MovieSet Dailies

By Jeff Otto

Portraying an iconic character in a movie is the dream of most actors. Unfortunately, when they do it too well, they may be condemned by the movie Gods to repeat that role for the rest of their career. While the actors that portrayed these famous characters have done other work (or even switched careers), they’ll always be indelibly linked to those iconic roles, for better or worse. Some have accepted their lot in life and others have spent their careers desperately trying to put their on-screen alter-ego to rest, once and for all. But when the fat paychecks come calling again, they swallow their pride and don the red headband, slip into that tuxedo, head into the makeup trailer and practice their catchphrases.

The following is a look at some of the most famous movie characters of the past three decades and the actors that will never escape them. 

Sly Stallone (a.k.a. Rocky, Rambo)
Point at which there was no turning back:Rocky 3, Rambo 2
Point at which he accepted his lot in life: Rocky Balboa, Rambo (2008)
Actor Weaknesses: Tall Female Blondes, Steroids
Character Weaknesses: Tall Male Blondes, Lack of Ammunition
Actual Quote by Rocky: “I guess what I’m trying to say is, if I can change, and you can change, everybody can change.”
Actual Quote by Stallone: “I’m not a genetically superior person. I built my body.”

Sean Connery (a.k.a. James Bond)
Point at which there was no turning back: Goldfinger
Point at which he accepted his lot in life: Never Say Never Again
Actor Weaknesses: Not sounding Scottish
Character Weaknesses: Sexy evil women and shaken martinis
Actual Quote by James Bond: “Some men just don’t like being taken for a ride.”
Actual Quote by Sean Connery: “I don’t think there is anything particularly wrong in hitting a woman, though I don’t recommend you do it the same way that you hit a man.”

Robert Englund (a.k.a. Freddy Krueger)
Point at which there was no turning back: A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: The Dream Warriors
Point at which he accepted his lot in life: Freddy Vs. Jason
Actor Weaknesses: Romantic Comedies
Character Weaknesses: Reality, Tough Teen Girls
Actual Quote by Freddy Krueger: “Let’s Suck Face.”
Actual Quote by Robert Englund: “Most of my nightmares involve me forgetting my lines in a stage play.”

Hugh Jackman (a.k.a. Wolverine)
Point at which there was no turning back:X-Men:The Last Stand
Point at which he accepted his lot in life: X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Actor Weaknesses: Showtunes
Character Weaknesses: Magnetism, Social Etiquette
Actual Quote by Wolverine: “What do they call you? Wheels?”
Actual Quote by Hugh Jackman: “I have a wife and a son, but the gay rumors have started. I guess it’s a sign that I’m moving up the ladder.”

Sharon Stone (a.k.a. Catherine Trammell)
Point at which there was no turning back: Floodlights aimed up skirt on set of Basic Instinct
Point at which she accepted her lot in life: Forcing Basic Instinct 2 via lawsuit
Actor Weaknesses: Inflated self-image
Character Weaknesses: Lack of Undergarments, Lung Cancer
Actual Quote by Catherine Trammell: “I’d have to be pretty stupid to write a book about killing and then kill him the way I described in my book.”
Actual Quote by Sharon Stone: “Any man in Hollywood will meet me if I want that. No, make that any man anywhere.”

Mark Hamill (a.k.a. Luke Skywalker)
Point at which there was no turning back: The Star Wars Holiday Special
Point at which he accepted his lot in life: Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Actor Weaknesses: Fanboys, Kevin Smith
Character Weaknesses: Whiny, Bad Parenting, Incest
Actual Quote by Luke Skywalker: “If there’s a bright center to the universe, you’re on the planet that it’s farthest from.”
Actual Quote by Mark Hamill: “I have a sneaking suspicion that if there were a way to make movies without actors, George Lucas would do it.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger (a.k.a. The Terminator)
Point at which there was no turning back: Terminator: Judgement Day
Point at which he accepted his lot in life: Terminator 3
Actor Weaknesses: Clear Speech, Budget Management, Tight Skirts
Character Weaknesses: Biker Leather, T-1000
Actual Quote by The Terminator: “I need your clothes, boots and your motorcycle.”
Actual Quote by Arnold Schwarzenegger: “To those critics who are so pessimistic about our economy, I say, Don’t be economic girlie men!”

Protocol Droid (a.k.a. C-3PO)
Point at which there was no turning back: Droids (animated series)
Point at which he accepted his lot in life: Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
Actor Weaknesses: Superior-sounding and effeminate accent
Character Weaknesses: Spouting useless statistics, Angry Wookies
Actual Quote by C-3PO: “I’m programmed for etiquette, not destruction!”
Actual Quote by Protocol Droid: “Artoo is a hack.”

Author: grip