To tie in with one of this week’s new releases Alice, Darling starring Anna Kendrick we look at those actors who have stepped out of there comfort zones in the name of their art. Many have gained critical recognition, other possibly deserve some. One thing they all have in common is in the past they have been typecasted in certain roles.Below is a list of some of those actors, and as ever this is not a complete list.

Charlize Theron – Monster

When your early ambitions in life is to step into modelling you may not think a couple of decades later your will be on of films best actors. From her early days living in Italy to moving to the U.S, Charlize Theron ply her trade in small roles, eventually 2003’s Monster would make her a leading star. An award winning stellar performance and one that see her step into the mind of a real-life killer, Aileen Wuornos. A woman who struggled with demons all her life, abused, homeless plagued by mental health issues. Forced into prostitution and then kill her ‘clients’. Her

performance was immense career changing and even sympathy for someone who commited such evil.

Jim Carrey – Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind

He’ll always be known for the man of a thousand comedic faces, he’s also shown someone who could do something more dramatic. This may not be his first dramatic role, it’s the one that stands out the most. Playing a quiet and shy man who gets lost. His former girlfriend (Kate Winslet) get their minds erased, before finding each other again. He once again attempts to stop the procedure. An honest performance that feels back to basics minus thse comedic quips.

Steve Carrell – Foxcatcher

Another comedic actor showing he can deliver something dramatic. Like several on this list playing a real life person can be such a difficult task even more if you are someone like Carrell renowned for comedy. A deeply sinister performance as John E Du Pont the wrestling obsessed multi-millionaire who would become a sponsor who would kill the coach of the U.S wrestling squad Dave Schultz for the 1996 Olympics. A must see performance, very few words can describe it.

Amanda Seyfried – The Dropout

The actress might be known for her roles in Mean Girls, Mamma Mia the small screen came calling. The biopic series currently on Disney+ about Elizabeth Holmes the CEO of Theranos. Who was one called a genius in the tech world discovering a new way of conducting blood tests, only to be found out to be a fraud. Off course that idea collapsed and Seyfried gained lots of praise.

Eddie Redmayne – The Danish Girl

Like comedic actors stepping into dramatic roles, actors playing the opposite sex even more challenging . The British actor did in 2015 as Lili Ilsa Elvenes (aka Lilli Elbe) who who would become the first recorded gender reassigned operation. That operation happened in 1930, 4 operations later Lilli sadly died in 1931 thanks to complications. Whilst Redmayne had the best intentions, he received lots of criticism for taking the role. In 2021 the actor would later regret taking the role saying it was a ‘big mistake’ a role that maybe should have went to a transgender actress.

Jack Gleeson – Joffrey Baratheon in The Game Of Thrones

When your friends, families, and fellow actors call you one of the nicest people in the industry could you play a villain? It’s probably a question many have asked for many actors, in this case for The Game Of Thrones star Jack Gleeson. He was the fantasy series main villain, wicked and cruel who got poisoned on his wedding day. Ironically Jack recently got married to his longtime girlfriend but no poisoned has been exchanged. After time out from acting

Jared Leto – The Dallas Buyers Club

He maybe the butt of my bad ‘dad style jokes’ Jared Leto has delivered some great performances like in The Dallas Buyers Club. Some considered his casting as a ‘Miscast’ however he’ll beg to differ and has awards including a Oscar to back him up. He plays Rayon a transvestite prostitute, a fictional character part of the story about Ron Woodroof a man diagnosed with AIDS during the mid-80’s who would start a movement to get experimental drugs to fellow sufferers, which Rayon would be part off. Suffering from HIV and a drug addict, Leto would drop 30 pounds for this dramatic role.g

Cate Blanchett – I’m Not There

When transforming into roles, this actress is one of the best. Becoming a man might sound a bit of a fun drag, however this was no ordinary man, it was Bob Dylan. Transforming into his 1960’s persona with the dark suit, scruffy hair and Sunglasses. Pretty much like how the legendary musician was in his 1967 documentary Don’t Look Back. She captured a near perfect version of the icon and fans of Todd Haynes odd metaphorical film say she was the best.

Notables – Emily Watson (Bling Ring), Hilary Swank (Big Boys Don’t Cry), Angelina Jolie (Salt) Gael Garcia Bernal (Bad Education), Daniel Day Lewis (Nine), Frank Sinatra (The Man With The Golden Arm)