TV Show Villains Who Got Recast

As a dedicated gamer, I’m no stranger to the occasional switch-up in a game’s cast. Even if my favorite character is crucial to the plot, they might still be replaced by another actor for various reasons – contract disputes, behind-the-scenes drama, or even unfortunate circumstances like an actor leaving the industry. Sometimes, the game just has to keep rolling, and a new face steps into the role of my beloved character. It’s not always a minor character, either; some of the most iconic games have seen their main characters recast at one point or another. The show must go on, even when an actor can no longer be a part of it.

When it comes to television shows, it’s often assumed that the antagonist is a character that can easily be replaced if an actor decides to leave the cast. However, this isn’t always the case. The villain might be a crucial part of the show as the main antagonist, a long-standing adversary connected to the franchise, or still in the middle of their storyline and cannot be discarded yet. Here are some situations where shows have had to replace one or more villains due to various reasons, and surprisingly, they’ve managed to make these changes work most of the time.

Mason Verger (Hannibal)

One significant character in Hannibal Lecter’s past is Mason Verger, a wealthy individual who was once a patient under Lecter when he was still practicing as a psychiatrist. In an unforgettable sequence of events, Dr. Lecter inflicts horrific acts upon Verger, although some may argue that these actions were not entirely unjustified given Verger’s past crimes as a child molester. This animosity between the two lasts for many years. Although we don’t encounter Verger until much later in time, when he first appeared on screen (portrayed by Gary Oldman) in the 2001 film “Hannibal,” their early interactions were delved into in greater detail in the 2013 NBC series with the same name, starring Mads Mikkelsen as Lecter.

In Season 2 of “Hannibal,” Michael Pitt stepped into the role of Verger, but he departed the series after just one season, with Joe Anderson assuming the character for the final two seasons. Since Verger’s face was drastically disfigured in Season 3, the switch between actors wasn’t as noticeable as it could have been otherwise. Despite speculation that Pitt caused issues on the “Hannibal” set, leading to his departure, the producers have stated that it was solely due to scheduling conflicts that forced Pitt to leave the show.

Morgan Edge (Smallville)

In the 1990s, the TV series “Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” became popular by changing the relationship between Clark Kent and Lois Lane into a will they/won’t they comedy set in their workplace. Recognizing that Superman’s adventures on television didn’t always have to follow the conventional path of fantasy adventure or weekly villain, “Smallville” appeared a decade later, focusing instead on a drama about the character growing up from high school into early adulthood.

Unlike “Lois & Clark,” which only touched on Superman’s backstory, “Smallville” introduced numerous characters from the comic books. One of these characters was Morgan Edge, a villainous media mogul and crime boss who made his debut in the comics during the 1970s. In the series, however, his link to the source material was discarded entirely, and he became a pure antagonist. The character of Morgan Edge was initially portrayed by experienced actor Rutger Hauer for the first two episodes. Later, Patrick Bergin took over the role in Morgan’s third and final episode because Hauer wasn’t available to continue with the part. Since the actors looked quite different, it was incorporated into the storyline that Morgan Edge had undergone plastic surgery.

2019 saw the addition of Hauer to the list of “Smallville” actors who may have gone unnoticed, as he passed away at the age of 75 due to pancreatic cancer.

Reggie Mantle (Riverdale)

In a similar fashion to Superman, Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, and their fellow characters underwent a modern makeover for the teen drama series “Riverdale,” which premiered on the CW in 2017. Among the show’s expansive cast, Reggie Mantle was a significant character whose origins date back to the Archie comics as Archie’s longstanding rival since the 1940s. Ross Butler portrayed Reggie during Season 1 of “Riverdale.

In addition to being a regular cast member on Netflix’s “13 Reasons Why” since its 2017 premiere, Butler found himself juggling both shows. However, managing both “13 Reasons Why” and “Riverdale” proved too challenging for him, leading him to prioritize the former over the latter. Interestingly, Charles Melton joined the cast of “Riverdale” from Season 2 onwards as Reggie. Yet, Butler astonished fans when he returned to “Riverdale” for its 100th episode, portraying an altered version of Reggie called Reggie Prime. This Reggie Prime engaged in a life-or-death battle with the character played by Melton.

Catwoman (Batman)

Among all rankings of Catwomen from worst to best, the 1966 “Batman” TV series stands out as it boasts no less than three characters on the list, and interestingly enough, these three are typically found near the top. This TV show is remarkable in that it featured several actors who took on various villain roles over its duration. For instance, there were three different actors portraying Mr. Freeze, while two actors played the Riddler across the show’s run and a movie. However, our attention here is drawn to the three actresses playing Catwoman, as each delivered an iconic performance that added a unique twist to Batman’s long-standing affection for his feline adversary.

I had the honor of being the very first to bring Catwoman to life in live action, debuting the character in the iconic 1966 “Batman” series. I continued to play the role for two thrilling seasons until Eartha Kitt took over for Season 3, seeing the character’s journey through to the end of the show. In the film adaptation that came later, I was replaced by Lee Meriwether, who filled the role for a single appearance. However, my return as Catwoman was saved for the second season of the series.

It’s worth mentioning that, beyond the main actors, there was technically a fourth Catwoman in the series, Marilyn Watson. She joined a group of unrecognized stand-ins who briefly appeared as villains during the second to last episode of Season 3.

Phillip/Daniel Hardman (Suits)

As a dedicated fan, I’ve noticed an intriguing twist in the world of “Suits”: the show reintroduced one of its most formidable villains, but many viewers might not have recognized the change because the original character never appeared on screen. Daniel Hardman, the disgraced lawyer who caused so much trouble for Harvey (Gabriel Macht) and Jessica (Gina Torres) from Season 2 onwards, was initially planned to be a part of the series right from the start. Interestingly enough, David Costabile was always the one portraying this persistent adversary, despite Hardman being intended to debut much earlier in the show’s timeline.

In the initial version, Philip Hardman, co-founder of Pearson Hardman LLP and portrayed by Victor Garber, appeared in several scenes during the show’s pilot episode. However, these scenes were ultimately removed from the U.S. broadcast – though they aired elsewhere globally – leading to some narrative adjustments for the series. This resulted in Philip Hardman being absent throughout Season 1 and making his dramatic return only in Season 2. During this reworking of the plot, both the character’s first name was changed from Philip to Daniel, and a new actor was cast to match the fresh direction the show’s creators intended for the character.

The Night King (Game of Thrones)

Among contemporary TV shows, or perhaps any series throughout history except for those running for decades like soap operas, “Game of Thrones” seems to have had an unusually high number of characters recast. However, one that garnered less attention was the Night King, which is understandable given that it’s a heavily makeup-dependent character with additional visual effects required to complete its appearance.

In Season 4, Richard Brake wasn’t just the actor who played the Night King, but his face was also used to create the prosthetics worn by the character. This meant that the Night King looked somewhat like Brake. However, when Brake stopped playing the role after Season 5, changes had to be made because of this resemblance. From Season 6 onwards, Vladimir Furdik took over as the Night King, although the exact reason for this change isn’t known. Some people think it might be because the Night King became more active in the final three seasons, and Furdik’s background as a stunt performer made him more suitable for this energetic portrayal of the White Walker leader.

It might not be immediately noticeable if you only compare them individually, but in fact, the prosthetics used for the Night King character in the Furdik version were altered to resemble the actor’s real features, instead of sticking with those that mimicked Richard Brake’s appearance.

Lex Luthor (Superboy)

The television series titled “Superboy” underwent a name change midway through its four-season run, becoming known as “The Adventures of Superboy.” This show was broadcast on television from 1988 to 1992, primarily in syndication. It focused on a young Clark Kent, who was already fully utilizing his powers and shouldering his Earth-saving duties. Unlike the version depicted in the series “Smallville,” this Superboy was already well into his superhero lifestyle.

In the transition from Season 1 to Season 2, the role of Superboy was taken up by a different actor, Gerard Christopher, replacing John Haymes Newton. Similarly, Lex Luthor’s character was portrayed by two different actors during this series. Scott Wells played Luthor in four episodes of Season 1, while Sherman Howard took over for the majority of his appearance in the show, starting from Season 2. Interestingly, Howard also wrote an episode each for Seasons 3 and 4 of “Superboy”.

In a later phase of the Arrowverse, Lex Luthor was portrayed by Jon Cryer across multiple shows such as “Supergirl,” “Batwoman,” “The Flash,” “Arrow,” and “Legends of Tomorrow”. However, he was played by Michael Cudlitz in “Superman and Lois”, and it’s important to note that these two actors did not alternate within the same series. Instead, they embodied different versions of Lex Luthor from distinct universes, so their transitions are more akin to new castings rather than traditional recasts. This is unlike the case in “Superboy” where a character was replaced within the same series.

Ivy Pepper (Gotham)

Why is it that TV shows based on DC Comics characters often don’t keep the same actor playing a role throughout the series? A notable example is Poison Ivy, portrayed by three different actors during one show, “Gotham” on Fox. Initially played by Clare Foley for the first two seasons, Ivy was a child character at the outset of the series. However, in Season 3, she transforms into an adult almost instantly due to interactions with another character’s age-altering powers.

On TV shows like “Gotham”, it’s common for characters from DC Comics, such as Poison Ivy, to be played by different actors as the series progresses. In this case, Clare Foley portrayed Ivy for two seasons initially, but a change in Ivy’s age occurred abruptly in Season 3 due to storyline developments involving another character’s powers.

In the wise decision to prevent a child character from using seductive powers, the show creators instead advanced the character’s age to adulthood, paving the way for such storylines. Consequently, Ivy, portrayed by Maggie Geha, emerged as a central figure in “Gotham” during Season 3.

In Season 4 of “Gotham”, the actress playing Ivy, Peyton List, appeared in two episodes following Camren Bicondova’s departure. This marked the third and final change in the portrayal of Ivy. The shift was due to a creative decision by the showrunners aiming to move away from the lighter, humorous interpretation of the character, as portrayed by the previous actor, and instead focus on the darker, more menacing version of Ivy that had been planned all along.

The Mule (Foundation)

Among all the shows listed, only Apple TV+’s “Foundation” is currently ongoing, however, the impact of any recasting has yet to unfold. Adapted from the Isaac Asimov book series, “Foundation” brings the character The Mule to life on screen, with Mikael Persbrandt portraying him in the second season.

As a passionate fan, I was thrilled when I first saw Mikael Persbrandt bring The Mule to life over just four episodes. Co-creator David S. Goyer hinted that those appearances were merely a sneak peek of what was yet to unfold for the character and the show’s universe. However, it appears that Persbrandt might not have been the one to fully develop The Mule’s impact on the series, as Pilou Asbæk has been chosen to take over the role starting from Season 3, and possibly beyond. Until we get a chance to compare Asbæk’s portrayal with that of Persbrandt’s, it remains to be seen which actor I’ll favor for this iconic role.

Currently, no official release date or timeframe has been set for Season 3 of “Foundation.” Some hopeful speculations hint that it might premiere as early as late 2025.

The Borg Queen (Star Trek: Picard)

The character of the Borg Queen in “Star Trek” has been portrayed by multiple actors across different movies and series. However, it’s important to note that there isn’t just one Borg Queen; instead, the role represents the primary voice of the entire Borg collective, which can be assumed by any entity suitable for the task. This role can also be passed on from one being to another when necessary.

As a die-hard Trek fan, I can’t help but notice that the enigmatic Borg have always had a special connection with Captain Picard. It was only natural, then, for them to be a central element in “Star Trek: Picard.” In the second season, we finally caught a glimpse of the Borg Queen, brought to life by the talented Annie Wersching, who sadly passed away in 2023. However, the Borg Queen wasn’t ready to let Picard off the hook just yet and had more tricks up her sleeve for the final season. So, you might wonder, who took on the role of the Borg Queen in “Star Trek: Picard” Season 3? If we rule out the alternate-universe Agnes Jurati (Alison Pill) version, it was Alice Krige who provided the voice and Jane Edwina Seymour who stepped into the physical portrayal for the second incarnation of the main universe Borg Queen.

Krige, who is recognized by long-time “Star Trek” enthusiasts, had previously acted as the Borg Queen in the film “Star Trek: First Contact,” and also appeared in individual episodes of both “Star Trek: Voyager” and “Star Trek: Lower Decks.

Divatox (Power Rangers Turbo)

In the franchise’s second film titled “Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie,” we were introduced to the third major version of Power Rangers, known as “Power Rangers Turbo.” The movie marked a transition from the original cast to the one that was about to appear in the upcoming “Power Rangers Turbo” season. It also blended old and new adversaries, introducing Divatox, the primary antagonist for the “Turbo” series.

In the movie, I had the thrill of portraying Divatow, but when it came to the TV series, things took an unexpected turn. Hilary Shepard Turner, who played Divatow in the film, was no longer available due to pregnancy and the timing couldn’t have been worse – her maternity leave coincided with our start date for the series. However, I was eager to return to the role once my leave was over, and Carol Hoyt stepped in as a temporary replacement during the first half of the “Turbo” season.

Turner took on the role of Divatox not just during the second half of “Turbo,” but also for her five-episode arc in the following “Power Rangers” series, “Power Rangers in Space.” Essentially, this was a temporary change for the character, but it still counted as a recast for the villain.

2025-04-30 17:32