With actors returning to some of their iconic roles in May, such as Benedict Cumberbatch in Top Gun: Maverick, fans are reminded of the fact that they sometimes associate an actor with a role so strongly that they still see those characters in the actors' other films. The strengths of the associations may vary, but there are countless examples of this phenomenon and Reddit s have picked out some of their favorite examples.
Whether it's Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, or Steve Carell as Michael Scott, there are just some actors who audiences can't see as anyone else.
Mark Hamill & Carrie Fisher (Luke & Leia - Star Wars)
Although the two had successful careers after their stints in the Star Wars trilogy, fans can't seem to shake Luke and Leia from Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher. Reddit Old_Establishment766 says that they "always will be Luke and Leia."
Hamill is also known for voicing the Joker in animated When Harry Met Sally, but it's inarguable that Star Wars takes precedence over anything else they've done in their careers from a fan's perspective. It also doesn't help that they played them in five or six films in the saga spanning nearly 40 years.
Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter - Harry Potter)
While he has made an effort to diversify his roles and work after the series had concluded in 2011, it's inevitable that fans still see a lot of Harry when they look at Daniel Radcliffe. Reddit quakank states that every time they see him in a film, they find themselves "wondering how Harry Potter got himself into such a scenario."
Starring in indie films such as The Lost City has had quite an impact on how some audiences see Radcliffe as an actor, but Harry Potter is still quite a large monkey on his back. Growing up over the course of eight films in front of and along with fans of the series probably helps cement that role in their minds despite seeing him in completely different settings after the fact.
Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark/Iron Man - MCU)
Robert Downey Jr. was a well-known actor even before 2008, but his current popularity is mostly thanks to his role in the MCU. Reddit peachpinkjedi indicates that if they see him in a film where he isn't Tony Stark, they think that he's just "Tony Stark making an acting cameo."
While he's had many iconic or Oscar-nominated roles in films such as exciting role in Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer.
Jack Gleeson (Joffrey Baratheon - Game Of Thrones)
Despite having small roles in films such as Game of Thrones and can't seem to unsee Joffrey. Reddit theyusedthelamppost states that "no one could be that good of an actor" when referencing how they think Gleeson and Joffrey are actually one and the same.
In most instances, being heavily associated with a character may provide positive effects on an actor's career or personal life, but in the case of an iconic villain character such as Joffrey, this may not entirely be the case. Congratulations are in order to Gleeson for doing such an amazing job in the role, but he's surely keen on making a name for himself outside of the character that everyone loved to hate.
Ryan Reynolds (Wade Wilson/Deadpool - Deadpool)
Similar to the actor/character combination of Robert Downey Jr. and Tony Stark, audiences now heavily associate Ryan Reynolds with his character of Wade Wilson and Deadpool. Reddit sketchymurr says that they're convinced Reynolds is "actually Deadpool" and that in other movies "he's just Deadpool out for a new thrill."
One would think that the mask and the disfigured face of the character would help fans discern Reynolds from Wilson, but the casting was so accurate to the character that audiences still can't tell the difference. It's also made more difficult considering Reynolds' sarcasm and humorous nature in real life.
Steve Carell (Michael Scott - The Office)
Steve Carell had been in several comedic films such as Bruce Almighty and The Office. Reddit sarcatastic13 states that "you can't tell me that show wasn't improv" and that "Michael was something special."
Even though Carell went on to do vastly different roles such as his Oscar-nominated performance in Foxcatcher or as David Sheff in Beautiful Boy, sometimes an actor is so good in a role that it just sticks. It also helps that audiences end up rewatching his performance as Scott countless times when rewatching The Office.
Elijah Wood (Frodo - The Lord Of The Rings)
With Peter Jackson bringing the J.R.R. Tolkien novels to life with such authenticity, fans of the series will inevitably latch on to the pitch-perfect casting choices as well, not the least of which is Frodo Baggins. Reddit PlatypusWeekend says that "Elijah Wood will always be Frodo."
The Lord Of The Rings adaptations, but the role of Frodo has been his most widely known and most seen role thus far in his career. Even in completely different films such as Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, fans see Frodo wherever he goes.
Aaron Paul (Jesse Pinkman - Breaking Bad)
Alongside Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul helped make Breaking Bad one of the best TV shows of all time, but for some people, he might have done too good of a job. Reddit X_Zephyr said that they "almost typed out Jesse Pinkman" when trying to refer to Aaron Paul.
His Emmy-winning performance as Jesse Pinkman solidified Paul as an actor to be reckoned with, but despite his other performances in shows such as Westworld, audiences keep getting reminded of his Breaking Bad character. His distinct voice may have something to do with that, especially for something like a voice role in BoJack Horseman.
Hugh Jackman (Logan/Wolverine - X-Men)
Hugh Jackman eventually made more of a name for himself, but he was initially introduced to most audiences in X-Men, and fans still associate him with the series. Reddit AewMark21 says that "Hugh Jackman will always be Wolverine."
Despite well-known performances in musicals such as The Greatest Showman, audiences strongly associate the character of Logan with Jackman, and they can't really be blamed as he held the role for 17 years. Perhaps more separation might be made whenever a new actor comes around for Wolverine, but Jackman may have the definitive take on the character for the foreseeable future.
Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean - Mr. Bean)
Despite initially starring in the sitcom Mr. Bean when they see Rowan Atkinson in a film or TV show. Reddit werebilby says that when Atkinson has a speaking part in a role "it feels almost wrong."
The popularity of the character of Mr. Bean was largely thanks to Atkinson's flawless physical comedy during its television run, and he continued his iconic performance in two films after the fact as well. Considering there wasn't much dialogue in the series, fans are easily befuddled when Atkinson speaks in any of his other roles such as in Johnny English.
