The Dangers of Typecasting

Sometimes upon seeing certain actors, their history of typecasting makes it absolutely assured that they will be the villain; their name in the credits may even be all that is needed. I find that is the way I look at Max Von Sydow (and other actors I will not name).

While Max Von Sydow has not played a villain in EVERY movie he's been in, he has done it enough times that I have had the ending of more than one of his films revealed to me by his mere presence. Typecasting is not a big problem when it comes to movie stars, but when character actors find themselves playing the same part in film after film, doesn't the industry understand it makes it more difficult for a viewer to enjoy the film as it is easier to tell what's coming next.

I do not want to list the films where Max Von Sydow's appearance alone has let me down, as I do not want to spoil other movies. He is not the only one (Sam Rockwell always seems to play a similar role, too, and he's also left me with foreknowledge of what was to come just by showing up) to do it, but he does it well. This is not, in my opinion, at all the fault of the actor or actress who has been typecast and it is very difficult to escape from, but when one actor carries with him or her an extremely accurate idea of what is to come only by being in the movie, then they may need to more carefully pick their roles.

Closing up, does anyone else experience a similar experience with either Von Sydow or any other actor or actress? Is there anyone who shows up in movies that, by their participation alone you know what to expect either for the story itself, or just for anything having to do with their character?

"Well if you wanted to make Syrok the Preparer cry...mission accomplished."