Famous actors playing the same character in one movie

Numanoid · 11-05-09, 12:08 PM

I got to thinking about a movie I saw recently called A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints, wherein a young Shia LaBeouf plays the character of Dito as a youth, and Robert Downey Jr. plays the grown up Dito.

It occurred to me to try to think of other pairings in films where the same character is played by two or more well-known actors, aka "stars" (or went on to become stars, as in the above example).

I'm sure there are dozens of other examples (and I realize this thread may have been done before, but it's a hard topic to search on). Can you name any?

Remember, not-very-well-known actors don't count. For instance, Jeff East as young Clark Kent in Superman: The Movie doesn't really count, because despite appearing in a couple other mildly successful '80s movies, Jeff East is a long way from a household name.

Groucho · 11-05-09, 12:13 PM

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

KillerCannibal · 11-05-09, 12:13 PM

Godfather II - Vito Corleone, played by Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando

Edit: I'm retarded, but I'll leave my incorrect response up for public ridicule.

Groucho · 11-05-09, 12:15 PM

Marlon Brando wasn't in Godfather 2.

KillerCannibal · 11-05-09, 12:21 PM

Damn brain of mine! I think I tend to view I and II as one long movie in my mind.

Dr. DVD · 11-05-09, 12:29 PM

Ashley Judd as Norma Jean Baker and Mira Sorvino as Marilyn Monroe in the HBO movie: Norma Jean and Marilyn

Best example I can think of: Face/Off

John Travolta and Nicolas Cage both take turns playing the hero/villain.

Ash Ketchum · 11-05-09, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Numanoid

I got to thinking about a movie I saw recently called A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints, wherein a young Shia LaBeouf plays the character of Dito as a youth, and Robert Downey Jr. plays the grown up Dito.

It occurred to me to try to think of other pairings in films where the same character is played by two or more well-known actors, aka "stars" (or went on to become stars, as in the above example).

I'm sure there are dozens of other examples (and I realize this thread may have been done before, but it's a hard topic to search on). Can you name any?

Remember, not-very-well-known actors don't count. For instance, Jeff East as young Clark Kent in Superman: The Movie doesn't really count, because despite appearing in a couple other mildly successful '80s movies, Jeff East is a long way from a household name.

MANHATTAN MELODRAMA (1934) - Mickey Rooney plays Clark Gable as a kid
BEAU GESTE (1939) - Donald O'Connor plays Gary Cooper as a kid
JANE EYRE (1944) - Peggy Ann Garner plays Joan Fontaine as a kid

BlueCC · 11-05-09, 12:41 PM

Radio Flyer - Tom Hanks and Elijah Wood

TallGuyMe · 11-05-09, 12:51 PM

Richard Dreyfuss and Wil Wheaton in 'Stand By Me'

Meglos · 11-05-09, 12:52 PM

River Phoenix and Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Bill Pullman and Balthazar Getty in Lost Highway...probably.

Groucho · 11-05-09, 12:57 PM

John Randolph and Rock Hudson in Seconds
Raquel Welch and Rex Reed(!) in Myra Breckinridge

jjcool · 11-05-09, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KillerCannibal

Godfather II - Vito Corleone, played by Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando

Edit: I'm retarded, but I'll leave my incorrect response up for public ridicule.

Dont be so hard on yourself. First one that popped into my head as well.
Followed quickly by this one:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meglos

River Phoenix and Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

What about the Bob Dylan film that came out recently? Never saw it but werent there a couple of people that played Dylan?

dogmatica · 11-05-09, 01:11 PM

Gloria Stuart isn't necessarily a household name yet she was nominated along with Kate Winslet for a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for playing the same character, Rose, in Titanic.

Isn't there some sort of actor switch on the same character halfway through Lost Highway?

In Robocop, the same character is played by both Peter Weller and the real Robocop.

Groucho · 11-05-09, 01:14 PM

Once Upon a Time in America -- Jennifer Connolly & Elizabeth McGovern

All of the Mission Impossible movies have this but my favorite is in 3:

Spoiler:

Ginwen · 11-05-09, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KillerCannibal

Godfather II - Vito Corleone, played by Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando

Edit: I'm retarded, but I'll leave my incorrect response up for public ridicule.

The same thing popped into my head, luckily it popped right out again.

It works if you go with The Godfather: The Complete Motion Picture Saga (or whatever the hell it's called).

Snowmaker · 11-05-09, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meglos

River Phoenix and Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

You took my first thought.

majorjoe23 · 11-05-09, 01:33 PM

Mayim Bialik and Bette Midler in Beaches.

Mondo Kane · 11-05-09, 01:37 PM

Does I'm Not There count?

Drexl · 11-05-09, 01:47 PM

Now and Then had at least one, maybe two of these. Christina Ricci played the young Rosie O'Donnell, of all people. Thora Birch (not that famous but sort of known) was the young Melanie Griffith. The other two didn't really become famous. Gaby Hoffman (the young Demi Moore) at least works steadily, and Ashleigh Aston Moore (the young Rita Wilson) died of pneumonia at age 26.

Jay G. · 11-05-09, 01:53 PM

Wouldn't a number of the body-switching films work for this?

Freaky Friday (2003)
Vice Versa (1988)

And somewhat related:
Face/Off (1997) edit: Dr. DVD beat me to this
Being John Malkovich (1999)
17 Again (2009)
All of Me (1984)

Meglos · 11-05-09, 02:11 PM

Michael J Fox and Eric Stoltz in the first Back to the Future.

Bluelitespecial · 11-05-09, 02:19 PM

The movie from a couple of years ago, where there was several people who played Bob Dylan, I don't remember the name.

Numanoid · 11-05-09, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjcool

What about the Bob Dylan film that came out recently? Never saw it but werent there a couple of people that played Dylan?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mondo Kane

Does I'm Not There count?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluelitespecial

The movie from a couple of years ago, where there was several people who played Bob Dylan, I don't remember the name.

I thought about putting this in the OP, but although several famous actors are ostensibly playing Dylan in the movie, their characters actually have different names. So yes and no.

Indy24LA · 11-05-09, 02:25 PM

A silly one, but Tom Cruise and Mike Meyers playing Austin Powers in part 3. And what about Peter Sellers and David Niven in Casino Royale? Never saw it, but I thought they both played James Bond.

HN · 11-05-09, 02:41 PM

Norton Pitt Durden

11-05-09, 12:08 PM	#1
Numanoid DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Down in 'The Park' Posts: 21,340	Famous actors playing the same character in one movie I got to thinking about a movie I saw recently called A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints, wherein a young Shia LaBeouf plays the character of Dito as a youth, and Robert Downey Jr. plays the grown up Dito. It occurred to me to try to think of other pairings in films where the same character is played by two or more well-known actors, aka "stars" (or went on to become stars, as in the above example). I'm sure there are dozens of other examples (and I realize this thread may have been done before, but it's a hard topic to search on). Can you name any? Remember, not-very-well-known actors don't count. For instance, Jeff East as young Clark Kent in Superman: The Movie doesn't really count, because despite appearing in a couple other mildly successful '80s movies, Jeff East is a long way from a household name.

11-05-09, 12:13 PM	#2
Groucho DVD Talk Hero Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 46,696	Re: Famous actors playing the same character in one movie The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus __________________ Panda Killers? Xbox Live: Runner Groucho PSN: RunnerGroucho

11-05-09, 12:13 PM	#3
KillerCannibal DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 7,515	Re: Famous actors playing the same character in one movie Godfather II - Vito Corleone, played by Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando Edit: I'm retarded, but I'll leave my incorrect response up for public ridicule. __________________ Top 10 most-wanted BD titles:Blue Velvet/Once Upon A Time in the West/Jaws/Boogie Nights/Prince of Darkness/Videodrome/Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla ('74)/Beyond the Valley of the Dolls/Phantasm/Death Wish October Horror Movie Challenge 2009 Last edited by KillerCannibal; 11-05-09 at 12:23 PM.

11-05-09, 12:15 PM	#4
Groucho DVD Talk Hero Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 46,696	Re: Famous actors playing the same character in one movie Marlon Brando wasn't in Godfather 2.

11-05-09, 12:21 PM	#5
KillerCannibal DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 7,515	Re: Famous actors playing the same character in one movie Damn brain of mine! I think I tend to view I and II as one long movie in my mind. __________________ Top 10 most-wanted BD titles:Blue Velvet/Once Upon A Time in the West/Jaws/Boogie Nights/Prince of Darkness/Videodrome/Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla ('74)/Beyond the Valley of the Dolls/Phantasm/Death Wish October Horror Movie Challenge 2009

11-05-09, 12:29 PM	#6
Dr. DVD DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Daytona Beach, FL Posts: 12,754	Re: Famous actors playing the same character in one movie Ashley Judd as Norma Jean Baker and Mira Sorvino as Marilyn Monroe in the HBO movie: Norma Jean and Marilyn Best example I can think of: Face/Off John Travolta and Nicolas Cage both take turns playing the hero/villain. __________________ “The time will come, the election will come, when your work and your ballots will change the world, and it’s worth fighting for,” -John Kerry's concession speech

11-05-09, 12:41 PM	#8
BlueCC Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Colorado Posts: 529	Re: Famous actors playing the same character in one movie Radio Flyer - Tom Hanks and Elijah Wood __________________ "You just missed out on some great sexual harassment." -Mel Sharples Last edited by BlueCC; 11-05-09 at 01:29 PM.

11-05-09, 12:51 PM	#9
TallGuyMe DVD Talk Ultimate Edition Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 4,570	Re: Famous actors playing the same character in one movie Richard Dreyfuss and Wil Wheaton in 'Stand By Me'

11-05-09, 12:52 PM	#10
Meglos DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 1,133	Re: Famous actors playing the same character in one movie River Phoenix and Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Bill Pullman and Balthazar Getty in Lost Highway...probably. __________________ Cordially, Future Dwight "Why don't you give me Ape Tit for two hundred." - Turd Ferguson Last edited by Meglos; 11-05-09 at 12:55 PM.

11-05-09, 12:57 PM	#11
Groucho DVD Talk Hero Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 46,696	Re: Famous actors playing the same character in one movie John Randolph and Rock Hudson in Seconds Raquel Welch and Rex Reed(!) in Myra Breckinridge

11-05-09, 01:11 PM	#13
dogmatica DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Hopkins, MN Posts: 2,245	Re: Famous actors playing the same character in one movie Gloria Stuart isn't necessarily a household name yet she was nominated along with Kate Winslet for a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for playing the same character, Rose, in Titanic. Isn't there some sort of actor switch on the same character halfway through Lost Highway? In Robocop, the same character is played by both Peter Weller and the real Robocop. __________________ 1. Giant signatures are always the best. \| 2. Always quote giant pics and entire posts. \| 3. Snark, snark, snark!

11-05-09, 01:14 PM	#14
Groucho DVD Talk Hero Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 46,696	Re: Famous actors playing the same character in one movie Once Upon a Time in America -- Jennifer Connolly & Elizabeth McGovern All of the Mission Impossible movies have this but my favorite is in 3: Spoiler: Philip Seymour Hoffman plays Tom Cruise's character for a few minutes. Last edited by Groucho; 11-05-09 at 01:17 PM.

11-05-09, 01:33 PM	#17
majorjoe23 DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Death Moans, Iowa Posts: 5,155	Re: Famous actors playing the same character in one movie Mayim Bialik and Bette Midler in Beaches.

11-05-09, 01:37 PM	#18
Mondo Kane DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 5,760	Re: Famous actors playing the same character in one movie Does I'm Not There count? __________________ D-nado

11-05-09, 01:47 PM	#19
Drexl DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 10,369	Re: Famous actors playing the same character in one movie Now and Then had at least one, maybe two of these. Christina Ricci played the young Rosie O'Donnell, of all people. Thora Birch (not that famous but sort of known) was the young Melanie Griffith. The other two didn't really become famous. Gaby Hoffman (the young Demi Moore) at least works steadily, and Ashleigh Aston Moore (the young Rita Wilson) died of pneumonia at age 26.

11-05-09, 01:53 PM	#20
Jay G. DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 6,033	Re: Famous actors playing the same character in one movie Wouldn't a number of the body-switching films work for this? Freaky Friday (2003) Vice Versa (1988) And somewhat related: Face/Off (1997) edit: Dr. DVD beat me to this Being John Malkovich (1999) 17 Again (2009) All of Me (1984) Last edited by Jay G.; 11-05-09 at 01:57 PM.

11-05-09, 02:11 PM	#21
Meglos DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 1,133	Re: Famous actors playing the same character in one movie Michael J Fox and Eric Stoltz in the first Back to the Future. __________________ Cordially, Future Dwight "Why don't you give me Ape Tit for two hundred." - Turd Ferguson

11-05-09, 02:19 PM	#22
Bluelitespecial DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Kansas Posts: 2,527	Re: Famous actors playing the same character in one movie The movie from a couple of years ago, where there was several people who played Bob Dylan, I don't remember the name.

11-05-09, 02:25 PM	#24
Indy24LA Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 101	Re: Famous actors playing the same character in one movie A silly one, but Tom Cruise and Mike Meyers playing Austin Powers in part 3. And what about Peter Sellers and David Niven in Casino Royale? Never saw it, but I thought they both played James Bond.

11-05-09, 02:41 PM	#25
HN DVD Talk Ultimate Edition Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 4,405	Re: Famous actors playing the same character in one movie Norton Pitt Durden