Actors Who Have Played Multiple Different Characters Within the Same Franchise

Film and television franchises often rely on a trusted stable of talent to bring their worlds to life. Casting directors occasionally call upon the same versatile actors to portray entirely different roles within the same narrative universe. This practice rewards observant fans who can spot a familiar face hidden behind alien prosthetics or a new costume. From the vast galaxy of ‘Star Wars’ to the gritty streets of ‘Law & Order’ there are many performers who have pulled double duty.

Jeffrey Combs

This prolific character actor is practically royalty within the ‘Star Trek’ franchise. He famously portrayed the Vorta clone Weyoun in ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’ and the Andorian commander Shran in ‘Star Trek: Enterprise’. His contributions also include the Ferengi liquidator Brunt and several other alien species across multiple series. Fans appreciate his ability to make each heavily makeup-laden character distinct and memorable.

Mark Hamill

While the world knows him best as Luke Skywalker from the original ‘Star Wars’ trilogy, he returned to the galaxy far, far away in other capacities. He provided the voice for the ancient Sith Lord Darth Bane in the animated series ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’. In the sequel trilogy era he voiced the alien Dobbu Scay in ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ and the droid EV-9D9 in ‘The Mandalorian’. His vocal range allows him to disappear into these side characters completely.

Peter Capaldi

Before he stepped into the TARDIS as the Twelfth Doctor he appeared in the ‘Doctor Who’ universe as a different character. He played Caecilius in the episode ‘The Fires of Pompeii’ alongside the Tenth Doctor. The show later addressed this resemblance by suggesting the Doctor subconsciously chose that face to remind himself to save people. He also played the tragic civil servant John Frobisher in the spin-off series ‘Torchwood’.

Warwick Davis

This actor began his career as the Ewok Wicket W. Warrick in ‘Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi’. He later returned to the prequel trilogy to play roles such as Wald and Weazel. In the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise he is well known for playing both Professor Filius Flitwick and the goblin banker Griphook. His work demonstrates immense skill in emotive performance despite heavy prosthetic requirements.

John Rhys-Davies

In Peter Jackson’s ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy this actor famously portrayed the dwarf warrior Gimli. He also provided the deep and resonant voice for Treebeard the Ent. The physical demands of playing Gimli were significant due to the heavy makeup and scale doubles. Voicing the slow and deliberate Treebeard allowed him to showcase a completely different aspect of his vocal talents within the same fantasy world.

Benedict Cumberbatch

He leads the mystical side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Stephen Strange. However, he also provided the motion capture and voice for the villainous Dormammu in ‘Doctor Strange’. This dual casting created a unique dynamic where the hero was essentially bargaining with a dark reflection of himself. It was a clever production choice that added thematic depth to the film’s climax.

Andy Serkis

Best known for his motion capture work as Supreme Leader Snoke in the ‘Star Wars’ sequel trilogy, he returned for a live-action role in ‘Andor’. In the series he played Kino Loy, a floor manager in an Imperial prison complex. The character of Kino Loy became a fan favorite for his tragic arc and inspiring speech. This marked a rare instance of an actor playing both a CGI monster and a grounded human in the same saga.

Jeremy Bulloch

The late actor originally wore the iconic armor of Boba Fett in ‘Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back’. He later returned to the franchise without a helmet in ‘Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith’. In the prequel film he played Captain Colton, the pilot of the Tantive IV. It was a respectful nod to the man who gave the bounty hunter his menacing physical presence.

Dean-Charles Chapman

Fans of ‘Game of Thrones’ recognize him primarily as the naive King Tommen Baratheon. Before taking the throne he played the minor role of Martyn Lannister in an earlier season. Martyn was a squire captured and killed by the Stark forces during the war. The casting change went largely unnoticed by casual viewers due to the time gap between the two appearances.

Chris Evans

While most associate him with Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he played another Marvel hero previously. He starred as Johnny Storm in the ‘Fantastic Four’ films produced by Fox. With the multiverse concepts introduced in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ he reprised his role as the Human Torch. This allowed him to inhabit two distinct leading roles within the broader Marvel film history.

Jerry Orbach

Before he became the iconic Detective Lennie Briscoe on ‘Law & Order’ he appeared on the show as a defense attorney. He played Frank Lehrman in a season two episode titled ‘The Wages of Love’. His performance impressed the creator Dick Wolf enough to bring him back as a series regular later. He remains one of the most beloved figures in the entire franchise.

Vaughn Armstrong

This actor holds a record for portraying over a dozen different characters across the ‘Star Trek’ franchise. He is perhaps best known for his recurring role as Admiral Maxwell Forrest in ‘Star Trek: Enterprise’. His other roles include various Klingons, Romulans, and Cardassians in multiple series. His chameleon-like ability to handle alien prosthetics made him a favorite of the makeup department.

Paul Bettany

He began his journey in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the disembodied voice of J.A.R.V.I.S. in ‘Iron Man’. Later he physically appeared on screen as the synthezoid Vision in ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’. The transition from a strictly vocal performance to a physical one was a major plot point for the Avengers. He continued to explore the complexities of Vision in the series ‘WandaVision’.

Ian Whyte

Standing over seven feet tall, this actor was utilized for various imposing roles in ‘Game of Thrones’. He played a White Walker, the Mountain in season two, and the giant Wun Wun. He also portrayed the giant Dongo and a wight giant in later seasons. His immense stature made him the go-to performer for the show’s most massive characters.

Kenneth Choi

He first appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Jim Morita, a member of the Howling Commandos in ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’. Decades later in the timeline he played Principal Morita in ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’. The second character is the grandson of the first, explaining the identical appearance. A photo of the grandfather can even be seen in the principal’s office.

Joe Don Baker

In the James Bond film ‘The Living Daylights’ he played the villainous arms dealer Brad Whitaker. He returned to the franchise years later in ‘GoldenEye’ as a completely different character. His second role was Jack Wade, a gruff but helpful CIA agent who assisted Pierce Brosnan’s Bond. It is rare for a Bond villain actor to return as a Bond ally.

Bruce Campbell

Director Sam Raimi frequently casts his longtime friend in cameo roles throughout the ‘Spider-Man’ trilogy. He appeared as a wrestling announcer, a snooty theater usher, and a helpful French maitre d’. Each character served as a humorous obstacle or aide to Peter Parker. Rumors suggest these cameos might have eventually led to him playing the villain Mysterio.

Garret Dillahunt

In the acclaimed western series ‘Deadwood’ he played two distinct characters in separate seasons. He first portrayed the cowardly assassin Jack McCall who kills Wild Bill Hickok. Later he returned as the ruthless geologist Francis Wolcott. The creator David Milch was so impressed by his first performance that he wrote the second role specifically for him.

Sean Gunn

He is the on-set motion reference actor for Rocket Raccoon in the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ films. In addition to this technical performance he plays the Ravager Kraglin Obfonteri in live action. His work as Rocket allows the animators to have a realistic reference for the character’s movements. Kraglin eventually takes on a larger role within the team as the series progresses.

Colin Baker

Before he was cast as the Sixth Doctor in ‘Doctor Who’ he played a purely villainous role. He appeared as Commander Maxil in the Fifth Doctor story ‘Arc of Infinity’. In that episode his character famously shot the Doctor. This is another instance where the show cast a future lead based on a strong guest performance.

Ahmed Best

He is famously the voice and motion capture artist for Jar Jar Binks in the ‘Star Wars’ prequels. Years later he returned to the franchise in the series ‘The Mandalorian’ as a human character. He played Jedi Master Kelleran Beq who saved Grogu during the Order 66 purge. This role offered him a chance to display his martial arts skills and play a heroic figure.

Charles Gray

In the James Bond film ‘You Only Live Twice’ he played a British intelligence contact named Henderson. He later graduated to the role of the main antagonist Blofeld in ‘Diamonds Are Forever’. The two characters are unrelated despite appearing in films released only a few years apart. His portrayal of Blofeld was noted for being more campy and sophisticated.

Clancy Brown

This actor has voiced several major villains in the ‘Star Wars’ animated universe. He voiced the monstrous Savage Opress in ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ and Ryder Azadi in ‘Star Wars Rebels’. He made the jump to live action in ‘The Mandalorian’ as the Devaronian mercenary Burg. Later he appeared in ‘Ahsoka’ as the Governor of Lothal.

Thomas F. Wilson

In the ‘Back to the Future’ trilogy he played the primary antagonist in every time period. He portrayed the bully Biff Tannen, his grandson Griff Tannen, and his outlaw ancestor Buford ‘Mad Dog’ Tannen. He successfully altered his voice and mannerisms to suit the different eras. His performance as the Tannen lineage is crucial to the comedy and conflict of the series.

Patton Oswalt

In the series ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ he played the Koenig brothers. These were identical quadruplets named Eric, Billy, Sam, and Thurston. The show played with the mystery of whether they were clones or Life Model Decoys. He brought a distinct personality to each brother while maintaining their shared eccentricities.

J.G. Hertzler

Known to ‘Star Trek’ fans as the Klingon General Martok in ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’, he played other roles too. He appeared as a Vulcan captain in the pilot episode of the same series. He also played a Changeling named Laas and a human artist in ‘Star Trek: Voyager’. His commanding voice made him perfect for authoritative alien figures.

Jed Brophy

This actor is a veteran of Middle-earth who appeared in both ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and ‘The Hobbit’ trilogies. He played various orcs including Sharku and Snaga. In ‘The Hobbit’ films he had a more prominent role as the dwarf Nori. He spent countless hours in makeup chairs to bring these fantasy creatures to life.

Michael J. Fox

In ‘Back to the Future Part II’ he played multiple members of the McFly family. He reprised his role as Marty McFly while also playing his future son Marty Jr. and his daughter Marlene. He also portrayed his ancestor Seamus McFly in the third film. These roles required precise timing and complex split-screen effects work.

Enver Gjokaj

He had a small role as a police officer during the Battle of New York in ‘The Avengers’. Later he was cast as a main character, agent Daniel Sousa, in the series ‘Agent Carter’. He reprised the role of Sousa in ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ joining the team on time-traveling adventures. Some theories suggest the cop was a descendant of Sousa to explain the resemblance.

Silas Carson

In the ‘Star Wars’ prequels he played the Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi. He also portrayed the villainous Nute Gunray of the Trade Federation. His work involved heavy prosthetics for both characters that completely obscured his face. He managed to play a serene peacekeeper and a cowardly greedy executive in the same films.

Harry Morgan

Before he became the beloved Colonel Sherman Potter on ‘MAS*H’ he appeared in a different role. He played the unhinged Major General Bartford Hamilton Steele in the season three premiere. His comedic timing in that episode convinced the producers to bring him back as a regular. Colonel Potter became the commanding officer for the remainder of the series.

Jeremy Sisto

He appeared in the ‘Law & Order’ season 17 finale as a defense attorney. The following season he joined the main cast as Detective Cyrus Lupo. His character partnered with Detective Green and later Detective Bernard. This transition from a guest legal role to a lead detective role is a common path in the Dick Wolf universe.

Mark Gatiss

He has played multiple roles across the modern ‘Doctor Who’ series. He voiced a Spitfire pilot, played the monstrous Professor Lazarus, and portrayed the character Gantok. He also played a World War I captain in the special ‘Twice Upon a Time’. In addition to acting he has written several episodes for the show.

Ty Olsson

In the series ‘Supernatural’ he played the vampire Benny Lafitte who becomes an ally to Dean Winchester. However, he had previously appeared in the second season as a different vampire named Eli. Benny became a significant recurring character with a complex emotional arc. Fans readily accepted the actor in the new and more expanded role.

Kevin Peter Hall

The late actor is the man inside the suit of the original ‘Predator’. In the same film he also appears without makeup as the helicopter pilot at the end. He returned to play the City Hunter Predator in the sequel. His enormous height made him the perfect choice for the imposing alien hunter.

Stephen Ure

Another staple of Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth, he played distinct orc commanders. He portrayed Grishnakh in ‘The Two Towers’ and Gorbag in ‘The Return of the King’. Both roles required extensive prosthetics and vocal modulation. He disappeared so effectively into the creatures that few realized it was the same actor.

Lawrence Makoare

He played several major villains in ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy. He was the Uruk-hai leader Lurtz in the first film and the Witch-king of Angmar in the third. He also played the orc commander Gothmog who led the siege of Minas Tirith. His physical presence was terrifying across all three distinct antagonistic roles.

Tom Lenk

In ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ he is best known for playing Andrew Wells, a member of the Trio. Before that he appeared as a vampire minion named Cyrus in the fifth season. Cyrus was killed by Buffy, but the actor returned to play the much more significant role of Andrew. He brought a unique comedic energy to the final seasons of the show.

Walter Gotell

He played the SPECTRE henchman Morzeny in the James Bond film ‘From Russia with Love’. Later he became the recurring ally General Gogol, head of the KGB. He appeared as Gogol in six consecutive Bond films during the Moore and Dalton eras. His transition from henchman to a recurring frenemy is a unique part of Bond history.

Shane Rimmer

This actor had a long association with the James Bond franchise. He played a radar operator in ‘You Only Live Twice’ and a production manager in ‘Diamonds Are Forever’. He famously played Commander Carter in ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’. He also provided voice work for other characters in the series.

Jonathan Hyde

In the adventure film ‘Jumanji’ he played two roles that mirrored each other psychologically. He portrayed Alan Parrish’s distant father Sam Parrish. Inside the game world he played the relentless big-game hunter Van Pelt. This dual casting symbolized the protagonist’s need to confront his fear of his father.

Dennis Franz

He played two different detectives on the police drama ‘NYPD Blue’. He first appeared as the corrupt Detective Sal Benedetto in the show’s precursor ‘Hill Street Blues’. The creator Steven Bochco liked him so much he created the role of Andy Sipowicz for him. Sipowicz became one of the most complex and celebrated characters in television history.

Sam Witwer

He is a prominent voice actor in the ‘Star Wars’ universe. He voiced the Son in ‘The Clone Wars’ and gave a defining performance as Maul in the animated series. He also voiced Emperor Palpatine in ‘Star Rebels’ and played a background stormtrooper in ‘The Force Awakens’. His deep knowledge of the lore informs his various vocal performances.

Corey Burton

He provides the voice for Count Dooku in the animated ‘Star Wars’ series, capturing the elegance of Christopher Lee. He also voices the ruthless bounty hunter Cad Bane. Additionally, he voiced the Hutt crime lord Ziro in ‘The Clone Wars’. His vocal range allows him to play an aristocrat, a cowboy, and a gangster in the same show.

Christopher Heyerdahl

In the ‘Stargate’ franchise he played the recurring human character Halling in ‘Stargate Atlantis’. He also played the Wraith character known as Todd, a frequent uneasy ally. Prosthetics completely changed his appearance for the role of Todd. He managed to give the alien a distinct sense of honor and wit.

Brian Thompson

He played the Alien Bounty Hunter in ‘The X-Files’, a memorable shape-shifting recurring antagonist. He also appeared as a different character in the film ‘The X-Files: Fight the Future’. In the show’s lore, the Bounty Hunter was a clone, but his other roles were distinct entities. His sharp features made him perfect for menacing roles.

Matt Frewer

In the series ‘Supernatural’ he played the Horseman of the Apocalypse known as Pestilence. Earlier in the series he appeared as a completely different character named Dr. Krasner. His performance as Pestilence was particularly chilling and memorable. The show frequently reused talented character actors in this manner.

Ryan Reynolds

In ‘Deadpool 2’ he obviously plays the title character, the Merc with a Mouth. He also provided the voice and facial capture for the massive villain Juggernaut. He even played a version of himself in the post-credits scene. This meta-casting fits perfectly with the irreverent tone of the franchise.

Eddie Murphy

In the ‘Coming to America’ films he famously plays Prince Akeem. He also plays multiple residents of Queens including the barber Clarence and the singer Randy Watson. The elaborate makeup by Rick Baker allowed him to interact with himself in several scenes. This showcased his incredible versatility as a comedic character actor.

Michael Shanks

He is best known as Dr. Daniel Jackson in the ‘Stargate SG-1’ series. He also provided the voice for the Asgard Thor throughout the show’s run. Additionally, he played the ancient inventor Ma’chello in a season two episode. Playing the old man Ma’chello required hours of makeup that rendered him unrecognizable.

Tell us which of these dual performances surprised you the most in the comments.