Hollywood Vampires and Werewolves: Actors Who Have Played Both

When a Hollywood actor plays a vampire or werewolf, he can be typecast into the role. Those who have portrayed one or the other tend to play the same type of monster from one project to the next, often in a series of related films. However, a few actors have played both a vampire and a werewolf.

Bela Lugosi
Any mention of the words "vampire" and "actor" in the same sentence will make most people think of Bela Lugosi. Although best known as the title character in Dracula (1931), Lugosi played a vampire or vampire figure in several other films, including Mark of the Vampire (1935), The Return of the Vampire (1944), Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), and My Son, the Vampire (1952).

During his prolific acting career, Lugosi played many roles other than vampires. In The Wolf Man (1941), Lugosi's character--interestingly named Bela--was a werewolf. While wandering the Welsh countryside with his gypsy tribe, Bela was always trying to find a cure for his affliction so that he could live a normal life and stop killing people. To his dismay, he did not succeed.

Lon Chaney, Jr.
Although Bela Lugosi played a werewolf in The Wolf Man, the role of the title character was portrayed by Lon Chaney, Jr. In the film, Lugosi's character attacked Lawrence Talbot (Chaney), who then became a werewolf himself. Chaney reprised the role of Talbot/The Wolf Man in several other movies, including Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943), House of Frankenstein (1944), and House of Dracula (1945). Chaney's other werewolf credits include Face of the Screaming Werewolf (1964).

In addition to the many films in which he portrayed a werewolf, Chaney also played other monsters, including a vampire. In Son of Dracula (1943), he played Count Anthony Alucard. Despite the movie's title, Alucard (which, as everyone knows, is "Dracula" spelled backward) isn't Dracula's son but rather Count Dracula himself.

Paul Wesley
Using the name Paul Wasilewski, Wesley played Luke Cates on Wolf Lake, a short-lived CBS show that aired from 2001 to 2002. Luke was the teenage son in a family of werewolves, with Bruce McGill and Sharon Lawrence as his parents.

Several years later, Paul Wesley is still playing a teenager--sort of--as the tortured vampire Stefan Salvatore on The Vampire Diaries, the CW show based on L. J. Smith's book series of the same name. Because of Stefan's ever-youthful appearance, he is able to pose as a regular teenager and attend high school. Stefan and his brother, Damon, also a vampire, are both in love with Elena Gilbert, the doppelganger of the vampire who turned both of them. Although Stefan is usually the "good" vampire brother, he has his moments--especially when Elena is in danger.

Michael Sheen
In 2003, Welsh actor Michael Sheen originated the role of werewolf leader Lucian in Underworld. He reprised the role three years later in Underworld: Evolution, and then again in 2009's Underworld: Rise of the Lycans. In this series, Lucian is the first Lycan, and he has the ability to transform at will.

His fame as a werewolf leader notwithstanding, Sheen went on to play a vampire leader. In 2009, he joined the Twilight Saga, playing Aro Volturi in New Moon. He will continue the role in two more installments of the Twilight Saga; Breaking Dawn Part 1 will be released in 2011, and Breaking Dawn Part 2 is slated for release in 2012.

Sources:

Bela Lugosi Internet Movie Database (IMDb)
Lon Chaney, Jr. Internet Movie Database (IMDb)
Paul Wesley Internet Movie Database (IMDb)
Michael Sheen (Internet Movie Database (IMDb)