Now that's artistic range! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most notable examples of actors breaking typecasting.
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00I could have them whip you up something.
00:02No sir, I'm fine.
00:05Good.
00:06Welcome to WatchMojo,
00:07and today we're counting down our picks for the most notable examples
00:11of actors breaking typecasting.
00:13Cool, we got a deal.
00:15Here's 300 down.
00:16What's your name?
00:17Max.
00:18Max.
00:19I'm Vincent.
00:20Number 30.
00:21Elijah Wood.
00:22Sin City.
00:23Heading downstairs to the kitchen,
00:25getting himself a midnight snack.
00:27And I can guess what kind.
00:29For a long time, Elijah Wood was known for his boyish charm,
00:33gentle demeanor, and heroic roles.
00:35He had won over audiences as a cute child actor,
00:38and eventually embodied heroism itself by playing the soft-spoken Frodo Baggins
00:43in The Lord of the Rings.
00:44But come 2005, just a few years after the iconic fantasy trilogy,
00:49Wood broke type by playing a menacing, cannibalistic serial killer in Sin City.
00:54He never said a word, but he still managed to unsettle viewers
00:58with a threatening stare and a malicious smile.
01:01Wood's disturbing performance proved he had a dark side.
01:04We didn't know he had it in him,
01:05and we had to watch The Lord of the Rings again as a palate cleanser.
01:09Damn, he eats people.
01:15Number 29.
01:17Woody Harrelson.
01:18Natural-born killers.
01:19You from out of town?
01:23Okay, I'll bite.
01:24Yeah, I'm from out of town.
01:26Today, Woody Harrelson is known as a highly versatile actor,
01:29having taken on all sorts of different roles.
01:32Heroic, villainous, and something in between.
01:35But that wasn't the case in the early 90s,
01:37when he was known for playing Woody Boyd on Cheers.
01:40The role earned him widespread acclaim,
01:42not to mention the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
01:46But Harrelson's comedic persona was shattered
01:48in Oliver Stone's controversial thriller Natural-born Killers,
01:52in which he plays sadistic mass murderer Mickey Knox.
01:56This film showcased Harrelson's natural ability to handle darker material,
02:00and led him down the path into more complex and varied characters.
02:05Luckily, he never lost that cheeky sense of humor.
02:08It's just murder, man.
02:09All God's creatures do it in some form or another.
02:12Number 28.
02:13Andre Brouwer.
02:14Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
02:15Robot captain, engage!
02:17Is that what you think?
02:18Hey!
02:20New captain alert!
02:21The late Andre Brouwer built his reputation on serious drama
02:25with standout performances in shows like Homicide, Life on the Street,
02:29and Men of a Certain Age.
02:31Luckily, and to the surprise of everyone,
02:33his dry personality worked perfectly for comedy,
02:36as showcased on Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
02:38Brouwer displayed impeccable comedic timing while still maintaining his stoic charm,
02:43making Captain Raymond Holt one of the most distinctive characters on television.
02:48The great thing about his role is that Holt himself isn't a funny person.
02:52He's made funny through Brouwer's brilliant performance.
02:55His robotic line delivery.
02:56And his complete lack of social awareness.
02:59Change is a good thing.
02:59Just yesterday you were ranting about the Philharmonic adding a second piccolo.
03:03It's too many, it'll muddle the sound.
03:04I'm sorry I brought it up.
03:05Number 27.
03:07Daniel Craig.
03:08Logan Lucky.
03:09I haven't seen you in a while.
03:11How goes it?
03:12Well, now I'm sitting on this side of the table wearing a onesie.
03:16How do you think it's going?
03:18It takes a certain kind of man to play James Bond.
03:21Unflappable, cold, tough.
03:23Daniel Craig did it all and received praise for his portrayal of the secret agent.
03:27His Bond was much darker and grittier than previous iterations,
03:31and the role brought Craig enormous fame as an action hero.
03:34But he defied expectations as Joe Bang in Logan Lucky,
03:38complete with bleach blonde hair and a thick southern accent.
03:41The role showed off Craig's comedic chops,
03:44not to mention his deft ability to disappear into flamboyant and eccentric characters.
03:49He would go on to play a similar role in Knives Out,
03:51carving himself a nice post-Bond career in the process.
03:55Presence will be ornamental.
03:58You will find me a respectful, quiet, passive observer.
04:03Number 26.
04:05Mary Tyler Moore.
04:06Ordinary People.
04:07All right, then if he changes his mind,
04:08maybe it's not something that was right for him to do.
04:12You talk to him about it?
04:13Does he want to go to London?
04:14I don't think he knows what he wants to do.
04:16Winning seven Emmys throughout her legendary career,
04:18Mary Tyler Moore is an icon of the small screen.
04:21She earned widespread recognition for her bubbly characters
04:24on The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show,
04:28both of which made her a pop culture superstar of the 60s and 70s.
04:32Absolutely no one was ready for her profoundly sad
04:35and moving performance in Ordinary People,
04:38in which she plays the grieving mother of a troubled teen with PTSD.
04:42Moore's powerful performance earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress
04:46and proved she could tackle heavyweight dramatic roles with finesse.
04:50Frothy TV sitcoms, best picture winning dramas,
04:54Moore could do it all.
04:55All he wants, all he wants is to know that you don't hate him.
04:59That's it.
05:00Hate him? God, how could I hate him?
05:02Mothers don't hate their sons.
05:04Is that what he told you?
05:05Number 25.
05:06Jason Bateman.
05:08Ozark.
05:08We just want to be comfortable with who we trust our money to.
05:13Mm-hmm.
05:14For better or worse,
05:15Jason Bateman is one of those actors who found his strengths and stuck to them.
05:19All of his comedic characters are pretty much the same.
05:22Sarcastic, uptight Michael Bluth types
05:25who react with disdain to the kookiness around them.
05:28But Bateman's comedic roots were put to the test in Ozark,
05:31a Netflix drama in which he plays a cartel money launderer.
05:34Bateman delivered a darkly complex performance
05:37that garnered critical acclaim and his first Emmy nomination
05:40for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
05:43With its dark, dramatic tone far removed from the comedic Bluth family antics,
05:48Ozark proved that Bateman is a master of both genres.
05:51Wendy, what are you doing?
05:52For once in your life, listen to me and get back inside.
05:54Get out of the car!
05:55Number 24.
05:56Ralph Fiennes.
05:57The Grand Budapest Hotel.
05:59Dear God, what have you done to your fingernails?
06:01I beg your pardon?
06:01This diabolical varnish.
06:02The color is completely wrong.
06:04No one does villains quite like Ralph Fiennes.
06:06Amen, good.
06:08Voldemort.
06:08That creepy chef from the menu.
06:10Maybe he just has one of those faces.
06:13But the man was born to play the baddie.
06:15So his association with menacing villains
06:17didn't prepare us for his performance in Wes Anderson's whimsical comedy,
06:21The Grand Budapest Hotel.
06:23Fiennes plays the hotel's eccentric concierge, Gustave H.,
06:27and he has one heck of a good time doing so.
06:30He displayed a strong talent for comedic timing,
06:32and unlike many of his cold villains,
06:34Gustave was a generally warm, loving, and ultimately inviting figure.
06:39Then again, he is the concierge, so that's to be expected.
06:42We think you're a real straight fellow.
06:45Well, I've never been accused of that before,
06:47but I appreciate the sentiment.
06:49Number 23.
06:50Leonardo DiCaprio.
06:52Django Unchained.
06:53You really want me to shake your hand?
06:58I insist.
07:00Before Django Unchained,
07:01Leonardo DiCaprio hadn't really played a villain.
07:04Not to this extent, at least.
07:06DiCaprio was a heartthrob in his early career,
07:08playing romantic young characters like Jack Dawson and Romeo Montague.
07:13He eventually grew up and took on more complex characters,
07:16but none of them really fell into the realm of pure villainy.
07:19That changed with Calvin Candy,
07:21an eccentric plantation owner with more than a few sadistic tendencies.
07:25Complete with a Southern accent,
07:27DiCaprio completely transformed for the role,
07:30and showed us a malicious dark side that we hadn't seen before.
07:34It was more than a little unnerving.
07:36You had my curiosity, but now you have my attention.
07:39Number 22.
07:40Harrison Ford.
07:42What Lies Beneath.
07:43I had an affair with her.
07:47And when I tried to break it off, she became unstable.
07:52Known for his rugged heroes,
07:54Harrison Ford has enjoyed a long and prosperous career as a franchise actor.
07:58From Indiana Jones to Han Solo to Jack Ryan,
08:02Ford is the ultimate man's man.
08:04A handsome hero with a ton of charisma and an innate ability to kick some butt.
08:08But he's also tackled some more challenging material,
08:11like Robert Zemeckis' psychological thriller What Lies Beneath.
08:15Playing a professor whose wife is terrorized by a ghost,
08:18Ford departed from his usual heroic shtick
08:20and played a far more complex character with greater maturity and darker motives.
08:25It signaled that Ford could be taken seriously as a dramatic actor
08:29with a heavy load to bear.
08:30All I ever wanted was to spend the rest of my life with you.
08:36What can happen now?
08:38Number 21.
08:39Matthew McConaughey.
08:40Dallas Buyers Club.
08:42Goddamn people are dying, and y'all are all up there afraid
08:46that we're gonna find an alternative without you.
08:48By 2013, Matthew McConaughey was known for one of two things.
08:52Either all right, all right, all right,
08:54or being the male lead in a slew of romantic comedies.
08:58That is, until Dallas Buyers Club came around.
09:01McConaughey earned widespread acclaim for playing AIDS advocate Ron Woodruff
09:06and took home the Academy Award for Best Actor.
09:09With that Oscar win, Hollywood finally realized that McConaughey
09:12was a genuine talent who could easily carry a drama,
09:15even one as dense and heavy as Dallas Buyers Club.
09:19His career was never the same.
09:21Sometimes I just feel like I'm fighting for life.
09:23I just ain't got time to live.
09:25No one to maintain.
09:27Number 20.
09:28Adam Sandler.
09:29Uncut Gems.
09:30Adam Sandler is enormously popular for his immature brand of humor,
09:38marked by fart jokes, pee jokes, and those weird gibberish noises.
09:42Please, Billy, please, no gibberish tonight, please, I beg you.
09:47That said, Sandler has played against type on numerous occasions,
09:50His first big, serious role was that of Barry Egan in Punch-Drunk Love,
09:56but he also proved astoundingly good in Uncut Gems.
10:00That's a million dollar opal you're holding,
10:02straight from the Ethiopian Jewish tribe.
10:05I mean, this is old school, middle earth shit.
10:08Sandler is also known for his humor,
10:10which is why he's been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor.
10:14He's also been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress.
10:17I mean, this is old school, middle earth shit.
10:20Sandler's performance earned him universal praise.
10:23Some believed that he would be up for an Oscar.
10:26While he was awarded Best Actor by the National Board of Review,
10:29he was totally snubbed by the Academy.
10:32Still, he's come a long way from being peed on by a deer.
10:35Move your doll towards me, and back to you.
10:39Towards me, back to you.
10:42Number 19.
10:43Will Ferrell.
10:44Stranger Than Fiction.
10:46It's amazing to consider how many comedians make a seamless transition to drama.
10:50Okay, people, tomorrow morning, 10 a.m., Santa's coming to town.
10:55Santa! Oh my God!
10:57Will Ferrell really hit his film stride in the early 2000s
11:01with films like Old School, Elf, and Anchorman.
11:04If you want to throw down in fisticuffs, fine.
11:05I've got Jack Johnson and Tom O'Leary waiting for you.
11:08In all of them, he plays a man who's immature for his age.
11:11And then came Stranger Than Fiction.
11:13So this woman, the voice, told you you're gonna die?
11:16Well, she didn't tell me. She doesn't know I can hear her.
11:18She said it?
11:20Yes.
11:20And you believed her?
11:22Well, she's been right about a few other things.
11:24This comedy-drama follows an IRS agent who learns that he's the subject of a novel in progress,
11:30and that the ending dictates his death.
11:32You're asking me to knowingly face my death?
11:37Yes.
11:40Really?
11:41The movie was warmly received for its unique story and performances,
11:45which saw Ferrell delivering a confident performance
11:48alongside the likes of Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, and Emma Thompson.
11:52Isn't there some very clear and established rule about fraternization?
12:02Auditor-oddity protocol?
12:03Yeah.
12:04Yeah, but I don't care.
12:06And to think this came out three months after Talladega Nights.
12:09Number 18.
12:11Leslie Nielsen.
12:12Airplane.
12:13Engine room, is the chief still there?
12:14Yes, sir.
12:15This is the captain. Put him on.
12:17For many of us, it's hard to imagine the late Mr. Nielsen
12:19as anything but an obvious choice for comedy casting directors.
12:23But that wasn't always the case.
12:25Running an unstable ship at full ahead is dangerous.
12:27I'm sure.
12:28Especially one as old as this.
12:30For about 25 years between the 1950s and 1970s,
12:34Leslie was a steady, employed actor in serious films.
12:37These included well-known classics like films Forbidden Planet and The Poseidon Adventure.
12:46However, the perception of this talented actor was forever altered
12:49with his hilariously deadpan performance as Dr. Rumack in Airplane.
12:53Can you fly this plane and land it?
12:56Surely you can't be serious.
12:58I am serious.
12:59And don't call me Shirley.
13:00This would also lead to one of his most memorable roles
13:03as Frank Drebin in the film series The Naked Gun.
13:06Number 17. Henry Fonda.
13:09Once Upon a Time in the West.
13:10The patriarch of the highly respected Fonda acting dynasty,
13:14Henry originally built his career as the heroic everyman,
13:18always primed to fight for what's right in the world.
13:20It's not easy to raise my hand and send a boy off to die
13:23without talking about it first.
13:25But that's why it took so many people by surprise
13:27when he took on the role of the hired gun Frank
13:29in Once Upon a Time in the West.
13:31He's sent to intimidate a local landowner,
13:34but instead slaughters the men and his kids.
13:36The image of the actor who played the lone holdout,
13:39heroic juror from 12 Angry Men,
13:41killing three children,
13:43forever altered the way he was seen by audiences everywhere.
13:46I mean, if I was on trial for my life,
13:48I'd want my lawyer to tear the prosecution witnesses to shreds,
13:52or at least try to.
13:53Number 16. Melissa McCarthy.
13:55Can You Ever Forgive Me?
13:56I'm life, huh?
13:58Life bothering you?
13:58Yes, I'm life, man.
13:59What are you doing?
14:00I'm life, man.
14:01Oh, yeah.
14:01How do you do it?
14:02This funny woman burst onto the scene with Bridesmaids,
14:05earning herself an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress,
14:08a rare Academy acknowledgement of the comedy genre.
14:11This led to a long string of comedic roles.
14:14What are you staring at?
14:16Huh? I will destroy you.
14:17In 2018, however, McCarthy pivoted in a big way
14:21when she starred as Lee Israel
14:23in the acclaimed biographical comedy drama,
14:25Can You Ever Forgive Me?
14:26This is very special.
14:28Why would you part with it?
14:30Clutter.
14:31You know, I'm not a very sentimental gal.
14:33The movie is based on Israel's criminal career in literary forgery,
14:37penning up to 400 fake letters from dead authors and actors.
14:41McCarthy's performance was widely praised,
14:43and she earned her second Academy Award nomination,
14:46this time in the lead actress category.
14:48She ended up losing to Olivia Colman for the favorite.
14:51I suppose you might be mad at me as well.
14:54Well, if you didn't look so decrepit, I might be.
14:58Number 15. Jeff Daniels.
15:00Dumb and Dumber.
15:01I'm starting to build a career.
15:03Is life up on the screen so terrible?
15:05In the 1980s, Jeff Daniels earned back-to-back
15:08Golden Globe nominations for his work
15:10in The Purple Rose of Cairo and Something Wild.
15:13What are you doing?
15:15I'm setting you free.
15:17Maybe I don't want to be free.
15:18In 1993, he played Colonel Joshua Chamberlain
15:21in the epic war film, Gettysburg.
15:23And in June 1994, he played a SWAT officer in Speed.
15:27You can reach the circuit wire.
15:29No, no, no, no, don't, don't, don't.
15:30That's a decoy, classic.
15:32Six months later, he was enduring explosive diarrhea
15:35on a broken toilet and giving bottled pee to a police officer.
15:38Yep, Dumb and Dumber changed how we saw Jeff Daniels forever.
15:42Pee right out.
15:44I hope you're not using the toilet, it's broken.
15:46We never expected such a lowbrow comedy
15:48from an actor of Daniel's stature.
15:50But Daniel made it work thanks to his commitment
15:53and incredible chemistry with Jim Carrey.
15:57You are one pathetic loser.
16:01No offense.
16:03No, none taken.
16:04He wouldn't often return to comedy,
16:06but we all know that he can do it.
16:08Number 14, Robert Pattinson, Good Time.
16:12If an actor is looking to break type,
16:13all they have to do is go to the Safdie brothers.
16:16It worked for Adam Sandler and it worked for Robert Pattinson.
16:19What if I'm not the hero?
16:21What if I'm the bad guy?
16:23After Twilight, many were willing to write off Pattinson
16:26as just another heartthrob flavor of the month.
16:28But maybe he just needed the right director and material.
16:31In the 2010s, he tackled roles in several dramas,
16:34but it was his performance as Connie Nikas in Good Time
16:37that really cemented his reputation as a serious actor.
16:40I think something very important is happening
16:42and it's deeply connected to my purpose.
16:45And I think that you are somehow connected to it as well.
16:50I mean, do you feel me at all?
16:51The role earned him widespread acclaim
16:53and best actor noms at various film festivals.
16:56Losers like you are incapable of taking care of themselves.
16:58You're either leeching off mommy or leeching off welfare
17:01or living off the government in jail.
17:03That's you!
17:04He's since carried his newfound reputation
17:06into more stellar work like High Life and The Lighthouse.
17:09Number 13, Johnny Depp, Edward Scissorhands.
17:13Throughout the 1980s, Johnny Depp was perceived
17:15as something of a pretty boy and cast accordingly,
17:18not unlike Robert Pattinson.
17:20You dreamed about the same creep I did.
17:25That's impossible.
17:26He had a starring role in A Nightmare on Elm Street,
17:29appeared as Lerner in Oliver Stone's war drama, Platoon,
17:32and later starred as the titular character
17:34in John Waters' Crybaby.
17:36And then came Edward Scissorhands.
17:39I'm not finished.
17:41Put those down. Don't come any closer.
17:42Directed by Tim Burton, the movie was positively received
17:46for its gothic fairytale style
17:48and Depp was nominated for a Golden Globe.
17:56Oh, that was the single most thrilling experience
18:00of my whole life.
18:02It was the first time he was recognized
18:04by a major institution and would prove
18:06the first of 10 Golden Globe nominations.
18:09Hey, hi, George Monroe.
18:10Whoa, it's a heck of a handshake you got there, Ed.
18:12Funnily enough, the success of Edward Scissorhands
18:14resulted in a new typecasting
18:16as he became the go-to guy for Tim Burton
18:19and weird fantastical characters.
18:21Number 12, Jamie Foxx, Ray and Collateral.
18:25I'm gonna tell you something, man.
18:26That country music, you know why they like it?
18:28The stories, man.
18:29Before Ray, Jamie Foxx was known for his comedy.
18:32He performed on In Living Color
18:34and starred in his own WB sitcom, The Jamie Foxx Show,
18:37from 1996 to 2001.
18:47And when he ventured into film,
18:48he was given supporting roles in movies
18:50like Any Given Sunday and Ali.
18:52That changed in 2004 when Foxx starred in Ray and Collateral,
18:57which were released around three months apart.
18:59You killed him?
19:01No, I shot him.
19:02Bullets in the fall killed him.
19:04Both proved Foxx's capabilities as a leading dramatic actor
19:07and earned him widespread praise
19:09from critics and academy members.
19:16In fact, he received two Oscar nominations in the same year,
19:19making him just the third male actor in history
19:22to do so.
19:23Somebody had a gun to your head and said,
19:25you gotta tell me what's going on with this person over here
19:27or I'm gonna kill you.
19:31What is driving him?
19:34Number 11, Jonah Hill, Moneyball.
19:36Do you have any bigger clothes
19:37or do you only shop at Baby Cab?
19:39Once an actor who was more likely to be nominated
19:41for a Teen Choice or MTV Movie Award than an Oscar,
19:44Jonah Hill had his breakout role
19:46as the vulgar and funny Seth from Superbad.
19:48Dude, I don't wanna talk a lot of shit, okay?
19:51But she's gonna be at the party and she's gonna be drunk
19:53and she likes me at least a little enough to get with me.
19:55That is, until he was tapped for the role of Peter Brand
19:58in the 2011 biographical sports drama Moneyball.
20:02Our goal and our expectation is by mid-July
20:06to be within seven games at first.
20:08Cast as an economics expert who changes the way
20:11that baseball teams are put together
20:12through his expertise and knowledge,
20:14Moneyball depended on Hill's untested ability
20:17to be taken seriously.
20:18Okay, so Billy says he'll pay for Rincon himself,
20:21but when he sells him for more money next year,
20:24he's keeping the profit.
20:25Pulling it off to such a degree
20:26that it earned him an Oscar nomination,
20:28he turned out to be well worth the gamble.
20:30You've been a huge part of this team,
20:33but sometimes you have to make decisions
20:34that are best for the team.
20:35I'm sure you can understand that.
20:36Number 10, Will Smith, Ali.
20:39While Jamie Foxx was great in Ali,
20:41that movie belonged to Will Smith.
20:43Early in his career, Smith was widely known
20:46for his rapping and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
20:48I am Jeffrey, your uncle's butler.
20:50Oh, okay, well, I cheer you on with all that rotten.
20:53I think I have an opportunity.
20:55Bring the horses around, would you?
20:59When he ventured into film,
21:00he mostly stuck to fun, late-hearted movies
21:02like Men in Black, Independence Day,
21:04and Wild Wild West.
21:06Well, first I was gonna pop this guy
21:07hanging from the streetlight,
21:08and then I realized, you know, he's just working out.
21:10Even Bad Boys, his most serious work at the time,
21:13had elements of camp and goofiness.
21:16Smith took on more prestigious work
21:17with Michael Mann's Ali,
21:19filling some massive shoes
21:20by portraying the titular boxing legend.
21:23While the movie earned a solid,
21:25if somewhat muted, reception,
21:26Smith's performance as Ali was singled out for praise,
21:30and it earned him his first Academy Award nomination
21:32for Best Actor.
21:33He did three rounds,
21:34realized he was gonna lose to Muhammad Ali,
21:37and knocked himself out.
21:39And I predict that when the fighter said,
21:41he might not show.
21:42Number nine, Jim Carrey, the number 23.
21:47It's a lie, it's a lie!
21:50When Jim Carrey's first famous leading role
21:52involved a sequence
21:53where he literally talked out of his ass,
21:55it set a precedent for the types of roles
21:57he was offered and given thereafter.
21:59Excuse me, I'd like to ask you a few questions.
22:03In the years since then,
22:04he's attempted to fight that perception
22:06with more dramatic roles,
22:08including acclaimed performances in The Truman Show,
22:10Man on the Moon,
22:11and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
22:13Remember me.
22:16Try your best.
22:20Maybe we can.
22:22Still, the idea that he was that guy
22:23who starred in outrageous comedies
22:25that took advantage of his rubber-faced antics persisted.
22:28For many, it took him starring in a psychological thriller
22:31as a man struggling with dreams of murder
22:33to truly break the mold he'd created.
22:35I want you to leave, Egg.
22:38You need to leave before...
22:41Before what?
22:43Before you kill me?
22:49Number eight, Michael Keaton, Batman.
22:52Many actors have broken type by playing Batman,
22:54including Christian Bale.
22:56So what do you think?
22:58Does it come in black?
23:00But none have shattered their type
23:01quite like Michael Keaton.
23:03Before 1989, Keaton was a comedic performer.
23:06Idea to eliminate garbage.
23:09Edible paper.
23:11See?
23:13Eat it.
23:14It's gone.
23:15Eat it.
23:15It's out of there.
23:16He was on the sitcoms All's Fair and the Mary Tyler Moore Hour
23:20and starred in film comedies like Night Shift and Mr. Mom.
23:23In 1998, he worked with Tim Burton on Beetlejuice,
23:26which of course led to his starring role in Burton's Batman.
23:30Keaton's casting actually caused considerable controversy.
23:34Boo!
23:42Thousands of protest letters were sent to Warner Brothers
23:45and even Batman creator Bob Kane voiced his reservations.
23:49What is all this?
23:50The police have got it wrong.
23:52They're looking for one product.
23:54The Joker's tainted hundreds of chemicals at the source.
23:57Luckily, it all worked out
23:59and Batman became the fifth highest grossing movie in history at the time.
24:03Number seven.
24:04Joe Pesci.
24:05Home Alone.
24:06Going on vacation?
24:08Where you going?
24:09In many of Joe Pesci's most famous film roles,
24:11he's the most dangerous and feared person on screen,
24:14despite his small stature.
24:16I'm funny how?
24:17I mean funny like I'm a clown?
24:18I amuse you?
24:19It takes an actor who's capable of tapping into a raw anger and rage
24:22that few of us can understand to be able to pull that off successfully.
24:26Salud, Tommy.
24:27No more shines, Billy.
24:30What?
24:30I said no more shines.
24:31Maybe you didn't hear about it.
24:32You've been away a long time.
24:33They didn't go up there and tell you.
24:34I don't shine shoes anymore.
24:36For the same actor to be able to make a fool of himself
24:38for the delight and laughter of families worldwide
24:41without missing a beat is truly impressive.
24:44But that's just what Pesci did as Harry in 1990's Home Alone.
24:53Even more amazingly,
24:54this performance came right on the heels of his role as Tommy DeVito in Goodfellas,
24:59showing just how easily Pesci was able to switch character types.
25:04Dead kid.
25:16A lot of actors who've earned the respect of their peers
25:18spend the later years of their career coasting on fame
25:20and taking on easy roles that line their wallets.
25:29Fortunately for ardent film fans,
25:31Robin Williams was not one of those people.
25:33Look at me, son.
25:36It's not your fault.
25:38Choosing to stretch his acting muscles in dark new ways,
25:41his performance as a photo clinic employee with a dangerous obsession
25:44was so organic and real,
25:46we wish he'd given the genre a try much earlier.
25:49I never see you away from the store.
25:52After all these years, you'd think we'd run into each other at some point.
25:54The role won him universal acclaim from critics
25:56and a Saturn Award for Best Actor.
25:59You would never take disgusting,
26:02sex-degrading pictures of your children doing these things.
26:09Tom Cruise has spent most of his career carefully cultivating a resume
26:13of respected performances and a squeaky clean image.
26:16I'll answer the question.
26:18You want answers?
26:19I think I'm entitled.
26:20You want answers!
26:21I want the truth!
26:23You can't handle the truth!
26:24He's played against that image at times,
26:27as the villainous yet charming Lestat in Interview with the Vampire.
26:31I've come to answer your prayers.
26:33Then there was the vulgar and over-the-top Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder,
26:37but it's as Vincent in Michael Mann's neo-noir crime thriller Collateral
26:41that he truly sands out.
26:43As a remorseless contract killer who makes no attempt to be likable,
26:46this role had critics raving,
26:48and moviegoers seeing him in an all-new light.
26:51We gotta make the best of it.
26:52Improvise. Adapt to the environment.
26:54Darwin. Shit happens.
26:55Yi Ching. Whatever, man.
26:56We gotta roll with it.
26:57Number four.
26:58Heath Ledger.
26:59The Dark Knight.
27:00Hi.
27:02The Joker is arguably one of the most recognizable and acclaimed villains
27:05in modern pop culture.
27:06And what's with that stupid grin?
27:10Life's been good to me.
27:13Previously brought to the big screen by Hollywood heavyweight Jack Nicholson,
27:16anyone assigned the challenging role certainly had big shoes to fill.
27:20So when they cast the guy who sang in the bleachers in a 90s teen comedy,
27:24a lot of fans were shocked and appalled.
27:26I mean, I can't be worried about what everyone else is doing, you know.
27:30I mean, I'm focused on what I'm doing,
27:32and I'm gonna build hundreds of skateboards a month,
27:34all with your name, Stacey Peralta, right there next to Zephyr.
27:39Even though he'd given respected performances in films like
27:42Lords of Dogtown and Brokeback Mountain prior to The Dark Knight,
27:45few thought he'd be up to the task.
27:47Why so serious?
27:48Outperforming even the highest expectations,
27:51he gave one of the most legendary performances in film history,
27:54and earned a posthumous Oscar to Boone.
27:57Where are they?
27:58It is between one eye for the other,
28:01your friend the district attorney, or his blushing bride to be.
28:09Number three, Steve Carell, Foxcatcher.
28:12Steve Carell is one of the most acclaimed and respected comedians working today.
28:16The worst thing about prison was the, was the dementors.
28:19They were flying all over the place, and they were scary,
28:22and then they come down, and they suck the soul out of your body, and then hoit!
28:25He received widespread recognition for his work as Michael Scott on The Office,
28:30and supplemented this with hilarious work in Anchorman and The 40-Year-Old Virgin,
28:34among many other films.
28:35Ha! Wow! I hate you! I hate you! Stop smiling, you jerk!
28:42And while he demonstrated his dramatic chops in Little Miss Sunshine,
28:46that movie can still be considered a comedy,
28:48a word no one would use to describe Foxcatcher.
28:51I hope it's not too late.
28:54I just wanted to check in and make sure that everything was all right with you.
28:57Carell was barely recognizable as wrestling coach and convicted murderer John DuPont,
29:02and he, Channing Tatum, and Mark Ruffalo all received praise from critics.
29:06David, you have a lot of work to do in the next couple of months,
29:11and you're an integral part of that.
29:14Understand?
29:15I understand.
29:16I'm going to need you.
29:16Carell earned his seventh Golden Globe nomination,
29:19the first six being for The Office, and his first Oscar nomination for the role.
29:24Whoa!
29:24No, John.
29:25Do you have a problem with me?
29:27John.
29:27Don't, John.
29:28Uh, John, I don't have a problem.
29:30Number 2.
29:31Tom Hanks – Philadelphia
29:33I think I need to go to the hospital.
29:35In the 80s, Tom Hanks shot to fame thanks to his roles in comedies,
29:39including Splash and Big.
29:40However, his filmography took a very different turn in the next decade.
29:44What happened to your face?
29:46I have AIDS.
29:471993 saw him star as Andrew Beckett,
29:50a gay lawyer and AIDS patient in the legal drama Philadelphia.
29:53Plan on bringing a wrongful termination suit against Charles Wheeler and his partners.
29:57At the time, the film was groundbreaking in mainstream cinema
30:00for addressing the HIV epidemic and homophobia.
30:04Is everything around you just the blood in the mud?
30:09I am divine.
30:13I am oblivion.
30:14Hanks' performance won him his first Oscar
30:16and led to a number of other dramatic roles in the 90s,
30:19such as Forrest Gump and Saving Private Ryan.
30:22Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel
30:25and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
30:29You have the option to be notified for occasional videos or all of them.
30:33If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings and switch on notifications.
30:38Number 1.
30:39Bryan Cranston – Breaking Bad
30:41Are you familiar with my product?
30:45I've been told it's excellent.
30:48Few people can be both funny and utterly terrifying.
30:51Bryan Cranston is one of those people.
30:53Before Breaking Bad, Cranston was primarily known for his comedy work.
30:57He had a bit part on Seinfeld playing Tim Watley
31:00before hitting it big with Malcolm in the Middle.
31:02They take a sausage, stuff it with cheese,
31:04wrap it with bacon and shove it in a deep fat fryer full of lard.
31:08Before that glorious bald head and glasses look became iconic,
31:11all anyone could picture was Cranston doing a goofy dance on roller skates.
31:21But Breaking Bad proved Cranston to be an accomplished dramatic actor.
31:25You clearly don't know who you're talking to, so let me clue you in.
31:29I am not in danger, Skyler.
31:31I am the danger.
31:33He disappeared into Walter White,
31:35becoming another one of those brilliant casting decisions
31:38that make it impossible to imagine anyone else in the role.
31:41He won four Emmys, one Golden Globe, and two SAG Awards for his performance,
31:45solidifying his place in television history.
31:48I just want you to know that no matter how it may look,
31:54I only had you in my heart.
31:55What's your favorite example of typecast breaking?
31:58Let us know in the comments.
32:00I want to hear it again.
32:01Make more...sarp...robot...
32:11That's a terrible robot voice.
32:12Yep.
32:12Did you enjoy this video?
32:14Check out these other clips from WatchMojo,
32:16and be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified about our latest videos.
32:31Bye!