18 Actors Who Have Played Multiple Roles In A Movie/TV Series

Usually when actors play multiple characters on a show or in a series of movies, it’s because there’s a whole twin/clone/doppelganger situation.

But sometimes the show or movie series will introduce a new character, and you’ll be like, “Wait a minute…I’ve seen that actor on the show before.”

1.

One of the best-known examples is perhaps Gemma Chan. After joining the MCU as Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel…

…She played the role of Sersi in Eternals. Sersi is an immortal figure created, like, at the beginning of time, right??? So why is there a random Kree woman who looks like her?

2.

Another MCU example is Michelle Yeoh, who played a minor role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2…

…Later played a larger role in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Are they variants of each other????

3.

A season before Dean-Charles Chapman became known as Tommen on Game of thrones…

…he actually played Martyn Lannister! I mean, I guess they’re both Lannisters (Blood Tommen, no name), but… still. It’s wrong.

4.

Personally, I find this one particularly egregious. Before Peter Capaldi faces the ultimate Doctor Who role, that of the Doctor himself…

…he played caecilius in a Season 4 episode. Why?!?

5.

It’s getting worse. This Season 4 episode also featured Karen Gillan in a minor role that was basically an extra, but still. She was recognizable.

Almost exactly one season later, Gillan became Doctor Who companion Amy Pond. Did they enjoy shooting this Season 4 episode so much that they only had to bring back two minor characters to be the main ones? Did Doctor Who start and then drop a plot to get all their new doctors and companions from past seasons??? The world may never know.

6.

TBH, it really squeaks my gears when a former minor character is then chosen as a SERIES REGULAR. Like Diane Neal, who played Casey Novak for over a decade on Law and order: SVU.

seven.

Harry Morgan was well known (and even won an Emmy!) for playing Colonel Potter on MASH POTATOES (after season 4) and After MASH, but he had actually been on a previous season of the show as well as, you guessed it, people, a different character. When will my suffering end?

In the Season 3 premiere, exactly one season earlier, he had played Major General Steele in fact, the whole episode was centered around him. And his costume was ALMOST THE SAME. You’re telling me that it didn’t confuse anyone??? At least give her a different LOOK!!!

8.

Tom Lenk became a main character (or, at least, the main source of comic relief) in the final season of buffy the vampire slayerbut he had also been in the series before…

…but with stage make-up/prosthetics. In Season 5, he played the vampire Cyrus. I’m going to give this one a bit of a pass because it at least looks different, but the buffy the casting team is on thin ice.

9.

Similarly, Warwick Davis appeared in two roles in the Harry Potter movies, but you probably didn’t notice him because of his prosthetics and makeup. He played Professor Flitwick from Hogwarts…

…as well as playing the Goblin Gringotts Griphook. My mind was BLOWED when I found this. I’m still coming to terms with it.

ten.

It’s a small one, but I’m including it because I noticed it even as a kid. Back when Torrey DeVitto was just getting started, she appeared on Drake and Josh here she is as “Denise Woods” in season 2, a student Drake flirts with.

And here she is as Tori in season 3!! WHAT IS THE TRUTH??

11.

Listen, I understand that writers sometimes do this as little jokes. Psych often had a ton of examples, with the writers stepping in to do a small part. For example, producer Andy Berman play a role in an episode of season 1…

…and also in an episode in season 6. He also plays a zombie in season 8. I guess it’s kinda cute and funny that they did that, but it HURT MY BRAIN TOO.

12.

another miner Psych the one that bugs me this dude, Peter Benson, who played two different characters just FIVE EPISODES APART. Psychwhat are you trying to do to me?

13.

two and a half men is another repeat offender. Judy Greer spent two episodes as Herb’s sister, Myra, in Season 4…

But she became much better known as Bridget, Walden’s ex-wife, in Season 9 of the series. She even continued to play Bridget in the following seasons! And we never heard from Myra again. Pretty suspicious, if you ask me.

14.

Jennifer Taylor also played several roles, she was best known for playing Charlie’s fiancé, Chelsea…

15.

John Rhys-Davies was best known for playing Gimli in the Lord of the Rings…

16.

Likewise, Sean Gunn play Calendar Man in The Suicide Squad…

…while also providing voice and motion capture for Weasel.

17.

He did something similar in the guardians of the galaxy movies, providing motion capture for Rocket Raccoon (and acting as a stand-in for the actors)…

…as well as Kraglin.

18.

And finally, Mark Hamill obviously reprized his role as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi…

…But you may not know it too voiced Dobbu Scay in the movie!