Actors who played roles outside their comfort zone

Amanda Seyfried was cast in the starring role in 'The Dropout,' although she initially turned it down as she was sick with COVID-19 when she got the offer. When her fever broke, she said she saw things more clearly and decided to accept. She recalled thinking, “It’s a huge challenge. But I can’t believe that I get a challenge like this." Seyfried is best known for her roles in movies like 'Mean Girls' (2004) and 'Mamma Mia' (2008), so this heavy biopic was a bit of a departure for her.

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Christian Bale - Moses from 'Exodus: Gods and Kings,' who was supposedly a Middle Eastern character, was played by the British actor.

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Hillary Swank -

The actress played a transgender character in 'Boys Don't Cry,' which won her an Oscar for Best Actress in 2000.

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Gary Oldman - The British actor underwent an incredible transformation to play Winston Churchill in 'Darkest Hour.' This included shaving off his hair and working with an opera singer.

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Juliette Binoche -

In 'The 33', the French actress played the Chilean Maria Segovia, who has darker skin.

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Amanda Seyfried -

Amanda Seyfried's most challenging role was undoubtedly in the TV series 'The Dropout.' It tells the story of Elizabeth Holmes, the enigmatic founder of Theranos who was discovered to be a fraud. Holmes was believed to be the newest genius in the tech world, having invented a device that would revolutionize the world of blood testing. However, the efficacy of the device was not what she claimed, and it all came crumbling down.

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Angelina Jolie - In the movie 'Salt,' the actress played a CIA agent who dresses as a man in a latex mask, nose, and fake ears.

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Angelina Jolie -

In 'A Mighty Heart', the actress completely changed her appearance to take on the role of Mariane Pearl, a french journalist with Afro-Cuban roots.

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Dustin Hoffman - In the movie 'Tootsie,' which received 10 Oscar nominations, Dustin Hoffman played an out-of-work actor who dresses as a woman to get a role in a TV soap.

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Robin Williams - In the comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' the talented actor had to play a woman.

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Cate Blanchett -

In 'I'm Not There', the actress played Jude Quinn, an actress who portrayed Bob Dylan from 1965–1966.

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Lisa Kudrow - The actress who played Phoebe from 'Friends' in real life is the total opposite of her character!

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Eddie Redmayne - The British actor played a transgender character called Lili, in 'The Danish Girl.'

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Carey Mulligan - In 'Drive', the British actress played a latino character, Irina.

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Nicole Kidman -

In the movie 'The Hours', the actress played Virginia Woolf, the writer who suffered from depression and suicidal tendencies.

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John Travolta - The heart-throb from Grease played a woman in 'Hairspray.'

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Jared Leto - The actor played a transvestite character with HIV in 'Dallas Buyers Club,' which won him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

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Jim Sturgess - The movie '21' is based on the real story of Jeffrey Ma, a brilliant Chinese student. The main character was played by the British actor Jim Sturgess.

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Russell Crowe -

In 'Noah' the actor from New Zealand played the biblical character who is supposedly from the Middle East.

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Emma Stone -

In 'Aloha', the actress played the Chinese-Hawaiian Allison Ng.

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Johnny Depp - In 'The Lone Ranger' the actor plays an indigenous warrior.

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Helen Mirren - The actress played Elizabeth II in 'The Queen.' Playing the British monarch, who was still alive at the time, was one of the actress's greatest challenges.

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Lena Headey - The actress plays Cersei Lannister, one of the most hated characters on 'Game of Thrones,' and has felt uncomfortable about the 'hate' that fans have for her.

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Marion Cotillard - The actress played the petite and delicate singer Edith Piaf, very different from Cotillard's taller frame in 'La Vie en Rose.'

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Linda Hunt -

The actress became known for playing the role of a male dwarf photographer in 'The Year of Living Dangerously,' and won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

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Gael García Bernal - In 'Bad Education,' the actor played Ángel, a young guy with a complicated past who pretends to be his transgender sister, Zahara, in order to get famous.

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Jack Gleeson - The actor plays the wicked Joffrey Baratheon from 'Game of Thrones,' which is a huge contrast to his sweet nature.

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Elle Fanning - In '3 Generations', the actress played a teenager called Ray, who was born a girl but doesn't feel comfortable being female.

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Meryl Streep -

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Amanda Seyfried -

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Christian Bale - Moses from 'Exodus: Gods and Kings,' who was supposedly a Middle Eastern character, was played by the British actor.

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Hillary Swank -

The actress played a transgender character in 'Boys Don't Cry,' which won her an Oscar for Best Actress in 2000.

NL Beeld

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Gary Oldman - The British actor underwent an incredible transformation to play Winston Churchill in 'Darkest Hour.' This included shaving off his hair and working with an opera singer.

NL Beeld

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Juliette Binoche -

In 'The 33', the French actress played the Chilean Maria Segovia, who has darker skin.

Getty Images

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Amanda Seyfried -

NL Beeld

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Angelina Jolie - In the movie 'Salt,' the actress played a CIA agent who dresses as a man in a latex mask, nose, and fake ears.

11 / 30 Fotos

Angelina Jolie -

In 'A Mighty Heart', the actress completely changed her appearance to take on the role of Mariane Pearl, a french journalist with Afro-Cuban roots.

NL Beeld

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Dustin Hoffman - In the movie 'Tootsie,' which received 10 Oscar nominations, Dustin Hoffman played an out-of-work actor who dresses as a woman to get a role in a TV soap.

13 / 30 Fotos

Robin Williams - In the comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' the talented actor had to play a woman.

14 / 30 Fotos

Cate Blanchett -

In 'I'm Not There', the actress played Jude Quinn, an actress who portrayed Bob Dylan from 1965–1966.

Getty Images

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Lisa Kudrow - The actress who played Phoebe from 'Friends' in real life is the total opposite of her character!

16 / 30 Fotos

Eddie Redmayne - The British actor played a transgender character called Lili, in 'The Danish Girl.'

17 / 30 Fotos

Carey Mulligan - In 'Drive', the British actress played a latino character, Irina.

18 / 30 Fotos

Nicole Kidman -

In the movie 'The Hours', the actress played Virginia Woolf, the writer who suffered from depression and suicidal tendencies.

NL Beeld

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John Travolta - The heart-throb from Grease played a woman in 'Hairspray.'

20 / 30 Fotos

Jared Leto - The actor played a transvestite character with HIV in 'Dallas Buyers Club,' which won him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

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Jim Sturgess - The movie '21' is based on the real story of Jeffrey Ma, a brilliant Chinese student. The main character was played by the British actor Jim Sturgess.

22 / 30 Fotos

Russell Crowe -

In 'Noah' the actor from New Zealand played the biblical character who is supposedly from the Middle East.

Getty Images

23 / 30 Fotos

Emma Stone -

In 'Aloha', the actress played the Chinese-Hawaiian Allison Ng.

Getty Images

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Johnny Depp - In 'The Lone Ranger' the actor plays an indigenous warrior.

25 / 30 Fotos

Helen Mirren - The actress played Elizabeth II in 'The Queen.' Playing the British monarch, who was still alive at the time, was one of the actress's greatest challenges.

26 / 30 Fotos

Lena Headey - The actress plays Cersei Lannister, one of the most hated characters on 'Game of Thrones,' and has felt uncomfortable about the 'hate' that fans have for her.

27 / 30 Fotos

Marion Cotillard - The actress played the petite and delicate singer Edith Piaf, very different from Cotillard's taller frame in 'La Vie en Rose.'

28 / 30 Fotos

Linda Hunt -

The actress became known for playing the role of a male dwarf photographer in 'The Year of Living Dangerously,' and won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

NL Beeld

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Actors who played roles outside their comfort zone

These stars accepted parts that called for more than basic acting abilities...

02/01/25 | StarsInsider

CELEBRITY Personality

To break free from typecasting and expand their acting repertoire, many actors have chosen to play roles that are completely different from their normal characters. These parts could be different in terms of gender, race, or just personality.

See which actors have taken on roles out of their comfort zones!