1. Hank Azaria
You know Hank Azaria, even if youre not sure where from: if its not Phoebes nebbish, on-and-off lover David from Friends, then its probably the huge cast of voices he provides for the Simpsons, including (but not limited to) Moe Szyslak, Comic Book Guy and, of course, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon. Probably his most recognisable work, Apu straddles the line between stereotypically offensive and satirical on a weekly basis, and the show has only really gotten away with it because hes an animated character. Born to Jewish parents with Greek grandparents on both sides, Azaria tends to playing Mediterranean characters in his live-action performances (Italians, Spanish) but that hasnt stopped him from broadening out into other parts of the globe. He played Abraham in the Biblical comedy Year One, Pharaoh Kah Mun Rah in Night At The Museum sequel Battle Of The Smithsonian and Gargamel in the Smurfs movies. Its unclear what nationality Gargamels actually supposed to have, but its probably a safe bet to say that hes not Greek Jewish.
What do you think? Are you okay with actors playing way beyond their own nationality? Are there any other performers you can think of who do the same? Let us know in the comments!