Memorizing your lines can be done by repeating them by yourself, rehearsing with fellow actors and listening to your own recordings. Learn a few memorization tricks with advice from experienced stage and screen actress Jennifer Rae in this free video on acting.

Expert: Jennifer Rae
Bio: Jennifer Rae is an Equity actor, who has been involved in all aspects of acting (theatre and screen) for more than 20 years.
Filmmaker: Tyler Bourns

A character actor is an actor who predominantly plays a particular type of role rather than leading ones. Character actor roles can range from bit parts to secondary leads. However, character actors often play supporting roles, for characters who do not undergo a major change in the course of the plot, and whose role is less prominent. While movie-goers may not recognize character actors’ names, their faces are instantly recognizable to movie fans.

Character actors such as John Turturro and Steve Buscemi have built their careers around small, yet distinctive roles. Some character actors play essentially the same character over and over, and get typecast, as with Andy Devine, who often played a humorous but resourceful sidekick or Dennis Farina, who often plays a tough cop or gangster.