Hollywood stars shot to stardom in one role and many audiences love to see them play the same kind of roles. Indeed, many actors who play similar characters leave an impression on viewers' minds. Whether it is a subject-matter expert (like a police or a scientist) or a socially awkward teenager struggling to deal with adult issues, all these stereotyped roles are subject only to the actor’s choice. Jennifer Aniston's “damsel in distress” persona and Vin Diesel's macho charisma are typical examples.
Although actors always shine on the screen when playing these characters, some fans still expect to look at them in some new roles. A bit of freshness wouldn’t be bad either. “Glorious” roles in different movies are so reminiscent of other similar ones and make you confused. There are some roles so cliché that we somehow think the movies we’re watching are some kind of a spinoff of another. In other cases, no one is complaining because stars give us some incredible blockbusters.
Here is the list of actors who seem to play the same characters. Check out more of our list
here and here.#1 John Wayne
Source: © Stagecoach / Walter Wanger Productions, © True Grit / Paramount Pictures
John Wayne took part in plenty of movies. However, some critics derided him for supposedly playing the same role over and over again. His prolific career included a myriad of cowboy characters and other roles during the same period. In 1969, he won an Oscar for his performance in the movie “True Grit”.
#2 Keira Knightley
Source: © Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl / Walt Disney Productions, © Anna Karenina / Working Title Films, © Atonement / Working Title Films
Many say that Keira Knightley plays versions of the same character in different costumes. The actress starred in many movies like “Pirates of the Caribbean”, “Anna Karenina” and “Atonement” where she portrayed historical roles. She also admitted in an interview, “I think some people find escapism through science fiction or fantasy, and I suppose my escapism into another world has always been through period drama”.
#3 Noel Gugliemi
Source: © The Fast and The Furious / Universal Pictures, © Dark Kinght Rises / Warner Bros Pictures, © Training Day / Village Roadshow Pictures
Noel Gugliemi has extensive experience in a lot of films and series. It’s worth mentioning his appearance in great series such as “Fast and Furious”, “Training Day”, and “The Dark Knight Rises”. Most of his roles are associated with a Latino character who is part of a gang.
#4 Melissa McCarthy
Source: © Identity Thief / Relativity Media, © Spy / Chernin Entertainment, © Bridesmaids / Relativity Media
It is impossible not to mention Melissa McCarthy in the list of actors who play the same characters. With over 20 years working in the acting field, Melissa McCarthy has made a name for herself as a comedic character. She often appeared as a scandalous plus-sized woman in movies such as “Identity Thief”, “Spy”, and “Bridesmaids”. For the latter, she was nominated for an Oscar for "Best Supporting Actress" in 2012.
#5 Seth Rogen
Source: © Knocked Up / Apatow Productions, © This Is the End / Columbia Pictures, © Pineapple Express / Columbia Pictures
Seth Rogen is a talented actor. He not only acts but directs, produces, and writes many movies in which he takes part. Most of his roles are the character who is consistently under influence of substances but is too endearing to detest.
#6 Milla Jovovich
Source: © Hellboy / Dark Horse Entertainment, © Ultraviolet / Sony Pictures Entertainment, © The Three Musketeers / Summit Entertainment
Milla Jovovich was deemed the “reigning queen of kick-butt” because she starred in various science-fiction and action films. She was best known as the alien Leeloo in “The Fifth Element” and Alice in “Resident Evil”. Most of her characters seem to be a version of Alice or Leeloo: a lethal and eccentric heroine or villain in a fantasy world.
#7 Katherine Heigl
Source: © 27 dresses / Fox 2000 Pictures, © The Ugly Truth / Relativity Media, © New Year's Eve / New Line Cinema
Katherine Heigl was an undisputed rom-com queen that audiences loved to hate and hate to love. In the films like “The Ugly Truth” and “Knocked Up”, she portrayed the humorless, uptight girl who can’t help but give guys a hard time.
#8 Emma Roberts
Source: © Scream 4 / The Weinstein Company, © American Horror Story: Coven / 20th Century Fox Television, © Scream Queens / 20th Century Fox Television
Emma Roberts started acting at a young age and has established a solid film roster full of interesting films. She made her mark as an adult when she began to be typecast as the mean girl who constantly belittles and scrutinizes her fellow characters. Portrayed as wealthy, her character always has some kind of power over others and she regularly abuses anyone. Because she played the characters so well, she had been stuck in her typecasting.
#9 Jackie Chan
Source: © Rush Hour / New Line Cinema, © Around the World in 80 Days / Walt Disney Pictures, © The Spy Next Door / Relativity Media
Jackie Chan is famous for acting without the help of a stunt double when filming risky action scenes. No matter what type of movies he took part in, his character always put on a martial arts show at some point, be it as a babysitter in “The Spy Next Door”, as a butler in “Around the World in 80 Days”, or as a policeman in “Rush Hour” saga.
#10 Jason Bateman
Source: © Hancock / Columbia Pictures, © Horrible Bosses / New Line Cinema
Unlike the actors mentioned above, Jason Bateman played an ordinary guy, who referred to the public against the eccentric roles. From his expression to his demeanor and his way of acting in movies like “Hancock” and “Horrible Bosses”, all serve as a counter-balance to his co-star's more “out of the box” actions.