My question for you, this week, is: Are you type cast?
Have you heard this term, “type cast?” Miriam-Webster Dictionary offers three definitions:
1 : to cast (an actor or actress) in a part calling for the same characteristics as those possessed by the performer
2 : to cast (an actor or actress) repeatedly in the same type of role
3 : stereotype
Imagine you are a friend of yours, thinking about you. What descriptions would they use to typify you? (I could say “stereotype” you.) Thinking in Hollywood terms, the choices aren’t as wide as they should be.
Here are some Hollywood female standards:
The Kick-Ass Heroine
The Girl Next Door
The B**ch , The Raving Mother-in-Law, The Nagging Wife
The Nerd/Geek/ Intellectual
The Whore, The Vamp
The Nurturer / The Mother
The Dumb Blonde
The Lost Soul
The Free Spirit
The Hilarious Oddball / Dork
The Driven, Ambitious Woman
… I may be missing some, but those are enough to start with.
Which role (or roles) are you playing most of the time? Really think about it, and come up with at least one or two stereotypes for yourself. It might not be on the list above. Fine, add your own, but give your role a name. The photo above personifies my “Free Spirit” type, but lately I’ve been cast as “The Nagging Wife!”
Back to my initial question: are you playing this role over and over?
Second question: Have you considered playing against type?
I came to this consideration after watching “The African Queen.” Granted, I’ve already written two blog posts about this movie: “Lessons from The African Queen,” and “7 Steps to Love and Success.” Humphrey Bogart plays completely against type in this film. He’s usually the tough who turns out to have a heart of gold hidden behind his smart mouth and his seeming nonchalance. But in The African Queen, he’s a somewhat dorky “regular working class Joe.” He must have had a blast playing this role!
And it isn’t that Humphrey doesn’t naturally have this other side in him. That’s my point. You have other sides too.
Coach’s Challenge: Figure out what “type” you play most of the time. Next, step out of character. Mix it up, play against your type, color outside the lines. Choose a different role for a day or a week. The results might surprise you—and you might just have a lot of fun along the way!
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