Actors Who Have Played Multiple Characters in the Same Show

In most television shows, an actor is hired to play one specific role. But is it possible for the same actor to take on a new character within the same television series? 

NBC’s recent announcement that Law and Order is renewed for season 24 in 2024-2025 reminded us of all the actors who have played more than one character during the show’s long-standing run. In the franchise, actors like Cynthia Nixon, Sara Ramirez, and David Harbour have appeared in multiple roles. Beyond Law and Order, however, there have been many television shows over the years in which an actor has played more than one character. 

From Donald Glover’s multiple roles in “Atlanta” to Patton Oswalt’s portrayal of identical brothers in “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” our list below covers a few of the biggest names who have appeared in different ways on TV. Some of these character differences reflect alter egos, while others involve an actor returning to the set in a completely different role. (For more reading, check out our list of best TV shows that are coming to an end.)

To compile this list of actors, 24/7 Tempo reviewed several movie and entertainment sources. These include IMDb, Screen Rant, Entertainment Weekly, MovieWeb, and Business Insider. Here are 15 actors who played multiple different characters in the same show. 

Donald Glover

• Show: “Atlanta”
• Roles: Earnest ‘Earn’ Marks, Kirkwood Chocolate, Teddy Perkins

As the creator of the show, Donald Glover ends up taking on not one but three separate roles in his FX hit series “Atlanta.” As Earn, Glover faces the challenges of managing his cousin who seeks to make a career as a rapper. However, Glover created a new character Kirkwood Chocolate who makes an appearance in just one episode entitled “Work Ethic!” Additionally, Glover takes on the role of Teddy Perkins, looking nothing like himself with the use of prosthetics and makeup. 

Paul Rudd

• Show: “Living With Yourself”
• Roles: Miles Elliot

As a Netflix miniseries that aired in 2019, Paul Rudd takes on the challenge of playing his better, more defined, and successful alter ego. As the character Miles Elliot thinks he’s undergone a treatment to change his attitude and mindset, he finds he’s actually been replaced by an upgraded version of himself. Essentially, Rudd plays the same character from two different viewpoints. 

D’Arcy Carden

• Show: “The Good Place”
• Roles: Janet, Bad Janet 

D’Arcy Carden begins the show “The Good Place” as pleasant and simple Janet, an informational assistant. However, as the show progresses and the main characters realize there is a “bad place” they soon discover Janet’s alter ego, Bad Janet. The character of Janet also takes on many roles throughout the series including Disco Janet and Neutral Janet, among others. Every version of the character is played by Carden. 

Nina Dobrev

• Show: “The Vampire Diaries”
• Roles: Elena Gilbert, Katherine Pierce, Amara

Nina Dobrev begins the show as Elena, a simple and sweet teenager caught in a love triangle between two brothers. However, viewers soon learn that Elena is a doppelgänger to Katherine Pierce, a vampire, and the show’s main villain. As such, Dobrev had to switch back and forth between two very different characters throughout the show’s many seasons. Additionally, as the plot thickens, it’s revealed that both Elena and Katherine are doppelgängers to Amara, also played by Dobrev. 

Jaleel White

• Show: “Family Matters”
• Roles: Steve Urkel, Stefan Urquelle

Steve Urkel is the famed nerdy neighbor who can’t stay away from the Winslow family and his crush, Laura, at the beginning of the “Family Matters” sitcom that aired for 9 seasons. First introduced in season 5, Stefan is the production of Steve’s newest science project, created in an effort to win over Laura’s heart. White played both roles, which continued to appear in many episodes throughout the duration of the show. 

Tatiana Maslany

• Show: “Orphan Black”
•  Roles: Sarah Manning, Manning’s clones

As the main character throughout the five seasons of “Orphan Black,” Maslany portrays Manning, along with 17 clones of the character. Maslany’s work portraying each clone differently earned her a Daytime Emmy in 2016 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. 

Ali Larter

• Show: “Heroes”
• Roles: Niki Sanders, Jessica Sanders, Tracy Strauss

Larter took on several different roles throughout her 56-episode run on the Sci-Fi drama “Heroes.” Beginning the show as Niki Sanders, a wife and mother, Larter soon transforms into her alter ego, Jessica, who holds superhuman strength. However, both of the Sanders characters are killed off at the end of season 2. Fans worried Larter wouldn’t be back, but she returned in season 3 to portray Tracy Strauss, Niki’s identical twin. 

Patton Oswalt

• Show: “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”
• Roles: Eric Koenig, Sam Koenig, Billy Koenig, Ernest Koenig, Thurston Koenig 

Originally joining the show as Eric Koenig, Oswalt’s first appearance was in episode 18. It’s not long before Eric’s character is killed, however, and his quadrupled brothers arrive to help solve the case. In all, Oswalt makes an appearance in 10 episodes. He not only played identical brothers but also took on the role of Koenig’s grandfather, Ernest, in season 7. 

Tobias Menzies

• Show: “Outlander”
• Roles: Frank Randall, Jonathan ‘Jack’ Randall

Due to the time-traveling plot lines of “Outlander,” Tobias Menzies was able to portray two separate characters through family members that existed centuries apart. As Frank Randall, Menzies depicts the life of a 20th-century husband to Claire and stepfather to Brianna. As Jack Randall, however, Menzies plays the role of a minor English knight who was part of squashing the Jacobite Rebellion during the mid-1700s in Scotland. 

Jerry Orbach

• Show: “Law & Order”
• Roles: Defense Attorney Frank Lehrman, Detective Lennie Briscoe

While many actors portrayed various characters in the long-standing series of “Law and Order,” Orbach played a singular guest role before becoming a main character. As Defense Attorney Lehrman, Orback appeared in one episode during season 2. However, the actor was invited to come back in season 3 as Detective Briscoe. Orbach is credited in an astonishing 274 episodes of the series and continued his role of Briscoe until his death in 2004. 

Lisa Kudrow

• Show: “Friends”
• Roles: Phoebe Buffay, Ursula Buffay

As one of the core characters in the 90s hit sitcom “Friends,” Kudrow brought delight to viewers with her portrayal of Phoebe Buffay. However, Kudrow’s role was taken a step further when she received the opportunity to play Buffay’s twin sister, Ursula. Making her first appearance in episode 16 of season 1, Joey confuses Ursula as Phoebe. The episode is a crossover from the sitcom “Mad About You” in which Ursula is a waitress. In total, Ursula makes 8 different appearances throughout the show’s 10-season run. 

Garret Dillahunt

• Show: “Deadwood”
• Roles: Jack McCall, Francis Wolcott

Though “Deadwood” only aired for three seasons, Dillahunt made his mark by portraying two completely separate characters throughout the duration of the show. In season 1, Dillahunt portrays McCall in 6 episodes. He comes back for season 2 as Francis Wolcott, the leader of a mining operation. Dillahunt then plays the role of Wolcott for 10 episodes before the character is killed off.

Peter Capaldi

• Show: “Doctor Who”
• Roles: Caecilius, The Doctor

Capaldi began his tenure with the “Doctor Who” series as Roman official Caecilius in Season 4, episode 2, “The Fires of Pompeii.” While in this role, David Tennant portrayed the role of The Doctor. Tennant was also the 10th doctor to hold this role. Eventually, Capaldi would come back to play the twelfth doctor in the series, covering 43 episodes in this role. 

Sheryl Lee

• Show: “Twin Peaks”
• Roles: Laura Palmer, Maddy Ferguson

As “Twin Peaks” begins, we see Sheryl Lee as Laura Palmer, a young woman whose death is being investigated. Though Lee’s role began as the portrayal of a dead person, she was able to come back later in the series as Palmer’s brunette cousin, Maddy Ferguson. Maddy then lends a hand to the investigation, giving Lee a total of 18 episodes on the show. 

Mark Ruffalo 

• Show: “I Know This Much Is True”
• Roles: Thomas Birdsey, Dominick Birdsey

In this HBO miniseries, Ruffalo must portray the roles of twin brothers Thomas and Dominick. Thomas is schizophrenic while Dominick looks after him. The show is based on the book by Wally Lamb and earned Ruffalo a Primetime Emmy award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie in 2020. (For similar reading, click here to see the most relatable TV characters of the ’90s.)