Typecasting vs movie career

[Smokey]

Does typecasting ruins one's career in the film industry?

I was watching Superman with Christopher Reeve the other night and was thinking no matter what other films Reeve had a role in, he always be seen as a superman and a role that he did not escaped from.

Other example would be the Star Trek Tv series where the lead charactors such as Shatner and Nimoy where after the Tv series, they did not get any other leading parts except in Star Trek movies. And there are counless other examples.

Ofcourse some did broke the typecasting roles such as Schwarzenegger where he was associated with Terminator films, by playing comdey roles. Or Next Generation actor Patrick Stewart who was the enterprise captain, but he established himself in many other roles.

[TheHills44060]

I think typecasting has made more movie careers than it has ruined.

[Smokey]

You're probably right. I guess it is better typecast than not to be cast a tall. But some did not benefit from typecasting. Such as Mark Hamill of Star Wars movies.

[02audionoob]

When I think of typecasting, I think of guys like Tony Danza or Matt LeBlanc. It's like they're playing themselves on camera.

Speaking of playing oneself...I was sort of impressed by that guy who played the founder of Facebook in The Social Network. Then I saw him in something else and I realized that's largely his real demeanor.

[Smokey]

Speaking of playing oneself...I was sort of impressed by that guy who played the founder of Facebook in The Social Network. Then I saw him in something else and I realized that's largely his real demeanor.

Sometimes an actor can fool the audience by pretending to be himself. They are so good acting, that one think they are playing themsles since we don't see them "acting". John wayne or Steve McQueen are probably good example of such actors.

[bfalls]

Buddy Ebsen, Max Baer and Donna Douglas always come to mind when speaking of type casting. Buddy Ebsen has been in numerous movies and played on many TV shows. Even starred in his own Barnaby Jones series, but he'll always be Jed Clampett to most.

Christopher Reeves also starred in Deathtrap with Michael Caine and Somewhere in Time with Jane Seymour. Both very good movies for him.

[recoveryone]

I think some of you have missed the mark on the question, Typecast is were an actor is mainly seen in certain types of movies: Comedy, Action, Drama and so on. I think Arnold was a good example of one Actor that was able to break out of his type cast role on occasions, but he will always be a action type movie character.

Now on the other hand you have that mannerisms type actor that writers or directors look for: Johnny Depp, Keanu Reeves, John Wayne, they way they talk, walk, body movement, no matter what film they are in you seem to see the same thing out of them each time.

That is why you hear people call some actors good character actors, A person can take on a role and become the role and not make the role fit them. Christopher Lloyd, Anthony Hopkins, Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington to name a few.

[Ajani]

You're probably right. I guess it is better typecast than not to be cast a tall. But some did not benefit from typecasting. Such as Mark Hamill of Star Wars movies.

Ironically, when I think of Mark Hamill I remember him for his utterly creepy laugh as the Joker in various animated Batman cartoons... That is easily his best work, IMO...

[RoyY51]

When I think of "typecasting" I always flash on George Reeves, the original "Superman" on television. Although he had played various roles before (I believe he even had a bit part in "Gone With the Wind"), once he had played Superman, the die was cast...he couldn't find another role to save his life...literally. No producer would touch him, afraid that the audience would only see Superman, not his character. He became so despondent that he finally committed suicide in 1959.

[Smokey]

Thanks everybody. Very different takes on typecasting

When I think of "typecasting" I always flash on George Reeves, the original "Superman" on television. Although he had played various roles before (I believe he even had a bit part in "Gone With the Wind"), once he had played Superman, the die was cast...he couldn't find another role to save his life...literally. No producer would touch him, afraid that the audience would only see Superman, not his character. He became so despondent that he finally committed suicide in 1959.

That is truely sad. They showed a movie where George Reeves had apart in it to limited audience, and every time Reeve would show up, the kids in audience kept shouting that there is superman. So the producers decided to cut him out of movie before the national release.

[RGA]

Just to point out that William Shatner is a lot better actor than people give him credit for being. He may always be known as Kirk - but a lot of people also know him as "Denny Crane" and some TJ Hooker" - he managed to get out from arguably the most intensely loyal fanbase out there in the Star Trek Franchise.

I have started watching Boston Legal again and I don't think of him as Kirk - I think of him as Denny Crane. Remember, Shatner won an Emmy for Denny Crane. To me BL was the best show on TV during its run. David Kelley managed to get the Practice blended with a little bit of Ally McBeal (which went too far IMO) and blend it beautifully.

Shatner has the comedic touch and that helped get him out of the typecasting.

I love Denny Crane - denny speech - YouTube

[Kam]

When I think of typecasting, I think of guys like Tony Danza or Matt LeBlanc. It's like they're playing themselves on camera.

Speaking of playing oneself...I was sort of impressed by that guy who played the founder of Facebook in The Social Network. Then I saw him in something else and I realized that's largely his real demeanor.

Actually even if they are 'playing themselves' that's not easy to do. Take a look at how many models fail at playing themselves as models in films, or singers who can't play singers, etc. Sometimes just being yourself is incredibly difficult to portray realistically in a movie.
Check out Matt LeBlanc in the showtime series Episodes. He's fantastic in it and really good at "playing himself" even though it's not really him.