12 Celebrities Who Played Characters Who Are Nothing Like Them in Real Life

According to a study, actors’ brain activity changes when they are in character, displaying a reduction or suppression of their sense of self. It might be liberating to portray roles that are the polar opposite of one’s character; however, once filming is wrapped, we wonder if these actors can fully go back to being themselves or whether a part of the person they portrayed stays with them forever.

Bright Side is fascinated by actors who completely immerse themselves in the roles they play. Here are some on-screen versus real-life cases that are so different that they might shock you.

1. Jason Momoa as Khal Drogo

Portraying the powerful and imposing tribe chief in the first season of Game of Thrones, Jason’s behavior and physique in the series were menacing and even terrifying. However, in real life, the 6-ft-4 actor is known for his adorable personality, goofiness, and friendliness. He has even revealed that he travels around the world with his kid’s stuffed animals and adores to wrap his co-stars in a warm hug.

2. Ariel Winter as Alex Dunphy

We saw her grow up right in front of our eyes over the 11 seasons of Modern Family as the over-achieving, driven, and geeky Alex Dunphy, characterized by her trademark glasses and casual sense of fashion. However, it seems that Ariel wouldn’t be sharing her wardrobe with her character. As we may notice on her socials, the 24-year-old is glamorous and trendy and doesn’t shy away from frequently experimenting with daring hair colors.

3. Bryan Cranston as Walter White

We’ve known him as the dark and calculating anti-hero in the crime-drama Breaking Bad. But it seems that, in real life, the actor Bryan Cranston doesn’t have anything to do with his severe and threatening on-screen persona. The actor is known for his hilarious side and love for pranks and doesn’t take himself too seriously.

4. Natalie Portman as Alice

Besides being an accomplished Oscar-winning actress, Natalie graduated from Harvard with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. This was around the same time she was filming the role of Alice, a pink wig-wearing club dancer, in the romantic drama Closer, which was released in 2004.

5. Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson

For 9 years, Neil Patrick portrayed the role of Barney, one of the five main characters of the hit TV show How I met your Mother. In the series, he was a serial womanizer who rejects settling down with one person. However, in real life, Neil Patrick came out in 2006, and he and his partner of 17 years, now husband, are the proud parents of twins.

6. Rami Malek as Elliot Alderson

In the series Mr. Robot, Rami plays an introverted professional hacker with a dissociative personality disorder. Rami admitted in an interview that the character he portrays on screen has nothing to do with him, saying, “He’s my polar opposite. I’m an exuberant person. I thrive on affection. I like chitchat.”

7. Laura Gómez as Blanca Flores

Sporting messy hair and a unibrow, the former inmate in the series Orange Is the New Black is nothing like the glamorous actress who portrays her. Besides being an actress, Laura is also an activist, writer, and director who won the NYU Technisphere Award for her short film.

8. Tom Hiddleston as Loki

Portraying Loki, a mischievous villain in the Marvel franchise, Tom has admitted that he enjoys playing this role and exploring all his sides. However, we’ve noticed that, in real life, the actor is very far from this mercurial character and is actually a sweet person who loves doing charity work and is a UNICEF ambassador.

9. Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay

For years, Phoebe Buffay drew a smile on our face as one of the 6 main characters in Friends, portraying the role of a free-spirited and spontaneous woman. Although smart, Phoebe preferred to rely on her intuition and was rather skeptical about scientific theories. However, in real-life, Lisa Kudrow has a degree in Biology and has co-authored a scientific research paper with her dad on headaches.

10. Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean

Rowan Atkinson developed and has been portraying the popular comedic role of Mr. Bean for decades. The latter is characterized by his childish behavior and silly antics, which often lead him to trouble. However, the actor is known for his exceptional intelligence in real life. He also holds a degree in Electrical Engineering.

11. Leighton Meester as Blair Waldorf

As one of the main characters in the series Gossip Girl, Blair is a super-wealthy and spoiled heiress. However, the actress portraying her was far from born with a silver spoon in her mouth. As a matter of fact, when Leighton was born, her mother was serving time in prison. The actress had a complicated childhood, revealing that she even “experienced food insecurity” while growing up.

12. Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy

We know that spoiled Draco, who loves to bully his peers and envies Harry Potter, isn’t fond of the other students at the school of witchcraft. However, when we check Tom Felton’s Instagram, we see that the actor is kind and caring towards Harry Potter fans and never misses a chance to show his love for the franchise by paying tribute to the main character.

Is it cool to have a job that allows you to experiment life as someone else or do you think it’s exhausting? If you got the chance to play a character in a movie, who would you choose?