Cinema and Theater - Acting

Here you will learn some English words related to acting such as "leading lady", "extra", and "stunt man".

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Cinema and Theater
actor [noun]

someone whose job involves performing in movies, plays, or series

Ex: The actor 's ability to connect with the audience on an emotional level creates a memorable performance .
actress [noun]

a woman whose job involves performing in movies, plays, or series

Ex: The actress performed beautifully in the play .
double [noun]

a person who substitutes for an actor in a film, typically during scenes that involves nude or dangerous scenes

Ex:

a group of actors who share roughly equal screen time and importance in a movie

an actor who always plays the role of a bizarre or outlandish character rather than a main role

an actor who plays the main male role in a movie or play

an actress who plays the main role in a movie or play

ham [noun]

an actor with an exaggerated theatrical style

lead [noun]

an actor who plays the main role in a play or movie

Ex: The director praised the lead for her dedication and talent in bringing the protagonist to life on screen .

an actor who plays a secondary character in a film or television show, often providing support or context to the main plot or protagonist

a performer who provides voices for animated films, TV shows, video games, commercials, audiobooks, and other media where speaking voices are needed

stand-in [noun]

a person who replaces someone else briefly in doing their job while they are not available

Ex: The photographer used a stand-in to test the lighting before the main model arrived .
star [noun]

the chief actor or performer in a motion picture, play, TV or radio program, etc.

Ex: He was the star of a popular TV series .
starlet [noun]

a young and promising female actor who is coached and publicized in order to become a star

an actor who takes part in performing a role in a tragedy

an actor who practices the lines of another actor in order to replace them if necessary

Ex: The understudy had to memorize the script quickly when called upon to perform .
walk-on [noun]

a small, non-speaking role played by an actor who appears briefly on screen, often as a background character or extra

a professional who trains actors to improve their performance skills and technique

bad guy [noun]

a character in a story or film who is portrayed as an antagonist or villain

Ex: The bad guy was finally defeated in the final scene .
cameo [noun]

a minor role that is played by a well-known actor

Ex: The director included a subtle cameo by a beloved veteran actor , paying homage to the classic films that inspired the new production .
co-star [noun]

a leading actor or actress who takes part in a movie, play, etc.

extra [noun]

a person hired to appear in a film or television production, typically in the background of scenes to add realism

Ex:
good guy [noun]

a protagonist or a heroic character in a story or film who embodies positive traits and intentions

part [noun]

the specific role given to an actor

role [noun]

the part or character that an actor plays in a movie or play

Ex: I auditioned for a small role in the school drama .

a main role played by an actor in a film or a theatrical production

the main character in a production whose name is also the title of the film, television show, or play

villain [noun]

the main bad character in a movie, story, play, etc.

Ex: The villain ’s motives were revealed at the end of the story .
line [noun]

dialogue or spoken text assigned to an actor

Ex: He delivered the lines with emotion .
cue [noun]

a few words or actions that hint another performer to say a line or do something

Ex: She missed her cue and entered the scene at the wrong moment .
prompt [noun]

a word, phrase, or signal given to an actor to remind them to speak or act

Ex: The director provided a subtle prompt from the wings .

a text in the script of a play, giving an instruction regarding the movement, position, etc. of actors

Ex: During rehearsal , the actors practiced the intricate choreography as per the stage direction .
casting [noun]

the process of assigning roles and parts to actors or performers in a movie, play, etc.

Ex: The director 's vision for the film was realized through meticulous casting , with actors selected to embody specific characters .

a session of audition during which the actor is recorded in order to be assessed for a role

act [noun]

a main part of a play, opera, or ballet

Ex: The final act of the ballet featured an impressive display of choreography .
baddy [noun]

an evil character in fiction or a motion picture

Ex: Every fairy tale needs a baddy to make the story exciting .
aside [noun]

an actor's line that is told to the audience but the other characters on the stage are not intended to hear

Ex:

the main character in a movie, novel, TV show, etc.

Ex: The protagonist 's internal conflict drives the narrative forward as they grapple with difficult choices and confront their own flaws and insecurities .
dialogue [noun]

a written or spoken line that is spoken by a character in a play, movie, book, or other work of fiction

Ex: The play 's dialogue was both witty and thought-provoking .
exit [noun]

the act of leaving the stage by an actor

Ex: She paused for effect before her exit .
goody [noun]

someone who is morally good, especially a character in a movie, play or book

Ex: The story 's goody was too perfect , making them less interesting than the villain .
hero [noun]

the main male character in a story, book, movie, etc., often known for his bravery and other great qualities

Ex: The hero of the movie was a courageous firefighter .
heroine [noun]

the main female character in a story, book, film, etc., typically known for great qualities

Ex: The heroine of the book is a young girl with special abilities .

a person who is romantically or emotionally involved with another person, often a central character in a story or narrative

Ex: They debated whether the hero 's love interest was necessary for the plot .

a speech that a character in a dramatic play gives in the form of a monologue as a series of inner reflections spoken out loud

Ex: The soliloquy served as a window into the character 's psyche , shedding light on their motivations and internal struggles .

a fictional character with special and strange powers

a role or part played by an actor, performer, voice actor, etc.

Ex: The actor playing the character of Hamlet received critical acclaim for his performance .

someone who helps the actor with various professional and practical tasks so they can perform better in their role

Ex:

someone who manages a theater company and also acts in their plays

Ex: She thrived in her role as an actor-manager , balancing the demands of performance with the challenges of running a theater .
cast [noun]

all the actors and actresses in a movie, play, etc.

Ex: A talented cast can make even a simple story compelling .

a famous actor or actress who plays the leading role in a movie

player [noun]

an actor specially one who performs a role on a stage

prompter [noun]

someone who reminds actors what to say if they forget their lines on the stage

stuntman [noun]

a person who performs dangerous or difficult actions in place of actors in movies or shows

Ex: The stuntman jumped off a building for the action scene .

a woman who doubles for an actor during the production of dangerous scenes in a movie

Ex: The stunt woman jumped from the building without hesitation .
trouper [noun]

an actor or performer who is very reliable and has a lot of experience

someone who is in charge of the advertising and publicity of a particular actor, musician, etc., providing information to a newspaper, magazine, etc.

an extended speech delivered by an actor within a play or film

Ex: The actress received a standing ovation for her moving monologue in the third act of the play .
ad lib [noun]

a line that is recited in a speech or performance without prior preparation

Ex: During the live broadcast , the anchor handled an unexpected technical glitch with a smooth ad lib , maintaining the show 's flow seamlessly .

the act of performing a role on stage by expressing a character through speech, action, and gesture

Ex: His subtle characterization brought the villain to life .

an actor who performs in films, television shows, or other recorded visual media

Ex: The screen actor was nominated for an award for her role in the latest blockbuster movie .