Have you ever seen a show and find yourself thinking, “Wait a minute, isn’t that…? ” before concluding that your eyes aren’t deceiving you—an actor is doing double (or triple, or quadruple!) duty? Whether it’s for comedy, for drama, or just to demonstrate some serious acting skills, something is fascinating about watching one performer play multiple roles within the same universe. It’s twins one week, clones the next, and sometimes it’s just a crazy, creative decision that has us discussing it for decades.
5. Jenna Ortega in Wednesday
Jenna Ortega gives a pitch–perfect deadpan as Wednesday Addams in Netflix’s Wednesday, capturing the legendary character with a modern, goth spin. But that’s not all Ortega does—she also pops up as Goody Addams, a fierce and deadly ancestor from the 1600s who has both psychic powers and quick wit in common with her descendant. This dual characterization provides a tremendous richness to the series, showing that the Addams family’s dark history and supernatural talents trace back centuries. Goody is a ghostly mentor, manifesting in visions to assist Wednesday in untangling the evil secrets hiding behind Nevermore Academy and the cryptic monster slayings.
As noted in Entertainment Weekly, Ortega’s multidimensional performance adds new depth to the show, deepening the Addams family legend and affirming Wednesday’s journey as a reluctant hero and proud heir to her offbeat legacy.
4. Martin Lawrence in Martin
Martin Lawrence not only played radio DJ Martin Payne on the popular ’90s show Martin—he was the show. Outside of the starring role, Lawrence played a revolving door of bizarre and indelible supporting characters, including the fiery Sheneneh Jenkins, the overbearing Mama Payne, and the bumbling martial arts “expert” Dragonfly Jones. Each character had its absurd mannerisms, getups, and one-liners, displaying Lawrence’s staggering versatility and peerless comedic timing. If you ever wanted to know what would happen if one man inhabited half of the city of Detroit, Martin provided that and then some. Lawrence’s fearless acting work not only raised the show’s frantic energy but also redefined what a sitcom lead could accomplish.
As per Entertainment Weekly, his double roles were a guideline for comedians to come who wanted to extend their skills over a single program, preparing the ground for artists such as Eddie Murphy and Tyler Perry to do the same.
3. Sheryl Lee in Twin Peaks
Most actresses would be finished after their turn as a corpse, but not Sheryl Lee. She initially showed up in Twin Peaks as Laura Palmer, the mysterious high school girl whose death ignites the show’s otherworldly train of events. Even though she played a dead character from the beginning, Lee’s shadow was large, with flashbacks, videotapes, and dream sequences keeping her at the center of the show’s creepy atmosphere.
But Lee’s work didn’t end there. She also came back as Laura’s doppelganger cousin, Maddy Ferguson, introducing a more mellow, earthy vibe to provide some contrast to Laura’s tragic mystique. Years after that, she surprised fans again by reprising as Carrie Page in the 2017 revival, introducing a new level of vagueness and emotion. On Screen Rant, her work playing various characters helped sustain the mystery, surrealism, and tragedy of Twin Peaks for generations of audiences.
2. Lisa Kudrow in Friends
Phoebe Buffay is already one of the quirkiest and most lovable characters in sitcom history, but things get even weirder when her twin sister Ursula enters the picture. Originally introduced on Mad About You, Ursula crossed over into Friends, creating a unique shared-universe twist that fans still talk about. Despite their identical appearance, the sisters couldn’t be more different—Phoebe is eccentric but sweet, while Ursula is cold, aloof, and hilariously rude.
Lisa Kudrow’s skill at playing both parts with such distinction and contrast is a credit to her comedic range. She provided each sister with a distinct voice, body language, and personality so that it was simple for audiences to believe they were seeing the same actress. Screen Rant suggests that Kudrow’s double act ranks as one of the finest double acts in the history of sitcoms, providing an added layer of humor and depth to both programs.
1. Jerry Orbach on Law & Order
While he ended up playing the wisecracking, world-weary Det. Lennie Briscoe on Law & Order, Jerry Orbach initially made his debut on the show as someone quite different—a defense attorney named Frank Lehrmann. It was a one-shot turn that most viewers would probably have overlooked, but Orbach’s screen presence left an impression on the producers of the show. Only a year afterward, Orbach was recast in his most legendary role.
As Entertainment Weekly notes, his switch from defense attorney to popular detective is a classic case of recasting correctly done. His characterization of Briscoe brought humor, nuance, and humanity to the long-running drama, cementing him as one of the longest-running and most popular TV cops of all time.