Breaking character, "to break character", is a theatrical term used to describe when an actor, while actively performing in character, slips out of character and behaves as his or her actual self. This is an acceptable occurrence while in the process of rehearsal, but is unheard of and extremely unprofessional while actively performing in front of an audience or camera (except when the act is a deliberate breaking of the fourth wall). Serge Sudeikins poster for the Bat Theatre (1922). ... Actors in period costume sharing a joke while waiting between takes during location filming An actor or actress is a person who acts, or plays a role, in a dramatic production. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

For example, an actor and actress may be testing out a scene in front of their director. The actress may break character half-way through to suggest that she try delivering a certain line from a different position on the stage.

Performers of live theater are renowned for never breaking character, even under dire circumstances. An extreme example of this occurred in Washington, D.C. in the year 2000 when Nana Visitor and Vicki Lewis starred in the Broadway tour of "Chicago." Lewis broke her ankle halfway through the third number, and the other dancers completed the number around her while attempting to cover the injury as Lewis was escorted off stage. Then, as the dancers exited, another actress seamlessly pranced onto stage and announced, in character, that a "sexy new fox is gonna be playing Velma Kelly, but don't you cats get confused." Nana Visitor as Kira Nerys Nana Visitor (born July 26, 1957) is an American actress, famous for playing Major (later Colonel) Kira Nerys in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine from 1993 to 1999. ... Lewis as Beth in NewsRadio. ... Chicago is a musical, based on the play Chicago by Maurine Dallas Watkins. ...

Andy Kaufman had an infamous appearance on Fridays where he broke character in the middle of a sketch, prompting fellow cast member Michael Richards to grab the cue cards and throw them on a table in front of Andy. A fight also erupted on camera before the show cut to commercial. It was later revealed that this was a gag prearranged by Kaufman and the show's producers in collusion with Richards, although not everyone on set was aware it was a joke. Andrew Geoffrey Kaufman (January 17, 1949 – May 16, 1984) was an American entertainer and performance artist. ... Fridays was the name of ABCs weekly late-night live comedy show, which aired on Friday nights from 1980 to 1982. ... For other persons named Michael Richards, see Michael Richards (disambiguation). ...

Harvey Korman was infamous for breaking character on The Carol Burnett Show when he would start laughing during sketches, usually due to the antics of Tim Conway, who would deliberately try to crack Korman up. Actor Harvey Korman in the 1974 comedy Blazing Saddles. ... The original cast in 1967. ... Conway on the cover of Dorf Goes Fishing Tim Conway (born December 15, 1933) is an American comedic actor. ...

Many instances of breaking character occurred on Saturday Night Live, such as a sketch where Christina Applegate and David Spade could not stop laughing at Chris Farley's motivational speaker character as well as the band members in the More Cowbell sketch reacting to Will Ferrell's antics. Saturday Night Live (SNL) is a weekly late night 90-minute American comedy-variety show based in New York City which has been broadcast by NBC on Saturday nights since October 11, 1975. ... Christina Applegate (born November 25, 1971) is an American Emmy Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated actress, particularly well-known for playing Kelly Bundy on the sitcom Married. ... Christopher Crosby Chris Farley (February 15, 1964 – December 18, 1997) was an American actor and comedian. ... Bruce Dickinson (Christopher Walken), right, gold record producer and self-proclaimed cock of the walk, speaks to Gene Frenkle and Blue Öyster Cult. ... John William Will Ferrell (born July 16, 1967 [1]) is an Emmy and Golden Globe nominated American comedian, impressionist and actor who first established himself as a cast member of Saturday Night Live. ...

Occasionally actors in film and television can be glimpsed breaking character as they find themselves laughing or otherwise reacting to unexpected events in front of the camera. Often-cited examples include Catherine Schell who found it difficult to act with Peter Sellers in Return of the Pink Panther and maintain her composure; several scenes showing her laughing at his antics remain in the film. Audrey Hepburn broke character during the famous "Mouth of Truth" sequence in Roman Holiday when co-star Gregory Peck pulled a practical joke on her during filming, leading her to believe his hand had been bitten off by the statue. Catherine Schell as Nancy in On Her Majestys Secret Service Catherina Schell von Bauschlott (born July 17, 1944 in Budapest) is a Hungarian-born actress who rose to fame in various British film and television productions in the 1960s and 1970s. ... Richard Henry Peter Sellers, CBE (8 September 1925 – 24 July 1980) was an English comedian, actor, and performer, who came to prominence on the BBC radio series The Goon Show and later became a film star. ... The Return of the Pink Panther is the fourth film in the Pink Panther series, released in North America by United Artists and in Europe by ITC Entertainment in 1975, and stars Peter Sellers in the role of Inspector Clouseau in his third Panther appearance (after the original Pink Panther... Audrey Hepburn (May 4, 1929 – January 20, 1993) was an Academy Award-winning Dutch-British actress of film and theatre, Broadway stage performer, ballerina, fashion model, and humanitarian. ... Roman Holiday is a 1953 romantic comedy. ... Gregory Peck (April 5, 1916 – June 12, 2003) was an Oscar-winning American film actor. ...

Professional wrestling

Main article: Kayfabe

Breaking character is not solely limited to performances in traditional theater; the phenomenon is not unheard of in professional wrestling, which is normally highly scripted. WWE commentator Jim Ross once famously broke character during a match in which WWE wrestler (and friend of Ross) Mick Foley took a 16 feet high 'bump' (fall) off of a steel cage structure known as 'Hell In A Cell'. Ross exclaimed, "Will somebody stop the damn match!" While phrases such as that are often used by professional wrestling commentators to make matches seem more legitimate, Ross later stated that he made the comment out of character, being seriously worried for his friend (who had, indeed, suffered a severe concussion as a result of the fall). Much of the WWF roster broke character in 1999 when Owen Hart fell to his death from the rafters of the Kemper Arena in Kansas City; much of the onscreen drama of the WWE was similarly shunted aside in 2005 for some weeks after the death of Eddie Guerrero. In professional wrestling, kayfabe (pronounced KEI-feib; IPA: ) refers to the portrayal of events within the industry as real, that is the portrayal of professional wrestling as not staged or worked. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. ... James William (Jim) Ross, also known as J.R., or Good Ol J.R. (born January 3, 1952), is a professional wrestling executive currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment working on its RAW brand as their play-by-play commentator. ... A Hell in a Cell match. ... Mick Foley Sr. ... World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Owen Hart (May 7, 1965 – May 23, 1999) was a Canadian-American professional wrestler. ... Kemper Arena American Royal Center is an 19,500 seat indoor arena in Kansas City, Missouri that has hosted NCAA Final Four basketball games, professional basketball and hockey teams, the 1976 Republican Convention, and is the ongoing host of the American Royal livestock show. ... Nickname: City of Fountains or Heart of America Location in Jackson, Clay, Platte, and Cass Counties in the state of Missouri. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

See also

• Fourth wall
• Out of character