Actors who played roles outside their comfort zone

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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Amanda Seyfried -

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

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

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

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

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Meryl Streep - The award-winning actress played Miranda Priestly in 'The Devil Wears Prada,' a cut-throat boss who makes her new employee Andy (played by Anne Hathaway) suffer. The role is far from Streep's real self!

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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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Juliette Binoche -

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

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

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

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Emma Stone -

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

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

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Nicole Kidman - In the movie 'The Hours', the actress played Virginia Woolf, the writer who suffered from depression and suicidal tendancies.

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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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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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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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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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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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BrunoPress

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Amanda Seyfried -

BrunoPress

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Amanda Seyfried -

Getty Images

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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.

3 / 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.

4 / 30 Fotos

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.

5 / 30 Fotos

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

6 / 30 Fotos

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

7 / 30 Fotos

Hillary Swank -

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

BrunoPress

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

9 / 30 Fotos

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

10 / 30 Fotos

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.

11 / 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.

12 / 30 Fotos

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

13 / 30 Fotos

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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.

15 / 30 Fotos

Juliette Binoche -

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

Getty Images

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

17 / 30 Fotos

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.

18 / 30 Fotos

Russell Crowe -

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

Getty Images

19 / 30 Fotos

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

20 / 30 Fotos

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

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Emma Stone -

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

Getty Images

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

23 / 30 Fotos

Nicole Kidman - In the movie 'The Hours', the actress played Virginia Woolf, the writer who suffered from depression and suicidal tendancies.

24 / 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.'

25 / 30 Fotos

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.

BrunoPress

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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.

27 / 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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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.

BrunoPress

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Actors who played roles outside their comfort zone

These actors took on roles which were completely the opposite of their usual characters

29/08/22 | StarsInsider

CELEBRITY Personality

To break free from typecasting and expand their acting repertoire, many actors have chosen to play roles which are completely the different to 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!