25 Actors Who Seemed Miscast In A Role But Ended Up Killing It

A new movie project announces and the main cast got revealed. Some agree with the casting choice while some do not. People say actor A, actor B, or actor C are completely 100% wrong for the role. This might be because they don't like that actor at all. For a more objective reason, people don't find any similarity between the actor and the character or don't see any possibility that the actor could embed his/her character. His/her experiences or acting skills aren't enough for that movie role.
Surely, there are times that we think an actor is miscast in a role. Some guesses come true but some just lose the game. That actor ends up killing their movie role, receiving viewers' praise and critical acclaim. That role is considered a breakthrough in their acting career, pushing them out of their limit.
Having the same concern, Reddit user u/wfpbgoals raised this topic on Ask/Reddit. He asked: "Which actor seemed miscast in a role but ended up killing it?" The OP's question receives thousands of votes and comments. Patrick Warburton in "A Series of Unfortunate Events", Michael Keaton in "Batman", and many other names are mentioned. Scroll down and check them out!

#1 Patrick Warburton as Lemony Snicket in "A Series of Unfortunate Events"

Source: Joe Lederer/Netflix

I was so skeptical but he played that role perfectly. I was so pleased that the series was an amazing adaptation of the books. - LowerStandard

#2 Michael Keaton as Batman in "Batman"

Source: Allstar/WARNER BROS

I remember reading that his Beetlejuice performance sealed the deal because they saw him doing angry scenes. - RealisticDelusions77

#3 Rob Lowe as "Chris" Traeger in "Parks and Recreation"

Source: IMDb

Based on some of his other work it didn’t seem like the role of an enthusiastic health nut fit him but he killed it. - -notjosh-

#4 Jim Carrey as Truman Burbank in "The Truman Show"

Source: Netflix

I thought that Jim Carrey in The Truman Show must have been an error because he's a comic, but in the end, I was so wrong that I reviewed all my life choices and felt like the worst human being in existence. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (in Italy called If you leave me I delete you) was the same thing except better. Incredible movie, every time I hear that Alexander Pope quote I begin crying.  - Italianguyonreddit

#5 Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash in "Walk The Line"

Source: 20th Century Fox Film Corp

I think I was of the opinion that Joaquin Phoenix was an odd choice for the role of Johnny Cash until I saw his acting and heard his phenomenal voice sing these classics. - PoliticsEnthusiast

#6 Travolta as Vincent Vega in "Pulp Fiction"

Source: Youtube

Everyone thought Travolta had been miscast in pulp fiction because at the time his career was on its knees. And he hadn't been cast in anything noteworthy in a very long time.

Tarentino breathed new life into it hos career but giving him the role. - r/AskReddit/

#7 Matt Damon as Jason Bourne in "Jason Bourne"

Source: REX USA

In 2002, nobody could imagine Matt Damon playing a badass CIA assassin with amnesia. I saw the preview on TV and was like, “the dude from Good Will Hunting?”.

The Jason Bourne movies are among my all-time faves now and I can’t picture anyone else in that role. - r/AskReddit/

#8 Cher as Dolly Pelliker in "Silkwood"

Source: IMDb

I remember going to the theatre to see Silkwood in 1983 with Meryl Streep and Kurt Russell. When they showed Cher's name at the beginning, people audibly laughed. She was fantastic in the movie and went on to a very respectable film career. I had always thought she was a good actor from her days on the Sonny & Cher show so why not go dramatic? Anyway, I LOVE all her work. - femsci-nerd

#9 Patrick Stewart as Jean Luc Picard the Star Trek sequels

Source: CBS

I recall some interview regarding Patrick Stewart's shiny dome, and one of the producers was asked, "by the 24th century, wouldn't they have a cure for baldness?"

The reply summed up the idealism of Star Trek pretty well. "by the 24th century, no one cares if you're bald." - xRockTripodx

#10 Cate Blanchett as Bob Dylan in "I’m Not There"

Source: IMDb

She was the most believable Dylan in that movie by far. - SaggyTulips

#11 Will Ferrell as Harold Crick in "Stranger Than Fiction"

Source: Lawliberty

I looooooove Stranger Than Fiction. I told everybody about it when it came out, saying, "It's the first time I've seen Will Ferrell actually act and he kills it". - h4wkeyepierce

#12 Charlize Theron as Aileen Wuornos in "Monster"

Source: villains.fandom

YES. She is such a beautiful and clearly put together woman. I was not prepared at all for what I saw in that movie. - alfalfareignss

#13 Edward Norton as Derek Vinyard in "American History X"

Source: Alamy

Primal Fear seriously freaked me out. Ed Norton has been scary to me ever since. - Inle-rah

#14 Pedro Pascal as Oberyn Martel in the Game of Thrones franchise

Source: HBO

I was skeptical of Pedro Pascal as Oberyn Martel in Game of Thrones. In the books the character has a darker, more commanding type of charisma, but Pedro's version was terrific. - Propagandave

#15 David Tennant as Purple Man in Jessica Jones

Source: Pinterest

To me, he was a brilliant but goofy Dr Who, not a baddie. Holy cow though, if his safe and cozy Dr rep didn’t quickly dissolve away. - LaVidaYokel

#16 Robin Williams as Seymour Parrish in "One Hour Photo"

Source: @Possible411

He already showed with Good Will Hunting and A.I. Bicentennial Man that he can also do drama, but a thriller with him as the main actor? - treverios

#17 Leslie Nielsen as Dr. Rumack in "Airplane"

Source: Paramount Pictures

Leslie Nielsen's comedy gift isn't being comedic/funny himself. It is his decades of experience in soap operas that lets him say anything with a straight face and serious expression. That's why he nailed Airplane! so well. - TricksterPriestJace

#18 Bruce Willis as John McClane in "Die Hard"

Source: diehard.fandom

Before that he was a normal rom com guy cast in an action film when most action leads were absolutely shredded. So much so that the trailers had audiences laughing and they ACTUALLY REMOVED HIM FROM THE POSTER. Needless to say, the rest is history. - r1333609

#19 Cillian Murphy as Thomas Shelby in "Peaky Blinders"

Source: BBC/Press

Cillian Murphy as Thomas Shelby, playing a character poles apart from himself. He is not a tall, well built or physically imposing man but he gives the character power, authority, intelligence, utter ruthlessness and a cold, hard stare that shows he's in charge and not to be f****d with if you value your life. - fishfingerchipbean

#20 Danny DeVito as Amos Calloway in "Big Fish"

Source: moviestillsdb

Danny DeVito seems miscast to me in almost everything but Big Fish, but he kills it at everything he does. - Scrappy_Larue

#21 George Clooney as Ulysses Everett McGill in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"

Source: moviestillsdb

That’s the one I was looking for, I was not expecting him to pull off being a Dapper Dan man. - match_

#22 John Lithgow as Arthur Mitchell in the TV series "Dexter"

Source: 20th Century Fox Film Corp

I grew up watching him play a goofball alien in 3rd Rock from the Sun. I was massively disappointed when I heard he was playing a serial killer in the new season of Dexter, I thought it would be ruined. His first scene, no dialogue, just him stalking a family at the beach while sipping a tea somehow chilled me to the bone. Man’s an amazing actor. - dd28064212

#23 Chris Evan as Jake Wyler in "Not Another Teen Movie"

Source: IMDb

I remember him from Not Another Teen Movie and Scott Pilgrim and just had trouble taking him seriously. Plus he was already Johnny Storm. - Davaldo

#24 Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House in the House TV series

Source: Getty Images

Can't believe no one has mentioned Hugh Laurie as House.

For people who never watched BBC maybe, but Laurie was THE loveable British goofball. The upper-class twit.

...A comedian.

House is a brooding depressed American Sherlock Holmes.

Absolutely kills it. Can't imagine anyone else for the role now... but good lord. Could you imagine someone like Patton Oswalt being cast to play an ultra-serious British version of Sherlock Holmes? That's basically what they did there. - tehm

#25 Nathan Fillion as Malcolm Reynolds in "Serenity"

Source: EW

He was cast as the cold-hearted tough guy and literally said he couldn't do that so he put his own spin on ot and it worked perfectly. - Agent_Eggboy