Actors Share Their Most Problematic Typecasting Stories

Javier Bardem got American attention after acting in films in Spain. Critics praised his performances in those movies.No Country for Old Menand the James Bond filmSkyfall.Bardem shows great acting range. He plays dashing leading men and psychotic villains equally well.

InBeing the Ricardos,he plays Desi Arnaz. His turbulent yet productive marriage to Lucille Ball forms a core part of the story. Some critics criticized Bardem’s casting, feeling the role belonged to a Latino actor. Bardem replied that this question often targets actors whose first language isn't English.Speaking toThe Hollywood Reporter, he noted:

I am an actor. That is my job: act like people I am not. What do we do with Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone? What about Margaret Thatcher played by Meryl Streep? Daniel Day-Lewis playing Lincoln? Why does this happen with people with accents? You have your accent. That is your place. That is tough.

Where is that conversation with English speakers doing things likeThe Last Duel, where they were supposed to be French people in the Middle Ages? That is fine. But me, with my Spanish accent, being Cuban? If we open the can of worms, let's open it for everyone. The role came to me, and I know I will give everything I have.

The late Chris Farley gained fame from his many funny performances onSaturday Night Live. His comedy had an unrestrained edge. He excelled at playing characters with big emotional outbursts, often anger or outrage. Since his fame came in the 1990s, when fatphobia was common in American culture, many of his sketches used his size for cheap laughs.

One infamous example was the Chippendales sketch, which paired Farley's body with Patrick Swayze's. Tom Arnold, Farley’s friend, recalled the actor'sdeeply conflicted feelings about this sketch:

He called me and said, “Lorne [Michaels] and everyone wants me to be a fat guy. They want me to do a sketch where I'm stripping for Chippendales with Patrick Swayze, and they want me to take my shirt off. And then I'm the fat guy. What do you think? It's just embarrassing.”

The comedian wanted approval and likes from everyone, so he took the role. While it put him in television comedy history, it clearly bothered Farley.

Rebel Wilson has great charisma. After several supporting roles, she became famous as the unfortunately named “Fat Amy” in the hugely successfulPitch Perfectseries. Asshe put it,

I played the fat, funny girl, a role I loved and made millions doing.

Her appearance in Pitch Perfect brought her huge success.Pitch PerfectThe show also had strict rules. Beyond being pigeonholed by her look, Wilson could not lose weight due to her contract terms.

She said, “You have to stay at the weight.” She added keeping her “Fat Amy” weight was part of her film contract. After the series ended, she started a fitness journey and lost much weight.

Christopher Walken is hard to find another major Hollywood star with quirky roles. Over recent decades, the veteran actor became known for odd line-readings and appearing in everything from a Fatboy Slim music video to voicing King Louie in the live-action *The Jungle Book*.The Jungle Book.

Quirky roles built Walken’s fame. However, the actor feels lukewarm about this typecasting, especially since it limits him, even for someone so established in the industry. As he explained in an interview withThe GuardianThe Guardian:

Often, a script comes to me. I like it, so I say I will do it. Then they rewrite it for me. They make itquirky. Odd. I find that annoying. I call it Walkenising.

Regina King is one of her generation’s most respected actresses. After succeeding in the sitcom227she became a film and TV star, appearing in everything from the Oscar-nominated *If Beale Street Could Talk* to animated series like *The Boondocks* and the superhero saga *Watchmen*.If Beale Street Could Talk(for which she won Best Supporting Actress) to animated series likeThe Boondocksand superhero sagaWatchmen.

But she faced typecasting in her career. Some of this came from playing a wife character in *Jerry Maguire*.Jerry Maguire.As she discussed onThe Graham Norton Show:

A call asks you to play Samuel L Jackson’s wife at 70. You think, “Surely you meant daughter or mistress?” I love Sam, but that told me it was time to shift.

Jason Momoa achieved major success playing Aquaman in the DC Extended Universe. Before becoming a superhero icon, he became a household name thanks to his appearance in HBO’s *Game of Thrones*.Game of Throneshe played the Dothraki warlord Khal Drogo.

His character died at the end of the first season, making Momoa instantly recognizable. Yet, Hollywood often brings a high price for such fame.Jason Momoa lost work after 'Game of Thrones' because people assumed he did not speak English.EW:

Afterward, many people hired me. It hurt. People thought I did not speak English. They did not know I was playing a part. I am not like Drogo. I am like Drogo when I am loving and close to the woman I love and being nice, but his other half is not me. Then everyone fell in love with Drogo when they rewatched the show.

Donald Glover has shown great versatility in his career. He succeeded as an actor, comedian, rapper, and writer across many roles.CommunitytoAtlantafrom the music of Childish Gambino toStar WarsHe can do almost anything. His charisma lifts him to a major Hollywood star.

Glover faced racism in the industry. He began his career on30 Rock, the hit comedy by and starring Tina Fey.In an interview withGQ, Glover said,

There is no animosity between us. Tina Fey said it herself... My hiring was a diversity thing.

NBC initiated a diversity program that brought Glover into the writers' room, letting Fey hire him without cost.

Octavia Spencer is one of today's most popular working actors. In films likeHidden Figures, The Shape of Waterand, most notably,The Helpshe plays women of color with power, honesty, and strength. However, she shows she can play a villain, as she revealed in her performance inMa.

Like many other women of color in Hollywood, she faced typecasting. After the huge success ofThe Helpwhich earned Spencer a Best Supporting Actress win, she got offers for similar roles. In an interviewWith Marc Maron, she stated, I just played the best maid role written. If they keep giving those roles to me, we must keep saying no. What is different about this maid than the one I just played? I feel people lack imagination.

Danny Trejo became a well-liked character actor over the years. He appeared in many acclaimed series, includingBreaking BadandBrooklyn Nine-Nine,plus films likeFrom Dusk Till Dawnand variousMacheteMachete films. His scarred face and hoarse voice let him play characters who are rough.

After encounters with the law and time in prison, Trejo's life changed when he was cast as an extra in the filmRunaway Trainand he found himself limited in the types of roles offered. He said in an interviewremarked in an interview, I did not know I was being stereotyped. I just knew I was working. Being stereotyped for so long got me many jobs, so we opened the door.

I didn’t know I was being stereotyped. I just knew I was working. The fact that I was stereotyped for so long gave many people jobs, so we opened the door.

HBO’sEuphoria raised eyebrows with its unflinching look at drug-fueled antics. Barbie Ferreira played Kat Hernandez, a notable character.Euphoria has raised quite a few eyebrows during its run. The series shows the desire and drug-fueled antics of its high school characters. Barbie Ferreira portrayed Kat Hernandez, one of the series' most notable characters.

The character’s development stalled during the second season. This made Ferreira leave the show. She told Dax Shephard her decision came from a frustration with how the show handled her character.Ferreira felt frustrated with how the show handled her character.She felt frustrated with the limitations placed on plus-size women.

There was no place for her in the story. She thought there were other spots. She felt it wouldn't fit the show. She did not know if it would serve her well. Both sides knew she wanted to avoid being the fat best friend. She did not want to play that role, and they did not want it either.

Idris Elba has become one of Hollywood’s leading men with his gravelly voice, dashing looks, and accent. He appeared in many genres, from Disney’s animated films like The Jungle Book to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.Idris Elba appeared in Disney’s The Jungle Book.Idris Elba voiced the villain Shere Khan in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His most notable role is Luther in the series of the same name. People speculate he could play James Bond.

Like many people of color, Elba faced industry limits after his career-defining success in The Wire.Idris Elba succeeded in The Wire.The industry often offered him roles similar to Stringer Bell.He was offered roles very similar to Stringer Bell.:

I could play Stringer Bell characters constantly. I could be on TV now, in my own show, earning 150 thousand dollars per episode. The films approaching me show no similarity to the writing I usually do.The films he received did not match the writing he was used to. The Wire was the flagship of that work.The Wire was the flagship of that work.

Gabrielle Union is an actress many people recognize but may not know by name. This is because she had many supporting roles in films and sitcoms. However, she also had major roles in Love & Basketball and Bring It On.Gabrielle Union had roles in Love & Basketball.Gabrielle Union had roles in Bring It On.Gabrielle Union had roles in Bring It On.

Union spoke openly about the issues with being typecast as the “token Black girl.” She shared this in an interview with Ebony.She shared her views in an interview with Ebony.Union shared her views in an interview with Ebony.:

Union stated, "I’ve been the one chip in the cookie long enough. I do not want to be the magical Negro. I do not feel special when the white gaze is on me. I do not feel invincible. I do not want to be alone; I do not want two or three people in the room and someone shouting, “We’ve achieved diversity!” No, there are three. We are supposed to be a world microcosm. I do not want to be part of America’s hoodwinking or our global community."