Sounds good on paper (he/him)
Per TRS, the definition is being expanded to include creators other than actors:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1639812201020353400&page=3#comment-51
Linking to a past Trope Repair Shop thread that dealt with this page: Why YMMV?, started by WhiteRussian on Jun 3rd 2011 at 3:06:50 AM
Previous Trope Repair Shop thread: Misused, started by Theatre_Maven_3695 on Jan 12th 2017 at 3:13:18 AM
I'm not sure if this should go here or anywhere else, but after few hours of blind searching this trope in action, I must confirm that it's now used agressively to note every single role of cast from Game of Thrones. What kind of Retroactive Recognition it is, if you list 5 or 20 other roles of an actor or actress, which were neither a cameo or an extra, but a lead?
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Yeah, this trope is definitely being abused pretty badly. A lot of people seem to be using it to mean, "Actor X, famous for Movie Y, was in Movie Z before that", without regard for how popular Movie Z or how big Actor X's involvement actually was.
I mean, come on. Robert Pattinson as Cedric Diggory in Goblet of Fire? If it was a forgetable one-scene cameo, then yeah, but a major supporting role in one of the most well-known films of all time?
There's no way that counts.
And that's leaving aside the famous British actors who are not obscure at all, but are treated as such because they're on the one British show exported to the United States.
There should be some sort of subjectivity limit to this trope, to make sure it's only used for objectively bit parts or forgetable roles.
Edited by WarriorsGate
I think it's YMMV because of how well some of the actors are actually known. But then, Hey Its That Guy is trivia, so...
I'm thinking it fits a bit better in Trivia. Despite this, it's YMMV because of a few other factors.
Agreed, it's more of a Trivia entry - essentially, Hey Its That Guy but for famous actors. YMMV only because of the subjective nature of 'famous'.
I'm thinking this page needs better monitoring, or at least a redefinition. I agree with almost all of them, but I feel a special case should be made for the British actors who were already well known. Hugh Laurie, and Arthur Weasley/Olaf Peterson, they already had knowage. It's more or less only in America where they were little known.
What's the thinking behind not being allowed to list this as a trope? This isn't YMMV isn't it? If a film has star in a bit part before he became a star (Kevin Bacon in "Animal House") isn't that worth noting?
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I think that the "YMMV" applies to the 'retroactive' aspect. Someone may watch the older thing first and then recognize the actor in a newer thing.
Like if you knew that was Bruce Lee in that episode of Batman (you actually watched the credits or recognized him from an earlier film or TV series), then saw a Enter the Fist and recognized Bruce Lee, it would not be "retroactive recognition" because the recognition would not be retroactive.
But if you saw the episode without knowing that it was Bruce Lee, then realized it while watching Enter the Fist...That would be "retroactive recognition".
Ok, just to be clear: I know this pic may look a bit like Just A Face And A Caption, but I really think its appropriate because we have Bruce Lee standing off to the side, as a supporting character to actors who never reached his level of significance.
The meme sucks but...
>implying that Friends has fallen into obscurity by 2009.
Not to mention don't we have a rule against demotivators?
Edited by 94.9.139.139
I’ve seen this trope being misused pretty badly. Some people (particularly, those editing pages for Super Sentai and Kamen Rider) think it means “you know this actor form this thing they did years ago” rather than “this actor did this before they did something they were more prominent”.
Felix Alexander Ellis