If it wasn't already complicated to play just the one character in a film, there are some actors out there who have faced the challenge of being put in the skin of two or more different characters in the same production. We find all these sort of risky gambles in a wide range of genres from comedies, dramas and thrillers which when executed properly can reap many rewards.
The reason behind casting one actor in more than one role in the same film can differ depending on a range of factors. One reason could be simply for the comedic effect of it all and how it is not a normal sight to see an actor playing more than one role on the big screen. Secondly, simply put, the script calls for it because maybe characters are related or physically similar it requires a the same person to portray both roles in order to show that similarity. Other times, it may be a tactic to capatalise on the actors popularity so by giving them more screen time audiences can enjoy the interaction between the characters. Finally, the prospect of seeing the same actor playing two different roles at the same time in the same film, just like Tom Hardydid in 'Legend' certainly grabs our attention and makes us think more about the film.
Reputable filmmakers such as Francis Ford Coppola and Stanley Kubrick have both been known to recycle their actors in numerous roles in their productions, proving to the viewers that the concept can actually work. So, without further ado, here are 10 impressive actors that have played more than one role in the same film.
1 James McAvoy in 'Split'
After Joaquin Phoenix pulled out the role, director M. Night Shyamalan gave the role of the protagonist to James McAvoy for his 2017 film 'Split'. The main character is a man diagnosed with 23 distinct personalities, covering the whole spectrum. The Scottish actor, said he prepared for the role by doing thorough research and watching documentaries and videos on YouTube of people with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID).
2 Mike Myers in 'Austin Powers'
In the 'Austin Powers' trilogy, both the hero and the villain are played by the same man. Austin Powers himself and Dr. Evil were both brought to life by Mike Myers who increased his portfolio of characters in the saga as the next two movies came out. In the second movie, Myers plays Fat Bastard, and in the third production he portrayed Gold Member, which was also the name of the final film. Myers didn't stop there either, as he also played numerous roles in the 2008 film 'The Love Guru'.
3 Jeremy Irons in 'Dead Ringers'
In this film by David Croneburg, two twin brothers are played by Jeremy Irons. Both the Canadian director and British actor provided small detailed differences to each brother that allows us to see the distinct differences in their personalities, postures, and voices despite them both being played by the same actor. The film was one of the first productions to use computer-controlled moving-matte photography, which was used to make some of the onscreen interactions possible.
4 Peter Sellers in 'Dr. Strangelove'
In Stanley Kubrick's 1964 film about the Cold War, another British actor successfully pulled off multiple roles in one film. Peter Sellers brought to life three individuals in the film 'Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb'. These include the president, the captain and the titular mad scientist, Dr. Strangelove. These different roles were so diverse which perfectly showcased the actors ability and ease to portray a range of roles.
5 Winona Ryder in 'Bram Stoker's Dracula'
Winona Ryder took on numerous roles in the 1992 film 'Bram Stoker's Dracula', directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The actress played the wife of Dracula, who has committed suicide at the start of the film after receiving a false report about her husbands death. 4 centuries later, she also plays the fiancé of a lawyer who is trapped in a castle.
6 Tom Hardy in 'Legend'
The British gangster biopic, 'Legend', that tells the story of the deadly rise and fall of the infamous Kray twins is also another example of twins being played by one actor. This time, that actor is Tom Hardy. The British actor managed to persuade director Brian Helgeland over dinner that he could handle playing both roles. Helgeland originally planned Hardy to just play the role Reggie Kray, and after shoot the role of Ron with a similar looking actor. Hardy has described the challenge as "the hardest thing that I've tried to do in my career."
7 Jesse Eisenberg in 'The Double'
In his second feature length film, Richard Ayoade puts New York born actor Jesse Eisenberg in charge of playing an office worker Simon, and his doppelgänger who is a more charming, confident and successful version of him. Based on the novel written by Fiódor Dostoyevski, 'The Double' sees Eisenberg juggle both personalities with ease as we follow him on his descent into madness.
8 Patricia Arquette in 'Lost Highway'
Lost Highway is the 1997 film written and directed by David Lynch. In this thriller that tells the story of a man framed for the murder of his wife who is sent to jail and then morphs into man to lead a new life, one actress plays the roles of two female characters. Patricia Arquette is put in the heels of the stunning Renee Madison and in the second part of the film plays mistress Alice Wakefield.
9 Monty Python in 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail'
Distributing ten roles between the six members of the group was common practice for Monty Python. 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' was released in 1974 and many of the cast took on more than one role. For example, Graham Chapman played the protagonist King Arthur and three other characters. In fact, Chapman was the one who had to change roles the least as the likes of Michael Palin took charge of nine different roles, whilst Eric Idle played seven different roles. Furthermore, both John Cleese and Terry Gilliam had six different roles.
10 Eddie Murphy in 'The Nutty Professor'
In the 1996 version of 'The Nutty Professor', Brooklyn born Eddie Murphy plays a total of seven roles in the film. Murphy plays every role of the Klump family except for Ernie Klump Jr.