Typecast!

Typecasting is one of the world's most interesting things. We've all seen movies were an actor plays the same role over and over again. Often they are hemmed in by it, or they take their limited opportunities straight to the bank and make way more than chump change. Here's a few of my favorites...

Greg Germann- Is he friend or foe? That's been Germann's deal in the movies. He's often cast as the best friend of the main character yet you don't know if he's on the up and up. Watching him in movies and television is often entertaining. Even if he's giving good advice, you have expect him to "report" to someone on a little phone and soon his best bud and his car are up in flames.

The Handiwork: Ned and Stacey, Sweet November, Ally McBeal

Bookem Woodbine-His legend proceeds him. I've seen Bookem Woodbine in a ton of stuff. Oddly enough a lot of those scripts have him being led off in cuffs or worse. To be truthful, his performance in Jason's Lyric has pretty much numbed me to any of his other work. But then again, ol' Books has a jam packed resume filled with mush-mouthed, morally reprehensible jokers. They're all interchangeable and totally tiresome.

Danger Zone: Elevated


My goodness, Joe Pesci. The '90s was certainly his decade. When you think of Joe Pesci however it isn't the role in Lethal Weapon 3 or even With Honors. My immediate thought of our Joey is a generic, little, short-tempered guy cracking horrible jokes best delivered with Robert DeNiro looking on and laughing. You know, this is a case where I'd actually like to see more Pesci characters like that. More typecasting, please!

An Idiot's Wish: I'd love to see a TV series where Pesci could do this stuff week after week or until his character is taken care of by way of a hail of gunfire.


Natasha Gregson Wagner- You know the role she's famous for: The Crazy Girl You Can Probably Sleep With. First off, I'm a big fan of her mom, Natalie Wood. I'm a fan of Gregson's too, but I'm a little tired of seeing her cover this same ol' ground. I've seen her in a variety of things and the whole deal isn't progressing a whole heck of a lot. For the most part, producers seem to be tilting her toward two directions, horny girl or crazy girl. In fact I'm sure there's a movie where she does both quite handily. I'll be on the lookout.


Tamala Jones- Yes Jones has been in a bunch of movies and television. She often plays the mouthy, angry woman who really isn't worth the trouble anyway. In fact she does her roles so well she sets my teeth on edge. That's some skills! Jones is closing in one a decade of the same role. That's dandy. I have a feeling it's as bad in real life as it seems on the screen.

The Stats: Everything she's been in except for TV version of Dangerous Minds.

Ron Silver- Turncoat Silver. Oh my, Ron can't seem to make up his mind these days. Is he a Democrat, Republican, Independent? It's a mystery! While he's downing George W. Bush's pablum by the pot full, he's also filling his resumé with patented almost Al Pacino roles. It wasn't always like this. As late as his turn as Tommy Wilmette on Chicago Hope it was a patently intense Ron Silver performance. These days he's mostly known as a chatty powderkeg on political shows and for his Pacino reminiscent shtick. Who da thunk it?

The Damage: Colossal