lead actor
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lead actor
The person who plays the most important role in a film, play, or television series.
Der Hauptdarsteller wurde für seine beeindruckende Leistung gefeiert.
The lead actor was celebrated for his impressive performance.
The word is made up of 'Haupt-' and 'Darsteller.' The prefix 'Haupt-' means 'most important' or 'central,' and 'Darsteller' comes from the verb 'darstellen' (to present something, to play someone).
Der Hauptbahnhof ist der wichtigste Bahnhof der Stadt.
The main train station is the most important station in the city.
The base word 'Darsteller' is part of a word family. It describes a person who plays a role. Other compounds help with understanding, e.g. 'Nebendarsteller' (supporting actor) or 'Laiendarsteller' (amateur actor).
Auch die Nebendarsteller haben eine großartige Leistung gezeigt.
The supporting actors also gave a great performance.
You can recognize the figurative meaning when the context has nothing to do with film, theater, or television. It is often about politics, business, or social events.
Im Skandal um die Parteispenden wurde der Schatzmeister zum Hauptdarsteller.
In the party donations scandal, the treasurer became the main player.
star / starling / cataract
'der Star' and 'der Hauptdarsteller' can both appear in the context of film, theater, or television. 'der Star' means a very well-known and successful person. 'der Hauptdarsteller' means the person with the most important role in a film or play. A lead actor can be a star, but he does not have to be famous. And a star can also play a smaller role. Learners may confuse the words because in major films the same person is often both. 'Star' describes fame; 'Hauptdarsteller' describes the role.
Im Theaterstück spricht der Hauptdarsteller fast in jeder Szene.
In the play, the lead actor speaks in almost every scene.
Der Star des neuen Films ist auch international sehr bekannt.
The star of the new film is also very well known internationally.