Who do you look like?

One way that I have become good at remembering faces is by relating them to the famous person they look like.  For example, when I first met my husband I thought he looked like a particular movie actor.  I won't say who, because he doesn't think he looks like this person.   The tricky thing is that the personality characteristics of the famous person might be displaced on to your new acquaintance, which is not helpful as you get to know the person.   For example, if you think someone looks like George Clooney and start to attribute this new person as smooth, funny, etc.   The guy may be a misogynistic, ill-mannered, boor.

This has also backfired on me in terms of attributing personality characteristics from a famous person to a friend.  I made the mistake of saying that Steve Buscemi reminded me of  guy (because I happen to think that Buscemi is a renaissance actor, funny and talented).  My friend took it as I meant he LOOKED like Steve Buscemi, which he took great offense too.   Because let's face it, Buschemi is talented, but unfortunate-looking.   However, don't we see smart, beautiful, talented women with unfortunate-looking talented men all the time?

Another way in which this has been positive, beside helping me remember people, is that it can make a person I don't get along with more palatable.  For example, I have a coworker who I don't see eye-to-eye with.  I think she is immature and manipulative.  However, I also think she looks like Snarf from the children's cartoon, Thundercats.  No joke, that is the first association that popped in my head when I met her.   So now it might be abrasive to deal with her, but I am usually reminded me of Snarf, which makes me laugh (at least internally).   Tension in our staff meeting?  Thundercats, HO!