I'm part of a facebook group of various industry types, and this question was asked recently. I posted my thoughts on the topic from an actor's perspective, and wanted to share that with you. Feel free to chime in with what it means to you. " For me, the most obvious way that I get typecast is when I end up playing a villain. I'm a bald guy, and I have one eye. Whether I wear a patch or not, I just have that look. Villains are the basic bread-and-butter role for me as a result. Do I mind? No. I enjoy antagonist roles, and I believe they're usually more fun. We tend to be under fewer constraints than heroes, more freedom. If one goes a little deeper, the other types I find myself cast in are not necessarily evil/villainous, but more of an honorable person in a dark place, or coming from a dark place. There is an element of darkness in any character I play. I think there is a human tendency to believe that flaws on the outside indicate flaws on the inside, and that takes different forms. I've had some interesting roles as a result. Looking forward to the next one, always a fun ride. Bottom line: Typecasting is not necessarily a bad thing to an actor, since it means we're being cast. However, we don't necessarily want to be completely pigeonholed either, so there is something of a balancing act. There also may be certain individual lines that we choose not to cross within the types we may be asked to play. That's more of a case by case thing. I hope this sheds some light on the topic from an actor's perspective."
Acting : Typecasting: What does it mean to you? by Benjamin Alany
Typecasting: What does it mean to you?
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Along these same lines, I think it is sometimes difficult for an actor to identify his/her "type". How we perceive ourselves is not necessarily how others see us, and it's not always easy to get people to give us an honest assessment of our type. And the people responsible for casting often make their perceptions in a split second just from looking at our headshots. I agree with you that typecasting is not necessarily a bad thing. Knowing my type helps me know what roles I am most likely to be cast in and saves me a lot of time and frustration submitting for roles that I would probably never really be considered for. Ideally, once an actor has reached a certain level of success, they have the clout to be considered for roles that might be against their type. But in the meantime, knowing your type and playing on that is probably the best way to get work.
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The most important element for an actor to focus on the right roles is to know themselves. Do the deep exploration of yourself. I have worked with hundreds of actors and many don't know their type. If you want to get work you need to know your strengths and how others perceive you. This is what I do for a living. I help actors explore this and go after what will get them hired. Typecasting is normal.