star trek actors who played multiple roles

Star Trek: 25 Actors Who Played Multiple Roles

From Nana Visitor to Vaughn Armstrong, here are the prolific actors who played between two and 12 characters on Star Trek.

The entertainment industry is filled with actors who excel in playing very diverse roles . Some of them have even embodied two very different characters in the same movie or series, such as a good twin/bad twin situation, or a character’s ancestor , or their alternate version in another universe. It takes a special kind of talent to deliver such diverging performances in a credible and believable manner.

In a sci-fi franchise as popular as Star Trek , with its plethora of series, films, and games, recasting someone in various human and alien roles isn’t all that hard, given the artistic make-up and special effects that can render anyone unrecognizable. While some of the performers have donned different looks across the films and shows , others have taken their talent further by doing it not just in the same series, but sometimes in the span of one episode.

From Nana Vistor, to Jeffrey Combs, to Vaughn Armstrong, here are the versatile actors who played between two and 12 different characters in the Star Trek universe.

25 Nana Visitor: Two

"She's such a handy actress with fight scenes." - Stunt Coordinator Dennis Madalone (Star Trek Magazine, issue 127)

Nana Visitor was so convincing in her role as the Bajoran Major (and eventually Colonel) Kira Nerys on DS9 , that she won the OFTA Television Award for Best Actress in a Syndicated Series, as well as a Universe Reader’s Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Genre TV Series. More recently, she also voiced her character on Lower Decks . This Nerys was compassionate, selfless, capable, courageous, and very much against the Cardassians. The Intendant Nerys that Visitor portrayed in the Mirror Universe, however, was a different story; she was a promiscuous, narcissistic, power-hungry, black leather-clad femme fatale who was a prominent member of the Klingon-Cardassian alliance. "A spoiled brat with an ego gone awry," as the actress puts it in the reference book Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion.

24 Jonathan Frakes: Two

Producer, director, and actor Jonathan Frakes is mostly known for playing the honorable, self-assured, and charming William T. Riker on TNG , DS9 , Voyager , Enterprise , Lower Decks , and Picard , as well as the movies Generations , First Contact , Nemesis , and Insurrection . But he also portrayed his bitter and less confident doppelgänger in TNG and DS9 , an accidental clone who was created in a transporter malfunction, and was stranded alone on planet Nervala before joining Starfleet, and then the Maquis rebels.

Fun fact: Frakes also voiced William Riker on 2 episodes in the adult animated series Family Guy .

Related: 10 Star Trek: The Next Generation Characters Who Deserved Better

23 Robert Knepper: Two

Robert Knepper , whose best-known role is the sadistic T-Bag on Prison Break , is credited with two roles on the shows: on TNG as Wyatt Miller, Deanna Troi’s (Marina Sirtis) gentle but reluctant betrothed; and on Voyager as Gaul, a selfish, double-crossing Vaadwaur who spent years in stasis.

22 Paul Winfield: Two

Paul Edward Winfield , who appeared in over 120 movies and shows, namely Terminator , Dennis the Menace , and Mars Attacks! ), played Captain Clark Terrell in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , who, because his mind was invaded by controlling slugs, chose to shoot himself instead of Admiral Kirk (William Shatner). Winfield was also cast on TNG as the Tamarian Captain Darmok, who had wise metaphoric exchanges with Captain Picard (Sir Patrick Stewart).

21 Tony Todd: Three

You might remember Tony Todd from the horror franchise Candyman , but he also embodied several Star Trek characters: the Klingon Worf’s impetuous brother Kurn, on both TNG and DS9 ; an older, wiser version of Jake Sisko, the Captain’s teenage son on DS9 ; and Karon, an Alpha-Hirogen hunter on Voyager .

20 Majel Barrett Rodenberry: At Least Four

Dubbed The First Lady of Star Trek because she was married to creator Gene Roddenberry, Majel Barrett Rodenberry was the only one to have been featured one way or another in all the earlier TV shows. Besides voicing the main Federation computers, her three main roles are Number One in The Original Series pilot, Nurse/Dr. Christine Chapel in TOS , and the Betazoid ambassador Lwaxana Troi on both TNG and DS9 . Troi was particularly memorable for her extravagant sense of fashion, and unhinged, controlling attitude, mixed with empathy and kindness.

19 Armin Shimerman: Four

Audiences only started viewing the alien Ferengi in a more favorable light since DS9 , because the latter provided more information on their customs and planet, and presented interesting, complex characters, such as Quark, played by Armin Shimerman . The station’s greedy but witty bar owner Quark had already made a brief appearance on Voyager , but Shimerman’s first roles in the franchise were on TNG , as two other Ferengis: Letek and DaiMon Bractor. He also played the irascible Human sci-fi writer Herbert Rossoff in DS9 ’s acclaimed episode Far Beyond the Stars, set in the 1950s.

18 Diana Muldaur: Four

Diana Muldaur ’s most famous role is the headstrong, blunt, and dependable Chief of Medical Dr. Katherine Pulaski on TNG . But before that, she played three characters on TOS : the skeptical Starfleet astrobiologist Ann Mulhall; Dr. Miranda Jones, a blind telepath with a sensor web (the device that inspired Geordi La Forge’s visor) who studied on Vulcan; and Thalassa, a kind 500,000-year-old Arretan, whose consciousness borrowed Ann’s body.

17 Casey Biggs: Four

Casey Biggs ’ most recognizable role is DS9 ’s Legate Damar, the Cardassian officer under Gul Dukat who eventually became Leader of the Cardassian Liberation Front, and teamed up with Kira the Dominion. Biggs also played Dr. Wykoff in Sisko’s vision, a holosuite guest, and an Illyrian Captain on Enterprise .

16 Carolyn Seymour: Four

British actress Carolyn Seymour played the suspicious Romulan Sub-Commander Taris on TNG ; Mirasta Yale, a Malcorian astronomer desperate for alien contact, who chose to leave her planet aboard the Enterprise; the Romulan Commander Torth; and Voyager ’s holodeck period drama character Mrs. Templeton.

15 Tim Russ: Five

Actor and director Tim Russ may have first coveted the role of La Forge (which went to LeVar Burton), but he was very convincing as the Human mercenary Devor on TNG , the Klingon mercenary T’Kar on DS9 , and a lieutenant on the bridge of the starship Enterprise-B in the movie Generations .

"The Empire is governed by doddering fools and frightened old women who aren't worthy of the name Klingon." - T’Kar

Russ’ most cherished portrayal, though, is the Vulcan Lieutenant Commander Tuvok in Voyager , who served as chief of security and tactical, and uttered lines like, “We often fear what we don't understand. Our best defense is knowledge.”

The actor also played his Mirror counterpart in DS9 . While the brave and loyal prime Tuvok was a complex person, whose interests spanned meditation, the lute, martial arts, and puzzle games, Mirror Tuvok was a rather cold and bland faction leader.

14 James Cromwell: Five

The multi-award winner James Oliver Cromwell portrayed the iconic warp-drive creator Zefram Cochrane in Star Trek: First Contact , as well as his Mirror version on Enterprise ; the hypocritical Angosian Prime Minister Nayrok and the Yridian information dealer Shrek on TNG ; and the Karemman Commerce Minister Hanok on DS9 .

13 Gregory Itzin: Five

24 antagonist Gregory Itzin played two villains on DS9 as well: Ilon Tandro, the vengeful Klaestron who kidnapped the beloved Trill Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell), and the thief Hain, who plotted to steal bar regular Morn’s fortune. On Enterprise , Itzin was the arrogant Vulcan captain Sopek, and Starfleet Admiral Black in the Mirror Universe. And on Voyager , he portrayed the Dinaali Doctor Dysek, who was forced into only giving treatment to select citizens.

12 John Fleck: Six

“I made a nice living playing non-human beings. I called it “torture pay,” sitting in the makeup chair for hours, getting glued and painted, and then hours taking it off.” - John Fleck to Broadway World

John Fleck ( Babylon 5 , Carnivàle , Murder One ) made brief appearances on TNG as the Romulan officer Taibak; on DS9 as a Cardassian overseer, the Karamman trader Ornithar, and the Romulan Tal Shiar Chairman Koval; and on Voyager as Abaddon, a Delta Quadrant junkyard owner. Fleck’s only recurring role was on Enterprise as Silik, a genetically enhanced Suliban who was first seen infiltrating the starship to steal a Temporal Observatory.

11 J. Paul Boehmer: Six

Besides voicing two Star Trek video games, J. Paul Boehmer ( The Thomas Crown Affair , The Good German ) has six acting credits in the series. In Voyager , he appeared as the holographic Nazi officer Kapitan and as the Borg drone One; in DS9 , as the Cardassian officer Vornar and the pro-human Vulcan explorer Mestral; and in Enterprise , as two unnamed Nazi officials. Clearly, the casting directors found his sharp features, firm voice, and piercing eyes very fitting.

"Perhaps if you spent more time observing human behavior, you might not have such a pessimistic view of them." - Mestral

10 Paul S. Eckstein: Six

Although sometimes uncredited, writer, actor, and producer Paul S. Eckstein played 6 characters on Star Trek . In DS9 , he was the rebellious Jem'Hadar soldier Limara'Son and a Jem'Hadar guard on Cardassia Prime 2. And in Voyager , he portrayed the renovation supervisor Yost, a young Hirogen in a hunting party, a lineant Beta-Hirogen, and the Klingon warrior Morak.

9 John Kenton Shull: Six

The number of actors who played 6 different roles in the franchise is significant, and John Kenton Shull ( Bates Motel , Dallas , Pump Up the Volume ) is also worth mentioning. You might have spotted him on DS9 as a Bajoran security officer and the Klingon captain K'Temang. Or on Voyager as the Klingon ghost Brok'tan, the mining commander Nocona, and a Hanonian herbal healer. He also played a Klingon opera Thespian on TNG .

“There are things here worse than death.” - Brok’tan

8 Marc Alaimo: At Least Six

The fan-favorite Mark Alaimo ( Tango & Cash , Total Recall , Hill Street Blues ) played the very first Cardassian and Romulan on TV, when he appeared on TNG as the rigid Gul Macet and the witty Commander Tebok, respectively. He also portrayed the mischievous 19-century French-speaking poker player Frederick LaRouque. Additionally, though uncredited, Alaimo also played Badar N’D’D, an Antican (a canine-looking alien).

Fun fact: The actor’s prominent neck is what inspired makeup supervisor Michael Westmore to create the iconic Cardassian ridges.

Nevertheless, Alaimo’s most memorable role is the Cardassian Gul Dukat, a charismatic villain who appeared in 33 DS9 episodes, taunting both Captain Sisko (Avery Brooks) and Kira Nerys.

“The thing I love about Dukat is that you never know what he’s going to do next. He never does anything that’s truly unredeemable or completely black. Dukat doesn’t eat children; you know what I mean? Cardassians have a pretty dominating presence. They’re great, and incidentally, they’re the best-looking aliens.” - Marc Alaimo, StarTrek.com

He also played the racist 1950s human cop Burt Ryan, in addition to the cunning Bajoran Anjohl Tennan, but the latter was actually Dukat in disguise, so it doesn’t technically count as a different character.

Another fun fact: The actor patented a 3D chess set in 2002.

7 Joseph Ruskin: Six

The renowned performer with the distinctive voice Joseph Ruskin played the ruthless slaver Galt on TOS ; the Klingon Tumek and a mysterious Cardassian informant on DS9 ; a villainous Son’a officer in the movie Insurrection ; a Vulcan master on Voyager ; and a Suliban doctor on Enterprise .

6 Randy Oglesby: Seven

Thomas Randall Oglesby ’s ( L.A. Law , The X Files , ER ) most notable role is the chilling Xindi-Primate Degra on Enterprise . His other appearance on the show is Trena'L, the captain of a Xyrillian ship.

Oglesby was also seen on Voyager as the Brenari refugee Kir; on TNG as an insightful Ramatisian scholar; and on DS9 as Miradorn twin thieves Ah-Kel and Ro-Kel, as well as the vengeful Cardassian servant Silaran Prin.

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Published Mar 5, 2014

What Do Each of These Star Trek Actors Have in Common?

They were all in a *lot* of Star Trek!

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Leonard Nimoy is Spock. His second book says so right in the title. (Pay no attention to the title of his first book for the purposes of this argument.) He is a singular actor associated exclusively with an iconic role in the Star Trek Universe.

Not every actor in our beloved franchise enjoys this same specificity of purpose. Indeed, some actors in the larger company have played more than one character. And, no, I don't mean Lieutenant Broccoli goofing around in the Holodeck. I mean same person, different role, and we're supposed to pretend we don't notice. Even the times when there's no makeup involved.

To some super fans this list won't be so revelatory, but the newbies may be surprised. With this in mind, let's check out some of the best multi-character performances by Star Trek actors!

(And, no, we're not going to include “Far Beyond the Stars” because then everyone will be on here... and those characters may not actually be “real” but a projection, anyway. Those that were in “ Far Beyond the Stars ” will get automatic “Far Beyond the Stars” gold stars!)

Diana Muldaur

The TNG doctor few people liked knew her way around a starship. Dr. Pulaski, the tough ol' dame who didn't much care for androids, had not one but two appearances on TOS .

In “ Return to Tomorrow ,” she was astrobiologist Dr. Ann Mulhall. She, along with Kirk and Spock, were possessed by nefarious beings that had previously been encased in white orbs. (It happens.) Just to keep it simple, the entity which inhabited her, Thalassa, was female. We didn't get to gender-bending consciousness possessions until “T urnabout Intruder .”

In “ Is There in Truth No Beauty ?” Muldaur was back, again as a doctor. Dr. Miranda Jones was a telepath who spent a number of years on Vulcan. It is because of her that there's that great picture of Spock with a gigantic red visor over his face.

Rene Auberjonois

Odo was, indeed, a shapeshifter. Before he was Deep Space Nine 's constable (and even before he was Terok Nor's constable!) Rene Auberjonois was one of the conspiring Starfleet officers in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country .

The mustachioed villain, named Colonel West (a slight dig at Lt. Col. Oliver North), may be a little hazy in your mind. Most of his scenes were cut from the theatrical version of the movie, and, depending on which DVD or Blu-ray you've got at home, he may or may not be in there. Ah, what good would science fiction fandom be if there weren't a million variants of everything?

Later, on Enterprise (or is that earlier? I never can remember . . .) Auberjonois appeared in the first season episode “Oasis” as a human named Ezral. This is the one where he's crash-landed on a planet and has created a holographic crew to assuage his guilt. Yeah, not really the most memorable episode, especially since the same ground was covered in DS9's “ Shadowplay .”

Here's a weird example where a character that only appeared once is, in my opinion, more memorable than the recurring role.

No disrespect to Worf's brother Kurn – because disrespecting a mighty warrior from the House of Mogh is to sign your own death warrant – but it's Todd's performance as the elderly Jake Sisko in an alternate reality that really breaks my heart.

“ The Visitor ,” regularly cited as one of the best DS9 episodes ever, presents a parallel timeline where a life of obsession, guilt and depression destroys Jake Sisko as he attempts to save his father. It also shows how Ben Sisko would likely sacrifice himself to a non-existent oblivion if it meant helping his son. It's all so very touching.

Todd also popped up as a Hirogen in the 4th-season episode “ Prey ” on Voyager .

Loyal Tuvok. Noble Tuvok. Is there an indecent bone in your body? (I mean, other than during the Pon Farr?) Turns out there is. The thrilling episode “ Starship Mine ” (from TNG's 6th season, the greatest season of all television anywhere) shows Russ as a human terrorist trying to take over the Enterprise. Luckily, Captain Picard is able to subdue him using, ironically, a Vulcan nerve pinch.

Russ also showed up as a not-so-nice Klingon in the DS9 episode “ Invasive Procedures .” He kicked O'Brien right in the spot where he'd been hit with a phaser. What a jerk!

It wasn't all bad, though. Check out Star Trek Generations again. That's a pre-Tuvok Tim Russ on the Enterprise-B trying to lock onto El-Aurians and transport them out of the Nexus.

David Warner

There! Are! Three! Characters!

Gul Madred, the sadistic Cardassian who tortured Captain Picard in “ Chain of Command ,” had been a member of the Star Trek team twice before.

Most notably as Chancellor Gorkon, the martyred Klingon with the olive branch whose death almost spiked the Khitomer Accords in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country . Yes, it was his purple blood that swam around in zero-g making bloopy noises.

Prior to this, he played a human, a character that could have been really cool, in the ill-fated Star Trek V: The Final Frontier . St. John Talbot was the Federation representative to the so-called Planet of Peace, Nimbus III. If the movie was better, it would have dug in a bit more with this nasty character, one of the few non-Utopian Federation folks from the Roddenberry era. The character has popped up a bit on the sidelines in comics and novels – one day he'll get his due.

Brock Peters

Before he was Joseph Sisko, gumbo cooking patriarch of the great Sisko clan, he was Admiral Cartwright in both Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country .

What makes Cartwright so interesting is that he has a little bit of an arc. In his first appearance he seems like one of the good guys. There he is in San Francisco as the Cetacean Probe is tearing up the seas. He's doing his best to keep everyone together – and to hear what Captain Kirk has to say.

Within a few years, though, he's at the center of the conspiracy to kill Chancellor Gorkon and muck up the Khitomer Accords!

Marc Alaimo

When your neck is that gigantic, you can stick it out more than once.

Gul Dukat, the most evil man in the Galaxy when you get down to it, was played by a man who knew his way around a makeup chair.

Prior to the role that cemented him as one of the key figures in all of Trek lore, he played a Romulan, a human and a different Cardassian. In fact, TNG's Gul Macet was the first Cardassian we ever saw.

He also played an Antican named Badar N'D'D in the first season TNG episode called “Lonely Among Us .” This was an early example of some of the really out there makeup effects that the new wave of Trek would bring us. I remember sitting in my Grandmother's kitchen watching this episode back in 1987 and just being delighted by the half-wolf/half-fish lookin' dude. Then my older sister walked in and made fun of me.

Mark Lenard

Here are two major, groundbreaking roles played by the same individual. Even more interestingly, Sarek and the unnamed Romulan Commander from “ Balance of Terror ,” very unique characters, don't even look that different!

The Romulan Commander and Captain Kirk “could have called one another friend” in a different reality. They were both cunning tacticians, but on other sides of the battlefield.

Sarek is more of a puzzle. Spock's father, the Vulcan ambassador to the Federation, seems at first to be pure, cold logic. Yet his heart belongs to Amanda. Is this just a “logical decision,” done purely in service of his position? It's hard to tell. Maybe that's why Sarek is such a beloved character, and was brought back for the films, TNG and even has a (fantastic) book devoted exclusively to him.

Lenard popped up again in Star Trek: The Motion Picture as the commander of the doomed IKS Amar, thus making him one of the first people to ever speak the fabricated language of Klingon.

Jeffrey Combs

There's a term used in the Jewish Passover seder called “Dayenu.” It means “it would suffice us.” If Jeffrey Combs were just Brunt of the Ferengi Commerce Authority, it would suffice us. If Jeffrey Combs were just the Vorta go-between Weyoun (and all of his clones), it would suffice us. If Jeffrey Combs were just Shran, the Andorian from Enterprise , it would suffice us. But Jeffrey Combs is all three of these terrific, memorable characters.

Not just that, he also played a different Ferengi (Krem) on an episode of Enterprise and a kooky alien named Tiron (of unnamed species) in one episode of DS9.

How, you are asking, could anyone possibly top Jeffrey Combs on this list? Well, there is only one way.

Every Star Trek Character Played By Jeffrey Combs, Ranked

Majel Barrett-Roddenberry

Ahead of Jeffrey Combs by just an inch comes Majel Barrtett. Why? Because she doesn't just play humans and Betazoids, she plays the disembodied voice of the Enterprise computer (from TOS right up to Star Trek [2009] ).

Before killing it as the terrific Lwaxana Troi in many episodes of TNG (and DS9) she was, of course, Nurse (later Commander) Christine Chapel. Chapel was Dr. McCoy's right arm and represented us with her fascination (love?) of Mr. Spock.

Also, on Captain Pike's Enterprise she was the striking Number One. Even though this era of Star Trek got the boot (though it appeared in flashback in “ The Menagerie ,” of course) the inclusion of Number One was really way ahead of its time for positioning a woman in a position of prominence. While one or two of the comments about her may seem a little sexist today, for 1964/1965 it was absolutely revolutionary.

Jordan Hoffman is a writer, critic and lapsed filmmaker living in New York City. His work can also be seen on Film.com, ScreenCrush and Badass Digest. On his BLOG , Jordan has reviewed all 727 Trek episodes and films, most of the comics and some of the novels.

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Which Star Trek Actor Has Played the Most Characters? The Answer Is Complex

Star Trek famously uses the same actor for multiple roles. However, the actor who has played the most characters depends on the definition.

Star Trek has built its success around its casting, which resulted in talented ensembles who work exceptionally well together. That tendency applies across the board, from cameos to large roles. Actors are often asked back, sometimes to play different characters. The franchise’s copious use of make-up makes disguising the same performer very easy. Some actors have played numerous roles spread out across decades, which begs the question of who has played the most different characters.

That question is surprisingly tricky to answer. While a few lead contenders present themselves, the question of what constitutes a “different” character makes the issue hazy in a universe where possession, cloning and parallel timelines are present. Depending on the definition of "different," the answer lies somewhere among four specific  Star Trek performers.

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Vaughn Armstrong

Of the four actors on the list, Armstrong is the least-known, despite being a television veteran, with 99 credits to his name and work stretching back to the 1970s. He’s played 12 distinct characters across The Next Generation , Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager and Enterprise , notably in the latter as Maxwell Forrest. Forrest has a Mirror Universe counterpart, which -- depending on how “different characters” is defined -- drops his count to 11. That’s still enough to provide a good baseline for comparison. No one else played as many distinctive and clearly separate characters. Three other actors have raised that count higher, but only if certain qualifiers are added.

Jeffrey Combs

Officially, Combs has made 14 Star Trek appearances , most notably as the Andorian Shran in Star Trek: Enterprise , and various incarnations of Weyoun in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . The latter role is what complicates his placement on this list: Weyoun is a Vorta, a genetically engineered servant race of the Changelings who are replaced by clones when one of them dies. By that count, he played five different Weyoun clones and a Mirror Universe version of the Ferengi Brunt, whom he also portrayed in the Prime Universe. Assuming those duplicates don’t qualify as unique characters, it drops his final count to nine. However, if they do, then he's at 14, which puts him above Armstrong.

Majel Barrett

Barrett appeared in the original Star Trek pilot, “The Cage,” and remained a Star Trek  staple for decades afterward. Her live-action appearances were limited to three: Number One in “The Cage,” Christine Chapel in The Original Series  and Lwaxana Troi in The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine . She also provided the computer voice for multiple Trek series, which could conceivably qualify as a character as well.

Normally, that would put her out of the running for the most distinct characters. However, Star Trek: The Animated Series  featured her as Nurse Chapel, Lt. M’Ress, Amanda Grayson, and -- as is typical for animated series -- numerous minor characters. In total, these figures add 14 to her count, giving her a total of 18. It's higher than both Combs and Armstrong. Although some might argue that those animated "roles" were likely recorded as part of her Christine Chapel sessions and required no costume or appearance changes from the actor.

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Brent Spiner

Spiner, of course, is best known for playing Lt. Commander Data. He also played Dr. Noonian Soong, his evil twin Lore, his late-arriving brother B-4 and various other members of the Soong family. That number totals six, far below the top count. However, Data has been possessed by a number of additional characters, notably in The Next Generation, Season 7, Episode 17, “Masks,” where he played five different consciousnesses occupying the android’s body.

Other episodes entail similar possessions, though never nearly so many as “Masks.” In addition, The Next Generation , Season 6, Episode 8, “A Fistful of Datas,” saw Spiner appearing as five Western pulp characters after a glitch in the holodeck. Adding those together gives Spiner a total of 24 distinct characters he’s played on one Star Trek show or another. The qualifier here is the number of roles played more or less as Data: personalities possessing his body rather than any distinct figure separate from the android. Without them, he drops down below Armstrong for the most.

James Doohan

James Doohan will forever be Montgomery Scott to Star Trek fans, and the template for Starfleet engineers in every series and film that followed. He hasn't played any live-action characters in the franchise besides that, and as a signature crewman from the beginning, he hasn't had to. But like Barrett, he performed the voices for a number of machines and artificial beings on The Original Series -- four in total -- and the count leaps up when we include ancillary figures for Star Trek: The Animated Series . Like Barrett, Doohan voiced a huge number of one-off characters like guards and random aliens, sparing producers the expense of having to hire another actor. His count here is staggering -- 50 in total, plus Mr. Scott -- and assuming they factor into the calculation, they put him on top.

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Star Trek: 10 Actors You Didn’t Realize Played Multiple Roles

No matter which part of the franchise, there’s something the  Star Trek   production teams were always great at: bringing back actors they’d already worked with for different roles. Merritt Butrick was Kirk’s son David and T’Jon on  The Next Generation,  Marc Alaimo was a Romulan on  TNG  before becoming Gul Dukat on  Deep Space Nine,  Suzie Plakson was Worf’s lover K’Ehlayr as well as a Vulcan, a Q, and an Andorian. The list goes on, and it’s a lot longer than you’d imagine.

For the purposes of keeping the list surprising, we’re leaving out all the main cast members who appeared as different characters in other series or movies. We’ve made one exception for someone who was a regular cast member for one season, but already had a history with the original series. Feel free to guess before scrolling down!

Some of these are no-brainers and some will hopefully give you that “who knew?” sense of discovery. And speaking of  Discovery , let’s hope we get to see of these actors there, too! Here are  10 Actors Who Played Multiple Roles on  Star Trek .

10. Michael Dorn

9. mark lenard, 8. tim russ, 7. malachi throne, 6. diana muldaur, 5. majel barret, 4. james sloyan, 3. jeffrey combs, 2. tony todd, 1. vaughn armstrong, share this:.

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Performers with multiple roles

• View history

A list of performers who appeared in multiple roles.

• Unnamed holographic guest
• Badar N'D'D
• Frederick La Rouque
• Pah-wraith (possessing Dukat)
• Kirk double
• Female Ajilon Prime guard
• Vulcan baseball player
• Cardassian civilian
• Taresian woman
• Starfleet security officer
• Salvage alien
• Bareil Antos
• Telek R'Mor
• Vidiian captain
• Alpha Hirogen
• Maxwell Forrest
• Klingon captain
• Kreetassan captain
• Maximilian Forrest
• Enterprise crewmember
• Romulan crewman
• Curzon Dax (possessing Odo)
• Douglas Pabst
• Odo ( hologram )
• Bolian ensign
• Trelane's mother (voice)
• Beta 5 computer (voice)
• Zetarian (voice)
• Jonathan Archer
• Starfleet ensign
• Federation President's assistant
• Una Chin-Riley
• Christine Chapel
• Amanda Grayson
• Cosmic cloud
• Queen of Hearts
• Randi Bryce
• Aquan Female #1
• Aquan Female #2
• Slaver weapon
• USS Huron operations lieutenant
• Lwaxana Troi
• Suspiria (voice)
• USS Enterprise 's computer voice
• USS Enterprise -D 's computer voice
• USS Enterprise -E 's computer voice
• USS Saratoga 's computer voice
• Runabout 's computer voice
• USS Defiant (NX-74205) 's computer voice
• USS Defiant (NCC-1764) 's computer voice
• USS Voyager 's computer voice
• Federation computer voice
• Chekov's guard
• Klingon soldier
• Engineer/security guard
• Black Knight
• First Trooper
• Patrol Leader
• 892-IV native policeman
• Feeder of Vaal
• Kyrian recreation of Chakotay
• Biomimetic lifeform (posing as Chakotay)
• The Doctor (posing as Chakotay)
• five hologram versions of Chakotay
• Voice of flight recorder
• Bob (Admiral Robert Bennett)
• Starbase Montgomery technician
• Gabriel Bell
• Klingon Order of the Bat'leth inductee
• Arkenite Starfleet officer
• Enterprise -E guard
• Pathfinder security guard
• Flight controller
• Illyrian captain
• Son'a doctor
• Rene Picard
• Jean-Luc Picard
• White Rabbit
• Gorn captain
• Starbase 11 orderly
• Organian villager
• Android body created for Thalassa
• McKinley Rocket Base technician
• Holographic Human Nazi Kapitän
• Human Nazi officer
• Human Nazi SS agent
• Benjamin Sisko
• Hippocrates Noah
• Benny Russell
• Illusion of Benjamin Sisko
• Two hologram versions of Benjamin Sisko
• Engineering cadet
• Klingon translator
• Krako's gun moll
• Geordi La Forge
• Seven hologram versions of Geordi La Forge
• David Marcus
• Mister Hospitality
• Cristóbal Rios
• Vulcan adviser
• Antican delegate
• Edo spectator
• Q's musket-wielding alien
• Q's post-atomic horror trial spectator
• Balok's puppet (voice)
• Gorn captain (voice)
• Denevan man
• Keiko O'Brien
• Beta III townsperson
• Vidiian surgeon
• Shipyard worker
• Markalian assistant
• Gorn Captain
• Klingon Soldier
• Body double for William Shatner
• Kevin Mulkahey
• Thy'lek Shran
• Romulan technical officer
• Federation Archaeology Council member
• Enterprise -D officer
• Science division officer
• Sam Rutherford
• Winger Bingston, Jr.
• Gralik Durr
• Klingon brawler
• Andorian drill thrall
• Jaglom Shrek
• Zefram Cochrane
• Natasha Yar
• Martin Madden
• Eminian guard
• Vulcan litter bearer
• Sarek's Vulcan aide
• Ekosian Gestapo official
• Vic Fontaine
• Bolian Tactical officer
• B'Elanna Torres
• Chakotay (possessing B'Elanna Torres)
• Human B'Elanna Torres
• Klingon B'Elanna Torres
• Dreadnought (voice)
• Biomimetic lifeform (posing as B'Elanna Torres)
• The Doctor (posing as B'Elanna Torres)
• Automated repair station (voice)
• Five hologram versions of B'Elanna Torres
• Alien slave trader
• Axum /Five of Twelve
• Romulan pilot
• Reman officer
• Breen prisoner
• Starfleet officer
• Klingon auction bidder
• Thomas Picard
• Henry Burleigh
• Titus Rikka
• Isaac Newton
• Night Alien
• Carmen Davila
• Vulcan priest
• Montgomery Scott
• Oracle of the People
• ancient insectoid
• magnetic organism
• Guardian of Forever
• Vulcan healer
• Romulan commander
• Stavos Keniclius 5
• master computer
• Ursinoid miner on Motherlode
• Human miner on Motherlode
• Chuft-Captain
• Kzinti Telepath
• Orion captain
• Orion ensign
• Dramen Supreme Prefect
• Walking Bear
• Robert April
• Iotian announcer
• Sciences division officer
• Security officer
• Willie Hawkins
• Seven hologram versions of Worf
• Sevrin's girl
• Ben Childress
• Vulcan crewmember
• young Hirogen
• Jem'Hadar guard
• Beta Hirogen
• Balok (voice)
• Eminiar VII security voice
• SS Dierdre voice
• Vulcan Space Central voice
• Provider 2 (voice)
• News vendor
• Tantalus colony guard
• 1st Technician
• Malon engineer
• Takarian bard
• Dathan Alaris
• Proka Migdal
• Airlock technician
• Prison guard
• Yang Scholar
• Darlene Kursky
• Illusion of Jadzia Dax
• Hologram version of Jadzia Dax
• Enina Tandro
• Juliana Tainer
• Cardassian overseer
• William T. Riker
• Thomas Riker
• Odan (hosted by Riker)
• Six hologram versions of Riker
• Sabin Genestra
• Ocampa Doctor
• Son'a officer
• Vulcan Elder
• Vulcan Captain
• Simon Tarses
• Andorian inmate
• Security guard
• Enterprise security lieutenant
• Leah Brahms
• Leah Brahms ( hologram )
• Enterprise -B science officer
• Enterprise computer
• Cardassian legate
• Fred Noonan
• Kathryn Janeway (in the body of Dal R'El)
• Human passerby
• Khata'n Zshaar
• Rigelian kidnapper
• Trill ensign
• First Learner
• Jem'Hadar First
• Rishon Uxbridge
• Holographic masseuse
• Pelian DS9 resident
• Ten Forward alien
• Voyager ops officer
• Beatrice Burleigh
• Enterprise -E security Lieutenant
• Nadia Larkin
• Kahless the Unforgettable
• Vulcan captain
• Changeling posing as Martok
• Roy Ritterhouse
• Hirogen fighter
• Drookmani captain
• Martok (program)
• Automated Unit 6263
• Prototype Unit 0001
• Morgan Earp
• Ekosian SS field marshal
• Roger Lemli
• Roger Lemi illusory
• The Doctor (posing as Dala)
• Humanoid Figure
• Kellerun scientist
• Holographic Vulcan
• Vulcan delegate
• Sh'Raan crewman
• Vulcan wedding guest
• Klingon prisoner
• Nazi soldier
• Vulcan High Command aide
• Ceremony attendee
• Creepy Orion
• Buck Martinez
• Tommy Starnes
• Ilon Tandro
• Ressik administrator
• Chalan Aroya
• Ancient humanoid
• Female Changeling
• Odo (posing as the Female Changeling)
• Kasidy Yates
• Pitcairn (voice)
• First Talosian (voice)
• Provider 3 (voice)
• Starfleet voice
• Saru (mirror)
• Enterprise crewman
• Klingon crewman
• Gideon guard
• Ardanan Troglyte
• Martin Wells
• Leonard McCoy
• M-113 creature (posing as Leonard McCoy)
• Vendorian (posing as Leonard McCoy)
• Christopher Pike
• Wyatt Miller
• Carter Winston
• Andorian civilian
• Andorian Lal
• Pavel Chekov
• Anton Chekov
• William Patrick Samuels
• Talaxian prisoner
• Trelane's father (voice)
• Guardian Voice
• Provider 1 (voice)
• Yarnek (voice)
• George Primmin
• Lydia Anderson
• Alien Tsunkatse spectator
• Starfleet Academy instructor
• Shazad Latif
• Ash Tyler (Klingon)
• Voq (mirror)
• Ferengi bidder
• Post-atomic trial spectator
• Renegade Ferengi
• Tilonian inmate
• Sisko's Creole Kitchen waiter
• Transport passenger
• Vic's Lounge patron
• Mercy Hospital physician
• Starfleet Command admiral
• El-Aurian survivor
• Pah-wraith (possessing Jake Sisko)
• Theodore Haskins
• Marlena Moreau
• Enterprise yeoman
• Tantalus inmate
• Eminian woman
• Slave woman
• Alien delegate
• Enterprise nurse
• Neural native woman
• Ekosian woman
• Woman passerby
• Fabrini servant
• Elias Giger
• Ekosian SS lieutenant
• Command division crewman
• Sheliak director
• Romulan Commander
• Boy creature
• " First Trooper "
• Tantalus colony inmate
• Beverly Crusher
• Four hologram versions of Beverly Crusher
• Nicholas Locarno
• Bobby Davis
• Steth (posing as Tom Paris)
• Kathryn Janeway (in the body of Tom Paris)
• Kyrian recreation of Tom Paris
• Biomimetic lifeform (posing as Tom Paris)
• Photons Be Free narrator
• Five hologram versions of Tom Paris
• Miles O'Brien
• Ux-Mal criminal (in the body of Miles O'Brien)
• Tobin Dax (in the body of Miles O'Brien)
• Changeling (posing as Miles O'Brien)
• Albert Macklin
• Three hologram versions of Miles O'Brien
• Diana Giddings
• Enterprise -B crewman
• Kamran Gant
• Remata'Klan
• Henry Archer
• Joe Tormolen
• Carlton Dennis
• Ann Mulhall
• Thalassa (in the body of Ann Mulhall)
• Miranda Jones
• Katherine Pulaski
• Kathryn Janeway
• Shannon O'Donnel
• Klingon warrior
• Biomimetic lifeform (posing as Kathryn Janeway)
• Steth (posing as Kathryn Janeway)
• Chakotay (possessing Kathryn Janeway)
• The Doctor (posing as Kathryn Janeway)
• Kyrian recreation of Kathryn Janeway
• Seven hologram versions of Kathryn Janeway
• Hologram Janeway
• Dal R'El (in the body of Kathryn Janeway)
• J.P. Hanson
• Menk assistant
• Shuttle officer
• Nyota Uhura
• Female Ursinoid miner
• USS Enterprise -A computer voice
• Delta Theta III entity
• Sarah April
• Henoch (in Spock's body)
• Kollos (melded with Spock)
• Garth of Izar (posing as Spock)
• Computer voice of the USS Excelsior
• Spock One hologram
• Wraith in Human form
• USS Vengeance Bridge Officer 1
• Scholar/Artist in Riva's Chorus
• Ah-Kel and Ro-Kel
• Silaran Prin
• Rachel Garrett
• Nezu Ambassador
• Enterprise engineering technician
• Klingon brawler #3
• Roman policeman #3
• Neuralese patrol villager
• Tombstone cowboy
• Alien DS9 resident
• Trill surgeon
• Human DS9 resident
• Ekosian resistance member
• Metron (voice)
• Nomad (voice)
• Joseph Sisko
• Human preacher
• Holographic maitre'D
• Chakotay (possessing Neelix)
• Kyrian recreation of Neelix
• Biomimetic lifeform (posing as Neelix)
• Seven hologram versions of Neelix
• Lewis Zimmerman
• Emergency Command Hologram
• Emergency Medical Android
• Jupiter Station Diagnostic Program Alpha-11
• Troglyte prisoner
• Ekosian SS trooper
• Humanoid bird
• Anthropoid ape
• Mother Horta
• Human journalist
• Cardassian Officer
• Phillip Green
• Cloud Guard #1
• Shakaar Edon
• Enrique Muniz
• Vissian chief engineer
• An illusion of Chakotay's grandfather
• Starfleet Duck Blind crewman
• Mokra Order soldier
• John Evansville
• Mazarite captain
• Cardassian informant
• Son'a bridge officer
• Vulcan Master
• Suliban doctor
• Enterprise -B bridge officer
• Seven of Nine
• Three of Eight
• Two of Three
• Trainee Enterprise crewmember
• Dramen guard
• Klingon Ambassador
• Chorus member
• Mirasta Yale
• James T. Kirk
• James T. Kirk's evil persona
• George Samuel Kirk
• Sargon (in James Kirk's body)
• Garth of Izar (posing as James Kirk)
• Janice Lester (in James Kirk's body)
• a Vendorian (posing as James Kirk)
• Martia (posing as James Kirk)
• Betazoid gift box
• Audrid Dax (in the body of Quark)
• Herbert Rossoff
• Various hologram versions of Quark
• Klingon actor
• Bajoran security officer
• Hanonian medicine man
• Julian Bashir
• Prototype Long-term Medical Holographic program
• Julius Eaton
• Rao Vantika (in the body of Julian Bashir)
• Torias Dax (in the body of Julian Bashir)
• Krajensky (posing as Julian Bashir)
• Deanna Troi
• Ardra (posing as Deanna Troi)
• Paxan (in the body of Deanna Troi)
• Ux-Mal criminal (in the body of Deanna Troi)
• Four hologram versions of Deanna Troi
• Illusion of Deanna Troi
• Alidar Jarok
• Ma'Bor Jetrel
• Krenim commandant
• Xindi-Primate councilor
• Efrosian Federation President
• Sobras bar dancer
• Starfleet communications officer
• Melkotian voice
• Noonien Soong
• Hologram of Noonien Soong
• Altan Soong
• Daystrom Android M-5-10
• Ira Graves (in the body of Data)
• Ux-Mal criminal (in the body of Data)
• Eli Hollander
• Frank Hollander
• Masaka (in the body of Data)
• Ihat (in the body of Data)
• D'Arsay boy (in the body of Data)
• Masaka's devotee (in the body of Data)
• Masaka's father (in the body of Data)
• Illusion of Data
• Three hologram versions of Data
• Nicky the Nose
• Locutus of Borg
• Michael Williams
• Replica of Jean-Luc Picard
• Three hologram versions of Picard
• Hikaru Sulu
• Megan (voice)
• USS Huron command lieutenant
• Enterprise -D crewman
• Alien in Romulan form
• Defiant weapons officer
• Klingon helm officer
• Toman'torax
• The Keeper (voice)
• José I. Mendez
• José I. Mendez (illusion)
• Cyrus Redblock
• Regent of Palamar
• Ray Tsing Tao
• Jake Sisko (adult)
• Voice of The Keeper
• The Man in grey flannel suit
• Bolian waiter
• Silver tube amazette alien dignitary
• Literary reception guest
• ISS Enterprise crewman
• Humanoid thrall
• Darien Wallace
• Holographic passerby
• Klingon officer
• Klingon High Council member
• Klingon helmsman
• Romulan centurion
• Romulan officer
• Andrus Hagan
• Walter Baxter
• Quarren supervisor
• Iliana Ghemor
• Female Changeling (posing as Kira Nerys)
• Lela Dax (in the body of Kira Nerys)
• Anastasia Komananov
• Lola Chrystal
• Prophet (in the body of Kira Nerys)
• Hologram version of Kira Nerys
• St. John Talbot
• Train passenger
• Science division crewman
• Jem'Hadar officer
• Trajis Lo-Tarik
• Reittan Grax
• Bolian Starfleet Academy commandant
• Clark Terrell
• ISS Enterprise computer voice
• Two replicant versions of Atoz
• Aged crewmember
• Elaine Johnson
• Nausicaan prisoner
• Simon Van Gelder
• Ronald Tracey
• Alexander Rozhenko
• Forra Gegen
• Automated Unit 3947
• Automated Commander 122
• Elloran officer 001
• Noah Lessing
• Cetacean Institute tourist
• Hannah Bates

See also [ ]

• Roles with multiple performers
• 2 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

Every Star Trek Character Gary Graham Played, Explained

The "Star Trek" universe lost another shining light following the death of prominent "Star Trek: Enterprise" star Gary Graham at the age of 73. Survived by his wife and daughter, Graham was a staple in science fiction, with his most notable appearances being in the spin-off show and multiple TV movies to "Alien Nation" where he took over from James Caan, as well as appearing in various points in the "Star Trek" timeline. Graham was like many "Star Trek" actors who played multiple characters over the years and even came close to taking on notable roles in the franchise that could've seen him in the Captain's chair.

While he might not have been the final choice for some roles, Graham did leave his mark elsewhere within the history of Starfleet and some of its most pivotal events. Before butting heads with Captain Archer in the latter years of "Star Trek" (which were really its first), he initially touched down opposite Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) in "Star Trek: Voyager."

Gary Graham was a proud Ocampan in Star Trek: Voyager.

Gary Graham first made a guest appearance in the "Star Trek" universe as Tanis, an Ocampan in "Star Trek: Voyager" Season 2, Episode 10 – "Cold Fire." Ocampans were a humanoid species with telepathic abilities, one of which was Voyager's field medic, Kes (Jennifer Lien), whom Tanis tried to persuade to leave the Voyager and join his space station. It was the only time Graham appeared on the show, although if things had gone differently, he could've been its star, given that he actually auditioned for the role of Janeway. 

In a 2012 interview with Star Trek Vulcanology , Graham revealed that he was in the running for being Captain of the Voyager before Mulgrew won the role, as well as Captain Benjamin Sisko in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" before it went to Avery Brooks. Graham told the site, "That's what I heard from my agent and also from another source at Paramount. I never heard it from either [Rick] Berman or [Brannon] Braga ["Star Trek" producers], so I can't give it full veracity. You'll have to ask them." Discussing the process of going after the mystery role, Graham admitted, "And the audition for any lead is always pretty exhaustive. I think I remember the initial audition and two subsequent callbacks." Perhaps in a mirror universe, he may have actually landed one of them. 

Graham was beamed up to Star Trek: Enterprise and some impressive fan films

Some of the best actors in the "Star Trek" universe have donned the pointy ears and eyebrows for a Vulcan role, and Gary Graham was just such a talent to take one on in "Star Trek: Enterprise." Appearing in 12 episodes of the show's four-season run, Graham played Soval, Vulcan Ambassador to Earth. Like so many of the green-blooded, straight-faced folk from Vulcan, Soval initially found it grating being with the human characters on the show before eventually taking a shine to Earth and its species, becoming an ally to the Enterprise crew.

Outside of the existing franchise, Graham continued to bump into legends of "Star Trek" lore through appearances in unofficial but immensely popular fan films. In 2007, Graham starred in "Star Trek: Of Gods and Men," playing a number two of sorts as the shape-shifting second in command to Captain John Harriman ("Succession's" Alan Ruck). In 2014, he reprised the role of Solvar in a fan short film, "Prelude to Axanar," before taking on the role of Ragnar once more in a fan series, "Star Trek: Renegades," which was released in 2015.

10 Star Trek Characters Who Appeared On Multiple Series

Well, Q IS basically omnipresent...

Since Star Trek first hit the airwaves on CBS in 1966, there have been seven TV series. Well, nine if you also count the 1970s animated series and the more recent Short Treks set in the world of Discovery. Over the course of those seven series, that gave fans approximately 742 episodes of Star Trek TV spread across more than 50 years to enjoy.

With those kind of numbers, it's not hard to imagine that more than a few characters have appeared on multiple series.

As they built the Star Trek universe, stories inevitably intersected. This was especially prevalent in the era of The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager. These three series happened during the same era and overlapped when they were on the air. Despite the fact that Voyager was happening thousands of light years away, characters from other series still made appearances.

While this happened more frequently than some viewers might think, there are a few characters that really stood out. This was due to a combination of how often they appeared in other series as well as how important they are to the Star Trek lexicon.

10. Reginald Barclay

Many of Star Trek's most interesting characters are not members of the main cast. Often, some of the best characters are the recurring ones that pop up once in awhile and add in something special. Q was such a character, bringing chaos to whatever story he was in. Though he wasn't as chaotic, Reginald Barclay was a similarly beloved character.

Barclay was first introduced on The Next Generation. An engineer working under Geordi LaForge, he was quiet, nervous and anxious, using the holodeck to avoid life. But once he came out of his shell, Barclay proved to be a brilliant engineer who just needed self confidence. He became an important member of the Enterprise-D team.

But while he played the part of comic relief on TNG, he became a critical part of Voyager by the end of the series.

Working on the Pathfinder Project for Starfleet after the destruction of the Enterprise, Barclay figured out how to contact the Voyager in the Gamma Quadrant with the help of Deanna Troi. He established a permanent means of communication with the stranded ship and became an integral part of bringing Voyager home.

Ian Goodwillie is a freelance writer based out of Saskatoon, SK, Canada. He has a BA in English Literature from the University of Saskatchewan and completed the Writing Program at Vancouver Film School. More importantly, Ian is also a wrestling fan, comic book reader, video game player and photographer. He loves to write and writes about what he loves. Ian's also an unrepentant, unapologetic Cougar Town fan, a show he will defend until the day he dies.

Actors who played their "Star Trek" characters both on television and in film

1. David Keith Anderson

• Additional Crew

2. Majel Barrett

3. joe baumann, 4. michael braveheart.

5. LeVar Burton

7. Tracee Cocco

8. James Cromwell

9. James Doohan

10. Michael Dorn

11. elliot durant iii, 12. gunnel eriksson.

13. Jonathan Frakes

14. Whoopi Goldberg

15. Kevin Grevioux

16. grace harrell, 17. kerry hoyt.

18. DeForest Kelley

19. Walter Koenig

20. Alice Krige

21. Boris Lee Krutonog

22. Mark Lenard

23. Nora Leonhardt

24. Barbara March

25. Gates McFadden

26. lorine mendell, 27. rad milo.

28. Ricardo Montalban

29. Kate Mulgrew

30. Nichelle Nichols

31. Leonard Nimoy

32. Robert Picardo

33. keith rayve.

34. Jeremy Roberts

35. rick ryan.

36. Richard Sarstedt

37. Dwight Schultz

• Music Department

38. William Shatner

39. Jack Shearer

40. Patrick Stewart

41. Marina Sirtis

42. Brent Spiner

43. noriko suzuki.

• Camera and Electrical Department
• Cinematographer

44. George Takei

45. Kirk R. Thatcher

46. guy vardaman.

• Animation Department

47. Gwynyth Walsh

48. Wil Wheaton

49. Grace Lee Whitney

50. John Winston

51. Jane Wyatt

52. Patti Yasutake

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From Harrison Ford to Uma Thurman: 10 Actors Who Played More Than One Iconic Character

It takes a special kind of actor to carry so many iconic roles.

Many actors spend most of their working lives hoping to play just one iconic character, to land the dream role that will define their career and immortalize them as a screen legend for decades to come. But getting a part like that is much easier said than done, and even when actors are fortunate enough to play such a character, it can often become something of a curse that pigeon-holes them into being typecast for the rest of their careers.

RELATED: 10 Most Iconic Actresses From Hollywood's Golden Age (& Their Best Role)

Throughout cinematic history, a handful of actors were lucky enough to portray multiple iconic characters throughout their careers. From action heroes to cowboys, Disney princesses, unforgettable villains, and television giants, these actors' roles make for some of the most iconic characters the world has ever seen.

William Shatner — Captain Kirk, T. J. Hooker, and Denny Crane

William Shatner himself is inarguably one of television’s most iconic figures. He got his big break in 1966 when he was cast as James Tiberius Kirk in the hit sci-fi series Star Trek which ran for three seasons before earning a motion picture revival in 1979. Shatner reprised his role as the captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise in seven films from 1979-1994, establishing him as one of the most renowned characters to ever grace the screen.

Shatner found another iconic television role through the '80s, starring as the titular police sergeant in T. J. Hooker . Then, in 2004, at the age of 73 years, he lent his talents to another television icon, playing the outrageous Denny Crane through the five-season run of Boston Legal .

Patrick Stewart — Captain Picard and Charles Xavier

From one Star Trek legend to another, Sir Patrick Stewart has enjoyed a long and celebrated career as one of the most acclaimed actors on the screen and on the stage. However, his most enduring achievements may come from the realms of sci-fi blockbuster entertainment, where he has become something of a champion to geek culture with his two most iconic roles.

RELATED: Ranking The Top 10 Takes On The Enterprise: Trekking Through the Years

The first came in 1987 with Captain Jean-Luc Picard, the lead of Star Trek: The Next Generation , where he lived up to Shatner’s Captain Kirk as the spin-off series fast developed a cult following. Thirteen years later, he became another icon with his portrayal of Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men .

Emma Watson — Hermione Granger and Belle

Emma Watson sure knows how to pick her roles, as shown by her appearances in the coming-of-age cult classic The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Greta Gerwig ’s acclaimed adaptation of Little Women . But it is the fantasy genre where Watson’s career has truly flourished.

Her career began when she was cast as Hermione Granger in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone , a character which she made an icon of the screen through eight film appearances. In 2017, she appeared as Belle in Beauty and the Beast , making the part her own in what became one of Disney’s biggest-ever box office successes.

Clint Eastwood — Harry Callaghan and The Man With No Name

As both an actor and a director, Clint Eastwood has been active in the film industry for a whopping eight decades , becoming an undisputed Hollywood legend at that time. While he’s been in everything from romantic dramas to action comedies, he will forever be remembered for his portrayals as two of the most iconic antiheroes in film history.

From the poncho-wearing gunslinger to the cop who lets his .44 magnum do the talking, The Man With No Name and Harry Callaghan would probably be viewed by many today as outdated products of a bygone era. But that does little to hinder their standing as two of cinema’s greatest and most iconic characters.

Uma Thurman — Mia Wallace and The Bride

With a vibrant style, extreme violence, and some of the slickest dialogue ever put to screen, Quentin Tarantino ’s filmography lends itself to iconic characters. While there have been plenty, Uma Thurman’s roles in Pulp Fiction and the Kill Bill movies are among the greatest the director has written.

RELATED: From 'Kill Bill' to 'Les Misérables': Best Uma Thurman Performances

From the mesmerizing dancing to the overdose and even to her domination of Pulp Fiction ’s promotional material, Mia Wallace fast became one of the most iconic female characters in cinematic history. When she again worked with Tarantino nine years later, the result was another instant icon, this time as one of the most badass action heroines of all time.s

Arnold Schwarzenegger – T-800 and Conan

Arguably the greatest action hero cinema has ever seen, Arnold Schwarzenegger has taken on every type of bad guy you can imagine. Schwarzenegger’s performance as the villainous T-800 in The Terminator spawned some of the actor’s most memorable one-liners, including “I’ll be back.”

RELATED: Arnold Schwarzenegger's 11 Best Action Movies Ranked

He reprised his role in Terminator 2: Judgment Day , where the T-800 served as the film’s hero, which cemented the character’s standing as one of film’s greatest icons. Conan the Barbarian may not be so universally celebrated as The Terminator movies, but Arnie’s performance ensured the vengeful warrior would become an icon of cult cinema for years to come.

Alan Rickman – Hans Gruber, Severus Snape, and the Sheriff of Nottingham

Inarguably one of the greatest villainous actors cinema has ever seen, Alan Rickman didn’t just get lucky with his famous characters; he’s a big part of the reason they became icons in the first place . From his sneering, smug superiority to his scene-stealing screen presence, it didn’t matter how bad Rickman’s villains got; we couldn’t help but love them anyway.

His performance as Hans Gruber in Die Hard still stands among the best action movie bad guys of all time and establishes Rickman’s brilliant villainy, which he proved again three years later as the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves . However, his most iconic role may not have come until years later, when he appeared as Severus Snape throughout the Harry Potter series.

Julie Andrews — Mary Poppins and Maria von Trapp

The 1960s had no shortage of queens of the screen. The likes of Elizabeth Taylor , Audrey Hepburn , and Shirley MacLaine all dominated the decade, and yet, Julie Andrews was arguably the best and most iconic of them, with her performances in family classics and musicals of the time earning her plenty of accolades and an induction as one of Disney’s Legends.

She won an Academy Award for her performance as the titular character in Mary Poppins , a portrayal which, nearly 60 years on, is still considered the ultimate version of P. L. Travers ’ famous character. She then played the equally iconic Maria von Trapp in The Sound of Music the following year.

Sylvester Stallone – Rocky Balboa and John Rambo

For all the gun-toting, iron-pumping macho magnificence of the '80s, few did it quite like Sylvester Stallone . Funnily enough, both of his famous franchises started as something far different from what they became. Rambo was initially defined by its quiet, dramatic undertones before it became a bombastic shoot-em-up, while Rocky was an Academy Award-winning sporting drama before the '80s got a hold of it.

However, both figures—the Italian Stallion and John Rambo—still stand as undeniable icons of film history who have been hitting screens for decades. Whether it's Rambo on a rampage or Balboa in the boxing ring, Stallone’s two most renowned characters are nothing short of quintessential film icons.

Harrison Ford — Han Solo and Indiana Jones

While Harrison Ford has appeared in countless box office hits, spanning from action-blockbusters to pulsating thrillers, terrifying horrors, and sporting biopics, there are two roles of his, in particular, that stand out. They are, of course, his performances as the lovable space rogue Han Solo in Star Wars and the fedora-wearing, whip-cracking archeologist Indiana Jones .

Both characters share plenty in common, including appearing in two of the biggest film franchises of all time, being instantly recognizable to almost anyone in the world, and existing as two immortalized icons of American blockbuster entertainment. An honorable mention goes to his portrayal of Rick Deckard in Blade Runner as well.

KEEP READING: From 'Rocky' to 'Forrest Gump': 10 Iconic TV and Film Locations You Can Visit in Real Life

Yosemite played a leading role in the 'Star Trek' movie that 'almost killed the franchise'

F amous for “boldly going where no man has gone before,” the iconic cast of characters from the “Star Trek” franchise has been giving fans memories for decades.

But there may be no less memorable movie in the TV-turned-film series than “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.” Its few unforgettable scenes featured the likes of James T. Kirk, Spock and Bones climbing, bonding and singing songs in the heart of one of California’s most beloved locations: Yosemite National Park .

Yosemite’s star turn

It comes as no surprise that William Shatner — a famous outdoorsman and nature lover — chose Yosemite as a main setting for his directorial debut.

Just don’t go asking him to explain how the words landed on the page.

“I’ve thought often since I wrote Yosemite , Captain Kirk , free climbing … why did I come up with that idea? I had no idea,” Shatner said in a very on-brand 1988 behind-the-scenes interview the day before the Yosemite scenes were shot.

In the movie, the park plays host to what Robert Greenberger, franchise expert and author of “Star Trek: The Complete Unauthorized History,” called “The Big Three” as they unwind while on “shore leave” from the USS Enterprise. What’s more, the park’s gorgeous granite walls adorned by the rising sun and “Yosemite National Park, Planet Earth” are the first things to greet fans after the opening credits roll.

Then, as orchestral music turns tense as cameras zoom in, we see Shatner’s Kirk free-climbing   El Capitan .

“The climb is not just a climb up the rock, but it’s a climb — the aspirations to climb to reach higher than yourself,” Shatner said in the behind-the-scenes interview. “This human being, Kirk, representing all of man, climbing higher than himself.”

With Bones watching nervously from the ground, Kirk is startled by a levitating Spock (wearing hover boots) halfway up the world’s most famous rock face. After some playful dialogue and Kirk’s bold declaration that you climb a mountain simply “because it’s there,” Kirk takes a tumble from the wall to be rescued by Spock, just feet from the ground.

The three later gather around a campfire in the valley to eat beans, drink Tennessee whiskey and attempt the world’s worst rendition of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” before the Enterprise appears to mercifully whisk them away to tackle the movie’s premise — an underwhelming story about Spock’s Vulcan half-brother who’s taken hostages as part of a quest to find God in deep space.

After an anticlimactic ending where they defeated a would-be “God” that turned out to be a false deity, the Big Three find themselves back at Yosemite in the film’s closing moments , once again gathered around a campfire before the ending credits roll.

In the end, Yosemite stars in the open and close of arguably the worst “Star Trek” film.

‘I failed horribly’

The movie — fondly known as the film that “almost killed the franchise” — was Shatner’s disastrous directorial debut, an end product he’s called his biggest career regret. “It was a series of my inabilities to deal with the management and the budget,” Shatner told the Hollywood Reporter in March. “I failed. In my mind, I failed horribly.”

It’s not just Shatner and the critics who feel that way.

“It’s in competition for the worst movie,” Greenberger told SFGATE.

“You have to pick which fans you ask to rank these, because it has a lot to do with how they grew up,” he said. “‘The Original Series’ fans found ‘The Final Frontier’ very disappointing after [the previous three films] were so strong and entertaining. Then you get ‘Frontier,’ which people view as a Shatner vanity vehicle and was nowhere near as good as what came before it. They felt the humor did a disservice to the characters — the effects were OK to mediocre.”

In addition to the junky effects, forced laughs and Shatner’s questionable direction, “The Final Frontier” had several other elements working against it.

The film, released in June 1989, had stiff competition at the box office for the attention of science fiction and adventure fans. Tim Burton’s first entry in the “Batman” franchise, “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” and “Ghostbusters II” all had very strong showings that summer. It also followed arguably the best movie featuring that generation of “Star Trek” actors in 1986’s “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.”

That, of course, is a much-loved San Francisco time-travel story about humpback whales. Three years later, “Frontier” provided fans with an entirely new direction. But the first-time director didn’t stray geographically far from the movie’s predecessor in shooting at Yosemite.

It was the story itself (co-written by Shatner) that didn’t hit the mark.

“It’s a film where Shatner had a good idea, but never really fully developed it,” Greenberger said. “That opened up a can of worms about faith. What Shatner lacked was a strong producer that would take the director’s ideas and turn it into a viable film. He really needed someone to come in and shape the story.”

Witnesses to ‘Star Trek’ history

Fortunately, the stories behind the making of the Yosemite scenes might give the movie a run for its money — starting with a famous T-shirt.

“The ‘Go Climb a Rock’ shirt deliberately uses the motto of the Yosemite Mountaineering School,” graphic designer Michael Okuda told SFGATE, talking about a T-shirt Captain Kirk is wearing as he first boards the Enterprise for the mission at hand. “Bill Shatner wanted the graphic design to be different from the [previous] version of the shirt, so I did a bunch of variations. That was the one he picked.”

That article of clothing is an homage to a real Yosemite shirt that bears the same slogan.

While Okuda is known for his work on several “Star Trek” projects, he’s credited as a “scenic artist” on “Frontier.” His main contribution to the film “was designing the control panel graphics and readouts on the Enterprise bridge and on the other ships,” he said.

“At some point, one of the producers said they wanted Spock to play his Vulcan harp in the ending campfire scene, but there wasn’t time to have one built,” Okuda said. “I recalled that [Star Trek creator] Gene Roddenberry had a harp prop in his office, so I called, and Gene loaned it to the production.” That harp later accompanied a much, much better version of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” in the film’s final campfire scene.

The Yosemite shoot itself took place in October 1988.

“I was working on a book project with a woman who was in the media center [at Yosemite]. She asked if I wanted to shoot it,” photographer Jay Mather told SFGATE.

He was working for the Sacramento Bee at the time.

“It was really bizarre,” Mather said.

Mather’s photos of the “Frontier” filming show movie set magic that few ever see. Some of the standout images include Shatner scaling a 60-by-40-foot fiberglass wall hooked to the side of Glacier Point and Leonard Nimoy attached to a harness standing on a platform in the shadow of El Cap.

“I can imagine other film topics that might be photographed at Yosemite, something more documentary or historical in nature,” he said. “This, being science fiction, just seemed strange. I didn’t understand the idea of a science-fiction movie being filmed in the park. It felt weird. I didn’t know what the movie was about or anything, so no one really understood why they were there.”

Mather was lucky enough to be one of about 100 people standing behind rope lines at Glacier Point watching Shatner climb a “rock wall” hanging 3,200 feet over the valley floor. “Give him credit,” Mather said of what he saw. “He had to have some respect for the height. But he was totally protected. Even if he fell, he was only going to [drop] six inches. There were probably three or four guys down below him and out of sight.”

Glacier Point ended up as one of two Yosemite filming locations. The other was in the valley near Tunnel View. Both used the fiberglass sets positioned to achieve the best background shots of the park’s real towering walls and scenic Sierra Nevada .

“There were a lot of people that were watching it,” he added. “There was quite a crowd.”

Those crowds were regulated by Yosemite park rangers , recruited to help with the movie shoot — and moved off their regular shifts to do so. That’s precisely what Kim Torvinen’s late husband, a park ranger, was asked to do. “He was normally a night shift ranger, and he filled in on this ‘Star Trek’ project,” she told SFGATE.

Now retired, Torvinen was the park’s film permit coordinator at the time of the shoot, though she was on maternity leave when “Frontier” was in town.

Her husband’s duties mainly involved parking, directing the catering truck and crowds.

“I don’t think my husband ever watched one episode of ‘Star Trek,’” she laughed. “At the time that this was going on, there was very limited TV reception in Yosemite. There was a repeater at Glacier Point. There were maybe three or four channels. I have never watched one episode of ‘Star Trek,’ not a single one of them.”

Mather admitted to much of the same.

“I wasn’t a Trekkie, no,” he said. “It was just a visual opportunity.”

Mather had never seen the movie he photographed, even all these years later.

A few days after talking with SFGATE, Mather followed up with his review: “5/10.”

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15 actors who played multiple roles in one movie.

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The Dual Role has a rich history in cinema (and stage), as a tool with a multitude of uses. Sometimes, the effects are purely comedic; think of Eddie Murphy, Monty Python, Mike Meyers, Mel Brooks, and others who have woven themselves through their films in creatively hilarious ways. Other times, the dual role can be a pure plot device. Films like  The Prestige (on this list) turn the device into a plot twist, a way to advance or resolve the events of the film. Still others use multiple performances as a dramatic device, with thematic ramifications - consider films like Enemy,  or Adaptation.  And lastly, there are the quotidian concerns of a film production - budget, logistic convenience, availability - that drive the usage of this character device. Paying one actor for two roles can be cheaper than hiring two actors, after all.

There are many examples of an actor or actress taking on more than one role in a film. This list numbers a few of the most memorable instances - these are  15 Actors Who Played Multiple Roles in One Film.

15. James Remar as Ace Speck and Butch Pooch in Django Unchained

It is either a testament to James Remar’s shape-shifting ability or lamentable evidence of his forgettability that you probably didn’t realize you saw the actor twice in Django Unchained .

Remar first appears as Ace Speck, the slave owner who counts Django as his property at the film’s start. In the memorable introduction of Christoph Waltz’s Dr. King Schultz character, Schultz tracks the Speck brothers into the woods, where he frees Django by killing Ace and crippling his brother Dicky.  Ace didn’t last long in the film, but Remar wasn’t done despite his character's death.

The actor would have his revenge later in the film, this time playing the role of Butch Pooch, the bodyguard of Django Unchained ’s primary antagonist. As Pooch, Remar got the opportunity to kill Schultz, avenging the his first character in the film, Speck.

It’s unclear why Remar pulled double duty in Django . It could just have been a matter of serendipity on set, opportunity meeting readiness. It could have been a callback to the practice in early cinema, another Easter egg from a director who loves referencing old films. Either way, it’s a funny little wrinkle in the filmography of a career character actor.

14. Mel Brooks – President Skroob and Yogurt in Spaceballs

Mel Brooks has a long and colorful history of casting himself in his own films, often as more than one character. He did it as a governor, chief, and aviator in Blazing Saddles in 1974. In 1981, he played five roles in History of the World: Part I ; six years later, he portrayed President Skroob and Yogurt in Spaceballs .

There is a rich comedic history of actors playing dual roles in films. Stars like Eddie Murphy and Mike Myers have regularly used their chameleonic talents for laughs in films spanning decades, plural. But with actors like them, the value in the role-juggling comes from the actor’s virtuosity; that moment when the light bulb goes off and you can’t believe you are only watching one person.

Mel Brooks goes the other way – the majority of his characters are all pretty decidedly Mel Brooks, only with varying degrees of a Yiddish accent. Yogurt was hilarious; but you didn’t have to wonder who was playing the sci-fi sage. It was pretty clearly the same guy playing President Skroob.

13. Tom Hardy – Reggie and Ronnie Cray in Legend

Tom Hardy didn't play two roles in Legend as a comedic gag; it was required for historical accuracy. The film was based on the real life Kray Twins – a set of English brothers who were two of the most notable gangsters in London in the 1950’s and 1960’s. The twins muscled their way into the criminal market in London, eventually getting large enough to garner the attention of American heavyweights like Meyer Lansky.

Legend tells the story of the brothers’ rise and fall, beginning with their emergence as a criminal element and ending with their apprehension. Tom Hardy’s performance was so compelling because of the true duality of these roles. One brother was a polished operator, the other a mercurial psychopath. Both capable of swift and decisive violence. The film performed modestly, bringing in $43 million at the box office on a $25 million budget; with the majority of that box office gross coming worldwide, inflated by audiences in the UK.

Despite lukewarm reception to the film, it is worth seeing for Hardy alone, who shines as the Kray twins. We hope he was paid by the role.

12. Armie Hammer – The Winklevoss Twins in The Social Network

The Social Network doesn’t totally frame The Winklevi (as Jesse Eisenberg’s Mark Zuckerburg refers to them in the film) as villains, just as it doesn’t frame Zuckerberg as a hero. The film successfully reflected the haziness of collective memory; the gray area that most likely exists in the interpersonal relationships surrounding any great technological advancement.

That didn’t stop us from hating the Winklevoss twins for all 120 minutes of The Social Network . Armie Hammer’s portrayal of the brothers was a masterclass in audience annoyance. Privileged, devoid of perspective, offensively handsome, and impossibly arrogant, we couldn’t help but enjoy seeing the Winklevoss twins lose at something for what seemed to be the first time in their life.

Aaron Sorkin’s script for the film took plentiful liberties, warping reality. The writer himself declared his first responsibility to storytelling, after he was criticized for not reflecting events as they happened. It’s possible – probable, even – that the real life Winklevoss twins are nothing like their portrayal in the film. But for us, they will always be defined by Armie Hammer’s smirking, petulant and infuriating performance.

11. Ben Affleck as Holden McNeil and Ben Affleck in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back

Before truly penetrating the American consciousness with 1999’s Good Will Hunting , Ben Affleck put in quality work in Kevin Smith’s “View Askiewniverse”, with roles in Mallrats and Chasing Amy .  In 1999 – once Ben Affleck was Ben Affleck – he reappeared in a starring role in another Smith film, Dogma . So it only made sense for Affleck to have a bit part in 2001’s Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back . The film was something of a coronation for its titular characters, who went from peripheral bit players in early View Askew productions to fan favorites in later years. Strike Back also revisited many characters from other Smith films, which all existed in the same world.

Holden Mcneil (Affleck) was the protagonist of Chasing Amy ; in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back , Jay and Silent Bob visit him early in the film. Later in the film, Affleck shows up again, this time filming the fictional Good Will Hunting 2: Hunting Season . It was a funny use of the universe Smith built, as well as an opportunity for Affleck, then a budding superstar, to poke fun at himself and his industry.

10. Julia Roberts as Tess Ocean and Julia Roberts in Ocean’s 12

Julia Roberts playing Danny Ocean’s wife and herself in Ocean’s 12 isn’t exactly a demanding dual role like some of the other achievements in this list. Instead, it was the type of “Hollywood-y” in-joke that can be off-putting if not handled correctly. While Ocean’s 12 was derided overall, Julia Robert’s sequence was handled skillfully and played for laughs.

Without getting into the highly convoluted plot of the film, at one point Tess Ocean – Danny’s Wife, played by Julia Roberts – must attempt to impersonate real life Julia Roberts for some reason or another. The why of the thing is sort of irrelevant. It's Julia Roberts playing a character pretending to be Julia Roberts, going as far as to feign pregnancy, as a nod to the real life pregnancy of the actress herself. It’s meta enough to give you a headache, but it also included little gems like Matt Damon needling Bruce Willis for never having won an Oscar, and Julia Roberts poking fun at herself.

The sequence was also a logical extension of the dynamic we always expected to be at play in the Oceans Films; as much as they were about storytelling and movie making, they were also about real-life rich, beautiful people enjoying hanging around one another.

9. Paul Dano as Eli and Paul Sunday in There Will Be Blood

Paul Dano was originally cast by director P.T. Anderson in the role of Paul Sunday, brother of the reverend Eli.  Two days into shooting the film, Anderson had a revelation; He removed the original actor slated to play Eli Sunday, moved Paul Dano into the dual role, and modified the script to make the two brothers identical twins.

Dano was nominated for a BAFTA Award (among others) for his performances in the film. He was undoubtedly, and rightly, overshadowed by the tour de force performance of costar Daniel Day Lewis; all the same, the director’s choice to move Dano into the role of Eli Sunday was an inspired bit of casting in its own right. Dano’s smarmy preacher was even less sympathetic than the film’s main character; the joy of watching his comeuppance was fostered by The Actor’s performance.

There Will Be Blood also helped launch and shape Dano’s career, which has been defined by meaty roles in smaller films like Prisoners, Love & Mercy , and Swiss Army Man . For Dano’s sake and the sake of the film, we are grateful that P.T. Anderson made his daring, last-minute casting decision.

8. Nicolas Cage as Charlie and Donald Kaufman in Adaptation

It’s hard to describe Adaptation without tumbling down a self-referential rabbit hole; as movies about movies go, few films surpass this one.

Adaptation was supposed to be a big-screen adaption of The Orchid Thief , a 1998 non-fiction book by Susan Orlean. Charlie Kaufman, the screenwriter responsible for staggeringly original works like Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind , was tapped to adapt the book into a screenplay. In real life, Kaufman was battling depression and severe writer’s block during the project; so, instead of adapting The Orchid Thief , he wrote a film about Charlie Kaufman struggling to adapt The Orchid Thief.

Nicolas Cage starred as Charlie Kaufman himself; he co-starred as the screenwriter’s fictional twin brother, Donald Kaufman.  The film was overwhelmingly successful with critics, in large part because of Cage’s performance. In the film, one Kaufman is a downtrodden and depressed; the other is a seemingly talentless optimist, who succeeds despite himself. The two represent fragments of the real life Kaufman’s shattered persona, and it took a truly virtuoso acting performance to give them life. Cage, for all the meme and gif-fodder he has become, shined in the film. Tom Hanks was originally rumored in the roles, but looking at what Nicolas Cage did in Adaptation , we can confidently say that would have been a mistake.

7. Jason Isaacs as Mr. Darling and Captain Hook in Peter Pan

There is a good chance you forgot Peter Pan existed. Allow us to remind you. Peter Pan was a 2003 live action film, distributed by Universal Pictures, directed by P.J. Hogan, and starring Jason Isaacs. The film had a budget of $130 Million, made $122 Million, and performed OK with critics. So, why is it on the list if it very much lacks the cultural import of other Pan adaptations?

Jason Isaacs portrayed Mr. Darling and Captain Hook in the film. While he performed well and garnered praise for his roles in the film, this casting choice is even more interesting than that. In 1904, when the Peter Pan story first appeared (in Play form), Darling and Hook were both played by Gerald Du Maurier; it was a convenient casting decision logistically, but also highlights the thematic similarities between the two characters, both oppressors in their respective realms.

6. Christian Bale as Alfred Bordon and Bernard Fallon in The Prestige

This entry will spoil the now 10-year-old film , so proceed with caution.

We’ve already listed dual roles that served comedic purposes (Affleck, Brooks) and dramatic (Hammer, Cage). Christian Bale’s performance(s) as Alfred Bordon and Bernard Fallon in The Prestige served a different master altogether: the plot twist.

The film’s big twist is that the Magician Alfred Bordon is not a man, but rather an amalgam of two men – brothers Albert and Frederick, who alternately live as Alfred and Bernard. It is a clever device that enables “Alfred’s” signature trick, which sees the magician transport from one side of the stage to the other. The illusion is a source of great competition and tension between Alfred and Hugh Jackman’s Robert Angier, a rival magician.

The revelation that Bale’s character was actually two men all along was sufficiently mind blowing; it required further viewings to fully appreciate what Bale was doing throughout the film, even though it had been right in front of you the entire time.

5. Charlie Chaplin as Adenoid Hynkel and The Jewish Barber in The Great Dictator

The Great Dictator was the first sound film Charlie Chaplin ever made; it was also Chaplin’s most successful film commercially, and arguably the most important work of his storied career.

In the film, Chaplin portrays the ruthless dictator Adenoid Hynkel and a nameless Jewish barber who looks exactly like Adenoid Hynkel (and they both look exactly like Adolf Hitler).  The two characters see their storylines intersect in the film, as their identities are mistaken and the barber is forced to give a speech in the dictator’s stead.

In addition to being a technological landmark for Chaplin, The Great Dictator set a high-water mark for satire and included one of the most famous speeches in film history. The Jewish Barber’s speech is still so resonant that the hugely popular band Coldplay used it in their festival performances this year , 76 years after the film’s debut.

Upon its release, the film was controversial and daring; today, its message is just as prescient as ever, and Chaplin’s dual performance has become one of the most memorable in the history of cinema.

4. Jake Gyllenhaal as Adam Bell and Anthony St. Claire in Enemy

Enemy is a taut psychological thriller from Denis Villeneuve, a director who has increased his impact in the genre since with films like Prisoners and Sicario . The crux of Enemy ’s psychological conflict exists in the performance by Jake Gyllenhaal as Adam Bell and Anthony St. Claire.

Bell and St. Claire are doppelgangers in the film, who are unrelated except for their exactly similar appearance. One finds the other, obsession is bred, tension rises, wives are swapped, and eventually said tension boils over in disturbing fashion.  It is unclear throughout the film whether the two men exist in reality, or just as portions of one man’s fragmented psyche; the subtle personality quirks and mannerisms that Gyllenhaal imparts in each character keep the audience engaged and render the fantastical premise frighteningly real.

Enemy opened in only 120 theaters across America, and made a total of $3.4 Million worldwide. There is a solid chance you haven’t seen it; but it is most certainly worth watching if only for Gyllenhaal’s performance, which was engrossing enough to enable the film’s entire disturbing premise.

3. John Cleese as numerous characters in Monty Python and the Holy Grail

John Cleese appeared as Sir Lancelot the Brave in Monty Python and the Holy Grail . He also appeared as Swallow-Savvy Guard #2; Man with “Dead” Body; The Black Knight; Witch Hunting Villager #3; Singing Camelot Knight #4; The French Taunter; and Tim the Enchanter. That’s seven roles, and it doesn’t even make Cleese the hardest working actor in the film. That title would go to Michael Palin, who played 12 roles. In fact, the six core members of Monty Python play forty roles in the film between them.

This is a tradition in a certain style of comedy, one popularized by Monty Python and peers like Peter Sellers, and later adopted by comedians like Eddie Murphy, Michael Meyers, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Adam Sandler.

Playing a number of characters in a film, like the members of Monty Python did in this film, has logistical benefits like saving money and allowing for improv to change the direction of a scene or scenes on the fly. It is also the product of the kind of zany and rigorously specific ideas that some comedians have; a byproduct of relying solely on themselves to achieve a vision. And lastly, as the film goes to show, it can be really funny.

2. Just About Everyone In  Cloud Atlas

Cloud Atlas is notoriously (depending on which reviews your read that could be ‘famously’) one of the most complex and expensive independent films ever made. The plot takes place over 6 eras, ranging from 1849 to 2321.  Characters are tangentially related in those eras, as the film explores concepts related to the soul, karma, and the butterfly effect; in order to pull that off, the film’s cast list looks reads as more of a matrix with each actor playing multiple characters, and many playing up to six.

Tom Hanks, Hugo Weaving, Halle Berry, Jim Sturgess, and Hugh Grant all played six unique characters spread out over the film’s 500-year timeline. Cloud Atlas was extremely polarizing when it was released; some critics praised its ridiculously ambitious scope and emotional resonance, while others considered it a bloated mess with a flawed foundation.

There is probably some truth in each of those diametrically opposite interpretations. But without a doubt, the casting structure of the film was unprecedented and has been unmatched since.

1. Eddie Murphy as Prince Akeem, Randy Watson, Clarence, and Saul in Coming to America

It’s not editorializing to say that Eddie Murphy went from being about the biggest comedy star on earth, to being kind of an irrelevant sideshow; he's a “comeback story” waiting to happen. His fall didn’t happen quickly, though, and over his 30-year film career, Murphy’s work rate and character creation was prolific; throughout those decades, Eddie became known for the off-beat and over the top characters that populated those films. Just as much, he became known for playing a great number of strange characters in one film.

This entry could have focused on The Nutty Professor , or Bowfinger . If we wanted to be mean and snarky, we could have looked at  Norbit . Instead, we chose to highlight one of the first and most memorable times Murphy played more than one character in a film; specifically, the hilarious barbershop argument between owner Clarence and the definitively Jewish customer Saul, both played with vigor by Murphy.