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Typecasting

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Template:Short description {{#invoke:other uses|otheruses}} {{ safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst||date=__DATE__ |$B= Template:Ambox }} In film, television, and theatre, typecasting is the process by which a particular actor becomes strongly identified with a specific character, one or more particular roles, or characters having the same traits or coming from the same social or ethnic groups. There have been instances in which an actor has been so strongly identified with a role as to make it difficult for them to find work playing other characters.

Character actorsEdit

Actors are sometimes so strongly identified with a role as to make it difficult for them to find work playing other characters. It is especially common among leading actors in popular television series and films.

Star TrekEdit

One example of typecasting occurred with the cast of the original Star Trek series. During Star TrekTemplate:'s original run from 1966 to 1969, William Shatner was the highest-paid cast member at $5,000 per episode (equivalent to $Template:Inflation in Template:Inflation-year), with Leonard Nimoy and the other actors being paid much less.<ref name="rioux2005">Template:Cite book</ref> The press predicted that Nimoy would be a star after the series ended,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and James Doohan expected that appearing on an NBC series would help his post-Star Trek career.<ref name="upi19690421">Template:Cite news</ref> The series so typecast the actors, however—as early as March 1970, Nichelle Nichols complained of Star Trek having "defined [her] so narrowly as an actress",<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Doohan said in 1976 that even producers he worked for before Star Trek now told his agent "I don't want a Scotsman"<ref name="tomorrow19760204">Template:Cite AV media</ref>—that only Shatner and Nimoy continued working steadily throughout the 1970s, and even their work received little attention unless it was Star Trek-related.Template:R

Walter Koenig in 1976 noted the disparity between the adulation from Trekkies at Star Trek conventions and his obscurity in Hollywood.Template:R Residuals from the series ended in 1971;Template:R<ref name="wigler19850606">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Koenig, Doohan, and DeForest Kelley discussed the paradox of starring in what Kelley described as "the most popular series in the world" because of reruns, but "not getting paid for it".Template:R Cast members' income came mostly from personal appearances at conventions; by 1978 Kelley, for example, earned up to $50,000 (equivalent to $Template:Inflation in Template:Inflation-year) annually.<ref name="michaels19781210">Template:Cite news</ref> In 1979, the first of six films starring the cast appeared; Kelley earned $1 million for the final film, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991).Template:R

Parade stated of the cast, "They are 'stars' only in the world of Star Trek ... [They] lost control of their destinies the minute they stepped on the bridge of the make-believe Enterprise in 1966",<ref name="michaels19781210"/> and The New York Times observed in 1991 that "For most of the actors in the original "Star Trek" series, Starfleet has never been far off the professional horizons." Being identified so closely with one role<ref name="marriott19910915">Template:Cite news</ref> left the series' cast with mixed emotions; Shatner called it "awesome and irksome". Koenig called it "bittersweet ... People are interested in Chekov, not me", but admitted that there was "a certain immortality in being associated with Star Trek".Template:R Doohan said that being part of a "classic" was "beautiful. Your great-grandchildren will still be seeing Star Trek".Template:R

Some of the Next Generation actors also became typecast. Patrick Stewart recalled that a "distinguished Hollywood director I wanted to work for said to me 'Why would I want Captain Picard in my movie?' That was painful".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> His most prominent non-Star Trek film or television role, Professor X in the X-Men film series, shares similarities to Jean-Luc Picard. Stewart has stated "I don't have a film career. I have a franchise career"; he continues to work on stage as a Shakespearean actor.<ref name="appleyard20071104">Template:Cite news</ref> The Next Generation had one of the largest budgets of its time,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and the cast became very wealthy.<ref name="appleyard20071104"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Jonathan Frakes stated that "it's better to be type-cast than not to be cast at all."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Michael Dorn said in 1991, "If what happened to the first cast is called being typecast, then I want to be typecast. Of course, they didn't get the jobs after 'Trek.' But they are making their sixth movie. Name me someone else in television who has made six movies!"<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Other examplesEdit

John Larroquette said that after winning four consecutive Emmy Awards, "it was 10 years after Night Court ended before I got a role as a dad. Because Dan Fielding was such a bizarre character, he had made such an impression, that typecasting does happen. Every role was some sleazy lawyer or some sleazy this or some sleazy that."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> During his years on the comedy Married... with Children, Ed O'Neill's scenes were cut from the film drama Flight of the Intruder (1991) after a test audience laughed when he was on the screen.<ref name="porter1995">Template:Cite news</ref>

Jon Hamm stated that after the success of Mad Men, he received "about 40 scripts that were all set in the 60s, or had me playing advertising guys" like his character Don Draper.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Clayton Moore, who played the Lone Ranger in the Golden Age of Television, embraced his typecasting, stating that he had "fallen in love" with the character of Lone Ranger, and regularly appeared in public in character, to the point that Jack Wrather, who owned the character, issued a cease and desist order to Moore in 1979. The dispute was dropped in 1984 and Moore resumed his appearances.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In a similar case, Alan Hale Jr. parlayed his fame as Skipper Jonas Grumby on Gilligan's Island into a seafood restaurant and a travel agency that offered three-hour boat tours.<ref name="latimes">Template:Cite news</ref>

Jonathan Frakes' sentiments about typecasting were echoed by Ben McKenzie, who became a star in the role of Ryan Atwood in The O.C. at age 24, after two years of seeking acting work in New York City and Los Angeles. Eleven years later, after starring in two more television series playing what The New York Times described as a "quiet, guarded leading man", McKenzie said that "if you are being stereotyped, that means you have something to stereotype. So they're casting you. That is an amazing thing. That is a gift. Worry about being pigeonholed in your 50s."<ref name="hale20141123">Template:Cite news</ref>

Daniel Radcliffe was cast as Harry Potter at age eleven, playing the character over ten years in an eight-film franchise. Radcliffe was thus faced with two transitions: moving from child actor to adult star and moving from being typecast as Potter to playing other roles. His career following the Harry Potter franchise has included appearing on stage, as in Martin McDonagh's The Cripple of Inishmaan; in independent films such as Kill Your Darlings, in which he played Allen Ginsberg; and major studio films like Victor Frankenstein, in which he played the hunchback Igor, and romantic comedies like The F Word (released in some countries as What If?). <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Peter Robbins largely left acting after aging out of his most famous role, the voice of Charlie Brown. He retained a strong affection for the role throughout his life, including having a tattoo of the character.<ref name=robbinsdeath>Template:Cite news</ref>

Historical-real charactersEdit

Soviet actor Mikheil Gelovani depicted Joseph Stalin in 12 films made during the leader's lifetime, which reflected his cult of personality. Among them were The Great Dawn (1938), Lenin in 1918 (1939), The Vow (1946), The Fall of Berlin (1950) and The Unforgettable Year 1919 (1952). These films were either banned or had the scenes featuring Stalin removed after the 1956 Secret Speech. Following Stalin's death, Gelovani was denied new roles since he was so closely identified with Stalin.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> According to The Guinness Book of Movie Facts and Feats, Gelovani had probably portrayed the same historical figure more than any other actor.<ref>Template:Cite book. Page 105.</ref> Die Zeit columnist Andreas Kilb wrote that he ended his life "a pitiful Kagemusha" of Stalin's image.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Vaughn Meader is another example, as he depicted President John F. Kennedy in the 1962 comedy record The First Family. Meader's career success came to an abrupt end after President Kennedy's assassination on November 22, 1963. Meader's TV and nightclub bookings were all canceled. His career never rebounded as he was too closely associated with President Kennedy and his attempts to criticize his typecasting also led to his indirect blacklisting.<ref>The Surprising Story of Famed JFK Impersonator Vaughn Meader (and Why You've Never Heard of Him) Template:Webarchive Mental Floss. Retrieved January 23, 2019.</ref>

Playing against typeEdit

"Playing against type" is when an actor performs in a role or style different from the types of roles that they are known for.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Similarly, when he was offered the role of Batman in Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins (2005), he was warned that he would be forever known as only Batman and would have trouble getting roles. The Dark Knight Trilogy turned out to be a blockbuster and Bale's performance was appreciated.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Bale has since performed in a range of award-winning roles.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • Jackie Chan was originally known for playing heroic and physically comedic roles in action and adventure films across over three decades. He was cast against type for a serious role as a Chinese immigrant opposite Pierce Brosnan as a corrupted Irish politician in the 2017 thriller The Foreigner, for which Chan garnered critical acclaim.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Leslie Nielsen had an established career as a dramatic actor since the 1950s before appearing in the successful comedy film Airplane! (1980), specifically due to the gravitas he was able to bring to the satire. This prompted a career reinvention that saw Nielsen go on to helm the Police Squad! series and The Naked Gun trilogy.<ref name="denofgeek"/> Reflecting on his against-type casting, Nielsen later stated that he always felt more comfortable as a deadpan comedic performer and embraced being typecast in that style the rest of his life.<ref name="CastType">Template:Cite news</ref>
  • George Peppard was typecast in "tough-guy" film roles following his portrayal of a young playboy and megalomaniacal tycoon in the 1964 film The Carpetbaggers.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> His career as a traditional leading man had been fading at the time by 1983, when he accepted the lead role in the TV series The A-Team, as the wisecracking, cigar-smoking head of a team of wanted commandos. Peppard stated he had wanted to transition into character actor roles but had never been given the opportunity until The A-Team.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

  • Tyler Perry came to prominence for comedic roles but in the crime drama in Gone Girl (2014) played a lawyer who specializes in defending men accused of killing their wives.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Bob Saget began his career as a particularly vulgar stand-up comic. In the late 1980s, he was cast against type on television as the squeaky-clean Danny Tanner on Full House, which led to him also hosting the family-friendly America's Funniest Home Videos. Despite his new reputation as "America's Dad" from these roles, Saget maintained his vulgar stand-up routine for the rest of his life and played the contrast between the two types for laughs, which is credited with keeping his appeal fresh among the young adults (millennials) who watched him as children.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Adam Sandler is best known for his comedy roles, in which he typically plays an "aggressive man-child" and an "extreme character surrounded by regular people."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Director Paul Thomas Anderson cast Sandler in a dramatic role in Punch-Drunk Love (2002), as a man facing psychosis who goes "from understated sorrow to rage and back again."<ref name="denofgeek"/> He again returned to serious work in The Meyerowitz Stories (2017), with Peter Debruge of Variety writing of his role, "With no shtick to fall back on, Sandler is forced to act, and it's a glorious thing to watch."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> For his leading role in Uncut Gems (2019), Sandler received critical acclaim, with some commentators calling it the best of his career.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

  • While James Stewart was known for his "affable" everyman roles, such as a businessman and father in It's a Wonderful Life, in Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo (1958), he was cast against type as a "troubling or unsettling" character whose "mind unravels" until he attains a "cold, chilling air of sexual paranoia and control."<ref name="denofgeek">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Rue McClanahan, who had been known for playing scatterbrained characters such as Vivian Harmon in Maude and Fran Crowley in Mama's Family, were cast in opposite types in The Golden Girls: White played the naïve Rose Nylund, and McClanahan played sultry Southern belle Blanche Devereaux.<ref name=Biography.com/> Bea Arthur, for whom the lead role of Dorothy Zbornak had been conceived, was initially reluctant to join the cast, thinking that the typecasting would prompt viewers to see White and McClanahan as simply continuing their previous roles, but the "flip-flop" casting of the two types, and the originality of the show's premise, convinced her to sign on to the project.<ref name=Biography.com/><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

  • Robin Williams, a successful comedian and situation comedy actor, was cast against type in Insomnia and One Hour Photo (both 2002), two films in which he depicted "spine-chilling psychosis" and insanity. He also played the role of a therapist in Good Will Hunting.<ref name="denofgeek"/>
  • Chris Evans' first real success as an actor came by playing a series of character he has called "jocky pricks": good-looking but mean-spirited men known for their smugness, in films including Fantastic Four (2005), Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010), and What's Your Number?. Evans has commented, "I got cast as a lot of assholes." His role in Captain America featured a very different morality to the character.<ref name=GQ>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> After fulfilling a seven-picture contract with Marvel Studios to play the character, which ended with Avengers: Endgame (2019), Evans returned to playing villainous characters in films such as Knives Out (2019), The Gray Man (2022), and Pain Hustlers (2023).<ref name=GQ/>

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  • Emma Watson, notable for playing Hermione Granger in Harry Potter series, normally has an image of a good girl. However, she went against her image in The Bling Ring (2013), where she played Nicki Moore, a brash and a self-obsessed fame-seeker, for which she got critical acclaim.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Jet Li, notable for mainly portraying heroic roles in martial arts and adventure movies, played as a terminally ill single father who struggles to look up for his autistic 21-year-old son and work to make ends meet in his first drama movie Ocean Heaven (2010).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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|CitationClass=web }}</ref> However, after the movie released, Ledger's performance received widespread critical acclaim, to the point that it has been termed as one of the greatest performances ever.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Ledger posthumously received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in the 81st Academy Awards for his role as the Joker.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

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