Character actor

A character actor is an actor known for distinctive, varied portrayals, often in supporting roles, rather than chiefly for repeating a leading-persona type.

Leading actor: An actor cast chiefly in a production’s central role. Character actors are often distinguished from performers whose careers center on leading roles.
Casting (performing arts): The process of selecting performers for roles in a stage, film, or television production. Casting decisions often use character actors for roles requiring a sharply defined presence.
Thelma Ritter: An American film and stage actor known for sharp, often comic supporting performances. Ritter became a defining example of a character actor whose supporting roles commanded attention.
Characterization: The creation and presentation of a character’s distinctive traits in a narrative work. Character actors are recognized partly through the specificity of their characterizations.
Typecasting: The repeated casting of an actor in similar roles based on established traits or audience expectations. A character actor’s varied portrayals differ from being repeatedly confined to one type.
Ensemble cast: A cast in which several performers share substantial importance rather than one dominating the story. Ensemble productions give distinctive supporting performers room to shape the whole work.
Peter Lorre: A Hungarian-American actor known for distinctive performances in film, including M and Casablanca. Lorre’s unusual screen presence made him recognizable across a wide range of character roles.
Acting: The art and practice of portraying characters in performance. Character acting is one recognizable career pattern within the broader practice of acting.
Star persona: The recognizable public image and screen identity associated with a film star. Character actors are often valued for transformation rather than the continuity of a star persona.
Voice acting: The performance of characters through vocal expression, commonly in animation, games, and narration. Vocal transformation lets character actors create distinct roles without appearing onscreen.

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