Every now and then one stumbles upon something that is just bizarre — like discovering that the girl who played Door in Neverwhere also was the blacksmith girl in A Knight’s Tale. Can’t put into words why that is so weird…you’ll just have to take my word for it.
I love IMDB,though, for that very reason — looking up old movies and discovering what happen to the actors, that they went on to do other things you might have heard of and never realized it was them. I would say 2 out of 3 times that John and I watch a movie, I come upstairs afterward and look up the actors to see what else they’ve done. Like discovering that the father from Sound of Music went on to play a Klingon in Undiscovered Country. Or that the oldest son in the same musical went on to play the 70s TV Spiderman. Or that one of the younger daughters went on to play Penny Robinson on Lost In Space. (Or that she appeared as a reporter in the Lost In Space movie.)
Eerie and weird.
So, what are your favorite examples of an actor going on to do another project and most of us probably don’t realize it’s the same person?
speaking of Lost in Space, Bill Mumy went on be a significant character in Babylon 5.
Just saw Tropic Thunder. Would never in a million years have guessed Tom Cruise was in that film. What was even stranger…it was set in Vietnam and had Robert Downey, Jr. in it. First film I saw with RDJ was Air America. They used some of the same music.
Then there’s Alec Baldwin. Almost 20 yrs ago, we first spotted him in Miami Blues as a handsome psychotic thief. He really went 180 as Mr. Conductor in the big Thomas film. He’s still recognizable, though.
But one of my biggest gotchas was a late night star. Lon Chaney, Jr. is best known for playing The Wolfman (though he also did a nice job of Lennie in Of Mice and Men), but he showed up as the chauffer in a masterpiece of B-movie creepiness entitled “Spider Baby, or the Maddest Story Ever Told.”
On the small screen, there was Fred Astaire’s appearance on the original Battlestar Galactica, apparently because his grandkids were fans of the show.
Also on TV, there’s Hugh Laurie’s two big roles as Bertie Wooster and as Gregory House, M.D.
Look for him in the remake of 101 Dalmatians. He’s delightful as a lower-class bad guy.
Which brings us to Jeff Daniels of Dumb and Dumber fame. In 101 Dalmatians, he’s a sweet, rather intelligent, tweedy husband.
And he’s the dad in Stuart Little.
And Mr. Weasley
And the other lower-class bad guy in Dalmations is Mr. Weasley!
This weekend we were watching Season Two of Dexter, and there was a guest character who seemed eerily familiar. It was only when she raised a coffee cup to her mouth that I said, “JoBeth Williams!” Because the movement of the coffee cup was just like the way she did it in “Poltergeist”. :D
My favorite example is a very obscure one. Tom Baker was one of the more popular incarnations of Dr. Who back in the late 1970s, but most people don’t recognize him in the character of Rasputin in the 1971 film Nicholas and Alexandra.
I’ll probably think of a million more after I post this…
Or playing the elf in the Dungeons and Dragons movie. He’s the best thing in that movie.
Today I spotted the twitchy roommate from Buffy on a commercial touting the harmelessness of corn syrup. She’s now a twitchy housewife.
speaking of Lost in Space, Bill Mumy went on be a significant character in Babylon 5.
Just saw Tropic Thunder. Would never in a million years have guessed Tom Cruise was in that film. What was even stranger…it was set in Vietnam and had Robert Downey, Jr. in it. First film I saw with RDJ was Air America. They used some of the same music.
Then there’s Alec Baldwin. Almost 20 yrs ago, we first spotted him in Miami Blues as a handsome psychotic thief. He really went 180 as Mr. Conductor in the big Thomas film. He’s still recognizable, though.
But one of my biggest gotchas was a late night star. Lon Chaney, Jr. is best known for playing The Wolfman (though he also did a nice job of Lennie in Of Mice and Men), but he showed up as the chauffer in a masterpiece of B-movie creepiness entitled “Spider Baby, or the Maddest Story Ever Told.”
On the small screen, there was Fred Astaire’s appearance on the original Battlestar Galactica, apparently because his grandkids were fans of the show.
Also on TV, there’s Hugh Laurie’s two big roles as Bertie Wooster and as Gregory House, M.D.
This weekend we were watching Season Two of Dexter, and there was a guest character who seemed eerily familiar. It was only when she raised a coffee cup to her mouth that I said, “JoBeth Williams!” Because the movement of the coffee cup was just like the way she did it in “Poltergeist”. :D
My favorite example is a very obscure one. Tom Baker was one of the more popular incarnations of Dr. Who back in the late 1970s, but most people don’t recognize him in the character of Rasputin in the 1971 film Nicholas and Alexandra.
I’ll probably think of a million more after I post this…
Look for him in the remake of 101 Dalmatians. He’s delightful as a lower-class bad guy.
Which brings us to Jeff Daniels of Dumb and Dumber fame. In 101 Dalmatians, he’s a sweet, rather intelligent, tweedy husband.
Today I spotted the twitchy roommate from Buffy on a commercial touting the harmelessness of corn syrup. She’s now a twitchy housewife.
Or playing the elf in the Dungeons and Dragons movie. He’s the best thing in that movie.
Does finding out that the Japanese voice actor for Vash the Stampede was also a voice actor in Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann count?
Or that the voice actor for Kamina in TTGL also voiced Mjr. Ozma Lee in Macross Frontier?
>.>
Sure!
And he’s the dad in Stuart Little.
Does finding out that the Japanese voice actor for Vash the Stampede was also a voice actor in Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann count?
Or that the voice actor for Kamina in TTGL also voiced Mjr. Ozma Lee in Macross Frontier?
>.>
And Mr. Weasley
And the other lower-class bad guy in Dalmations is Mr. Weasley!
Three come to mind.
3) I was pleasantly surprised to see that Jena Malone from Donnie Darko turned up as Lydia in Joe Wright’s P & P. I was utterly astonished when I realize how utterly opposite the two characters are. Though silly as Lydia, her character, Gretchen in Donnie Darko is thoughtful and quiet. What a gifted actress! She also had a cameo on the English dub of “Howl’s Moving Castle” as Lettie (on a side note, one of the best Bruce Wayne’s ever, Christian Bale, played Howl).
2) (am I allowed to post two actresses from the same movie?) Mary McDonnell from “Donnie Darko” played the president on the new BSG. I was completely taken aback.
1) Not one but two Air Force Chiefs of Staff appeared as themselves on “Stargate SG-1”. How cool is that?!?
>1) Not one but two Air Force Chiefs of Staff appeared as themselves on “Stargate SG-1”. How cool is that?!?
That is cool!
Speaking of Joe Wright’s P&P, I thought Kiera Knightly as Lizzie showed quite a range of acting skills, as she was totally different from Knightly’s Pirate character. And Mr. Collins from that movie appeared as a villain in the Pirate movies, I believe.
Sure!
Oh! Oh! Oh!
I knew I’d come up with a better one.
This actor’s later roles are widely known, but he’s got an obscure role in a famous movie, most people are surprised when they’re watching it and he crops up in a small but significant role.
James Earl Jones as the B-52 bombardier in Dr. Strangelove.
And another…
Zack Ward played “Scutt Farkus” in A Christmas Story but of late has been cropping up in a lot of TV series and movies including Transformers, CSI, and also had a recurring role in a 2000-2002 series called Titus.
Re: Oh! Oh! Oh!
Good ones!
Three come to mind.
3) I was pleasantly surprised to see that Jena Malone from Donnie Darko turned up as Lydia in Joe Wright’s P & P. I was utterly astonished when I realize how utterly opposite the two characters are. Though silly as Lydia, her character, Gretchen in Donnie Darko is thoughtful and quiet. What a gifted actress! She also had a cameo on the English dub of “Howl’s Moving Castle” as Lettie (on a side note, one of the best Bruce Wayne’s ever, Christian Bale, played Howl).
2) (am I allowed to post two actresses from the same movie?) Mary McDonnell from “Donnie Darko” played the president on the new BSG. I was completely taken aback.
1) Not one but two Air Force Chiefs of Staff appeared as themselves on “Stargate SG-1”. How cool is that?!?
Another good one is Shia LaBeouf, from Indiana Jones 5 and Transformers. He was also the kid from Holes and from Greatest Game Ever Played. (He’s also the son of a circus clown.)
>1) Not one but two Air Force Chiefs of Staff appeared as themselves on “Stargate SG-1”. How cool is that?!?
That is cool!
Speaking of Joe Wright’s P&P, I thought Kiera Knightly as Lizzie showed quite a range of acting skills, as she was totally different from Knightly’s Pirate character. And Mr. Collins from that movie appeared as a villain in the Pirate movies, I believe.
Oh! Oh! Oh!
I knew I’d come up with a better one.
This actor’s later roles are widely known, but he’s got an obscure role in a famous movie, most people are surprised when they’re watching it and he crops up in a small but significant role.
James Earl Jones as the B-52 bombardier in Dr. Strangelove.
And another…
Zack Ward played “Scutt Farkus” in A Christmas Story but of late has been cropping up in a lot of TV series and movies including Transformers, CSI, and also had a recurring role in a 2000-2002 series called Titus.
Re: Oh! Oh! Oh!
Good ones!
Another good one is Shia LaBeouf, from Indiana Jones 5 and Transformers. He was also the kid from Holes and from Greatest Game Ever Played. (He’s also the son of a circus clown.)
Sharkboy (Disney’s Sharkboy and LavaGirl) is now Jacob in the movie Twilight)
What’s funny is that girls who were little ‘uns like the Mighty Mite (Despite the characters being 9; this is a story best appreciated by 4 – 6 year olds) when the movie was originally released are now 13 – 14: the prime target audience for this movie. And they all recognize him! “OMG!!! I can’t believe it’s SHARKBOY!!!“
Or words to that effect.
Sharkboy (Disney’s Sharkboy and LavaGirl) is now Jacob in the movie Twilight)
What’s funny is that girls who were little ‘uns like the Mighty Mite (Despite the characters being 9; this is a story best appreciated by 4 – 6 year olds) when the movie was originally released are now 13 – 14: the prime target audience for this movie. And they all recognize him! “OMG!!! I can’t believe it’s SHARKBOY!!!“
Or words to that effect.
Hey, I saw your kind comments in Partywhipple’s journal and wandered over here and I can’t resist this one!
My favorite recent example is discovering that the uptight conservative Mormon doctor on “House” was also the repulsive drug-dealing thug “Cheese” in the movie “Gone Baby Gone”. I couldn’t believe it was the same actor.
I love moments like that!
Glad to hear that other people are pulling for Mark. He really deserves a good break!
Hey, I saw your kind comments in Partywhipple’s journal and wandered over here and I can’t resist this one!
My favorite recent example is discovering that the uptight conservative Mormon doctor on “House” was also the repulsive drug-dealing thug “Cheese” in the movie “Gone Baby Gone”. I couldn’t believe it was the same actor.
I love moments like that!
Glad to hear that other people are pulling for Mark. He really deserves a good break!