Reno 911! Characters Who Are Unrecognizable Without Their Iconic Looks
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Separating an actor's on-screen persona from their real-life appearance can prove difficult sometimes, to the point at which it's common for an actor recognized for a specific film or TV role to be unnoticed by fans when the cameras aren't rolling. Some of Reno 911!'s comedy crew falls squarely in that category.
Reno 911! returned in May of 2020 to the delight of fans of the original run. The 12-episode seventh season debuted on Quibi, confining the series to a much shorter format than previous episodes. Still, the comedy is as sharp as ever, and the whole cast brings their A-game to make the revival a success. A huge part of the positive reaction is thanks to the return of the iconic costumes from back in the day.
Although it's been over a decade since a new Reno 911! episode released, the Reno Sheriff's Department looks as though they haven't aged a day. Their performances and wardrobe make that even more apparent. Still, it's easy to overlook that these characters are not reflective of the people playing them. A few of the actors actually deviate quite far from their comedic alter egos.
Thomas Lennon is unrecognizable clean shaven and in full-length pants
Kicking things off is Lieutenant Jim Dangle himself, Thomas Lennon. This character has hardly changed since Reno 911! began nearly 20 years ago. Fans recognize him best for his trimmed blonde mustache and freshly pressed short shorts, which he never forgets on patrol. Contrary to popular belief, Lennon doesn't go out in public in such a getup, meaning he looks like a totally different person outside of it.
One of the most noticeable missing features on Lennon is his mustache, which he generally only keeps around during Reno 911! shoots. Considering how synonymous Lieutenant Dangle is with the facial hair, it's understandably jarring to see Lennon without it. The same goes for his choice of pants, which are most often more appropriate and far less revealing than those of his television counterpart. It's surprisingly difficult to comprehend Lennon and Dangle as the same person thanks to these discrepancies.
Reno 911!'s Robert Ben Garant looks dramatically different without his cop getup
Among Reno 911!'s many familiar faces, none capture the essence of the stereotypical police officer better than Robert Ben Garant. His Deputy Travis Junior hits nearly every aesthetic hallmark of pop culture cops: The combed-over hair, the aviator sunglasses, the dark mustache — he doesn't miss a beat. Wrap him up in a Reno Sheriff's Department uniform, and the ensemble couldn't be more complete. This, however, isn't the actor's everyday appearance, as he puts most of the look together for the series only.
It's nearly impossible to imagine Robert Ben Garant out of character. Most pictures of him include his hair and mustache, but that doesn't mean photos of him without them don't exist. As shown above, alongside his Reno 911! co-star Thomas Lennon for the Balls of Fury press junket, he's gone almost completely hairless on his head. Also yes, there are in fact eyes underneath those mirrored sunglasses he never wants to remove in the show. He's completely unfamiliar to the eye without his traditional Deputy Junior wear.
Kerri Kenney-Silver has a better fashion sense than Deputy Wiegel
Deputy Trudy Wiegel is the Reno Sheriff's Department's resident social outcast. She's awkward, doesn't have the greatest people skills, and certainly isn't known for her style. When she isn't in her sheriff's uniform, her clothing choices are typically played up as questionable for comedic effect. She's the butt of every joke, and her look tends to feed into that.
In reality, actress Kerri Kenney-Silver, who plays Deputy Wiegel, couldn't be further from her Reno 911! role. She's adopted a few different hairstyles over the years, which all depart from her television look, not to mention that her garments and makeup are much better suited for red carpets and photoshoots than what Wiegel would put together. Of all of the Reno 911! cast members, Kenney-Silver arguably deviates the furthest from her TV persona, both visually and in terms of her personality.
Ian Roberts and Reno 911!'s Sergeant Declan could not be more different
Even some of Reno 911!'s less central characters contrast markedly with their actor's true appearance. Ian Roberts, who plays the out-of-shape Sergeant Jack Declan, is one such case. The character is fairly basic as far as his wardrobe goes, almost always wearing his RSD uniform, and doesn't have many standout features. The most noteworthy detail about him is his big, red mustache, which is easily identifiable among his fellow officers. This makes it all the more surprising to see him without it.
The man behind the character rarely has such prevalent facial hair during his day-to-day life. Ian Roberts is a completely different person when his upper lip is exposed, and when wearing regular civilian clothing. This seems to be a theme among the Reno 911! cast, at least those who tend to grow out their mustaches when it comes time to "enforce the law" once again. Let's just hope, for Roberts' sake, that his mental, physical, and emotional health is a bit better than that of Declan.
Everyone is back and at their best for Reno 911!'s revival, currently streaming exclusively on Quibi.