Actors Who Played Opposite Gender Roles

Playing a character of a different gender has appeared across comedies, dramas, and biopics, with performers using makeup, wardrobe, and voice work to transform on screen. These roles span classic Hollywood to recent prestige films and TV. Many of these performances earned major awards and sparked conversations about representation. Here are notable examples and the projects where these actors made the switch.

Dustin Hoffman

Hoffman plays Dorothy Michaels in the comedy ‘Tootsie’, portraying an out of work actor who becomes a soap opera star while living as a woman. The production relied on extensive makeup tests to nail Dorothy’s look, along with costuming built around period fashions. Hoffman trained on voice and physical movement to maintain the character’s presence across daily shoots. The film’s success placed the performance among the most referenced gender disguises in cinema.

Robin Williams

Williams takes on the role of Euphegenia Doubtfire in ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’, using prosthetics and a full body suit to achieve the transformation. The makeup process became famous for its complexity, requiring hours in the chair before filming. Stunt and effects teams coordinated with wardrobe to keep the disguise believable during physical comedy. The movie’s box office run cemented the character as a mainstream example of cross gender performance.

Cate Blanchett

Blanchett portrays Bob Dylan in ‘I’m Not There’, playing one of several facets of the musician’s persona. Her segment focuses on a specific era of Dylan’s career and uses black and white cinematography to mirror documentary aesthetics. Voice coaching and mannerism study guided the performance toward Dylan’s cadence and posture. Critics highlighted the choice as a rare instance of a woman playing a famous male artist in a major release.

Tilda Swinton

Swinton appears under heavy prosthetics as Dr. Josef Klemperer in ‘Suspiria’, credited at first under a pseudonym to preserve the surprise. The effects team built layered appliances to change facial structure and age, paired with a padded suit to adjust body shape. Swinton also used a different dialect and gait to separate the character from her other roles in the film. The production later confirmed her portrayal after months of speculation.

Glenn Close

Close leads ‘Albert Nobbs’ as a woman living as a male butler in nineteenth century Dublin. The project adapts George Moore’s story and explores the character’s daily routines required to maintain secrecy. Close previously played the role on stage and brought that preparation into the screen version. The film’s design team emphasized period uniforms and restrained makeup to support a lived in disguise.

Jared Leto

Leto plays Rayon in ‘Dallas Buyers Club’, collaborating with makeup artists who worked without digital touch ups to achieve a natural look. Weight loss and wardrobe choices reflect the character’s health and style as written in the script. Leto stayed in character on set to keep consistency between scenes. The performance drew wide awards recognition during the film’s run.

Eddie Redmayne

Redmayne portrays Lili Elbe in ‘The Danish Girl’, based on accounts of one of the first recipients of gender confirmation surgery. The production shot in European locations that matched the story’s historical setting. Costume design tracks Lili’s evolving presentation through fabrics, silhouettes, and color. Redmayne worked with movement coaches to shape gestures and posture for the role.

Hilary Swank

Swank plays Brandon Teena in ‘Boys Don’t Cry’, a biographical drama filmed on a tight schedule and budget. The role required hair and binding methods suited to the character’s daily life as depicted in the source material. The production used Midwestern locations to recreate the real events. Swank’s preparation included voice work to sustain the character across the full shoot.

Felicity Huffman

Huffman stars as Bree in ‘Transamerica’, working with dialect coaching to create the character’s voice before and after key plot developments. Makeup and costuming emphasize everyday realism rather than heightened caricature. The story follows a cross country trip that anchors the film’s structure. Huffman received major award nominations for the role.

Jeffrey Tambor

Tambor leads the series ‘Transparent’ as Maura Pfefferman, with the show focusing on family dynamics after her transition. Production consulted with advisors to guide language and cultural details in scripts. The series used handheld camerawork and location shooting to create an intimate style. Tambor’s performance received multiple television awards during the early seasons.

John Travolta

Travolta plays Edna Turnblad in the musical ‘Hairspray’, using a custom fat suit and a towering wig to match the stage tradition of the role. Choreography rehearsals adapted movement to the costume’s weight and range. The vocal performance leans into classic musical theatre techniques. The film’s soundtrack and dance numbers kept Edna central to large ensemble scenes.

Tyler Perry

Perry created and performs Mabel Madea Simmons across stage plays and films that include ‘Diary of a Mad Black Woman’ and later entries in the franchise. The character’s signature dress, wig, and glasses form a consistent visual template. Perry switches between multiple roles in the same project, often acting opposite Madea through split screen and doubles. The recurring portrayal became a long running box office draw.

Martin Lawrence

Lawrence disguises himself as Hattie Mae Pierce in ‘Big Momma’s House’, with effects teams designing a full body prosthetic for extended action scenes. The suit had cooling features to manage heat during long days. Physical comedy sequences required coordination between stunt performers and the main cast. The film’s success led to sequels that continued the premise.

Tony Curtis

Curtis plays Josephine in ‘Some Like It Hot’ while also appearing as the male character Joe. Wardrobe and makeup replicate late 1920s fashion for the band scenes. The script uses quick changes and musical numbers to integrate the disguise into the plot. Curtis’s performance pairs with his co star to carry the film’s central conceit.

Jack Lemmon

Lemmon portrays Daphne in ‘Some Like It Hot’, matching Curtis’s dual identity structure throughout the story. Rehearsals focused on timing to keep the band sequences and chase scenes sharp. Costumes and heels influenced the physical comedy in several set pieces. The role remains one of Lemmon’s most recognized screen transformations.

John Cameron Mitchell

Mitchell embodies the title character in ‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’, expanding the original stage production into a film. The project blends concert footage, animated interludes, and narrative flashbacks. Makeup and wigs change across songs to track Hedwig’s evolving look. The soundtrack release helped the film gain a lasting audience.

Jaye Davidson

Davidson plays Dil in ‘The Crying Game’, a character central to the story’s plot twist and relationship dynamics. The production kept marketing materials vague to protect key revelations. Performance choices lean on subtlety in dialogue scenes rather than extensive prosthetics. The role received significant award attention after release.

Linda Hunt

Hunt portrays Billy Kwan in ‘The Year of Living Dangerously’, a male photojournalist who guides the story’s protagonist. The transformation depends on hair, makeup, and tailored wardrobe rather than heavy prosthetics. Hunt’s voice work and physicality anchor the character’s presence in crowded scenes. The performance earned an Academy Award, a rare honor for an opposite gender role.

Barbra Streisand

Streisand leads ‘Yentl’ as a young woman who lives as a man to pursue religious study, adapting the narrative from Isaac Bashevis Singer’s story. The film uses musical numbers to reveal inner thoughts while the disguise carries the plot. Production design recreates early twentieth century Eastern European settings. Streisand directed, produced, and starred to realize the project.

Julie Andrews

Andrews headlines ‘Victor Victoria’, playing a singer who poses as a male performer impersonating a woman. The film draws on nightclub settings and elaborate stage costuming. Vocal performance and choreography support the layers of identity within the act. The role added another acclaimed musical entry to Andrews’s filmography.

Amanda Bynes

Bynes stars in ‘She’s the Man’, a modern retelling of a Shakespearean comedy that follows a teen who impersonates her brother to join a boys’ soccer team. The production shot on real school locations and used sports coordinators for match sequences. Makeup and wardrobe shift between campus life and athletic scenes to maintain the disguise. The screenplay updates the original play’s mistaken identity beats for a contemporary setting.

Tell us your favorite example of an opposite gender performance in the comments and share who else should make the list.