ensemble cast, Avatar: The Way of Water features Kate Winslet as Ronal, whose only similarity to Rose is the proximity to water. She’s a fierce warrior who goes to battle to protect her clan. Winslet proves she can take on action-heavy roles and broke the record for the longest underwater breath-hold by an actor.

5

Tropic Thunder (2008)

Tom Cruise

The Mission: Impossible theme song is just as unmistakable as the image of Tom Cruise running. Known for performing his own stunts, Cruise has reinvented action cinema by pushing the limits with every new action film. So, while he was known for dramatic roles in the ’80s and ’90s, his most famous character will always be IMF agent Ethan Hunt.

Two years after the Mission: Impossible franchise bounced back after a disappointing second film, Cruise appeared in the parody film Tropic Thunder, which has, admittedly, not aged well. He plays a short-tempered and profane studio executive who bears no resemblance to Cruise. While he’s displayed his quick wit elsewhere, Cruise’s comic timing has never been showcased like in Tropic Thunder.

4

We’re the Millers (2013)

Jennifer Aniston

Over three decades ago, Jennifer Aniston broke through as Rachel Green in Friends, which continues to be her most famous character. Not only is Rachel still an iconic character who finds new generations of fans every decade, she also has defined Jennifer Aniston’s acting career. She became such a heartthrob that she soon became one of Hollywood’s go-to romcom heroines.

While The Iron Giant, featuring one of the best sci-fi movie characters of all time, where she voices the protagonist, is a unique role in Aniston’s repertoire, it’s We’re the Millers that allowed her to showcase her purely comedic talents. The quick-witted writing highlights her comic timing, which remains the most underrated aspect of her performance as Rachel Green.

3

Django Unchained (2012)

Leonardo DiCaprio

It is considerably difficult to name Leonardo DiCaprio’s most famous role, because, unlike his тιтanic co-star, he’s not become inextricably linked with his performance as Jack. He disappears into most of his roles while remaining recognizable, making many of his performances his best and most memorable.

Be it The Wolf of Wall Street, Shutter Island, Inception, or Catch Me If You Can, DiCaprio is known for being likable even when portraying negative characters. However, this trend is really challenged by Django Unchained. With one of his best performances ever, as a racist plantation owner, he proves he can also be easy to hate if he wants.

2

I, Tonya (2017)

Margot Robbie

While her breakout role in The Wolf of Wall Street mostly relied on showing her off as a Sєx symbol, Margot Robbie soon tried shifting gears to become an action star with films like Focus and Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, with middling results, until she landed the role of Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad, who is still her most famous character.

A year after Suicide Squad, though, she delivered a completely different performance in one of the best biopics made in the last decade. With an Oscar-nominated performance as Tonya Harding, Robbie proves she has the acting chops for dramatic and serious roles. Not only has her filmography diversified as an actress, but Margot Robbie is an impressive movie producer today.

1

The Dark Knight (2008)

Heath Ledger

While their tones are entirely different, since Brokeback Mountain is a romantic tragedy, and 10 Things I Hate About You is a romantic comedy, Heath Ledger had the image of a romantic hero in the early 2000s. Patrick from 10 Things I Hate About You was his most famous character when he landed his role in The Dark Knight.

It’s an understatement to say he proved he could do other kinds of roles. Heath Ledger permanently changed people’s perception of him with his career-best performance as the Joker. It’s still considered the best live-action interpretation of the character due to the psycH๏τic body language and dialogue delivery. Ledger’s legacy as an actor is inextricably linked to The Dark Knight.