Character Acting - article by MOREinfo-About.com

Character Acting

A second way in which character acting may be defined is to refer to actors of stage and screen who have developed acting skills which project a type of character usually found in supporting roles, rather than in leading roles. In some instances their acting will depict a neaky villain, a buffoon or a timid, subsurvient character, as examples.

There are reasons for a performer to specialize in each of these types of character acting. In the former, the ability to change, chameleon-like, from one type of character to another commands some very interesting and challenging leading roles, and can lead to a highly successful acting career. Anthony Hopkins, for example, has achieved fame and numerous leading roles because of his ability to portray a wide variety of characters in his acting.

Conversely, the actor who achieves recognition of his acting capabilities as a certain type of character has greater opportunity for frequent roles, as movies and theatre have only one or two major acting roles in a given production, but may require a large supporting cast using the acting talents of a number of character actors. .The character actor whose acting consistently portrays a certain type may not become famous, but his acting will gain frequent employment if he is a good performer.

Sometimes those actors who specialize in character acting may also be versatile enough to portray many different types of characters which are non-leading characters in a production but require proficient acting skills. Again, actors who are content not to be at the top of the credit listing, but who are competetent enough to handle a variety of acting jobs can enjoy a long and successful career in theater, motion pictures or television.

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