Summary

A movie character can sometimes take more than one actor to be sufficiently portrayed , althoughthe reasoning behind a multi - actor carrying out can dissent due to various factor . Whenever this stray quirk occurs , the picture show often has a fantastical component that makes the move necessary . While the narrative of certain movies can revolve around a rip molding , sometimes it ’s used as a gimmick or a film - piddle proficiency to see sealed element of the product do together .

Movies that have more than one actor play a individual part can often be very high - concept . However , some films simplify the movement so that it does n’t distract from the storyas a whole . Regardless , some of thebest movies of all timeuse this casting technique . Certain moving picture in this category are part of celebrated franchises , and cast off a dear role player from a previous installment can also factor in into the decision of whether their comportment require augment .

Some histrion seem like they were born to play a specific role , so it ’s a real shame when they do n’t get to deal their natural endowment with the worldly concern .

Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars and Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit

10Shazam! (2019)

Zachary Levi and Asher Angel shared the lead role

Cast

Shazam!as a flick would n’t exploit without a dual cast . Angel ’s 14 - year - old character , Billy Batson , has major power impart upon him that only manifest each metre he state " Shazam ! " Upon mouth the word , he translate into an older and firm - looking man . However , the character is still Billy , no matter what word form he lease . Billy is n’t the only role inShazam!to be swan in this fashion . Later in the flick , his brothers and sister are all granted the same major power , and each have a untried and older worker to reconcile their respective transformation .

The character of Shazam is known as Captain Marvel in the comics , but the name is dispense with in the movie to avoid confusion with the MCU and related properties .

9Doctor Who: The Movie (1996)

Sylvestor McCoy finally got his regeneration scene after a seven-year wait

After the classic run ofDoctor Whowas canceled in the 1980s , one of the casualty was the fact that Sylvestor McCoy , the serve Doctor at the time , was never start the chance to film his regeneration scene . In 1996,Doctor Who : The Moviewas released in an attempt to resuscitate the show . AlthoughPaul McGann was cast to lead the film as the Eighth Doctor , the chronicle began with McCoy ’s Seventh as he meets his death and becomes McGann .

The 7th and Eighth Doctor do not star alongside each otherinPaul McGann ’s 1996Doctor Whomovie . Instead , the franchise ’s custom extend to the big filmdom , with McCoy decease the baton to McGann . Although there have beenDoctor Whostories that include multiple actors simultaneously playing the Doctor , none of them pass off during the franchise ’s lonesome characteristic - duration celluloid .

8Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets (2002)

Polyjuice Potion affords actors unique opportunities

Shapeshifting in movies can be a challenging thing to portray , partially due to the fact that an histrion is called upon to emulate the affectation of both another thespian and their type . Such a affair occurs inHarry Potter and the Chamberof secrets whenHarry Potter and Ron Weasley take the class of Crabbe and Goyle . While trying to infiltrate the Slytherin rough-cut way , Crabbe and Goyle ’s actors , Jamie Waylett and Josh Herdman , are in reality playing Harry and Ron post - shift .

Waylett is channeling Rupert Grint ’s Ron Weasley for the scene , and Herman is emulate Daniel Radcliffe ’s Harry Potter . The meta scenario becomes more complex when it ’s view that Waylett and Herdman ’s performances are n’t totally their own . Grint and Radcliffe still provide their characters ' voice for the confusing chronological sequence , supplant the negotiation provided by their castmates .

7Freaky Friday (1976)

Jodie Foster and Barbara Harris had to switch roles

As one of thebest body - barter movies , Freaky Fridayfollows a female parent and girl as they interchange placesand tackle one another ’s day - to - day living . The nature of the movie mean both Foster and Harris are called upon to play two role each . Foster , who starts off the film as girl Annabel Andrews , is also tasked with playing her on - screen mother , Ellen Andrews , after the swap takes place . Foster ’s co - star , Barabra Harris , is responsible for doing the same , but in reverse .

There have been many remaking ofFreaky Friday . The most notable is the 2003 version with Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan .

6Star Trek (2009)

JJ Abrams' first Star Trek reboot movie allowed franchise royality to return

Star Trek ’s writer / director made a coy move with his duple - molding of Spock in his 2009 movie . Although the film was dressed as a reimagining of theStar Trekuniverse , it eventually became apparent that event were part of the chief canon - albeit in an alternating timeline . The revelation is cemented whenLeonard Nimoy enroll the fray as the " prime " Benjamin Spock , coming nerve - to - facial expression with Chris Pine ’s Captain Kirk , a grapheme originally toy by William Shatner .

heap of risky movies have great carrying out , but these castings elevated the entire movie from second-rater and made them very watchable .

Although the restitution of Nimoy could be interpret as nothing more than fan service , the truth is in reality much more meta . The elder Spock ’s comportment in Abrams ' moving-picture show allows the originalStar Trektimelineto last out intact , while creating a new universe in which Abrams can make changes that do n’t impact the canyon of the Greco-Roman franchise . The selection is very respectful as well as creative , and allowed Quinto to remain in the part of Benjamin Spock and have the reference interact with his old self during theending of the 2009Star Trekmovie .

robert downey jr in sherlock, Joaquin Pheonix in Joker, Rachel McAdams And Ryan Gosling in The Notebook

5Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

Ray Park was only the physical embodiment of Darth Maul

Darth Maul in a flash became a striking whenThe Phantom Menacewas release . His iconic double - bladed deep red lightsaber and recognisable face tattoos made him out of the question to bury . TheStar Warsprequels are still maligned by certain fan , but the moving picture are think for their brightly choreographed battle sequences . Ray Park helped the trilogy get off to a fast jump in his shared role of Darth Maul . Park is a martial arts specialist , so his grace and motion during the movie ’s lightsaber duels is something to behold .

However , Park ’s voice was clearly not suitable for the role . As a result , what little dialogue Maul has in the movie is actually delivered by Peter Serafinowicz . Although most have a go at it in the drollery domain , Serafinowicz has a versatile voice that ’s capable of adding gravitas to almost any character . His role in bringing Darth Maul to life may only have been minor , but it helped to complete the illusion .

Star Warsis no alien to casting a voice player sovereign of the person indicate on screen . The enfranchisement ’s most famous villiain , Darth Vader , is physically limn by Dave Prowse in the original trilogy , but James Earl Jones provide the vocalism .

actors 2 roles range streep dicaprio carrey

4Looper (2012)

The movie’s casting decisions were influenced by a sci-fi trope

Looperis a head - flex adventure full of paradoxesand alternating timelines . case can already be difficult to follow in a movie likeLooper , so tramp two different actors as the same character needs to be done aright . The movie ’s main role , Joe , is make for by both Joseph Gordon - Levitt and Bruce Willis , with each thespian playing Joe from different gunpoint in his sprightliness .

Gordon - Levitt and Willis do n’t look too much likewise in realism . The work party ofLooperwere clearly aware of this fact , asGordon - Levitt ’s coming into court inLooperis change with prostheticsto make him more visually alike to Bruce Willis . The two interlingual rendition of Joe are not keep freestanding , as the former and untried versions of the character interact many time during the movie .

3Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

A crossover voter often shows the group meeting of various characters that typically would never interact , butNo Way Homeonly share one-half of those criteria . There have been severalSpider - Manmovie franchises since the crook of the century , but until 2021 , they were mostly unconnected . Tobey Maguire , Andrew Garfield , and Tom Holland have all led live - actionSpider - Manmovies as Peter Parker , butNo Way Homebrought all three strain of the darling character together as part of theMCU ’s multiverse saga .

Great histrion can adapt to any purpose their calling may top them to . Here are 20 actors where two of their film or television roles prove their range .

Spider - Man ’s legal situation is complicated . Sony own the movie rightfulness , and as a result , Spider - Manmovies were made in closing off from the main MCU for a long time . Tom Holland infix the MCU as Peter Parker was part of a flock between Disney and Sony , and the same agreement made it potential to retroactively make previousSpider - Manmovies part of the master movie persistence . Maguire ’s and Garfield ’s Spider - Man variants may have set out in legal limbo , butNo way of life Homehas all three live - action mechanism Peter Parkers in the same place , and are just as canonically relevant as each other .

Zachary Quinto as Spock and Zachary Levi as Shazam against a backdrop of other various movie posters

2The Greatest Showman (2017)

The movie needed a young PT Barnum to begin proceedings

The majuscule Showmanled to Hugh Jackman becoming synonymous with the character of PT Barnum , but Jackman is n’t the only actor to wreak the character in the motion picture . The early stages ofThe Greatest Showmanfeatures Ellis Rubin in the lead role . His conversion into Jackman ’s old version of the character aim place during the time - leap montage that go with Rubin ’s sole call on the soundtrack , " A Million Dreams . " Rubin ’s role may only be relatively low when count up against Jackman ’s much larger part in the motion picture , but the sequence of a young Barnum is essential to understand the character ’s journey .

1The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus (2009)

Heath Ledger’s character needed a partial recast due to his untimely passing

While many may remember 2008’sThe Dark Knightas Heath Ledger ’s final public presentation , it actually take place in 2009’sThe Imaginarium as Doctor Parnassus . Although it was n’t part of the original plan , the eccentric of Tony was played by four separate actors . Heath Ledger was intend to lie sole title to the role of Tony , but his death during the movie ’s production led to Johnny Depp , Jude Law , and Colin Farrell all being bring on board to each play Tony .

Ledger still features as Tony for the majority of the moving picture , with the surrogate actors only stepping in whenever the character steps into the magical populace within the Imaginarium . Therefore , it was n’t a arduous recasting of Ledger , but rather a procedure that was carried out to augment the tardy worker ’s bare performance so that the movie could be seen through to its mop up .

Zachary Levi as Billy Batson in Shazam smiling

Headshot OF Zachary Levi

Headshot Of Mark Strong

Headshot Of Asher Angel

Headshot Of Jack Dylan Grazer

Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor in the Doctor Who movie

Headshot of Daniel Radcliffe In The London screening of ‘The Lost City’

Headshot Of Rupert Grint

Headshot Of Emma Watson In The Kering Foundation Caring For Women Dinner

Headshot Of Kenneth Branagh In The 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

Jodie Foster as Annabel Andrews and Barbara Harris as Ellen Andrews in Freaky Friday

Zachary Quinto and Leonard Nimoy playing two versions of Spock in Star Trek

Headshot Of Chris Pine iN The Wags & Walks 12th Annual Benefit Gala at Taglyan Complex.

Headshot Of Zoe Saldana In The 2024 KERING Women In Motion Awards

Headshot Of Zachary Quinto 2024 NBCUniversal Summer Press Tour At The Langham Huntington

Headshot Of Simon Pegg

Ray Park looking menacing as Darth Maul in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

Headshot Of Ewan McGregor In The New York premiere of ‘A Gentleman In Moscow’

Headshot Of Liam Neeson In The UK premiere of Marlowe

Headshot Of Natalie Portman In The 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards

Cast Placeholder Image

Bruce Willis as Joe holding Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a younger Joe hostage in Looper

Headshot Of Bruce Willis In The Premiere of Motherless Brooklyn

Headshot Of Joseph Gordon-Levitt In The Hollywood Critics Association’s 2023 HCA Film Awards

Headshot Of Emily Blunt

Headshot Of Paul Dano In The New York Film Critics Circle Awards

Headshot Of Zendaya In The Los Angeles Premiere Of Amazon MGM Studios' ‘Challengers’

Headshot Of Tom Holland In The 29th Annual Critics Choice Awards

Headshot Of Jamie Foxx In The European premiere of ‘Creed III’

Ellis Rubin as a young PT Barnum taking an apple in The Greatest Showman

Headshot Of Zac Efron In The Premiere Of Netflix’s ‘A Family Affair’

Headshot Of Natasha Liu Bordizzo IN The The Society Season 1 Premiere

Headshot Of Heath Ledger In The 2006 Oscars Nominees Luncheon

Headshot Of Christopher Plummer

Headshot Of Verne Troyer In The World Premiere Of Harry Potter

Headshot Of Andrew Garfield In The National Theatre Up Next Gala in South Bank