Many actors dream of portraying a character who becomes memorable and beloved by audiences. However, while this can be an exciting achievement, many actors who take on iconic roles find themselves stuck. Audiences may struggle to see actors like Daniel Radcliffe and Robert Downey Jr. as anyone but their famous role, constantly comparing the actors to popular characters.

British actor Benedict Cumberbatch has found himself a prominent face in two incredibly huge, but also very different fandoms during his career. From 2010 to 2017, Cumberbatch played famous detective Sherlock Holmes in BBC's Sherlock, a role which garnered him a huge fanbase of die-hard viewers.

Cumberbatch is one of the leading faces in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing as Doctor Strange.

Robert Pattinson may only be in his 30s, but he's already curated an incredibly impressive career and a lot of respect as an actor. Since the early 2000s, Pattinson has portrayed beloved roles in three of the biggest movie franchises of all time.

Tom Cruise is undeniably one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood today. With a career already spanning multiple decades, predominantly in the action movie genre, Cruise shows no sign of slowing down.

The 1986 movie Top Gunwas already iconic, but the popular 2022 sequelTop Gun: Maverick, only furthered the reach of Cruise's Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, becoming one of the top 5 highest-grossing movies of all time.

Orlando Bloom's name completely blew up when he began starring as the beloved elf Legolas in The Lord of the Rings film series. Hi role continued into The Hobbit, appearing in a total of 5 Middle-earth movies.

Sir Ian McKellen is one of the most respected actors in theatre and film today, with a career that's spanned 70 years and brought many memorable performances. McKellen has shone on stage for many years, but wider audiences may recognize and appreciate him for his roles in the science-fiction/fantasy genre. 

Judging by her filmography, the key to making a successful, highly grossing movie is to cast Zoe Saldana in a prominent role. Saldana has an impressive track record, taking on the role of Uhura in 2009's Star Trek and starring in the Pirates of the Caribbean.

Saldana's most recognizable roles are arguably Gamora in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Neytiri in Avatar, the highest-grossing movie of all time.

British actress Dame Julie Andrews' contribution to musical theatre and film is undeniable. Throughout her seventy-year career, Andrews has played many iconic roles, earning herself incredible accolades, including an Academy Award and being made a Disney Legend.

Andrews became widely recognized for her feature film debut as Mary Poppins, the title character in the iconic 1964 Disney musical, a role which earned her the Oscar.

Sir Patrick Stewart became an icon of the stage and screen. With an incredible career spanning seven decades, Stewart brought performances to audiences that earned him nominations for Tony Awards, Academy Awards, Emmys, Golden Globes, and many other accolades. However, his roles as Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Professor Charles Xavier remained his most iconic.

Entering the film industry at just 10 years old, Emma Watson starred as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series, one of the most popular film franchises of all time. This first professional acting role propelled her to stardom. The following decade saw Watson, and audiences, grow up with the character.

Having spent almost sixty years in the business, actor Harrison Ford is a huge name for generations of film lovers. While his extensive filmography includes the likes of Blade Runner, Ender's Game, and Working Girl, he's most widely recognized for portraying the titular character in the Indiana Jones franchise and the beloved Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy.

Therefore, it's incredibly impressive when actors move away from one iconic role and fall straight into another. Whether it be through popular franchises, fandoms, or just brilliant performances, some actors help construct multiple iconic characters and deliver legendary performances.

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