What does it mean to play against type?

Answer 1

It means to portray a character that is the opposite of the kind of person you are perceived to be. For example, I am typically cast in housewife/mother roles, so if a director hired me to play a sexy, provocative troublemaker, I would be playing against type.

Answer 2

Different actors will be considered different types according largely to how they look, how old they are, and what ethnicity they are. An overweight woman is not likely to be cast as an ingenue because an ingenue is generally considered to be young, slender, and the general public's conception of attractive. Overweight women are often cast in character roles such as the ingenue's quirky best friend. If she is cast as the ingenue herself, she is being cast against type.

Answer 3

a person who is soft spoken say a woman and she is small
cute and people who look at her would think she is someone that wont hurt a fly. that is in real life
now take her and make her a terrible evil loud torturer in the military in a play.