Over the years, actors can become typecast into a certain type of role. It can happen for many reasons. Sometimes, it’s the choice of the actor and the direction they have decided to take their work in; other times, it can be influenced by audience expectations. Either way, an actor normally gets typecast because they are good in that type of role. When we think of action movie stars or comic relief or romantic comedy leads, no doubt certain actors immediately spring to mind over others.

It’s not surprising, though, that sometimes actors might want to try something different from time to time, whether to test themselves, prove their versatility, or because they’re tired of where their career is heading. Of course, playing against type and subverting audiences expectations can be a gamble that doesn’t always pay off, as outlined by BuzzFeed, but other times, it allows audiences to see an actor in a whole new light and can work wonders for their reputation. Below are notable examples of well-known actors who have played completely against type in a particular movie.

8 Robin Williams — One Hour Photo / Insomnia

Robin Williams began as a stand-up comedian, helping lead San Francisco’s comedy renaissance in the late-70s. The next logical step was to move into comedy acting, starting with a role on the popular television show Mork and Mindy. Williams later went on to become one of the most recognizable, revered, and beloved faces in comedy. Known for his manic energy and improvisational skills, he starred in some of the genre's biggest movies, including Mrs. Doubtfire, Jumanji, and Birdcage. His acting talents weren’t limited to strictly comedy either; he proved himself, on multiple occasions, to be a competent dramatic actor, even winning an Academy Award for his role in Good Will Hunting. Williams possessed a certain man-child charm that inevitably led him to play the amicable ‘good guy’ in pretty much all of his movies, regardless of genre. This all changed, however, in 2002 when Williams shocked and impressed audiences with his portrayal of a creepy, obsessive, and psychotic stalker in One Hour Photo. He channeled a similar darkness later that year as the twisted villain in Christopher Nolan’s Insomnia.

Related: Robin Williams' Best Non-Comedic Roles, Ranked

7 Sir Ben Kingsley — Sexy Beast

A classically trained actor who spent much of his early career receiving critical acclaim for his stage performances as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Ben Kingsley later transitioned into television and film, being seen as the height of sophistication, often playing iconic and heroic characters like Mahatma Gandhi or Dr. Watson. However, in 2000’s Sexy Beast, his character was anything but heroic or sophisticated. The psychotic, cockney foul-mouthed, ultra-violent gangster may have shocked fans, but was a testament to Kingsley's versatility and ultimately won the actor numerous accolades.

6 Vince Vaughn — Brawl in Cell Block 99

During the 2000s, Vince Vaughn built a reputation for himself as one of comedy’s biggest names, appearing in numerous smash hits and fan favorites including Wedding Crashers, Dodgeball, Old School, and The Break-Up. Type cast as a ‘loveable lug,’ his large frame and stature were seen more as a cuddly teddy bear type than imposing. He continued down this path of acting for some time with later films like The Internship and Term Life, but critic scores and box office returns were diminishing. Feeling pigeonholed, Vaughn began to experiment with more dramatic roles to break the mold. He went all out in 2017’s ultra-violent grindhouse-style prison thriller Brawl in Cell Block 99. Vaughn played a former boxer inmate, and, with his head fully shaved and his hulking demeanor, fully convinced and impressed critics and audiences alike and has since returned to the ‘dark side’ in S. Craig Zahle’s follow up movie, the equally brutal Dragged Across Concrete.

5 Tom Cruise — Tropic Thunder

Tom Cruise is the epitome of cool; one of Hollywood’s most consistent action heroes, who has saved the day more times than audiences care to remember. When one thinks of Cruise, they envisage stylish aviator glasses, or death-defying stunts on top of a train or the edge of a cliff. What one does not expect is an overweight, balding, foul-mouthed studio exec, but that’s exactly what audiences got in Tropic Thunder with his absolutely hilarious appearance as Les Grossman.

4 Charlize Theron — Monster

Now one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood, it took a lot of courage and conviction to entirely transform her appearance to take on a particular role, but that’s exactly what Charlize Theron did when she gained 30 pounds, shaved off her eyebrows, and wore prosthetic teeth to transform into the real-life murderer Aileen Wuornos for the film Monster. Having been used to being cast as the attractive wife or girlfriend in the past, Theron’s gamble paid off, and the world was wowed by her terrific commitment to the role, which earned her an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a SAG Award in 2003.

Related: These Actors Play the Same Type of Character in a Lot of Their Movies

3 Julie Andrews — S.O.B.

There’s no denying Julie Andrews has had a long and varied career, with her most well-known roles being Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music, and more recently in The Princess Diaries franchise. What you don’t think, however, is a movie described by The New York Times as "a nasty, biased, self-serving movie that also happens to be hilarious most of the time... It's difficult to remember a film as mean-spirited as S.O.B. that also was so consistently funny." Andrews' appearance in S.O.B. was particularly out of character for her for its deeply dark and sometimes offensive humor and her topless scene. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 81%, it was a move that evidently paid off with critics.

2 Leslie Nielsen — Airplane!

When most people think of the late Leslie Nielsen now, they most likely think of the hilarious, pun-tastic dead pan comedy actor from the likes of Airplane! or Naked Gun. However, that wasn’t always the case. He spent the best part of the 50s, 60s, and 70s starring as the leading man in dramatic or action roles, including Forbidden Planet and The Poseidon Adventure. Yet, after a stroke of genius by the Zucker Brothers, Nielsen was cast against type as almost a parody of his previous self and roles in the original Airplane!, which led to a complete reinvention of his entire career, paving a route on which he continued right until his death.

1 Adam Sandler — Punch Drunk Love

Adam Sandler is one of the best known and most beloved comedy actors of his generation, having appeared in countless box office hits from Billy Madison, Big Daddy, and Happy Gilmore to Waterboy, Grown Ups, and The Wedding Singer. Whilst he is certainly a respected comedy actor as a whole, not all of his performances have been so well received, having earned 37 Golden Raspberry nominations and many accusing him of ‘phoning’ some of his performances in. It was all the more surprising, then, when renowned director Paul Thomas Anderson cast Sandler in the lead for his more dramatic film Punch Drunk Love, and not only did Sandler hold his own in a genre unfamiliar to him, but he also received universal acclaim for the role, with many saying it was his finest display of acting to date. Unfortunately, despite being a huge hit with critics, the movie underperformed at the box office. Sandler has since returned to his own brand of comedy. He does, however, occasionally return to more dramatic roles such as Noah Baumbach's The Meyerowitz Stories and the Safdie brothers' Uncut Gems and more recently Neflix's Hustle, and each time receives universal acclaim.