No actor is immune to typecasting. Even an actor like Christopher Lee, who was widely considered to be one of the best actors of his generation, found himself trapped in the confines that the horror genre built for him

Lee had previously starred in films like Horror of Dracula (1958) and The Mummy (1959).

Years later, Lee confessed during an interview with NPR that his success in horror films was a double-edged sword. Starring in the films had earned the actor praise, but it also made any future producers more reluctant to cast him in their films.

"Was I typecast?" asked Lee. "Yes, I was over a period of time. There are always two sides to every coin. And just as success in one respect is something that every actor or actress is hoping for, and for the right reasons...there is the other side to success that because you become successful playing one character or in one kind of film, it can be a disadvantage because people suddenly get the impression that that's all you do and all you can do. So I was certainly typecast, certainly playing heavies in general, and sometimes horror films in particular."

Lee confessed that it was his move to American acting at the urging of friends that finally allowed him to break the chains of typecasting. Working in American film allowed Lee a fresh start, and he found that he was able to play more roles than he'd previously been able to.

"If you want to be a real actor and a true professional, and you want to show whatever versatility you think that you possess," said Lee, "you want to have the chance to show it.