In the movie industry, there are certain actors known for certain characters — this is especially the case of franchise actors like Tom Holland and Spider-Man and Vin Diesel intheFast and Furiousfranchise. Indeed, it’s often hard for audiences to separate these actors from the roles that made them famous. One ofUncharted’s flaws washow it didn’t know how to use Tom Holland, never quite succeeding in making the boyish actor the cool Nathan Drake fans of the video game know so well.
On the other side, there are also actors known for playing extremely similar characters across their filmography. We’ve put together a list of these actors who play the same type of character in a lot of their movies.
Related:Here Are 10 of the Best Actor Transformations of All Time
7Michael Cera
Michael Cerabecame a household name in the early-mid-2000s, mostly for playing the exact same character across several of his movies. From his stint inArrested Developmentto his iconic roles in teen movies such asSuperbadandJuno, he’s always played the awkward teenager with very limited social skills played for comedic effect. His fish-out-of-water act is always enjoyable to watch, and while more recently he has branched out into dramatic theater roles, he was back to his old self in the 2018 reboot ofArrested Development. Cera portrays this specific niche flawlessly, and it’s his innocently awkward characters that keep us going back to these nostalgia fests that he helped to define through this character type.
6Emma Watson
Since her start in the universally acclaimed franchise,Harry Potter,Emma Watsonhas gone on to be in an avalanche of adored movies. FromThe Perks of Being A Wallflowerto more recentlyLittle Women, she’s kept to form, playing the bookish, sensitive, and often underestimated woman character that has defined both her personality and her career for as long as she’s been in the public eye. No matter what movie of hers you’re watching, there’s a distinctly Emma Watson-quality to her characters that is unavoidable — and because this is based on her personality, it nonetheless feels incredibly natural and refreshing to watch.
5Michelle Rodriguez
Michelle Rodriguezis fantastic at playing the hardened and snarky character in her entire filmography. A lot of this can be attributed to her role inFast and Furiousfranchise, but even outside that we have characters such as Diana inGirlfightand Trudy inAvatarthat help define her career as this character type. She is known for playing the women who take no prisoners and will get the job done no matter what the personal cost is, and though it is a common trope, it is perhaps done best by Rodriguez.
4Tom Cruise
This list would be incomplete without Mr. Top Gun on it.Tom Cruisehas become known for the suave action hero roles he plays so often, and for good reason. Even his works outside the action genre have a distinctive action hero-type quality to them, such as smooth-talking Joel Goodson in 1983’sRisky Business, or Stacee Jaxx inRock of Ages. Cruise and his characters have been adored for decades by gracing the screen with his charm, and ability to get the job done, when necessary, at times often sacrificing himself for the plot of the movie. He truly is one of the greats of cinema, in spite of his rigid type casting. You can see more of Cruise inTop Gun: Maverickreleasing later this year.
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3Zooey Deschanel
Zooey Deschanelhas often been dubbed the ultimate manic pixie dream girl, and when looking into her extensive filmography, it’s not difficult to understand why. The role that perhaps embodies this trope the most is Summer in the classic anti-romcom500 Days of Summer, but it can also be identified in the Christmas classicElfandYes Man, among others. While Deschanel has come out against the ‘Manic Pixie Dream Girl’ label assigned to her characters, the trope is still the same: women who are different in some way, and inspire their romantic counterpart to change their worldview, usually to a more positive outlook. No matter what this character type is labeled, Deschanel is the standout actress for portraying it, and we love watching her in these roles!
2Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Anistonhas been a cultural icon since her starring role as Rachel in beloved 90s sitcom,Friends. She has gone on to be in many movies — for a time it was impossible to see a romantic comedy out without Aniston in it — but most of her characters have been the same, just in slightly different situations. For example, inMarley & Me, Jenny Grogan is a high-flyer, who is gorgeous and charming while still being down to earth. She is also similar to Aniston’s characters in later movies such asJust Go With It, andWe’re The Millers, among others. Alongside this, all of these characters bear personality resemblances to Rachel, the character that started it all. Jennifer Aniston is synonymous with the characters in films that every woman wants to be, and we love watching her in these roles.
1Hugh Grant
To finish this list, we haveHugh Grant. Grant is the awkward and bumbling but effortlessly romantic British character in so many of his films. FromNotting HillandLove ActuallytoSense and SensibilityandFour Weddings and a Funeral, Grant is potentially the actor that started the worldwide craze for British men in romance movies. It is perhaps his relatability in these roles that makes him the go-to choice. Yes, he is charming, but he is not perfect and is often lacking in other areas to make up the difference. He’s handsome, but far from the likes ofBaywatchactors, and he is often unintentionally sweet in these roles, without a grand plan (well, until the romantic gesture that definesthe very movieshe built his career on). This is what makes Hugh Grant so good, even without a wide variety of roles in his filmography.
