7 Actors Who Played Different Roles in the Same Movie, and You’d Never Guess It – Photos

Some favorite stars have played iconic roles in movies, often using amazing disguises to play more than one character in the same film. Check out which celebrities pulled off their different on-screen personas.

Seven actors have appeared in some of the most cherished films of our time, showcasing their versatility by playing multiple roles. They’ve also shared their insights into their experiences and the dedication required to perfect their varied characters.

From the hilarious rom-com “Jack and Jill” to the fantasy classic “The Wizard of Oz,” here are the actors who skillfully portrayed multiple characters in the same film and how fans reacted to these performances.

The “Back to the Future” trilogy follows Marty McFly as he travels to the future, posing as his son, only to find himself in a predicament when his actions alter the present. Michael J. Fox is best known for his portrayal of Marty McFly in all three films, but that wasn’t the only character he brought to life in the film franchise.

In the 1989 sequel, “Back to the Future Part II,” the now-retired actor also played the role of Marlene McFly. This caught viewers by surprise. In fact, online users admitted they weren’t aware of this before.

“I hate to admit I have watched these movies dozens of times and didn’t realize that,” revealed one person. Another individual confessed, “I saw these movies dozens of times as a kid, and I was about 20 before I realized it was Michael J. Fox.”

“Did not realize that when I was little. Wanted to look like her. Then again he’s really tiny and not the typical hulking guy–so it was convincing,” someone commented.

While Fox’s portrayal of Marlene seemed convincing to some, one individual wasn’t impressed, boldly expressing, “I didn’t like Michael J Fox playing Marty’s daughter.”

Breaking away from the sci-fi genre, another classic film that featured an actor who mastered multiple characters is “Coming to America.” The 1988 romantic comedy follows an extremely pampered African prince named Akeem, who is determined to break family tradition.

Prince Akeem visits Queens, New York while undercover to find a woman whom he can genuinely love and respect. Eddie Murphy played the iconic role of Prince Akeem among three other roles. He also portrayed Clarence, Saul, and Randy Watson, respectively.

During an appearance on the now-defunct daytime talk show, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” Murphy spoke candidly about his characters. Of the previous ones from the first film, he added an old farmer to the list making all his roles, according to him, “five or six” in total.

Asked whether he enjoyed doing a makeup movie, the comedian admitted, “Every time I do a makeup movie, I always say, ‘This is the last time I’m doing this [expletive].'”

However, he always winds up back on the makeup chair and shared that it usually happens if something occurs years later that makes enough sense to do it again.

Murphy revealed in a 2021 interview that the original idea of the film didn’t include playing multiple characters. But since the director, John Landis, knew that he could do the Yiddish accent, “he was like, ‘that would be hysterical,'” said the film star.

Having previously worked with special makeup effects designer Rick Baker, Landis suggested Murphy could be transformed into a Jewish man. “And that’s how that stuff started,” the veteran star noted.

Another actor who underwent a dramatic transformation to play more than one role is Eugenio Derbez in the 2011 comedy film “Jack and Jill.”

The movie follows a family guy, Jack Sadelstein, who prepares for the annual event he always dreads – the Thanksgiving visit of his fraternal twin sister Jill.

Jill’s character is needy and passive-aggressive, and she refuses to leave her brother’s home upon her visit. Adam Sandler played both Jack and Jill in the movie too.

Meanwhile, Derbez portrayed the roles of Felipe and Felipe’s grandmother. He briefly talked about his character during a 2021 interview.

The Mexican native, who initially struggled to break into showbiz, said, “In my role in that movie, I ended up marrying Adam Sandler. Well, the female version of Adam Sandler.”

Similar to Derbez, another actor played two roles in the 1995 adventure film, “Jumanji.” The movie follows two kids who discover a magical board game, and while playing it, they encounter a man trapped inside and attempt to free him while facing different kinds of dangers.

Jonathan Hyde portrayed the characters of Sam Parrish and Van Pelt in the classic film, much to fans’ amazement. X users reflected on this revelation several years ago.

“Wow. I’ve seen ‘Jumanji’ a MILLION times, and I only JUST put together that Sam Parrish and Van Pelt were both played by Jonathan Hyde. #Duh,” expressed one user.

Another admitted, “After all these years, today I learned that Jonathan Hyde was both Van Pelt and Sam Parrish in ‘Jumanji.’ Never knew.”

One asked,” Why has it taken me 22 years to realize Jonathan Hyde played Sam Parrish and Van Pelt????#Jumanji#JonathanHyde#SamParrish#VanPelt”

In the fantasy realm of the “Harry Potter” film series, which ran from 2001 until 2011, one actor took on more than one role. The franchise’s first installment follows an orphaned 11-year-old boy who discovers that he is a wizard and enrolls in a school of wizardry.

Actor Warwick Davis played two characters in the franchise: Professor Flitwick and Griphook. Davis portrayed the role of Professor Flitwick, a comical character, starting from the third installment.

In contrast to the lovable Professor, he also played the deceitful and untrustworthy, Griphook. Davis revealed in a 2010 interview that he had to ensure his role of Griphook was significantly different from that of Professor Flitwick so that viewers couldn’t catch on that it was the same person.

“So it’s a complete physical change, not only the look but the way I stand, the way I walk, everything about me had to be different,” he explained. The English native began playing Griphook in the first film, in which he did a voice-over for the character first.

When asked if he found it challenging to play two roles in one movie, Davis said no while admitting it was weird somehow because he had to switch from one character to the next.

He further explained that he didn’t mix up the characters thanks to the makeup he wore for each role because they felt different. According to Davis, Griphook’s makeup was much heavier as he had bigger ears and nose. “So, I got to certainly know when I’m Griphook, he divulged.

The satirical spy comedy film from 1997, “Austin Powers,” also had an actor who played more than one role. The film series is based on a part-time secret agent who emerges in a cryogenic state to battle his nemesis, Dr. Evil.

Mike Myers portrayed both Austin Powers and Dr. Evil in the film series. He also added another character to the franchise, the morbidly obese Scottish henchman, Fat Bastard.

“I love making comedy characters and playing them,” Myers admitted in a 2019 interview. His Fat Bastard character was inspired by his own weight struggles. He first realized he had a weight issue while on “Saturday Night Live” at age 25.

Interestingly enough, the comedian admitted, “I really didn’t have a character that was fully formed for Fat Bastard until I came up with the line of ‘I eat because I’m unhappy and I’m unhappy because I eat,’ which is something that I had come to the conclusion of about my own life.”

One last movie in which an actor appeared in multiple characters is the 1939 musical fantasy film, “The Wizard of Oz.” It follows a young girl named Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto who get swept away by a tornado from her Kansas farm home to the magical Land of Oz.

Along with three new friends, Dorothy embarks on a quest to meet a wizard who can return her to her home and fulfill others’ wishes.

Actress Margaret Hamilton portrayed the roles of Miss Gulch and the Wicked Witch of the West in the film which is an adaption of a children’s novel. The two characters had distinct features.

Miss Gulch’s character had thin eyebrows, a receding chin, and had her hair tied up in an updo bun. However, the Wicked Witch had a pointy chin and green paint on her face and hands with longer nails. She also had messy hair.

Cinema has showcased actors who masterfully take on multiple roles in a single film, highlighting their incredible range. From Murphy’s comedic brilliance in “Coming to America” to Fox’s dual roles in “Back to the Future Part II,” these performances are a testament to the enduring magic and creativity that define iconic movies.