9 Actors Who Played Other, Better Actors

4. Robert Downey Jr. As Charlie Chaplin

Taking on the role of any character requires a good deal of preparation, but even more so when that character is so physically recognisable that any portrayal would be subject to the very harshest of scrutiny. Take Charlie Chaplin for instance, a pioneer of silent era comedy, and a name and face known even to those who have never seen his work. To do the part justice, an imitation of such a character needs to be exacting. Robert Downey Jr., then, was perhaps one of the most perfect casting decisions in Hollywood history. He's a man who takes his profession very seriously, and when he gets it right, he gets it very right. He prepared extensively for the part by watching all of Chaplin's films, employing a personal coach to help him imitate the correct posture, and even going so far as to learn to play the violin and tennis left-handed. The result is an almost exact double of Chaplin, given away only by the colour of his eyes. Although Downey had had a number of significant acting roles before Chaplin, this was one of his first breakout roles. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor, but lost to Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman. Needless to say, things seem to have worked out pretty well for him anyway.