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Person Online Asks “Which Actor Crushed A Role So Hard That Nobody Else Will Be Able To Live Up To It?”, 50 People Deliver
Characters in movies and TV series are often defined by the actors who play them. And while characters can have a myriad of people play them, there is always that one actor who manages to fill a character's shoes the best, and people can’t imagine anyone else playing the role.
Reddit has been discussing just that. One user asked the lovely AskReddit community which actor crushed a role so hard that nobody else will be able to live up to it? and got a slew of amazing responses.
Bored Panda has collected the best answers and turned it into a curated list that you can find below. While you’re scrolling, comment and vote on the submissions you loved the most, and tell us what character-actor combinations you think are iconic in the comment section below!
More Info: Reddit
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#1
When they inevitably recast Jack Sparrow [Johnny Depp], it'll be clear just how big a gap there is.
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#4
RDJ for Iron Man, the man WAS Tony Stark end of discussion.
#5
Ryan Reynolds did an excellent job being Deadpool to the point where i am reading a Deadpool comic book with Reynolds' voice in my head narrating it.
#6
Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones.
He’s so deeply connected to that character that I feel it would be impossible for anyone else to fill the fedora.
#8
Robin Williams as the genie.
Aunt Messy 3 years ago
Robin Williams in any part he ever played. He owned all of his characters.
#9
Ian McKellen is the both true Gandalfs.
#11
Sir Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean Luc Picard.
#12
Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, amazing acting.
Kathy Brandt 3 years ago
My favorite scene was when Oberyn visited Tyrion in prison. Tyrion didn't speak a word while Oberyn was doing his dialog. His emotions spoke volumes.
#14
Arnold Schwarzenegger - Terminator.
#16
Hugh Jackman as Wolverine.
#17
Tim Curry, Frank N Furter. Anyone else in the role knows they never live up to that sexy god of a man. ‘I can make you a man’ is the most brilliant filthy scene to appear on cinema screens while people aren’t nude :/
#18
Christina Ricci as Wednesday Addams.
earringnut 3 years ago
I'm a fan of the sitcom and Ricci did great but in my mind she's not the only Wednesday.
#19
Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn. Best book to movie translation for a character I’ve ever seen.
Marlowe Fitzpatrik 3 years ago
Eh. He did good, but "best book-to-movie translation" would definitely not go there. I'd say that honor goes to Michael Sheen and David Tennant as Aziraphel and Crowley for "Good Omens".
#22
Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge.
Umbridge sucked in the books, but in the movies she turned Umbridge into a character that you just don't like into one that you hate with a burning passion.
Charlotte A. 3 years ago
I hated the character to begin with and was really curious as to who could possibly do such an awful person "justice". Imelda did it wonderfully (and without me hating HER for it - sometimes it's just hard to disconnect one character from another played by the same actor). But that said, I think almost every actor cast in Harry Potter was a great choice. I was also curious who Emma Thompson would play when I heard she'd be in the series, and I did NOT see her Trelawney coming. Absolutely excellent!
#24
Jack Nicholson in the Shining.
#27
Jim Carrey in The Mask.
Slinkman 3 years ago
This role was written for Jim. He always has a habbit of playing the same kind of character in every movie he's in. No matter what he does there ALWAYS slips a bit of Carey into his performances. The Grinch has Carey, Ace ventura has Carey, Count Olaf has Carey. But in the Mask it didn't matter, he could go out of his way to be himself.
#28
Bryan Cranston as Walter White in Breaking Bad. He begins as sympathetic and ends up terrifying.
And in general the whole cast of Malcolm in the Middle, even the very secondary role. There have been many middle class effed up famy sitcom but zero have achieved to be crazy and relatable like this show.
Kathy Brandt 3 years ago
I had to watch an episode of "Malcom in the Middle" to like Bryan Cranston again.
#29
Jody Foster as Clarice Starling. I particularly love the scene where she looks at Buffalo Bill’s victim and you hear her voice crack during the first part of the description, where she is looking at tiny personal details like painted fingernails, but then go clinical and determined when she sees the wounds on the girl’s back. Playing badass women often veers either towards emotionless and stalwart, or basically aping a 80s action male role. Foster nailed the emotional vulnerability, ambition, and courage of that character in minute, but profound ways. No one compares.
#30
Leslie Nielsen as Frank Drebin.
#31
I really can't see anyone else as Hellboy. Ron Pearlman was amazing.
#33
Joaquin Phoenix as commodus in gladiator. I have never hated a character so much till I saw him in that movie. He is so cowardly, despicable, and creepy. Phoenix did such a good job in making you loathe his character.
#34
Patrick Stewart as Professor X, and everyone knew it would happen a decade before the first X-Men movie.
#35
Danny Trejo as Machete.
#36
Christoph Waltz as Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds.
#37
Steve Carrell as Michael Scott.
BlueReaper 3 years ago
Let’s face it, Andy Bernard never met the expectations of Michael Scott.
#38
[Nick Offerman as] Ron Swanson.
#40
Kelsey Grammer, Frasier Crane.
#42
Rainn Wilson as Dwight Scrute.
#43
Ronald Lee Ermey as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket.
#44
Catherin O'Hara as Moira Rose!!
#45
Val Kilmer in Tombstone.
Amazing Doc Holliday!
Every once in a while there's a role that it seems like the actor was born to play. There's really not another role that compares in his career.
#48
Jessica Walter in Arrested Development (and Archer) .. her mean mom character dynamic is gold
#49
Ian McDiarmid as Emperor Palpatine.
Glynna Bowood 3 years ago
Maybe someone else could have been creepier but I am hard pressed to imagine it!
What do you think ?
Vicky Z 3 years ago
Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins! I love Emily Blunt but i think Mary Poppins is only one
Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
Came down here just to say this. Julie Andrews IS Mary Poppins.
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Ciara Federico 3 years ago
What about Macaulay Culkin? He’s really the only Kevin there should have been.
Chaotic-Pansexual (she/they) 3 years ago
Oh my god yes I can’t believe no one said that. He is the only true Kevin
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Vicky Z 3 years ago
Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins! I love Emily Blunt but i think Mary Poppins is only one
Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
Came down here just to say this. Julie Andrews IS Mary Poppins.
Load More Replies... Ciara Federico 3 years ago
What about Macaulay Culkin? He’s really the only Kevin there should have been.
Chaotic-Pansexual (she/they) 3 years ago
Oh my god yes I can’t believe no one said that. He is the only true Kevin
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