Cranston will now always be linked to Walter White. Could say he was born for that role, and is hard to imagine anyone else being a better fit.
Who else would you put in that category?
Here are a few of my choices:
- Gregory Peck - Atticus Finch
- Marlon Brando - Vito Corleone
- Sylvester Stallone - Rocky Balboa
- Robert Shaw - Captain Quint
- Jason Alexander - George Costanza (threw a sitcom in for fun)
Gary Sinise- Lieutenant Dan
Schwarzenegger- Terminator
Heath Ledger- The Joker
Harrison Ford- Han Solo
Have to think about this one some more. Of course you have the old classic era, which I'm not well versed in like
Heston- Moses, Ben Hur
Came to mind after watching To Kill a Mockingbird yesterday. I know Peck had many other roles, but immediately link him to Atticus.
Speaking of classic era, was also considering Jimmie Stewart as George Bailey, but he also had so many other roles.
Few comedy ones:
Chevy Chase- Clark Griswold
Ben Stiller- Gaylord Focker
Jim Carrey- Lloyd Christmas
Chevy Chase is an excellent example of what I was suggesting. No doubt that the far majority would associate Clark Griswold with him.
Stiller and Carrey are tougher, with the many other characters they play. I think of Something About Mary for Stiller. Carrey has sooo many to choose from...hard to pin him down to just one that most people think of when they hear his name. Think my favorite is actually The Man on the Moon.
From your first list, Heston had many movies, including Planet of the Apes. But agree Moses would be a clear, stand-alone choice for this list...then he did Ben-Hur. Similar epic roles.
Ford's a tough one, since he's also so well known for Indiana Jones.
You'll note that most of our suggestions are movie characters...which goes back to the point you often make, comparing BB to one long movie...so there's that.
Yes, I see the nuance as well in the relation between actor and character has to be really strong and solid, like the first thing thought of at the name mention, so Carrey and Ford are difficult to distinctly tie to one. Even with Carrey, Ace Ventura, his first breakout might be better, even though it's not my favorite of his but it was good...It's not just good performances or Oscar winning roles, but roles that have been both good and cemented themselves into culture, and are the actor's main"legacy". But it's even a little more than that.
Down below, I agree Connery as Bond is probably the best example, followed by Vivian Leigh as Scarlet O Hara. Also, I'm in agreement with Redford as Hobbs in this case, and Quint is one of my favorites.
Apply yourself.
No doubt that the far majority would associate Clark Griswold with him.
"Schwarzenegger- Terminator"
Yeah indeed a totally emotionless role is the perfect fit for a shitty actor like him. But yeah I must agree... He was good in the role because the role required a guy who could play a built up robot without emotions... Even Stallone (who is a WAY better actor) wouldn't fit there.
Great thread swolbach
- Vivienne Leigh - Scarlet O'Hara - Gone with the Wind
- Richard Gere - Jesse - in Breathless
- John Mills - the village idiot Michael - Ryans Daughter
- Robert Redford - Jay Gatsby - The Great Gatsby
- Paul Newman & Robert Redford - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
- Humphrey Bogart - Rick Blain - Casablanca.
The list could be endless.
Matrixflower :)
+
Judy Garland - The Wizard of Oz
Steve McQueen - The Great Escape
Elizabeth Taylor - National Velvet
Sean Connery - Bond
Tom Hardy - Legend (The Kray twins)
Anthony Perkins - Psycho
Charlie Chaplin - The Tramp
Julie Andrews - Mary Poppins
Matrixflower :)
Yeah, the ones that take me right to those characters when you say their names to me are Garland, Taylor, Connery and Andrews.
Haven't seen too many McQueen movies...but the one I know best is Papillon, with Dustin Hoffman.
And I think of Hannibal Lecter with Perkins.
Will have to check out a couple of these, including your first reply, that I'm not too familiar with.
For Gere, I think of An Officer and a Gentleman...and think of The Natural for Redford, but that's just me.
Leigh and Bogart are dead ringers for this list.
James Gandolfini - Tony Soprano
Sigourney Weaver - Ripley
Christopher Reeve - Superman
Keanu Reeves - Neo (matrix)
Sameul L Jackson - Jules (pulp fiction)
Bruce Willis - John MacLean
Mike Meyers - Austin Powers
Gerard Butler - Leonidas (300)
Russell Crowe - Maximus (Gladiator)
Antonio Banderas - Desperado
Robert Downey Jr - Iron Man
Just a few that came to mind. Fun thread idea 💡
Ray Liotta - Henry Hill (Goodfellas)
Leonardo Dicaprio - Jack (Titanic)
Mark Hamill - Luke Skywalker
Jason Statham - Transporter guy...cant think of his character's name..Frank?
Michael Keaton - Batman
Neve Campbell - Sidney (Scream)
Kurt Russell - Snake Plisskin
Robin Williams - Mrs. Doubtfire
Tom Hanks - Forest Gump
Clint Eastwood - Dirty Harry
Adam Sandler - Happy Gilmore
Just a few more I thought I'd share...ill stop here though because I could go on and on.
Oh, Christian Bale - Patrick Bateman (American Psycho...i know some would argue Bruce Wayne/Batman but his role in AP is what I think he's always going to be linked to, especially now that we have Batfleck lol)
Tobey Maguire - Spiderman
Okay I'll stop for real this time lol
Especially like the ones where you don't have to choose between other movies for them.
Liotta clearly fits this definition, to me.
Hanks, Williams & Eastwood, for example, have so many - makes it harder. But if that's the character role that stands out to you, that's what counts.
Hanks has so many...Gump would stick out, along with Saving Private Ryan, if I had to pick one. Also, Castaway, especislly for the time he spent on the island. Hard to believe Wilson was not nominated for best Supporting Actor that year.
For Williams, I also think of Good Will Hunting and Saul's favorite, Dead Poets Society (Carpe Diem Brock).
With all the classic westerns that Eastwood did, hard for me to pick just one one character...but I actually like Gran Torino and go with Walt (not because his name is Walt).
Another one that sticks out for me is Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne.
Robbins as Andy Dufresne is a good one.
I liked Torino, but a guy like Eastwood would be more like Dirty Harry, his old work, or one of his first western hits. Because that's the role he was most known for in that generation.
The other posters here aren't connecting the dots and are just listing off any actor and role that comes to mind. I know what you're getting at and totally agree. They can list stuff to see if it qualifies but it's a much more specific and nuanced description than just being a popular role.
For example, Henry Hill is borderline and probably wouldn't qualify unless you stretched the definition. Being a great memorable role and performance is not enough. You can pawn them off forever- there's hundreds and that's what he's/theyre doing.
There should only be at most about 10-20 that fit this category. It's an estimate, but the point is quality over quantity in accordance with the definition. I admit with my comedy ones I was just throwing out ideas. Griswold was the best qualifier in that.
Also, I'd like to note that it doesn't have to be award worthy either or just popular. For example Michael Douglas could arguably be Gordon Gecko, but I honestly remember him and would put him up in this category as D-Fens in Falling Down. He'll always be D-fens to anyone who saw Falling Down. And nobody will ever imagine him ever again without his weird glasses, box cut, and briefcase walking around LA wreaking havoc just like they won't ever imagine Cranston again without a bald head, goatee, and possibly a 38 snub.
Just a few questions
How are the choices you made more appropriate in your opinion than other posters?
I think ray liotta and Henry hill are definitely just as synonymous with each other as Bryan Cranston and Walter white. How is that borderline?
And can you explain what you mean by 'you can pawn them off forever-there's hundreds?'
Thanks
There's no hard core definition for this post. If an actor easily only clicks for you with one main role, that's fine.
Dgl, I believe, is on track with my original intent, which may not have been clearly noted in my opening post (though we refined it in a couple follow up posts above).
The idea was, what actors, when you mention their name, will they forever be linked to one character, that comes to mind. Now whether that's for everyone, or just personally, that's where we're getting a lot of names.
For me - I know some of the actors that I even listed, had other roles. But think when you look at them, there's only one main character that comes to mind. I know Robert Shaw did other work, but can't easily see him as anyone but Captain Quint.
I'm sure when Sylvester Stallone walks down the street, 99 out of 100 times, someone will say something like - Yo Rock, where's Adrian? Only the 1 person might say, "Hey Sly, loved you in Copland".
So technically, actors that had many popular roles, would have a hard time making this list. Cranston had several roles, but the others will be easily overshadowed by Walter White, IMO.
I think most actors, if they are well-known, have many great parts in their resume, and to boil down Jimmy Stewart to simply George Bailey doesn't recognize what a wonderful career (and life, haha) he had. Same with Clark Gable, Harrison Ford, etc. I just feel like some actors had many other roles that were very note-worthy, and to exclaim One Alone doesn't do them justice.
And it's all a personal thing. Personally, I might say Vivian Leigh=Gone With The Wind, and maybe Cranston and Gandolfini, but people like Anthony Hopkins and Meryl Streep, I just wouldn't want to dilute their careers with one role. Sigourney Weaver is another example
But that's just me.
Michael Keaton - Beetlejuice
Brad Pitt - Jeffrey Goines(12 Monkeys)
Robert Englund - Freddy Kreuger
I truly believe that there is one great role for all actors,now matter how good or bad they might be in general.
For example Keanu Reeves, I just can't imagine anyone else playing Neo in The Matrix.
Good point.
If you were an actor, would you rather be well known for many good roles...or have alot of below average roles, along with one role like this, that you were born for?
"Who else would you put in that category?
- Marlon Brando - Vito Corleone
- Sylvester Stallone - Rocky Balboa"
Totally. Even Al Pacino as Michael Corleone as well.
Brad Pitt - Tyler Durden
Tim Robbins - Andy Dufresne
Morgan Freeman - somerset and Red
Jeff Bridges - the dude
Edward Norton - aaron stampler and worm and the narrator
Christian Bale - Patrick Bateman
Colin Farrell - Roland Bozz
Micky Rourke - charli and the ram
Kevin Spacey - John Doe
I really liked Cranston in the movie Trumbo, about Dalton Trumbo the writer who was blacklisted back in the day. Great movie.
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