Movies are not without their archetypes, often filled with well-known names from the years. Morgan Freeman, the wise elder. Michael Cera, the awkward teenager. Sofia Vergara, the feisty latina. Zooey Deschanel, the manic pixie dream girl, and so on. Many of these actors are not only capable of representing these depictions but are representative of Hollywood’s fixation with appearances.
This process of typecasting has likely been a start for most actors and actresses and follows their careers in good and bad ways. For some actors, the pattern of typecasting has presented opportunities to ignite their careers; for others, it limits them to few performances they aced or flopped. Yet, in spite of its inherent problems, typecasting still occurs in TV and film projects and affects new talent differently. Here is the breakdown of how typecasting is still relevant, even in an evolving industry.
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What is Typecasting?
Paramount Pictures
Typecasting is when an actor or actress is consistently assigned a role of the same type, due to their appearance or past success in that role. Typically, types are generated from primarily physical factors, including gender, age, or even ethnicity. For some actors who are starting their careers, finding a type may be beneficial for quick name recognition; on the other hand, types don’t last forever and tend to stunt an actor’s creativity. Moreover, typecasting can perpetuate the tolerance of blatant discrimination for the sake of a successful industry. For example, the discrimination involved in typecasting perpetuates stereotypes of minorities. Morgan Heyward of Illuminate Theatre discusses how typecasting based on race limits the character and the person, as people of color are often cast as “slaves, maids, or the ghetto best friend.”
The act of typecasting generally started with Classic Hollywood, namely Gary Cooper, Errol Flynn, Lana Turner, and others. Not only did they play personas in real life but were not allowed to be anything but outside of movies. It wasn’t until the 1950s that a generation of actors, including James Dean, Marlon Brando, and Anne Bancroft, could truly hone their craft and branch out creatively. That being said, some actors who did break their mold met harsh criticism for it. John Wayne was panned for his portrayal of Genghis Kahn and audiences weren’t sold on James Stewart’s shift of character in Vertigo. Regardless, typecasting has brought on some complications and even shaped the future of some actors and actresses. Others have been able to escape the predicament successfully.
Against Type and Typecasting Today
Neon
Typecasting today is much like it was before. Actors and actresses still find themselves under Hollywood and critical scrutiny for either failing to fulfill their type or for failing to break away from it. Nevertheless, going against type, or when an actor/actress takes a role opposite to what they’re known for, is becoming common and fundamental to those who are already being typecast.
A popular example would be the youthful Noah Centineo, who hit the ground running with the To All the Boys I Loved Before trilogy. In fact, his much-beloved portrayal of Peter Kavinsky quickly gained him the status of Internet boyfriend and teenage heartthrob, later landing other dream boy roles in Netflix films such as Sierra Burgess is a Loser and The Perfect Date. That being said, Centineo has taken the step forward to take on new opportunities and go against type.
Additionally, Margot Robbie hit fame as the captivating Naomi Lapaglia in The Wolf of Wall Street and was considered the perfect bombshell type. In spite of this, her later appearances in Mary Queen of Scots and other notable projects have demonstrated moving beyond being “just a catalyst for the male story line.” Similarly, Jason Momoa hit a wall after being cast as Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones and would later discuss that Hollywood’s inaccessibility has made it difficult for him and others like him to be cast for their passions and talents as opposed to their physicality and enforced type. Even so, Momoa doesn’t mind being put in a box so long as he enjoys what he does.
Going against type has helped fight back Hollywood’s problematic industry. Unlike in the 1940s when actors essentially became their persona, audiences and critics would even encourage actors to break from their mold. Matt Zoller Seitz of Vulture stated that “Throughout film history, and TV history, casting against type has yielded not just some of the best performances of certain actors’ careers, but some of the defining moments of the show or movie they appeared in.” While typecasting is certainly present, it’s clear that it hasn’t prevented actors from pursuing different directions and that the archaic practices haven’t fully sullied this art form.
