10 Movie Characters Who Were Perfectly Cast (The Third Time)

9. Rooster Cogburn - Jeff Bridges (True Grit 2010)

The Predecessors

Rooster Cogburn is the aging U.S. Marshal at the centre of Charles Portis' 1968 novel True Grit, as was played by John Wayne in the original 1969 adaptation.

Cogburn is arguably Wayne's signature role, being the one that finally netted him a Best Actor Oscar, even if it's tough to argue with the fact that this was very much a career Oscar for the western legend.

Wayne's performance is certainly an entertaining divergence from his usual casting, though by modern standards seems rather hammy for an Oscar-winning turn.

Wayne reprised the role in 1975's sequel Rooster Cogburn, before Warren Oates took over the part for the 1978 TV movie True Grit: A Further Adventure.

The latter film was largely dismissed by the few who bothered to watch it, though Oates did receive scattered praise for living up to Wayne's iconic portrayal.

Third Time's The Charm...

Over 40 years after Wayne first played the part, Jeff Bridges was cast as Rooster Cogburn in the Coen brothers' 2010 remake, and delivered a more faithful, even definitive, interpretation of the character.

The part admittedly wasn't too much of a stretch for the grizzled vet, but he ended up scoring a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his fantastic work, which remains one of his most memorable performances to date.

Public opinion is generally quite divided on who wore it better out of Wayne and Bridges, but one suspects Bridges' turn is going to stand the test of time far more gracefully than Wayne's.