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Friday Film List
Top 10 actors who broke typecast.
Top 10 actors who broke typecast.
Y’all are gonna get mad at me for ‘missing some out’ here, but just because you ‘normally think of an actor in a particular type of role’ doesn’t make them typecast - these are films which launched them into new cinematic opportunities.
10. Steve Carrell - Foxcatcher
If this was about performance quality, he’d be much higher on this list… but it’s about typecast breaking, and while he did that spectacularly, it’s hard not to see that his John du Pont borrowed a huge amount from Michael Scott, then made it DARK
If this was about performance quality, he’d be much higher on this list… but it’s about typecast breaking, and while he did that spectacularly, it’s hard not to see that his John du Pont borrowed a huge amount from Michael Scott, then made it DARK
9. Jeff Daniels - Dumb and Dumber
Hey, not everyone breaks typecasting in this direction, but boy did he crack it- Daniels is one of the few actors who could feasibly be the top pick in any genre of movie- this is where that flexibility started: peeing in a bottle on the highway
Hey, not everyone breaks typecasting in this direction, but boy did he crack it- Daniels is one of the few actors who could feasibly be the top pick in any genre of movie- this is where that flexibility started: peeing in a bottle on the highway
8. Joe Pesci - Home Alone
Pesci might have been the scariest man in Hollywood at the time he was cast as the goofball thug in Home Alone - as far as I’m concerned, he carries the movie.
Pesci might have been the scariest man in Hollywood at the time he was cast as the goofball thug in Home Alone - as far as I’m concerned, he carries the movie.
7. Jonah Hill - Moneyball
It’s actually incredible that he broke out of one of the tightest locked typecasts there is - serious directors aren’t looking to steal from Seth Rogen’s squad… but his incredibly understated performance broke him into the Scorsese/Tarantino/Coen camp
It’s actually incredible that he broke out of one of the tightest locked typecasts there is - serious directors aren’t looking to steal from Seth Rogen’s squad… but his incredibly understated performance broke him into the Scorsese/Tarantino/Coen camp
6. Leslie Nielsen - Airplane
Chances are, you guys weren’t expecting him, to us he’s always been that character, but he was doing gritty work before dedicating himself to cheap, deadpan puns. He basically did what Andre Braugher did more recently in Brooklyn Nine-nine
Chances are, you guys weren’t expecting him, to us he’s always been that character, but he was doing gritty work before dedicating himself to cheap, deadpan puns. He basically did what Andre Braugher did more recently in Brooklyn Nine-nine
5. Tom Hanks - Philadelphia then Road to Perdition
Played a goofy romantic lead forever and was the best at it. Then broke into serious acting as the conflicted hero... but people then put him in that box too, so he calmly walks into a bathroom and puts 3 bullets in Daniel Craig
Played a goofy romantic lead forever and was the best at it. Then broke into serious acting as the conflicted hero... but people then put him in that box too, so he calmly walks into a bathroom and puts 3 bullets in Daniel Craig
4. Jamie Foxx - Ray
One of the greatest performances of all time led to him breaking out of the cocky side-character to being cast in some of the most moving lead roles of the past decade or so.
He broke out of typecast and got nominated for 2 Oscars all in the same year.
One of the greatest performances of all time led to him breaking out of the cocky side-character to being cast in some of the most moving lead roles of the past decade or so.
He broke out of typecast and got nominated for 2 Oscars all in the same year.
3. Matthew McConaughey - Mud (/the whole McConnaissance)
This week McConaughey was on Jordan Peterson’s podcast talking about this very thing - the huge risk in packing in your handsome leading man schtick and going for gritty, harder roles.
Nailed it.
This week McConaughey was on Jordan Peterson’s podcast talking about this very thing - the huge risk in packing in your handsome leading man schtick and going for gritty, harder roles.
Nailed it.
2. Charlize Theron - Monster
One of the most striking and surprising performances ever. Theron had spoken about finding it impossible to be taken seriously for serious roles. The sheer commitment and total lack of vanity is awe inspiring.
One of the most striking and surprising performances ever. Theron had spoken about finding it impossible to be taken seriously for serious roles. The sheer commitment and total lack of vanity is awe inspiring.
1. It could only be:
Henry Fonda - Once Upon A Time in the West.
So late in his career, how can you turn the handsome, gentle good guy into the black hat in a western. Fonda had the same question and refused the role… until Leone wrote out his introductory scene
Henry Fonda - Once Upon A Time in the West.
So late in his career, how can you turn the handsome, gentle good guy into the black hat in a western. Fonda had the same question and refused the role… until Leone wrote out his introductory scene
If you see Henry Fonda walk onto the scene, draw a gun & shoot a child it’s hokey & crass.
But how about this:
A family are setting up for lunch. Suddenly shooting starts and the father goes down. A boy steps onto the porch to see what’s happening and looks around. All is still.
But how about this:
A family are setting up for lunch. Suddenly shooting starts and the father goes down. A boy steps onto the porch to see what’s happening and looks around. All is still.
A line of silent men with rifles walk up towards the child. The camera pans slowly over to the striking blue eyes of Henry Fonda. He spits his tobacco, and shoots.
Now that’s how you break a typecast.
Now that’s how you break a typecast.
