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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.
#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.
Nadine Bamberger 3 years ago
By the end of the show there was so much Offerman in Swanson, they can never be separated.
Cats ToRiches 3 years ago
Nick Offerman is definitely one of my favorites. I could see him take any role and love it all!
#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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cassiushumanmother 3 years ago
I disagree, the clownfish was way better, such a great actor!
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Carol Emory 3 years ago
Especially Miranda Preistly in The Devil Wears Prada.
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Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago (edited)
William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles, Sidney Poitier as Mark Thackeray and Virgil Tibbs, Humphrey Bogart in anything, Clark Gable as Rhett Butler and Vivian Leigh as Scarlett O’Hara, James Cagney in anything including dancing, John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn, Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey, Charlie Chaplin as The Little Tramp, Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy as a couple in any of their movies together, and the list goes on and on. There are a load of movies that should never ever be remade, because the casting in the original is just so perfect no one would ever be able to match it, and the remake would be a big fat flop.
John Baker 3 years ago
Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch. Anthony Quinn as Alexis Zorba. Alistair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge. Maggie Smith as Jean Brodie. Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn in On Golden Pond. Charlize Theron as Ailene Wournos. The list indeed goes on.
Load More Replies...
Marion Connolly 3 years ago
Can't believe no-one mentioned Jack Black in 'School of Rock', impossible to re-cast
Cecilia 3 years ago
Weird, to me, Jack Black IS Po, the dragon warrior in Kung Fu Panda
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RoseTheMad 3 years ago
Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange in HP too -she was perfectly mad in the role. (she was also perfect as the Queen Of Hearts too imo xD )
Luis F 3 years ago
Also Loki spoilers here that character combined with that actor just perfect
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Kat 3 years ago
I saw this new Cruella movie and Emma Stone did a really good role. Kind of a psycho and all.
Load More Replies...
J. F. 3 years ago (edited)
Bruce Campbell as "Ash Williams" (The Evil Dead) - NOBODY could ever play the role like he does
Elizabeth Joy 3 years ago
Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing. Apparently Billy Zain was next in line, but I really couldn't imagine him in it instead.
Computernaut 3 years ago
I would definitely add Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars.
Isabel 3 years ago
Glenn Close in Fatal attraction. She was so good that it kept men from cheating in real life at the time (or so I've read).
Artoonist Corine 3 years ago
This is an oldie but I can't imagine ANYONE else playing Scarlett O'Hara since Vivien Leigh!
PeachPossum 3 years ago
Bette Davis would have been awesome, and she really wanted the part, but she had already done the Southern belle thing in Jezebel, so Selznick nixed her.
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Znaya 3 years ago
All of these characters are great. I know of all of them even though I didn't watch all of them. In my opinion the mark of a great actor is when you make a character so great and believable that no one else could possibly play the part without being compared to the original actor.
Cindy Bock 3 years ago
First name I thought of was Michael Clark Duncan as John Coffey in The Green Mile. Then there is Ken Watanabe innThe Last Samarii. There is Kevin Kostner in Message in a Bottle. Ryan Gosling in the Notebook and last of all Christopher Reeves in Somewhere in Time!
Cindy Bock 3 years ago
The first name I thought of was Michael Clark Duncan in The Green Mile as John Coffey. Then there was Tom Cruise in The Last Samari. I don’t like him that much, but he was good in it. There was also Christopher Reeves in Somewhere in Time and last of all Kevin Kostner in Message in a Bottle
Robbie Link 3 years ago
Charlie Sheen as Charlie Harper, he basically cast this role based on himself
Steve Holm 3 years ago
Dustin Hoffman in "Little Big Man"....an amazing spread of characters!!
Never Stop Learning 3 years ago
I can't believe this one doesn't have hundreds of upvotes!!
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Luis Hernandez Dauajare 3 years ago (edited)
Peter Sellers as Inspector Closeau in the Pink Panther series.
Neil Bidle 3 years ago
How is Christopher Reeve as Superman not on this list? Cavill is awful, or are most people too young to remember the real Superman? Even Dean Cain was better than HC!!
Paddling Panda 3 years ago
Emma Thompson as Nanny McPhee; Kate Winslet in every role she's ever played, same for Judi Dench, Helen Mirren (LOVED her in R.E.D and its sequels), Maggie Smith, Emily Blunt, Rachel Weisz, and yes, the list goes on...
Arthur Waite 3 years ago
Gimme a minute - take a deep breath, but . . . Bill Cosby as Dr. Huxtable in his multi-award-winning show. I don't miss Cosby a bit, but I do miss Cliff Huxtable
Dorothy Parker 3 years ago
All time favorite, but Matt Smith was a close second.
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Monica Pryts 2 years ago
There can never be another Scarlett O'Hara. Vivien Leigh had the original RBF.
Monica Pryts 2 years ago
Catherine O'Hara is a living legend who always understands the assignment.
Jessica Mae 2 years ago (edited)
HEATH LEDGER AS JOKER!?!?!??!?!! HELLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SHould have been the first one on here!
Matthew Braim 3 years ago
Daniel Craig as Bond, imho (sorry, sir SC) & Bruno Ganz as Adolf Hitler, xxx
Robyn Denton 3 years ago
What about Jack Gleeson as Joffrey Baratheon in Game Of Thrones? His portrayal of this slimy, sadistic character was so perfect that it had people cheering at his death! And Jason Isaacs as the evil Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter film series. And don't forget Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger in Twins. As the twins.
Wonderful 3 years ago
This is kind of weird cause it’s a biopic but they picked the absolute perfect woman for it. Angela Bassett as Tina Turner in What’s Love got to do with it. Absolutely amazing and I watch it every time it’s on tv. Also Laurence Fishburne as Ike turner was perfect too. Such a great movie. And on the topic of biopics Jamie Foxx in Ray was amazing too.
Evans Baker 3 years ago
Peter Falk as Columbo. Linda Carter and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. Jason Momoa as Aquaman. Jennifer Lopez as Selena. Mike Meyer as Sherk. Eddie Murphy as Donkey. Ellen DeGeneres as Dory.
FoREVer Tholomew Plague 3 years ago
How can you have Silence of the Lambs without mentioning Anthony Hopkins as Dr Hannibal Lecter? Also, James McAvoy as Kevin Wendell Crumb, Dennis, Patricia, Hedwig, Barry, The Beast, Jade, twins Ian and Mary Reynolds, Orwell, Norma, Goddard, Luke, BT, Heinrich, Polly, Felida, Mr Pritchard, Ansel, Jalin, Samuel, Bernice, Rakel, and Kat.
Rebecca Le 3 years ago
It is sad for several reasons that the vast majority of these are white men.
Carol Emory 3 years ago
How about Kurt Russell as Jack Burton in Big Trouble in Little China? Matthew Broderick as Ferris Bueller. Paul Rudd as Ant-Man.
Dr Nostromo 3 years ago
Chris Evans as Captain America and Matthew McConaughey as The Lincoln Lawyer.
Queen Metapha 3 years ago
WHERE THE HELL IS MARK HAMILL AS LUKE SKYWALKER?!?! DID YOU ALL MISS THE POINT OF THIS CHALLENGE?!?!
Random Panda 3 years ago
Can't believe you were downvoted. Mark IS Luke Skywalker.
Load More Replies...
Rannveig Ess 3 years ago
Jared Leto as Niander Wallace. Or Rayon in "Dallas Buyers Club". I'm in love with both of them because of him
colonel Kira Nerys 3 years ago
Nathan Fillion in everything he plays but especially firefly really the whole cast of firefly was perfect.
John Topper 3 years ago
Kevin Spacey as PROT in K--Pax. Love him or hate him he's an incredible actor.
Glirpy 3 years ago
There’s been a bunch of people that played Sherlock Holmes great.
Load More Replies...
Jane Alexander 3 years ago
Gregory Peck as Captain Ahab in Moby D**k! What fool ever thought they could best That movie?
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
Load More Replies... cassiushumanmother 3 years ago
I disagree, the clownfish was way better, such a great actor!
Load More Replies... Carol Emory 3 years ago
Especially Miranda Preistly in The Devil Wears Prada.
Load More Replies... Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago (edited)
William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles, Sidney Poitier as Mark Thackeray and Virgil Tibbs, Humphrey Bogart in anything, Clark Gable as Rhett Butler and Vivian Leigh as Scarlett O’Hara, James Cagney in anything including dancing, John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn, Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey, Charlie Chaplin as The Little Tramp, Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy as a couple in any of their movies together, and the list goes on and on. There are a load of movies that should never ever be remade, because the casting in the original is just so perfect no one would ever be able to match it, and the remake would be a big fat flop.
John Baker 3 years ago
Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch. Anthony Quinn as Alexis Zorba. Alistair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge. Maggie Smith as Jean Brodie. Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn in On Golden Pond. Charlize Theron as Ailene Wournos. The list indeed goes on.
Load More Replies... Marion Connolly 3 years ago
Can't believe no-one mentioned Jack Black in 'School of Rock', impossible to re-cast
Cecilia 3 years ago
Weird, to me, Jack Black IS Po, the dragon warrior in Kung Fu Panda
Load More Replies... RoseTheMad 3 years ago
Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange in HP too -she was perfectly mad in the role. (she was also perfect as the Queen Of Hearts too imo xD )
Luis F 3 years ago
Also Loki spoilers here that character combined with that actor just perfect
Load More Replies... Kat 3 years ago
I saw this new Cruella movie and Emma Stone did a really good role. Kind of a psycho and all.
Load More Replies... J. F. 3 years ago (edited)
Bruce Campbell as "Ash Williams" (The Evil Dead) - NOBODY could ever play the role like he does
Elizabeth Joy 3 years ago
Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing. Apparently Billy Zain was next in line, but I really couldn't imagine him in it instead.
Computernaut 3 years ago
I would definitely add Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars.
Isabel 3 years ago
Glenn Close in Fatal attraction. She was so good that it kept men from cheating in real life at the time (or so I've read).
Artoonist Corine 3 years ago
This is an oldie but I can't imagine ANYONE else playing Scarlett O'Hara since Vivien Leigh!
PeachPossum 3 years ago
Bette Davis would have been awesome, and she really wanted the part, but she had already done the Southern belle thing in Jezebel, so Selznick nixed her.
Load More Replies... Znaya 3 years ago
All of these characters are great. I know of all of them even though I didn't watch all of them. In my opinion the mark of a great actor is when you make a character so great and believable that no one else could possibly play the part without being compared to the original actor.
Cindy Bock 3 years ago
First name I thought of was Michael Clark Duncan as John Coffey in The Green Mile. Then there is Ken Watanabe innThe Last Samarii. There is Kevin Kostner in Message in a Bottle. Ryan Gosling in the Notebook and last of all Christopher Reeves in Somewhere in Time!
Cindy Bock 3 years ago
The first name I thought of was Michael Clark Duncan in The Green Mile as John Coffey. Then there was Tom Cruise in The Last Samari. I don’t like him that much, but he was good in it. There was also Christopher Reeves in Somewhere in Time and last of all Kevin Kostner in Message in a Bottle
Robbie Link 3 years ago
Charlie Sheen as Charlie Harper, he basically cast this role based on himself
Steve Holm 3 years ago
Dustin Hoffman in "Little Big Man"....an amazing spread of characters!!
Never Stop Learning 3 years ago
I can't believe this one doesn't have hundreds of upvotes!!
Load More Replies... Luis Hernandez Dauajare 3 years ago (edited)
Peter Sellers as Inspector Closeau in the Pink Panther series.
Neil Bidle 3 years ago
How is Christopher Reeve as Superman not on this list? Cavill is awful, or are most people too young to remember the real Superman? Even Dean Cain was better than HC!!
Paddling Panda 3 years ago
Emma Thompson as Nanny McPhee; Kate Winslet in every role she's ever played, same for Judi Dench, Helen Mirren (LOVED her in R.E.D and its sequels), Maggie Smith, Emily Blunt, Rachel Weisz, and yes, the list goes on...
Arthur Waite 3 years ago
Gimme a minute - take a deep breath, but . . . Bill Cosby as Dr. Huxtable in his multi-award-winning show. I don't miss Cosby a bit, but I do miss Cliff Huxtable
Dorothy Parker 3 years ago
All time favorite, but Matt Smith was a close second.
Load More Replies... Monica Pryts 2 years ago
There can never be another Scarlett O'Hara. Vivien Leigh had the original RBF.
Monica Pryts 2 years ago
Catherine O'Hara is a living legend who always understands the assignment.
Jessica Mae 2 years ago (edited)
HEATH LEDGER AS JOKER!?!?!??!?!! HELLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SHould have been the first one on here!
Matthew Braim 3 years ago
Daniel Craig as Bond, imho (sorry, sir SC) & Bruno Ganz as Adolf Hitler, xxx
Robyn Denton 3 years ago
What about Jack Gleeson as Joffrey Baratheon in Game Of Thrones? His portrayal of this slimy, sadistic character was so perfect that it had people cheering at his death! And Jason Isaacs as the evil Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter film series. And don't forget Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger in Twins. As the twins.
Wonderful 3 years ago
This is kind of weird cause it’s a biopic but they picked the absolute perfect woman for it. Angela Bassett as Tina Turner in What’s Love got to do with it. Absolutely amazing and I watch it every time it’s on tv. Also Laurence Fishburne as Ike turner was perfect too. Such a great movie. And on the topic of biopics Jamie Foxx in Ray was amazing too.
Evans Baker 3 years ago
Peter Falk as Columbo. Linda Carter and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. Jason Momoa as Aquaman. Jennifer Lopez as Selena. Mike Meyer as Sherk. Eddie Murphy as Donkey. Ellen DeGeneres as Dory.
FoREVer Tholomew Plague 3 years ago
How can you have Silence of the Lambs without mentioning Anthony Hopkins as Dr Hannibal Lecter? Also, James McAvoy as Kevin Wendell Crumb, Dennis, Patricia, Hedwig, Barry, The Beast, Jade, twins Ian and Mary Reynolds, Orwell, Norma, Goddard, Luke, BT, Heinrich, Polly, Felida, Mr Pritchard, Ansel, Jalin, Samuel, Bernice, Rakel, and Kat.
Rebecca Le 3 years ago
It is sad for several reasons that the vast majority of these are white men.
Carol Emory 3 years ago
How about Kurt Russell as Jack Burton in Big Trouble in Little China? Matthew Broderick as Ferris Bueller. Paul Rudd as Ant-Man.
Dr Nostromo 3 years ago
Chris Evans as Captain America and Matthew McConaughey as The Lincoln Lawyer.
Queen Metapha 3 years ago
WHERE THE HELL IS MARK HAMILL AS LUKE SKYWALKER?!?! DID YOU ALL MISS THE POINT OF THIS CHALLENGE?!?!
Random Panda 3 years ago
Can't believe you were downvoted. Mark IS Luke Skywalker.
Load More Replies... Rannveig Ess 3 years ago
Jared Leto as Niander Wallace. Or Rayon in "Dallas Buyers Club". I'm in love with both of them because of him
colonel Kira Nerys 3 years ago
Nathan Fillion in everything he plays but especially firefly really the whole cast of firefly was perfect.
John Topper 3 years ago
Kevin Spacey as PROT in K--Pax. Love him or hate him he's an incredible actor.
Glirpy 3 years ago
There’s been a bunch of people that played Sherlock Holmes great.
Load More Replies... Jane Alexander 3 years ago
Gregory Peck as Captain Ahab in Moby D**k! What fool ever thought they could best That movie?
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