Summary
Somefranchises that have gotten too big for their own good(and even some that are just beginning) have double-cast actors, having them play two (or more) completely unrelated characters. This is the opposite ofmovie franchises recasting characters, condensing the cast rather than expanding it. There are some obvious scenarios where an actor would play two characters — twins, clones, descendants, etc. However,some multimedia franchises are simply big enough and have so many characters that producers reuse actors,rather than going through the casting process again.
The appeal of this is evident; the cast and crew have worked with this actor before and know they are reliable.Actors who play multiple roles in one movieor TV show generally do so because the people involved like working with them.Talented actors should be able to take on completely different personas,and getting another role in the same franchise may be no different from a new job. In some cases, audiences are treated to an amazing contrast where they see how versatile an actor is.
10 Things To Know About Doctor Doom Before RDJ Plays Him In Avengers 5
With RDJ’s casting, the MCU will finally get its Doctor Doom in Avengers 5, drawing from years of lore that define the iconic Marvel villain.
10Andy Serkis In Star Wars
Played Snoke & Kino Loy
Andy Serkis joined theStar Warsroster for the sequel trilogy, first appearing as Supreme Leader Snoke of the First Order inStar Wars: The Force Awakens. This role played into Serkis' reputation for being cast as CGI characters, most famously Gollum and Caesar.Serkis is a fine big bad up until Snoke is killed by Kylo Ren inStar Wars: The Last Jedi,cutting short his storyline in the new trilogy. However, Serkis made a surprise return toStar Warsshortly after this.
Maybe theStar Warsproducers felt they had wasted Serkis, or maybe him being cast inAndorwas a coincidence. Either way,Serkis plays Kino Loy, a major character in the highly-praised three-episode prison break arcof what is widely considered thebestStar WarsTV showof the Disney era. Kino’s fate is ambiguous by the end of the season; however, Serkis is confirmed to be returning forAndorseason 2.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise that started in 1977 by creator George Lucas. After the release of Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope (originally just titled Star Wars), the franchise quickly exploded, spawning multiple sequels, prequels, TV shows, video games, comics, and much more. After Disney acquired the rights to the franchise, they quickly expanded the universe on Disney+, starting with The Mandalorian.
9Peter Capaldi In Doctor Who
Played The Twelfth Doctor & Lobus Caecilius
Peter Capaldi played twoDoctor Whocharacters, something which is an informal tradition in every era of the show.Before being cast as the Twelfth Doctor, Capaldi appeared in season 4, episode 2, “The Fires of Pompeii,“during the David Tennant era. In the titular setting, Capaldi plays Lobus Caecilius, a family man and merchant who hopes to enter politics in ancient Rome. Ironically, this is also Karen Gillan’s firstDoctor Whoepisode; she is credited only as"Soothsayer,“and later went on to become the Eleventh Doctor’s companion, Amy Pond.
The frequency at whichDoctor Whodoes this suggests that the people behind the franchise enjoy playing with the thematic implications of double-casting.
Doctor Whodoes address Capaldi’s two characters' identical likenesses in-universe, as the new regeneration of the Doctor subconsciously chose Caecilius' appearance for himself. Meanwhile, actors includingColin Baker and Freema Agyeman also played multiple characters in theDoctor Whouniverse.The frequency at whichDoctor Whodoes this suggests that the people behind the franchise enjoy playing with the thematic implications of double-casting.
Doctor Who
Doctor Who: Released on July 19, 2025, this series follows the Doctor and their companion as they journey across time and space, encountering a range of extraordinary friends and adversaries, expanding the universe of the long-running British science fiction series.
8Jenna Ortega In Wednesday
Played Wednesday & Goody Addams
Wednesdayis the latest iteration of theAddams Familyfranchise and Jenna Ortega is the newest actress to take on the iconic role. Everyone instantly fell in love with Ortega’s deadpan performance, but she was also cast as the mysterious Addams ancestor Goody.Wednesday and Goody are subtly different yet equally spooky,giving Ortega the chance to show off all the different nuances she can portray.
The casting choice was made for the obvious reason thatWednesday and Goody are supposed to mirror each other, both visually and in terms of their goals.Goody is a perversion of Wednesday, with blond braids instead of black and a more whimsical presence. Goody will likely continue to play a role in the story in future seasons ofWednesdayas Wednesday learns to master her power; therefore, this will continue to be a double role for Ortega.
Wednesday
Wednesday follows the journey of Wednesday Addams as she attends Nevermore Academy, a boarding school for outcasts. Tasked with mastering her psychic abilities, she confronts a series of town murders and a haunting family mystery from 25 years ago, all while managing new social dynamics.
7Warwick Davis In Harry Potter
Played Griphook & Professor Flitwick
Warwick Davis played the dramatically different roles of Griphook and Professor Flitwickin theHarry Pottermovies. The former is a Gringotts goblin who simply takes Harry to his vault in the first movie; he reappears in the final installment for a more action-packed sequence of robbing a bank vault with several betrayals among the main group. However, there is an argument that Davis actually played threeHarry Pottercharacters.
Flitwick looks completely different in the thirdHarry Pottermoviethan from the first two. This is because Davis' character inHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkabanwasn’t originally supposed to be Flitwick. The Hogwarts Choir and its director were conceptualized by Alfonso Cuarón, who cast Davis when Flitwick doesn’t appear elsewhere in the movie. However, the next director Michael Newell preferred Flitwick’s new appearance, sothe Hogwarts professor and choir director were merged into one character.
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a multimedia franchise about an orphaned boy who enrolls at Hogwarts School of Wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family, and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world. Adapted from the novels, Harry Potter is an eight-episode film saga that follows the journey of Harry Potter and his friends, Hermoine Granger and Ron Weasley, as they navigate the tricky world of growing up, school life, and magic. Starting from year one and moving to their seventh year, the films chronicle the students' time at Hogwarts while unfurling a sinister plot that centers around the unsuspecting Harry. With the return of the dark wizard, Voldemort, the students and professors at Hogwarts will fight to carry on as the world around them may change forever. Harry Potter has expanded beyond the world of its films and novels with several video games, a spin-off film series titled Fantastic Beasts, and even attractions at Universal Studios.
6Benedict Cumberbatch In The Hobbit
Played Smaug & Sauron
Although theHobbitmovies are not the best of the extended Middle-earth franchise,Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance as the dragon Smaug is chilling.This also marked an ironic reunion between Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman that probably pleased fans ofSherlock, in which the actors respectively play Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. Cumberbatch also provided the voice of Sauron for the threeHobbitmovies.
The role of Sauron has been passed around a lot, asthe character is mostly a disembodied force in theLord of the Ringstrilogy who acts through the Nazgûl and the One Ring.Who plays him depends on whether he is a voice, a faceless soldier, or taking on a human appearance (as he does inThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power). However, handing off Sauron to Cumberbatch worked for theHobbitmovies and saved some time, allowing the filmmakers to draw a connection between the two villains and the different temptations they are associated with.
Rings Of Power: Main Characters & Their Lord Of The Rings Counterparts
It can be very fruitful to compare the characters from The Lord of the Rings to those in The Rings of Power.
5Majel Barrett In Star Trek
Played Federation Computer, Dr. Christine Chapel, & Lwaxana Troi
Majel Barrett (sometimes credited as Majel Barrett Roddenberry) was known as the"First Lady of Star Trek"because of her marriage to the franchise’s creator and star Gene Roddenberry.Barrett appeared in almost every iteration ofStar Trekbefore her death in 2008,as her voice is famously used for the computers in the movies and TV; she is variously credited as"Federation computer,““Starfleet computer,“and"Enterprise computer.“Barrett also took on some more substantial roles across the decades of the franchise.
Barrett’s most significant character is probably Dr. Christine Chapel,who first appeared inStar Trek: The Original Seriesand returned for some later movies and shows. She also played"Number One"in the firstStar Trekpilot, and Lwaxana Troi inStar Trek: The Next GenerationandDS9. Recurring actors in numerous different roles is a staple ofStar Trek; looking out for Barrett’s next cameo is part of the fun. The distinct characters were also spread out enough throughout the franchise to not interfere with one another.
Star Trek
Star Trek is one of pop culture’s biggest multimedia franchises, spanning multiple movies, TV shows, books, comics, video games, and various other media. The franchise was created by Gene Roddenberry and started with the 1960s TV series starring William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. Over the decades, several equally popular series have come out since as Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Discovery.
4Bill Murray In Ghostbusters
Played Dr. Peter Venkman & Martin Heiss
Bill Murray is one of the original faces ofGhostbusters, making it unsurprising that the producers would want to feature him in the tonally different legacy sequels. 2016’sGhostbusterswas the first movie in the franchise to come out since the original two installments led by Murray and the rest of the original cast. Ironically,thisGhostbustersreboot had a completely different approach to including MurraythanGhostbusters: AfterlifeandGhostbusters: Frozen Empire.
Murray plays Martin Heiss, a debunker of supernatural phenomena, in the 2016 movie. This character who doesn’t believe in ghosts is ironically set against Peter Venkman, one of the most famous Ghostbusters. Peter then returned as a legacy character in the later movies.It’s odd that theGhostbustersfranchise jumps back and forth with the role Murray plays,but given how detached 2016’sGhostbustersis from the rest, it works for Murray to have a completely different role.
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters is a multimedia franchise created by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The first two films were released in the ’80s, but Ghostbusters III got stuck in development hell for years. Nearly 30 years after Ghostbusters II hit theaters, a reboot starring female Ghostbusters was released, followed by another reboot/sequel in 2021 titled Ghostbusters: Afterlife. The popular characters have also appeared in several video games and animated TV shows since the franchise’s creation in 1984.
3Vaughn Armstrong In Star Trek
Played 12 Different Star Trek Characters
Once again, actors taking on two, if not several more, roles spread out across the different series is a long-held tradition ofStar Trek. However, none have played more distinct characters than Vaughn Armstrong.Armstrong played 12 characters inStar Trek, spanning several TV shows, appearing in a total of 27 episodes. The characters are spaced out enough — with several depending upon complicated makeup and prosthetics — thatArmstrong’s presence is an Easter Egg for the fans rather than a glaring plot hole.
However, no one can deny that Armstrong’s incredibly varried talent as an actor contributes to making the gimmick work. Many of his characters only have one or two-episode arcs.Armstrong’s best-knownStar Trekcharacter is Admiral Maxwell Forrest,mainly due to him being a recurring character inStar Trek: Enterprisewho appears in 14 episodes.
Played Toecutter & Immortan Joe
Hugh Keays-Byrne was among the skeleton cast and crew that produced the firstMad Maxwith a minimal budget before it became a massive blockbuster franchise. He plays the main villain Toecutter in the first movie, who kills Max’s family to avenge a fellow criminal Max killed, and is then killed by Max himself. Keays-Byrne then returned to play Immortan Joe, the tyrannical leader of the Citadel inMad Max: Fury Road.
Practically speaking,Fury Roadcame out decades later and Immortan Joe is created with too much makeup and prostheticsfor there to be any resemblance between the characters. However, Keays-Byrne’s actually worked remarkably well as a subtle homage to the franchise’s origins in the movie that reinvented it. This is also a soft tradition forMad Max, as Bruce Spence also plays two apparently different characters inMad Max 2: The Road Warrior andMad Max Beyond Thunderdome.
Mad Max
Mad Max is an Australian post-apocalyptic franchise created by George Miller and Byron Kennedy. The first three films star Mel Gibson as Max Rockatansky, a former police officer who seeks revenge after his family is murdered. Tom Hardy took over the role for 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road, which was followed by Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga starring Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa.
Every Actor & Character In Multiple Mad Max Movies
The Mad Max movies have featured quite a few returning actors and characters, but frequent cast changes mean they haven’t always overlapped.
1Gemma Chan In The MCU
Played Minn-Erva & Sersi
Gemma Chan’s two MCU roles happened within only a few years of each other; the double-casting is difficult to miss and a little awkward. It requires some more suspension of disbelief on the part of the audience and the simple acceptance thatMinn-Erva and Sersi have nothing to do with one another.However, this is well worth it when Chan is amazing in both roles. Minn-Erva was a change of pace for Chan, but she nails the character’s cold persona and cutting remarks.
There was no one else who could have better embodied Sersi, which is probably why Marvel decided to go ahead and cast Chan again.
On the other hand,Sersi is very much like some of Chan’s other characters:graceful, contemplative, and caring. There was no one else who could have better embodied Sersi, which is probably why Marvel decided to go ahead and cast Chan again.Eternalsis a weaker MCU movie in other regards, but its cast is impressive. Double-casting an actor within a franchise can be critiqued for how it inherently breaks the fourth wall, but the audience is well aware that it is fiction and should judge the performances in their own right.
