Top 10 Weird Casting Decisions That Actually Worked

Punch-Drunk Love (2002)

Up until writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson cast him as a bachelor with an anger problem, Adam Sandler was famous for playing an extremely angry character for laughs. Anderson actually realized the actor was right for the role while watching him in the Saturday Night Live sketch, The Denise Show. But the way Sandlers persona was used in the movie is completely different than anything he had done before. Sandler and the film itself were cited in several year-end awards and top ten lists. Since then, its star has gone on to balance his broad comedic work with dramatic turns in movies like Uncut Gems.

Barry (2018-23)

This HBO series is a dark comedy about a contract killer who develops a passion for acting. The entire show is a big swing as far as tonal balance is concerned. Barrys co-creator and star, Bill Hader, also played larger-than-life characters every week on Saturday Night Live. Still, crafting an uproarious caricature like Stefon probably doesnt make him the obvious choice to play a depressed and lethal assassin. Cut to four seasons, two Emmys, and several nominations later, and Hader has turned in one of the most accomplished, unexpectedly funny, and complicated performances on TV.

Only Murders in the Building (2021-)

Steve Martin and Martin Short are a classic duo. Theyve worked together quite a few times over the years, and theyre also part of the same age cohort. So, when they became attached to FXs whodunnit comedy, it made a lot of sense. What threw people for a loop was the additional casting of pop idol and ex-Disney star Selena Gomez. Playing the true crime-obsessed Mabel Mora, Gomez plays surprisingly well against the two veteran actors. She injects some Millennial irony to balance their Boomer humor. Since then, shes earned Golden Globe and Emmy nods for her work.

Foxcatcher (2014)

Based on the real life murder of Olympic wrestler David Schultz, this 2014 drama didnt just require its lead to undergo dramatic makeup effects. To play murderer and wrestling enthusiast John du Pont, Steve Carell had to do a total 180 from his comedy persona. Having just exited The Office, Carell was at a crossroads in his career. With Foxcatcher, suddenly, he proved his chops not just as a dramatic actor. He could even play the villain if the role called for it. Carell was nominated for an Oscar for the performance, and it ushered in a new era of dramatic roles for the actor.

Wicked (2024)

Most musicals that get the Hollywood treatment do end up going with established screen stars over performers known for theater. But Broadway fans were probably more than skeptical when Ariana Grande was cast in the role originated by Kristin Chenoweth. As the standoffish magic student, Galinda, Grande would have to tap into a higher vocal register than the one she generally uses in her music. But the acting is the real surprise. She plays the broad, comic tones of the character to pitch perfect effect while still making her feel human. Her deft handling of the role earned her several awards and helped make Wicked one of the top five highest-grossing movies of 2024.

One Hour Photo (2002)

If you asked movie lovers who the funniest actor of all time was, many would probably say Robin Williams. The mans very existence was comedy. While his Oscar-winning role in Good Will Hunting was a dramatic stretch, it still relies on his natural warmth. Thats not the case with the thriller One Hour Photo. In it, Williams plays Sy, a lonely photo counter employee who becomes dangerously obsessed with a family whose pictures hes printed. In 2002, he made another villainous turn in Christopher Nolans Insomnia, but as Sy, his character is not simply evil. Hes also sad.

Spencer (2021)

Despite doing tremendous work since her days as Bella Swan, this Twilight co-star is still having to live down some of her early performances. No matter how much Kristen Stewart has dazzled us since, few thought such a quintessentially American actress could do justice to a figure as quintessentially British as Princess Diana. In Spencer, Stewart plays the doomed princess as she deals with a particularly torturous holiday with her royal in-laws. Stewart was lauded for the film, earning an Oscar nomination, with critics citing her performance as the lynchpin keeping the irreverent, haunting movie together.

The Golden Girls (1985-92)

For many viewers, Rose Nylund was this TV legends defining performance. But before landing her most famous role, Betty Whites most recent credits were in series like The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Mamas Family. Both of those characters were selfish maneaters. So, when The Golden Girls came along, she was initially offered the part of Blanche Devereaux, the vain, man-hungry southern belle. But White was much more interested in playing Rose Nylund, the sweet but dimwitted midwesterner. Costar Rue McLanahan was on the same page, wanting instead to play Blanche. The whole show came together once the two actresses traded roles.

Breaking Bad (2008-13)

For years, we knew him for his role as a father who would do anything for his family, even if it meant going behind his wifes back. Yes, of course, were talking about Bryan Cranstons incredible work on Malcolm in the Middle. Before he became an absolute legend as anti-hero Walter White, Cranston was seen as just an inept but lovable sitcom dad. Then, two years later, he was cooking up something very, very different on AMCs Breaking Bad. There was an almost meta quality about watching a guy we thought was a decent and goofy father figure become this hardened criminal kingpin.

The Dark Knight (2008)

Its not easy work to redefine a character and make an entire culture shift with one singular performance. Heath Ledger did that with his unhinged, totally committed depiction of the Joker. Major stars had done superhero movies before, but this kind of psychologically complex supervillain was not the norm. Ledgers reputation as an actor was only growing. The role of a Batman villain was not exactly what everyone thought his career trajectory would look like after making prestigious movies like Brokeback Mountain and Im Not There. The stellar writing and his complete transformation made the role a perfect storm of dramatic skill and instantly iconic moments.

Whats a weird casting that surprised you? Let us know what we missed in the comments.