Actor IS The Title Character

Ever notice how films occasionally heavily advertise the fact they star a particular film, to such an extent that they say this guy IS the character? Of course you have, it's a fairly common practice, whether in America or across the seas. The actor's name gets top-billing, even if the character only makes a brief cameo in the film to sucker in audiences.

Welcome to the world of Actor IS The Title Character, a fairly common sight in modern cinema. The implication is that the actor is so similar to who he plays that he basically is the character. A quasi-contrast to this is the fabled Alan Smithee defense, which works for directors (although Alan Smithee is no longer the only name permitted). It's meant to cash in on the celebrity actor's name to draw in audience, similar to how comics announce certain characters in an issue to get more sales.

This can easily allow for fourth-wall breaks and extremely hammy acting, depending on the script and actor involved obviously. It can also be lead into a case of false impressions even if the actor makes an appearance, however brief, though especially if the actor doesn't.