Just wanted to know who comes to your mind as an Actor who can play multiple roles and do it well.

Top 5 Actors who can play many roles very well.

1. Tom Hanks
2. Robert Deniro
3. Mel Gibson
4. Eddie Murphy
5. Denzel Washington

Actors who can't play many roles. or you see them as one kind of
person no matter what they play

1. Arnold Schwarzenneger
2. Sylvester Stallone
3. George Clooney
4. Harrison Ford
5. Will Smith


Its not who the best is or the worst, Just for example, I can see Mel Gibson playing any role well, War Hero, Cop, Lawyer, 15th Century Fighter and so on

But I cant see Harrison Ford playing Doctor or Fedex Person.

That's an excellent list MarcinL.However i think it must have been an error because i don't see Eddie Murphy playing anything besides an idiot and making corny jokes.By the way that's post 1990 Eddie Murphy.The Eddie Murphy of the 80s was a legend.

I don't know how wide a range Denzel Washington and Tom Hanks have. Denzel seems to very often play the tough-talking guy up against the odds, and Tom Hanks the likeable simple man.

Actually, neither of those are fair, as Tom Hanks has done a variety of convincing roles, even if they're all generally good-natured.

Though I haven't been a fan of his in the past, Russell Crowe seems to have good range. Seeing him in The Insider, LA Confidential, and Gladiator, it's surprising to see him so differently.

In the past, it's been argued that Robin Williams always plays the same role, but he's clearly shown he can do otherwise, particularly with his performances in three quite different roles.

I name Daniel Day-Lewis the king of multiple roles.

tasha

Those who can:

Sean Connery
Paul Newman
Robert Redford
Matt Damon
Edward Norton
Al Pacino
John Travolta
Ed Harris


Those who can't:

Ben Affleck
Bruce Willis
Owen Wilson
Chris Rock
Christian Slater
Ben Stiller

Edward Norton definatley tops the list for me, that man is amazing in his ability to play a number of different types of characters and some even in the same film. The transformation his charcter went through from the beginning to end in American History X has in my mind always been an all time great performance, hes also shown amazing range in Primal Fear, Fight Club, 25th Hour, and just about any other role we've been fortunate enough to see him play.

Johnny Depp always springs to mind for me when I think "versatile actor".
And I also agree that Daniel Day Lewis can probably do anything, and do it amazingly well.

A suggestion for an actor who cannot play multiple roles, George Clooney. I like his films but they all seem to be the same guy which is him. The Clooney you see on the screen is the same guy you also see being interviewed on the Today show.

Gene Hackman
Robert Duvall
Peter Sellers

Robin Williams can!
Rob Downey Jr can!
Nic Cage can!
Jennifer Connely can!
Toni Colette can!
Maggie Smith can!
Susie Sarandon can!

Bruce Willis cant?!?! Are you serious? I own more dvds with Bruce Willis than any other actor and the are very diffrent. The Bruce Willis of Die Hard compared to the Bruce Willis of Sixth Sense? Or the Bruce Willis of Fifth Element compared to the Bruce Willis of 12 Monkeys? Come on.

Good topic MarcinL

I have to disagree with Mel Gibson; he's an OK actor IMO but when it comes to portraying grief or despair he always does the same faces . That scene in "Signs" where he proceeds to eat everybody's meal while crying had me laughing... See also "Conspiracy theory".

Amadeus pretty much said it on Eddie Murphy

I enjoy Denzel Washington's acting but in my twisted mind he suffers from that fatal "Demi Moore-Julia Roberts syndrome"... Whenever I see him onscreen I see Denzel Washington the actor playing someone else, NOT the character he is portraying.

I thought Stallone was pretty good in Copland, but that YO ROCKY !! thing will stay with him forever .

Will Smith was good in "6 degrees of separation".

Harrison Ford was very versatile and amazing as Col. G. Lucas in Apocalypse Now (Ok I'm stretching it here... But what about "Regarding Henry"?).

My list:

Those who can:

1) Kevin Spacey
2) Bill Paxton (Don't laugh please!!)
3) Brad Pitt
4) Angelina Jolie
5)Robin Williams

Those who can't:

1) Ray Liotta
2) Julia Roberts
3) Demi Moore (G.I. Jane )
4) Joe Pesci (not funny when not in "Gangsta mode" except "Raging Bull"..."Gone fishing" anyone?)
5) Chris Farley (Oops he's dead, he has no chance to redeem himself).


Of course I left out every actor stuck in his/her genre. Wanna see Jet Li in "The Elephant man"? I left those actors alone because they're good at what they do.

Don't forget about the Bruce Willis in North.

Booya!

Good choices! In my opinion Tom Cruise can also pull it off pretty well (Jerry Maguire, Minority Report, Far and Away...).

Don't get me wrong. I love Bruce Willis and I have almost all of his movies, but I think that all his characters just seem to have the same look and tone.

He really stretched his acting legs in North, the stand-up comedian, the UPS guy, the department Store Easter Bunny, etc.

Great movie.

Only one person here has mentioned one of the very best. A man who can make you believe he is a shy mousy loser, a deranged serial kiler, an egocentric studio exec, a crippled criminal mastermind, and an everyman going through a mid-life crisis. That man is Kevin Spacey and I believe is one of the best actors of all time.

I like to think that Brad Pitt is much more versatile than people give him credit for, but has anyone ever noticed that he is always paired up w/ another great co-star or w/ a great cast? Has he ever had a starring vehicle all to himself? I can't honestly think of one...

Edward Norton is the most versatile/believable actor working today.

Al Pacino plays Al Pacino in every film he is in. So does DeNiro. I am sorry, but it's the truth, has been for years.

Bruce Willis is more versatile than people give him credit for, but when he has to play a very serious role (Hart's War) I can't really watch him preen throughout the whole movie. He has one serious look and it is almost like he is trying his hardest to contort his face into that one preening look.

The finest actor currently working in my opinion. Penn is also frighteningly impressive.

I think Aaron Eckhart has shown tremendous range and chameleon-like qualities. You could watch "In the Company of Men", "Erin Brokovich", "Your Friends and Neighbors" and almost not realize it's the same guy.