Judy Garland is Dorothy Gale Gloria Swanson is Norma Desmond (Sunset Blvd. in case I'm being too obscure) Gregory Peck is Atticus Finch (I will let this be argued if you feel Gregory Peck is someone else.) R. Lee Ermey is (drill instructor character) Mel Gibson is William Wallace Jimmy Stewart is George Bailey and Bette Davis is Margo (All About Eve) Although, I will argue that Bette Davis IS every role she plays.
I honestly believe that Paul Hogan is actually Crocodile Dundee in his real life. Not only can I not imagine anyone else playing that role, I can't imagine him ever breaking character.
Sigourney Weaver as Ripley in the Alien franchise. I cannot imagine any other actress coming close to pulling it off.
Really? I know why people don't like him, but he has given some great performances as well. Leaving Las Vegas, he was astonishing to watch deteriorate on screen. He deserved the Oscar. Adaptation he gave TWO brilliant performances. In Raising Arizona (my favourite comedy of all time) he was hysterical as the perfect southwest hayseed.
Bruce Willis? He is one of the LAST people I see playing the role of John Clark. Think "Quiet Professional" and not stone-cold killer. I see that role being filled by someone like William Fichtner or Viggo Mortensen. Focus: I dare anyone to argue that someone could play William Adama besides Edward James Olmos.
I know Pacino has been mentioned, but why not Vito Corleone? I mean, uh, Marlon Brando. The same argument could be said of Col. Kurtz, by the way. Then again, the only reason Kurtz had such little actual screen time and even then was hardly portrayed onscreen was because Brando had gained so much damn weight that he had to be kept in the shadows.
"Shoot him again. His soul is still dancing." Seriously. See this movie. Focus: Jeff Goldblum as Ian Malcolm. Stole the movie from anybody that wasn't a dinosaur. Nerdy Anti-Focus: Mark Wahlberg as Nathan Drake. Seriously David O. Russel, we know you have a man crush on Marky Mark (as we all should). But when you're making a movie that is essentially just fan-service anyway, why not hire the actor all the fans want?
Peter O'Toole in Lawrence of Arabia. He was unforgettable, deserved the Oscar, and it was his debut performance no less. However, O'Toole never topped hi performance as the Christ-like film director Eli Cross in the incredible film The Stunt Man. See this film, people. He, like the film itself, is galvanizing. Ben Kingsley in Ghandi. A BRITISH actor no less, one of the most transforming performances you'll ever see. He aged incredibly, his accent was perfect, his look flawless, his pain completely believable.
Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh in No Country For Old Men. He not only nailed the role in the film, but chunks of dialogue come right out of the book and he genuinly captures how I imagined the character.
There has never been a role played by Leonardo DiCaprio that could not have been done better by someone else. It is bad enough that Scorsese has a crush on him, but Scorsese AND Spielberg? What unholiness wrought that?
I have to agree. First, he's been great in some films. Bringing Out the Dead is one that I loved that hasn't been mentioned yet. But that's beside the point. Can you imagine anyone else uttering these words? Focus: Michael Chiklis as Vic Mackey.
LIAR WHORE!LIAR WHORE! AND YOU KNOW IT!* *If you haven't seen This Boy's Life, do it, he handles the material and screen time expertly next to fucking Robert D who KILLS it in this movie. Also he was perfect in Catch Me if You Can (honestly what other teenage fuck up these days could have done this better?)
I put it in rep, but figured I'd also reply here that I could see Matt Damon doing this role. I picture Clark/Kelly as generally being affable and likable... right up to the moment he isn't and I think Damon could pull off both that hidden tiger effect and also the transformation from Kelly into Clark. Another actor on focus is Tom Cruise in Tropic Thunder. It is his finest work ever and I don't know who else could have pulled off the hairy knuckled tyrant that is Les Grossman better than him.
Kiefer Sutherland is Jack Bauer. I'd be reluctant to say that no one else could play that role, but he certainly embodies it, to the point where anything else he acts in is indiscernible from Jack Bauer himself.
I was thinking the same, he has that perfect tortured soul/badass combination to pull of the role. On the other hand I think Matt Damon is completely replaceable as Jason Bourne.