character actor

British  

noun

1. an actor who specializes in playing odd or eccentric characters

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Example Sentences

"I've always been a character actor and I like to submerge myself and try to be somebody else, that's part of the challenge," he said.

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026

A career character actor, Madigan has only been nominated for an Oscar once before, in the same category for 1985’s “Twice in a Lifetime.”

From Salon • Mar. 16, 2026

After “The Godfather” made him a movie star in his 40s, he remained a beloved character actor for half a century, adding “I love the smell of napalm in the morning” to the cultural lexicon.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

Co-star Dylan O’Brien also proves himself once again to be one of the best actors of his generation: a former teen heartthrob who now operates more like a chameleonic character actor.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 30, 2026

Whereupon, so runs the yarn, a character actor from the Comedie Francaise was paid to "make up" as Madame de Bearn and to perform her functions of sponsor.

From Superwomen by Terhune, Albert Payson