20 actors who will always be known for one particular role

Few actors have been as remarkably versatile as Bryan Cranston. This is a man, after all, who went from playing a sitcom dad in Malcolm in the Middle to portraying a ruthless meth cook and drug lord in Breaking Bad. Indeed, it’s his role as Walter White in the latter that will always be the major part of his legacy, and though he’s gone on to have other successes, no one will ever be able to forget his turn as one of the most terrifying antiheroes in 21st-century TV.

Robert Downey Jr. has certainly had a very remarkable career in Hollywood, but in some ways, he really only hit his stride when he started playing Tony Stark/Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s probably no exaggeration to say that the MCU would never have become the phenomenon that it did had it not been for Downey Jr.’s performance. From the beginning through to the end of Phase 3, Tony Stark was the beating heart of the franchise, and it’s never quite found its way back after his departure.

While The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air might have been a vehicle for Will Smith, it also had a strong supporting cast. Who could forget, for example, Alfonso Ribeiro’s performance as the obnoxious Carlton? Ribeiro and Smith had obvious comedy chemistry together. While the latter was able to branch out and take on a wide variety of roles in his subsequent career, in the eyes of many folks, Ribeiro will always be Carlton. However, given how iconic the character is, that’s probably not such a bad thing.

The sitcom world is a strange one at times, and even though an actor can become a household name thanks to starring in a successful one, it can be hard for them to secure another great role. Kevin James, for example, is virtually synonymous with his role as Doug Heffernan from The King of Queens.  There are certainly worse roles with which to be associated, given how beloved Doug remains, but the character — and his relationship with his wife, played by Leah Remini — also cast a shadow over James’ subsequent show, Kevin Can Wait.

Star Wars, like so many other franchises, tends to be a bit of a trap for its stars. While it definitely elevates its cast members’ profiles, it also tends to keep them from ever escaping its orbit. This is particularly true of Hayden Christensen, who played the adult version of Anakin Skywalker in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. He would go on to appear in a number of other movies, but he would remain indelibly associated with Anakin Skywalker, which ended up being a blessing and a curse.

Hugh Jackman has established himself as one of Hollywood’s (and Broadway’s) leading men, particularly since he’s so good in musical roles. For many casual moviegoers, however, he will always be most firmly associated with his role of Wolverine/Logan in the X-Men franchise. Though there have been several cast changes during the franchise’s history, it’s almost impossible to imagine anyone else playing this character, 

Elijah Wood has certainly had a very eclectic career during his time in Hollywood, but there’s really no doubt that it’s his performance as Frodo Baggins in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings that really cemented his legacy. Partly this is because the films themselves have come to be seen as the definitive adaptations of Tolkien’s work. However, it’s also true that Wood gives a rich, soulful, and ultimately tragic performance as Frodo, creating a hero who gives up everything to save the world from a Dark Lord who would remake it in his own image.

Jennifer Aniston has repeatedly shown she is a versatile actress, as comfortable in drama as in comedy, as compelling on film as on TV. Even so, it’s safe to say that in some ways she will always be associated with the character of Rachel Green of Friends, a role she played for the entirety of the series’ run. To some degree, this is because the show is still heavily in reruns, which means Rachel tends to overshadow even some of Aniston’s more exemplary contemporary work.

Sarah Jessica Parker has appeared in a number of movies, but for most people, she will always be indelibly associated with Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City. This is probably not a bad thing, as it has made Parker into something of a household name. After all, even those who haven’t seen the show itself are no doubt familiar with Bradshaw, since she is almost ubiquitous in various memes and other evocations of Carrie Bradshaw. 

Like many of the other younger members of the Harry Potter cast, Emma Watson has sometimes struggled to break out of the prison of her success in that franchise. For many viewers, she simply was Hermione as she appeared in the novel, and some of her most notable subsequent roles, such as Belle in the live-action Beauty and the Beast, have been seen as iterations of Hermione. As so often is the case in Hollywood, the success of such magnitude ends up being a double-edged sword.

If there’s one actress who’s understood to be synonymous with sci-fi, it would have to be Sigourney Weaver. Her Ellen Ripley is the heart and soul of the Alien franchise, and to this day, it remains her most indelible role. There’s no question that Weaver is a versatile actress who flourishes in whatever she appears, but Ripley is just such a formidable heroine — this is a woman who repeatedly survived the Xenomorph, after all — that it’s easy to see why so many people would continue to associate her with one of cinema’s best action heroes.  

Steve Urkel may be one of the most irritating and strangely endearing characters to have emerged from the 1990s. Memorably portrayed by Jaleel White, he’s truly a collection of baffling and annoying mannerisms, which helps to explain why his neighbor Carl is always so annoyed. So memorable was White’s performance that he was never quite able to shake it off. He’s obviously appeared in a number of roles since his Family Matters days, but in many ways, he’ll always be Steve Urkel to many members of Gen X and millennials. 

Mark Hamill burst into international attention thanks to portraying Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars Trilogy. He would go on to appear in a wide variety of roles, and he particularly excelled as a voice actor in a number of prominent animated productions (including the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series). No matter what, though, he will always be Luke Skywalker, even if his character ultimately becomes one with the Force during the events of The Last Jedi.

In some ways, Macaulay Culkin is the poster child for actors who became pigeon-holed by one great role. After all, it’s hard to overstate just how firmly he came to be associated with his performance as Kevin McCallister, the main character of Home Alone. Though Culkin would go on to try to break out of that typecasting by appearing in such adult dramas as Party Monster, he was never quite able to break out of the limitations imposed by such a successful star turn.

Chris Evans had been in Hollywood for quite a while before he finally got his big break as a result of being cast as Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He has likewise gone on to appear in a number of major productions since leaving the franchise at the end of Endgame. However, every time he appears on-screen, one can’t quite shake the feeling that here again is Captain America. Then again, there are perhaps worse roles with which one can be associated.

There’s no question that Joffrey Baratheon of Game of Thrones is one of the most hated and reprehensible characters in the history of TV. Jack Gleeson certainly made a name for himself in the role, to such an extent that it’s impossible to imagine anyone else playing the sadistic young king with the same level of intensity. Though Gleeson has appeared in a number of other roles since his breakout, including most recently in Netflix’s adaptation of The Sandman, most people can’t help but continue to see him as the cruel child king.

Daniel Radcliffe has taken on a truly remarkable range of roles in the aftermath of his blockbuster success in the Harry Potter films. While he has shown that he doesn’t have to be pigeon-holed, the fact remains that almost all of these roles are talked about in relation to his performance as Harry Potter. Though Radcliffe has certainly never allowed himself to be limited by his success in a giant blockbuster franchise, it remains the point of comparison for all of his subsequent efforts.

There’s no question Daenerys Targaryen is one of the most important characters in Game of Thrones, and much of this is due to Emilia Clarke’s undeniable charisma. Clarke has gone on to appear in a number of other projects in several genres, including romantic comedy. Despite this, and even though she has the ability to shine in whatever role in which she appears, there’s no question that Daenerys continues to cast a very long shadow. It’s unclear whether Clarke will ever really be able to get out from beneath it.

Kristen Stewart has had a remarkably diverse career, appearing in numerous genres. Though she has shown great range, and she has even moved into directing, she’ll probably always be known first and foremost as Bella Swan in the various films of the Twilight series. As so often proves to be the case with roles like this one, major success in a franchise has been something of a double-edged sword, for while it undoubtedly opened many doors, it also ensured that she was somewhat limited in how the general public viewed her.

The late Carrie Fisher was undoubtedly a woman of many talents, as she proved throughout her life. Though she was Hollywood royalty, she always seemed refreshingly down-to-earth. It has to be said, though, that despite her formidable talents, she will probably always be known primarily for playing Princess Leia in Star Wars. However, given the character’s importance and the extent to which she was a model for many girls and young women who loved science fiction, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.