Character actor

Actor Claude Rains (right) was sometimes a leading actor, sometimes a character actor, often cast as a sophisticated, sometimes "morally ambiguous" man.[1]

A character actor is an actor known for playing unusual, eccentric or interesting characters in supporting roles, rather than leading ones.[2][3][4][5] The term is somewhat abstract and open to interpretation.[6] While all actors play "characters",[7] the term character actor is often applied to an actor who frequently plays a distinctive and important supporting role.[1][8] In another sense, a character actor may also be one who specializes in minor roles.

A character actor may play a variety of characters in their career, often referred to as a "chameleon", or may be known for playing the same type of roles. Character actor roles are more substantial than bit parts or non-speaking extras. The term is used primarily to describe television and film actors, as opposed to theater actors.[9] An early use of the term was in the 1883 edition of The Stage, which defined a character actor as "one who portrays individualities and eccentricities".[10] Actors with a long career history of playing character roles may be difficult for audiences to recognize as being the same actor.[5]

  1. ^ a b "Top 25: Great Character Actors". Digital Polyphony. Archived from the original on May 13, 2015. Retrieved August 7, 2014. ...often in supporting roles - rarely are they leading men or leading ladies, and often times they're put into a certain type of role over and over again...
  2. ^ Oxford Dictionaries, character actor, Retrieved 7 August 2014, "...An actor who specializes in playing eccentric or unusual people rather than leading roles...."
  3. ^ Macmillan Dictionary, Character actor, Retrieved 7 August 2014, "...an actor who plays unusual, strange, or interesting characters instead of being one of the main characters..."
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference twsForeman was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b 28 April 2013, The New York Acting School, Ten Best Character Actors of All Time, Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to be almost unrecognizable from part to part, and yet play many, many roles convincingly and memorably. .."
  6. ^ Grove, Lloyd; Lipsky-Karasz, Elisa (January 13, 2004). "Busting on the 'Cult Buster'". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on December 30, 2013. Retrieved August 7, 2014. ... definitions for acting are always very tricky. What is a 'character actor'? What is a 'lead'? What is 'supporting'? ... It drives me nuts...
  7. ^ Knox, David (April 4, 2014). "Good cop, bad cop and Jack Irish". TV Tonight. Retrieved August 7, 2014. ... co-leads and cameos ... character actors. But every part plays a character...
  8. ^ Pockross, Adam (March 28, 2014). "Jon Polito: That Guy From That Thing (Who You Definitely Know)". Yahoo! Movies. Retrieved August 7, 2014. ...Jon Polito: I think a character actor ... is someone off to the side ... the baddie ... the best friend. A mother role ... stuff that fills in the plot from the center of the movie...
  9. ^ Stephen Tobolowsky, Discovery, What does it mean to be defined as a character actor? Archived 11 August 2014 at archive.today, Retrieved 7 August 2014, "In theater, they almost never use the term "character actor." ... leading actors have two names, like, Captain Jack Sparrow ... Richard Kimble – parts I play ...Officer Johnson"
  10. ^ Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., character, n., 19.