It takes special skill and talent for an actor to convincingly play more than one role in a single film, but there are numerous examples of this double duty (or more) in movie history. The use of the same performer for more than one part is sometimes obvious to the viewer, even when heavy makeup and/or prosthetics might be involved. (Prosthetics aren’t the only way for actors to change their physical appearance, of course. Read about these actors who made major body transformations for roles.)
Other times, the doubling-up is only revealed at the end as a shocking plot twist. Either way, when it’s done well, the result offers a unique cinematic experience.
To determine the best movies with actors who played multiple characters, 24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of March 2023, weighting all ratings equally. Only movies in which one actor or more actors play more than one character were considered. Animated children’s movies were excluded.
Click here to see the best movies with actors who played multiple characters
Some films featuring the same actor in more than one role are numbered among the greatest classics of cinema – like “The Great Dictator,” in which Charlie Chaplin plays both a pompous fascist dictator and an unassuming Jewish barber, or “Kind Hearts and Coronets,” featuring Alec Guinness portraying eight different members of the D’Ascoyne family.
Many films using this device, in fact, are comedies. One more contemporary name that comes to mind is Eddie Murphy, who has played multiple roles in several of his films, including “Bowfinger” and “Coming to America” – both on this list. (These are some comedic performances so good they even won an Oscar.)
Comedies aren’t the only films in which performers play more than one character, though. The movies on this list also include examples of horror, sci-fi, and suspense films – all of them using the multiple performances to great effect.
50. Bowfinger (1999)
> IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (71,852 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 61% (50,000+ votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (111 reviews)
> Actor: Eddie Murphy
> Characters played: Kat Ramsey and Jiff Ramsey
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49. King Kong (2005)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (430,304 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 50% (250,000+ votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 84% (266 reviews)
> Actor: Andy Serkis
> Characters played: Kong and Lumpy the Cook
48. Cloud Atlas (2012)
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (365,989 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 66% (100,000+ votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 63% (293 reviews)
> Actors: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent
> Characters played: Hanks: Dr. Henry Goose, Hotel Manager, Isaac Sachs, Dermot Hoggins, Zachry; Berry: Native Woman, Jocasta Ayrs, Luisa Rey, Indian Party Guest, Ovid, Meronym; Broadbent: Captain Molyneux, Vyvyan Ayrs, Timothy Cavendish, Korean Musician, Prescient 2
47. Us (2019)
> IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (256,212 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 59% (13,946 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (551 reviews)
> Actor: Lupita Nyong’o
> Characters played: Adelaide Wilson, Red
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46. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (229,881 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77% (848,431 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 73% (66 reviews)
> Actor: Mike Myers
> Characters played: Austin Powers, Dr. Evil
45. The Parent Trap (1998)
> IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (127,735 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 70% (530,806 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (52 reviews)
> Actor: Lindsay Lohan
> Characters played: Hallie Parker, Annie James
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44. Nocturnal Animals (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (252,907 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (30,355 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 73% (301 reviews)
> Actor: Jake Gyllenhaal
> Characters played: Tony Hastings, Edward Sheffield
42. Start the Revolution Without Me (1970)
> IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (2,802 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77% (1,237 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (6 reviews)
> Actors: Gene Wilder, Donald Sutherland
> Characters played: Wilder: Claude, Philippe; Sutherland: Charles, Pierre
42. Come and Get It (1936)
> IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (1,967 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 65% (879 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (11 reviews)
> Actor: Frances Farmer
> Characters played: Lotta Morgan, Lotta Bostrom
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41. Lost Highway (1997)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (136,337 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (57,928 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 61% (44 reviews)
> Actor: Patricia Arquette
> Characters played: Renee Madison, Alice Wakefield
40. Dead Again (1991)
> IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (27,097 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (11,941 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (47 reviews)
> Actors: Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson
> Characters played: Branagh: Roman Strauss, Mike Church; Thompson: Grace, Margaret Strauss
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39. Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (47,117 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (55,732 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 79% (105 reviews)
> Actor: Bruce Campbell
> Characters played: Elvis Presley, Sebastian Haff
38. Coming to America (1988)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (198,841 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (268,450 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 72% (54 reviews)
> Actors: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall
> Characters played: Murphy: Prince Akeem, Clarence, Saul, Randy Watson; Hall: Semmi, Morris, Extremely Ugly Girl, Reverend Brown
37. Cat Ballou (1965)
> IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (14,273 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 74% (9,165 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (26 reviews)
> Actor: Lee Marvin
> Characters played: Kid Shelleen, Tim Strawn
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36. The Great Race (1965)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (18,381 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (8,809 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 75% (24 reviews)
> Actor: Jack Lemmon
> Characters played: Professor Fate, Crown Prince Frederick Hoepnick
35. Back to the Future II (1989)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (501,573 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (750,481 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 66% (61 reviews)
> Actors: Michael J. Fox, Tom (Thomas F.) Wilson
> Characters played: Fox: Marty McFly, Marty McFly Jr., Marlene McFly; Wilson: Biff Tannen, Griff
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34. Sunshine (1999)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (14,758 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (7,014 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 74% (65 reviews)
> Actor: Ralph Fiennes
> Characters played: Ignatz Sonnenschein, Adam Sors, Ivan Sors
33. The Time Machine (1960)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (39,104 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (19,503 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 76% (38 reviews)
> Actor: Alan Young
> Characters played: David Filby, James Filby
32. Back to the Future Part III (1990)
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (421,906 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (694,931 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 80% (45 reviews)
> Actors: Michael J. Fox, Lea Thompson, Tom Wilson
> Characters played: Fox: Marty McFly, Seamus McFly; Thompson: Maggie McFly, Lorraine McFly; Wilson: Buford “Mad Dog” Tannen, Biff Tannen
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31. Cabin in the Sky (1943)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (2,918 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (1,981 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (47 reviews)
> Actor: Rex Ingram
> Characters played: Lucius, Lucifer Jr.
30. Dave (1993)
> IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (51,473 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 72% (42,834 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (60 reviews)
> Actor: Kevin Kline
> Characters played: Dave Kovic, Bill Mitchell
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29. I Married a Witch (1942)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (7,643 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 69% (864 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (22 reviews)
> Actor: Fredric March
> Characters played: Jonathan Wooley, Nathaniel Wooley, Samuel Wooley, Wallace Wooley
28. 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (4,743 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (3,761 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (7 reviews)
> Actor: Tony Randall
> Characters played: Dr. Lao, The Abominable Snowman, Merlin the Magician, Apollonius of Tyana, Pan, The Giant Serpent, Medusa
27. The Parent Trap (1961)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (20,295 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (174,658 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (20 reviews)
> Actor: Hayley Mills
> Characters played: Susan Evers, Sharon McKendrick
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26. Dead Ringers (1988)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (49,307 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (10,000 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 84% (44 reviews)
> Actor: Jeremy Irons
> Characters played: Beverly, Elliot
25. Okja (2017)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (112,707 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (10,697 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (239 reviews)
> Actor: Tilda Swinton
> Characters played: Lucy Mirando, Nancy Mirando
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24. The Three Faces of Eve (1957)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (8,232 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77% (5,112 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (15 reviews)
> Actor: Joanne Woodward
> Characters played: Eve White, Eve Black, Jane
23. Female Trouble (1974)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (8,882 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (7,387 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (26 reviews)
> Actor: Divine
> Characters played: Dawn Davenport, Earl Peterson
22. Hairspray (1988)
> IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (20,835 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (64,169 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (42 reviews)
> Actor: Divine
> Characters played: Edna Turnblad, Arvin Hodgepile
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21. The Iron Mask (1929)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (1,247 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (1,188 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (5 reviews)
> Actors: William Bakewell, Gordon Thorpe
> Characters played: Bakewell: Louis XIV, Twin Brother; Thorpe: Young Prince, Twin Brother
20. Big Fish (2003)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (427,374 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (498,471 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 75% (220 reviews)
> Actor: Helena Bonham Carter
> Characters played: Jenny (Young), Jenny (Senior), The Witch
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19. Les Misérables (1935)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (3,476 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (3,470 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 85% (13 reviews)
> Actor: Fredric March
> Characters played: Jean Valjean, Champmathieu
18. Dead Ringer (1964)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (5,351 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (1,912 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (9 reviews)
> Actor: Bette Davis
> Characters played: Margaret DeLorca, Edith Phillips
17. Wonder Man (1945)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (2,104 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (1,503 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (9 reviews)
> Actor: Danny Kaye
> Characters played: Edwin Dingle, Buzzy Bellew
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16. Adaptation. (2002)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (194,759 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (188,786 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (211 reviews)
> Actor: Nicolas Cage
> Characters played: Charlie Kaufman, Donald Kaufman
15. Blazing Saddles (1974)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (131,541 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (218,474 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (59 reviews)
> Actor: Mel Brooks
> Characters played: Governor Lepetomane, Indian Chief
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14. The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (4,398 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (717 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (10 reviews)
> Actor: Ronald Colman
> Characters played: Major Rudolf Rassendyll, The Prisoner of Zenda
13. The Social Network (2010)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (708,395 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (204,423 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (329 reviews)
> Actor: Armie Hammer
> Characters played: Cameron Winklevoss, Tyler Winklevoss
12. Mary Poppins (1964)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (163,578 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (682,586 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (54 reviews)
> Actor: D Van Dyke
> Characters played: Bert, Mr. Dawes Senior
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11. There Will Be Blood (2007)
> IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (544,988 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (255,474 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (243 reviews)
> Actor: Paul Dano
> Characters played: Paul Sunday, Eli Sunday
10. La Belle et la Bête (Beauty and the Beast) (1946)
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (27,015 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (10,000 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (66 reviews)
> Actor: Jean Marais
> Characters played: La Bête (The Beast), The Prince, and Avenant
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9. The Man Who Laughs (1928)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (6,512 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (2,312 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (20 reviews)
> Actor: Conrad Veidt
> Characters played: Gwynplaine, Lord Clancharlie
8. Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10 (329,016 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (75,039 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (54 reviews)
> Actor: Rusty Jacobs
> Characters played: Young Max, David
7. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (15,400 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (2,500 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (34 reviews)
> Actor: Deborah Kerr
> Characters played: Edith Hunter, Barbara Wynne, Anglea “Johnny” Cannon
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6. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (379,622 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (876,535 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 99% (145 reviews)
> Actors: Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Margaret Hamilton
> Characters played: Morgan: Professor Marvel, The Gatekeeper, The Carriage Driver, The Guard, The Wizard of Oz; Bolger: “Hunk,” The Scarecrow; Lahr: “Zeke,” The Cowardly Lion; Haley: “Hickory,” The Tin Man; Hamilton: Miss Gulch, The Wicked Witch of the West
5. Vertigo (1958)
> IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (382,223 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (102,724 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (83 reviews)
> Actor: Kim Novak
> Characters played: Madeleine Elster, Judy Barton
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4. Metropolis (1927)
> IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (176,801 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (50,000 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (138 reviews)
> Actor: Brigitte Helm
> Characters played: Maria, The Machine Man
3. The Great Dictator (1940)
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10 (213,266 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (43,757 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (45 reviews)
> Actor: Charlie Chaplin
> Characters played: Hynkel – Dictator of Tomania, A Jewish barber
2. Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (38,182 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (5,000 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (49 reviews)
> Actor: Alec Guinness
> Characters played: The D’Ascoyne Family: The Duke, The Banker, The Parson, The General, The Admiral, Young Ascoyne, Young Henry, Lady Agatha
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1. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10 (467,737 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (209,644 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (92 reviews)
> Actor: Peter Sellers
> Characters played: Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, President Merkin Muffley, Dr. Strangelove
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