When talking about actors, often the individuals who get the most praise are those who have great range and ability to portray all kinds of characters.
However, some of the most popular and successful actors and actresses in Hollywood actually play very similar roles time and time again. They definitely have a niche.
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Here are 10+ actors who play the same role all the time.
Keira Knightley
When thinking of period dramas, Kiera Knightley almost immediately comes to mind.
This doesn’t mean she isn’t’ good at what she does, but it’s hard to even think of her in a modern context these days given her roles in movies like Pride and Prejudice and Atonement.
Vin Diesel
If you’re watching a movie with Vin Diesel as the star, chances are you’re not there for perfect acting.
He always plays the muscular, badass guy who kicks trash whether it’s in a car movie like The Fast and the Furious or a sci-fi film like Babylon AD.
Melissa McCarthy
Unfortunately, the type-casting of McCarthy is something that happens to many women in Hollywood who don’t meet the strict beauty standards in the industry.
She always plays the goofy, outgoing comedic character that is used for comic relief. And, while she is funny, it does get tiresome to see this fatphobic trend.
Adam Sandler
It’s no shock that Adam Sandler is on this list because his entire career seems to be based on playing the same irreverent, comedic character over and over in movies like Happy Gilmore and Mr. Deeds.
The only real exception to this is Uncut Gems.
Johnny Depp
While in the early days of his career Depp played more varied roles, he seems to basically play a remix of Jack Sparrow in every movie now.
He’s always eccentric and campy with a bit of a goth or emo aesthetic, and this is the case for his roles in Tim Burton movies and as Willy Wonka.
Dwayne Johnson
The Rock is obviously a fun and awesome dude, but the characters he plays just seem to be him being himself over and over.
He’s always headstrong, funny, and adventurous even if the movies take place in wildly different settings and have varied plots.
Tom Cruise
Many fans feel that Tom Cruise basically just plays himself, or at least the version of himself he aspires to be, in every movie.
He’s usually cast in action movies where he’s the best at what he does but also doesn’t have a lot of emotional range.
Robert Downey Jr.
RDJ is definitely one of the most successful and well-known actors around, but he does tend to play characters with similarities.
He’s great in roles as the eccentric, rich, and arrogant guy, and even if there are slight differences, there are many commonalities in how he’s played characters like Iron Man, Dr. Dolittle, and Sherlock Holmes.
Emma Roberts
Emma Roberts definitely has the rich, mean girl thing down. In most of her roles, such as on American Horror Story or Scream Queens , she is the head chick in charge and very vapid.
While she’s good as the mean girl, this is mostly all she does.
Judy Greer
When thinking about type-casting, Greer is the main actress that comes to mind right away.
It’s well-known that she plays the best friend character in so many romantic comedies such as The Wedding Planner , 27 Dresses , and 13 Going on 30.
Octavia Spencer
Octavia Spencer is an actress who definitely has a lot of talent and range, but it feels like she’s being wasted in the industry by being typecast in advisor and support roles.
This is for sure more of a problem with representation in films than it is with Spencer’s acting.
Emma Watson
While we all love Emma Watson, she does seem pretty much the same in most of the parts she plays.
She’s usually cast as the intelligent, beautiful girl who doesn’t quite get her due. And, many people feel like she just acts like how she does in real life.
Will Ferrell
Will Ferrell is a comedic actor, and it seems difficult for actors who get their fame this way to have a lot of range.
He tends to play immature, overly obnoxious characters who are rude to others around them.
Nicole Kidman
While Kidman is undeniably a good actress who has won many awards, her more recent roles have been very similar.
She often plays the rich, privileged white woman who is dealing with a horrible husband and internal drama. This is true with Big Little Lies and with The Undoing. But, hey, she pulls this part off spectacularly well.
Jennifer Aniston
Starting with Friends , Aniston plays a girl-next-door type who is striving to better her life and ends up falling in love with a guy she didn’t like much or notice at first.
This is the case in all her romantic comedies such as Just Go With It and The Bounty Hunter.
