With the superhero genre being so vast, it’s no surprise that some actors have portrayed multiple characters acrossDCmovies. Despite the live-action sphere currently being dominated by the MCU, DC has plenty more to offer in the way of animated movies, thanks in no small part to theDC Animated Universe. This has allowed plenty of actors to lend their voices to certain roles while portraying entirely new characters in DC’s live-action movies.
Still, there is no shortage of actors who have portrayed multiple characters in the live-action arena. Thanks to 1989’sBatman, DC was the first to churn out live-action blockbusters that would eventually morph into the DCEU, a cinematic franchise comprising 15 movies that have recast several DC movie veterans. With the DCU poised to reboot DC’s cinematic franchise starting withSupermanin July, this trend has already started to continue. With that in mind, here are the actors who have starred inmultiple DC moviesin both live-action and animation.
10Michael Jai White Portrays Gambol And Bronze Tiger
In The Dark Knight (2008) And Batman: Soul Of The Dragon (2021)
Michael Jai White is a prolific DC contributor who voiced Doomsday, John Stewart, and Osebo in multiple DC animated series before cutting his teeth in a live-actionDC role withThe Dark Knight’s Gambol.Gambol is one of the primary mob bosses inThe Dark Knightmurdered by Joker. Although Gambol is a relatively minor character inThe Dark Knight, it’s one of White’s most high-profile roles in cinema, and one that he was initially supposed to reprise inThe Dark Knight Risesbefore Heath Ledger’s tragic death caused his character to be written out of the trilogy.
Michael Jai White also played Image Comics' Spawn in his self-titled live-action debut in 1997.
White would then go on to portray another DC villain in the form of Ben Turner, AKA Bronze Tiger, in CW’sArrowseries.He reprises this role in the animated movie,Batman: Soul of the Dragon. This DC Universe Animated Original Movie depicted an original standalone story set in the 1970s and was based on martial arts movies of that era. Ben Turner works with Batman inBatman: Soul of the Dragon, emulating his anti-heroic comic book origins.
9Nicole Kidman Portrays Dr. Chase Meridian And Queen Atlanna
In Batman Forever (1995), Aquaman (2018) And Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom (2023)
Nicole Kidman is far from a prolific comic book actress but has starred in two live-action DC movies. The first wasBatman Forever, where she portrays Batman’s love interest, psychologist Dr. Chase Meridian.Meridian plays a central role in the largely lambastedBatman Returnssequel as she is brought in as a police consultantfollowing the uptick in Gotham’s zany criminal behavior. A recent report byThe Hollywood Reporterrevealed that Kidman took the role so that she could “Kiss Batman.”
Dr. Chase Meridian would be introduced as an official DC Comics character after debuting as an original character inBatman Forever.
More than 20 years later, Kidman returned to DC superhero movies in 2018’sAquamanas Aquaman’s mother, Atlanna. She reprised this role inAquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which would bethe DCEU’s final movie. Atlanna plays a key role inAquaman, spurring Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry to accept his role as the King of Atlantis after he discovers that she survived her attempted execution. In both her live-action DC roles,Kidman portrays two independent and headstrong characters who play crucial roles in supporting the superhero protagonist.
8David Dastmalchian Portrays Thomas Schiff And Polka-Dot Man
The Dark Knightfeatures another prolific DC movie actor with David Dastmalchian, though his role is significantly smaller than Michael Jai White’s. Thomas Schiff is a paranoid schizophrenic under the Joker’s employ, who is eventually interrogated by Harvey Dent under the threat of death - though this is revealed to have been a ploy orchestrated with Dent’s two-headed coin.The role would become a big break for Dastmalchian, who at the time only had an uncredited role in the TV seriesEarly Editionin his repertoire.
Polka-Dot Man is a highlight of the movie, portrayed as one of its most tortured and tragic characters who meets his end swiftly after gleefully declaring himself to be a real superhero.
The upturn inDastmalchian’s career would then culminate in a starring role in a DC movieas part of James Gunn’sThe Suicide Squadreboot. Here,Dastmalchian portrays Polka-Dot Man, whose “power” was to fire destructive polka-dot-like growths from his body as a result of an interdimensional virus. Polka-Dot Man is a highlight of the movie, portrayed as one of its most tortured and tragic characters who meets his end swiftly after gleefully declaring himself to be a real superhero.
7John Glover Portrays Dr. Jason Woodrue And Mr. Sivana
In Batman & Robin (1997) And Shazam! (2019)
Batman & Robinwas the death knell for Warner Bros. first live-action Batman cinematic franchise and remainsthe worst-rated Batman movie. John Glover, an actor known for his villainous roles, portrayed Dr. Jason Woodrue inBatman & Robin, the evil scientist responsible for the creation of Bane and Poison Ivy, two ofBatman & Robin’s most criticized elements. Although pivotal,Glover’s role was relatively brief as his inadvertent creation of Poison Ivy swiftly led to her killing himwith a poison kiss.
Glover’s DC movie fortunes transformed somewhat after being cast in the comparatively superiorShazam!, one of the DCEU’s best-rated movies. Coincidentally,Glover’s portrayal of the villain behind the villain continues inShazam!as Mr. Sivana’s mistreatment of his son, Dr. Thaddeus Sivana, is partly to blame for Thaddeus adopting the role of arch-villain. Glover is also well-known in the DC sphere for voicing the Riddler in several DC animated series. His most famous role, however, is arguably as Lionel Luthor in the celebratedSmallvilleseries.
6Nathan Fillion Portrays Hal Jordan, TDK, And Guy Gardner
Nathan Fillion’s work in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies (DCUAOM) franchise mostly saw him portray Hal Jordan, arguably the most famous character to carry the Green Lantern mantle.Fillion has portrayed Hal Jordan in six of these moviesin addition to Robot Chicken’s DC specials. He shared the role ofGreen Lantern in DC’s animated offeringswith Justin Kirk. Fillion would move to live-action DC movies inThe Suicide Squad, where he briefly portrayed The Detachable Kid (TDK) before being swiftly killed off.
Reign of the Supermen
Hal Jordan/Green Lantern
While the extent of his role is to be determined,Fillion will soon portray another Green Lantern, Guy Gardner, in James Gunn’sSupermanin July. James Gunn is well known for doling out roles to longtime collaborators in his projects, which makes it no surprise that Fillion is involved in the DCU’s flagship movie. Gardner is one of manyestablished superheroes inSuperman, though further details are forthcoming. It remains to be seen, meanwhile, whether the famously abrasive Gardner will provide more screen time for Fillion thanThe Suicide Squad’s TDK.
5Patrick Leahy Makes Multiple DC Movie Cameos
Across Various Batman Movies
Similarly to Nathan Fillion, Patrick Leahy is something of a DC movie mainstay, thoughhis roles are typically much smaller cameos as various government officials. This isn’t too surprising, as Patrick Leahy was himself a US Senator representing Vermont from 1975 to 2023. As a lifelong Batman fan, Leahy has managed to appear in small roles in five live-action Batman movies.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Senator Purrington
Patrick Leahy’s roles aren’t exactly nondescript, either.He is the party guest inThe Dark Knightwho delivers the line “We aren’t intimidated by thugs,“before the Joker grabs Leahy’s character, threatens him with a knife, and tells him that he reminds him of his father. Leahy recalled in an interview withRoll Callthat he “Didn’t have to act” when Heath Ledger came at him with the knife, as he felt genuinely terrified. Leahy has also appeared inBatman: The Animated Seriesas a “Territorial Governor” in another speaking role.
4Patrick Wilson Portrays Nite Owl, The President, And Orm
In Watchmen (2009), Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), And Aquaman (2018)
Patrick Wilson began his DC career inWatchmen, where he portrays Dan Dreiberg, AKA Nite Owl.Watchmenwas also Zack Snyder’s DC directorial debut before he went on to directMan of Steel,Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, andZack Snyder’s Justice League(as well as a portion ofJustice League) as part of the ill-fated first building blocks of the DCEU. It is inBatman v SupermanthatPatrick Wilson cameoed as the voice of the DCEU’s President of the USA, who sanctioned the use of nuclear weapons in an attempt to destroy Doomsday in orbit.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justicealso features Jeffrey Dean Morgan (the Comedian) portraying Thomas Wayne whileJustice Leaguefeatures Billy Cudrup (Dr. Manhattan) as Henry Allen.
Patrick Wilson would return to the DCEU in another, more prominent leadership role as Orm, AKA Ocean Master inAquamanandAquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Aquamanwould bethe DCEU’s highest-grossingand only billion-dollar movie, thoughAquaman and the Lost Kingdomcould not replicate that success as the DCEU’s swansong.Wilson earned a Teen Choice Awards nomination for Choice Movie Villainin 2019 for his role as King Orm.
3Mark Strong Portrays Sinestro And Dr. Sivana
In Green Lantern (2011) And Shazam! (2019)
Mark Strong is no stranger to comic book movies, scoring a role asKick-Ass’s Frank D’Amico in 2011 before landing his part as Sinestro in 2011’s ill-fatedGreen Lantern. Although Sinestro is an iconic Green Lantern adversary in DC Comics,this transformation never flourished inGreen Lanternbefore poor reviews would stifle DC’s first chance at a cinematic franchise. Despite Strong performing well as Sinestro, it is unlikely he will reprise this role save for a surprise recast in the DCU.
Who Is Dr. Sivana? Shazam’s Villain Explained
While Shazam has always been a popular superhero, his arch-enemy, mad-scientist Dr. Thaddeus Sivana, is far less well-known and less-recognized.
Thankfully, the DCEU would capitalize on Mark Strong’s talent for portraying villains by casting him as the arch-villain in 2019’sShazam!,Thaddeus Sivana.Strong fully embraces his villainous role in his second live-action DC movie, acting as a vengeful foil to Billy Batson in his attempts to steal his powers for his own. Sivana reappears inthe post-credits scene forShazam!and its sequel,Shazam! Fury of the Gods, though neither tease would be paid off.
2Sean Gunn Portrays Weasel And Maxwell Lord
Weasel’s role inThe Suicide Squadwas another short-lived one as he ostensibly drowns before the narrative gets underway in earnest, though he is seen scurrying away inThe Suicide Squad’s post-credits scene. Sean Gunn is another of James Gunn’s frequent collaborators, and, like Nathan Fillion, appears in both of Gunn’s live-action DC projects.Sean Gunn does, however, reprise his role as Weasel- the weasel-like humanoid supposedly responsible for the deaths of 27 children in the DCEU - in the DCU’sCreature Commandosseries, meaning he is officially a part of the rebooted DC Universe.
Everything Confirmed As Canon In The DC Universe
James Gunn’s DCU reboot has selected certain events from the DCEU timeline to retain as official canon, despite the franchise being rebooted.
This also means that Sean Gunn is portraying two roles in the same cinematic universe, as he is slated to portray the DCU’s Maxwell Lord. Lord is reportedly due to debut in July’sSuperman, though the extent of his role is to be confirmed. Sean Gunn has been relatively tight-lipped about the character, though has stated that he has drawn inspiration exclusively from written materials rather than any previous live-action depictions of the character.
1Jason Momoa Portrays Aquaman And Lobo
In Aquaman (2018), Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom (2023), And Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow (2026)
Aquaman being portrayed by Jason Momoa was one of many subversive moves made by the DCEU. Momoa’s rendition of the character somewhat resembles the revamped version of DC Comics' Aquaman from the 1990s initially penned by Peter David, where Arthur Curry sports long hair, a beard, and a harpoon spearhead in place of his hand.Momoa’s rugged portrayal was largely celebrated, withAquamanbeing the highest-grossing DCEU movie of all time, showing that the creative license was expertly wielded in this instance.
The details surrounding Lobo’s role are to be confirmed, but it isn’t hard to envisage Jason Momoa portraying the domineering, foul-mouthed, intergalactic bounty hunter down the road in the DCU.
Still, it was far less surprising to learn that Momoa had landed the role of Lobo in the DCU.Momoa has topped the list of fan-casts for the live-action adaptation of DC’s “Main Man” for a while, and these hopes were vindicated by the announcement that Momoa’s Lobo would debut inSupergirl: Woman of Tomorrowin 2026. The details surrounding Lobo’s role are to be confirmed, but it isn’t hard to envisage Jason Momoa portraying the domineering, foul-mouthed, intergalactic bounty hunter down the road in theDCU.
DC Universe
The DC Universe is one of the biggest comic book franchises and often competes with Marvel. DC Comics started as National Allied Publications, founded by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson in 1935. Since then, the franchise has exploded with thousands of comic books, movies, TV shows, and video games. 2013 marked the beginning of the most recent iteration of the superheroes, with Zack Snyder introducing Henry Cavill as Superman. After several movies with mixed reviews, DC underwent a soft reboot under the helm of James Gunn and Peter Safran.
