Supporting actor
Encyclopedia
A supporting actor is an actor
who performs roles in a play or film other than that of the leads.
These roles range from bit part
s to secondary leads. They are sometimes but not necessarily character roles. A supporting actor must also use restraint not to upstage the main actor/actress in the play/movie. In earlier times these were often ethnic stereotype
s. The title is usually specific to the performance, that is, a person may be a supporting actor in one film and the leading actor
in the next. An individual who typically plays supporting roles is considered a character actor
.
In television, a day player refers to most performers with supporting speaking roles hired on a daily basis without long-term contracts.
Supporting roles may be pivotal or vital to the story. In recognition of important nature of this work, the theater and film industries give separate awards to the Best Supporting Actor
and actress.
A supporting actor/actress can also be known as a 'sidekick'.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
who performs roles in a play or film other than that of the leads.
These roles range from bit part
Bit part
A bit part is a supporting acting role with at least one line of dialogue . In British television, bit parts are referred to as under sixes...
s to secondary leads. They are sometimes but not necessarily character roles. A supporting actor must also use restraint not to upstage the main actor/actress in the play/movie. In earlier times these were often ethnic stereotype
Ethnic stereotype
An ethnic stereotype is a generalized representation of an ethnic group, composed of what are thought to be typical characteristics of members of the group.Ethnic stereotypes are commonly portrayed in ethnic jokes.-Ethnic stereotypes:*African Americans...
s. The title is usually specific to the performance, that is, a person may be a supporting actor in one film and the leading actor
Leading actor
A leading actor, leading actress, star, or simply lead, plays the role of the protagonist in a film or play. The word lead may also refer to the largest role in the piece and leading actor may refer to a person who typically plays such parts or an actor with a respected body of work...
in the next. An individual who typically plays supporting roles is considered a character actor
Character actor
A character actor is one who predominantly plays unusual or eccentric characters. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a character actor as "an actor who specializes in character parts", defining character part in turn as "an acting role displaying pronounced or unusual characteristics or...
.
In television, a day player refers to most performers with supporting speaking roles hired on a daily basis without long-term contracts.
Supporting roles may be pivotal or vital to the story. In recognition of important nature of this work, the theater and film industries give separate awards to the Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actor
This is a list of awards for supporting actor. These are accolades given by a group of film or television professionals in recognition of the work of supporting and character actors...
and actress.
A supporting actor/actress can also be known as a 'sidekick'.
See also
- Supernumerary actorSupernumerary actorSupernumerary actors are usually amateur character actors in opera and ballet performances who train under professional direction to create a believable scene.- Definition :...
- Extra (actor)Extra (actor)A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
- Under-FiveUnder-FiveAn Under-Five, also known as, an under-5, or a : is an AFTRA-only contract term for an American soap opera actor whose character has under five lines of dialogue in an episode.-Under-Five work:...
- Academy Award for Best Supporting ActorAcademy Award for Best Supporting ActorPerformance by an Actor in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. Since its inception, however, the...
- Academy Award for Best Supporting ActressAcademy Award for Best Supporting ActressPerformance by an Actress in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. Since its inception, however, the...
- Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama SeriesDaytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama SeriesThe Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series has been given every year at the Daytime Emmys since the 6th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards ceremony in 1979....
- Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama SeriesDaytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama SeriesThe Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series has been given every year at the Daytime Emmys since the 6th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards ceremony in 1979....
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor - Comedy SeriesPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor - Comedy SeriesThis is a list of the winners of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.-1950s:*1954: Art Carney – The Jackie Gleason Show as Ed Norton*1955: Art Carney – The Jackie Gleason Show as Ed Norton...
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor - Drama SeriesPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor - Drama SeriesThis is a list of the winners of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.-1960s:*1960: no award*1961: Roddy McDowall – Not Without Honor*1962: no award*1963: no award...
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor - Miniseries or a Movie
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress - Comedy SeriesPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress - Comedy SeriesThis is a list of winners of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.-Superlatives:-1950s:*1953: Vivian Vance - I Love Lucy as Ethel Mertz** Audrey Meadows - The Jackie Gleason Show as Alice Kramden...
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress - Drama SeriesPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress - Drama SeriesThis is a list of winners of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series-Superlatives:-1960s:*1960: no award*1961: no award*1962: Pamela Brown – Victoria Regina*1963: Glenda Farrell – Ben Casey...
- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress - Miniseries or a Movie