What are some instances of casting an actor/actress too attractive for their role?

NEGI RK Tuesday, January 05, 2021

What are some instances of casting an actor/actress too attractive for their role?

Eva Mendes as Will Ferrell’s wife in The Other Guys.

However, what separates this from the examples cited in the other answers is that it was done on purpose and was played as a joke – a subversion of the trope that birthed this question.

In the film, Eva Mendes, a constant fixture on multiple ‘Sexiest Woman Alive’ lists, plays Sheila, a doting housewife to Will Ferrell, who plays Allen, a goofier and nerdier Will Ferrell.

It’s not exactly a pairing that makes you go ‘Yes, that makes perfect sense.’ And the film uses the pairing to mine great comedy.

Allen is seemingly oblivious to the fact that he has punched above his weight.

In fact, he is often inconsiderate and insensitive towards Sheila, who is as loving and dedicated a wife as one could hope to get.

Sheila’s ‘reveal’ in the film is one of its funniest moments, which is saying a lot because The Other Guys is a superbly written and subversive comedy.

In the scene, Allen’s partner Terry, a surprisingly hilarious Mark Wahlberg, has come over for dinner. And out comes Sheila.

Terry is bewildered and constantly keeps asking who Sheila is. This is how that conversation plays out.[1]

Sheila: Hi.
Allen: Hi.
Sheila: You must be Terry. I'm sorry I've been hiding, honey, but this dinner was tricky.
Terry : Who are you?
Sheila: I'm Dr. Sheila Gamble, his wife.
Terry: Come on, seriously. Who is that?
Sheila: His old lady.
Allen: Sweetie, it's a workstation. And you come in here, dressed like a hobo, it's distracting.
Sheila: I know you're working. I'm so sorry.
Terry: Come on, seriously.
Allen: Come on, what?
Terry: Who is that?
Allen: That's the old... That's the old ball and chain.
Sheila: Get over here. [she tries to kiss him but he pulls away]
Allen: Not... Not right now. Look, they're not all first-round picks, okay?
Terry: Come on, are you gonna tell me who that is?

It works marvellously and Mark Wahlberg’s absolute bewilderment does wonders in selling the joke.

And the film continues the running joke of Allen being inexplicably irresistible to attractive women – his ex-wife, Christineth is another typical bombshell. Allen is the Novak Djokovic of sexual magnetism.