What is Detypecasting?
1.
Casting actors for movies, series or stage plays in a type of role the audience is not familiar with to be played by the actor in question. This could be initially the choice of the actor, possibly as a way to try and change ones reputation (like Elijah Wood did by taking his roles in Hooligans and Sin City after being Frodo in the Lord of the Rings trilogy), or show the audience a "different side" of him or her (like Robin Williams did with One Hour Photo and Insomnia). It could also be the director's choice of wanting to get "something more" out of an actor, or try and create a certain tension or spontaneity; for example, Richard Kelly casting Sarah Michelle Gellar, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Seann William Scott in Southland Tales (2006).
"Richard Kelly casting Sarah Michelle Gellar, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Seann William Scott in Southland Tales is a school example of detypecasting."
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