First Draft: Take Stock In These 99 Stock Characters You Can Write Into Your Screenplay

Outlaw

Similar to the Rebel (see below). They are romanticized, charismatic, and can often be the social bandit of the story.

Peacemaker

They try to force the peace between characters and situations. Usually the voice of reason between all.

Pessimist

For them, the glass is always half empty. They won’t take risks and often complain about everything every chance they get (Hudson from Aliens).

Psychopath

They have no conscience, are amoral, and have the inability to feel or care for others. All of which together is not a great combination.

Rebel

Despite the fact that many believe James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause is the quintessential rebel (he’s actually better defined as the loner), the truth is that the rebel takes the loner attributes to the next level as they push up against anyone and everyone, walking strictly to a beat of their own drum without caring what others think (John Bender in The Breakfast Club).

Redshirt

The expendable character that is never given much backstory and usually dies soon after being introduced. Taken from the original Star Trek series where characters with red shirts were often those expendable characters going out on missions with the main characters.

Reluctant Monster

The Reluctant Monster usually has no idea that they’re a monster at all. They are often a member of a species that traditionally does nasty things to people, but that is not in their own personal nature (Frankenstein).

Rightful King

A lost or forgotten just ruler whose return or triumph restores peace (Aragon from The Lord of the Rings).

Seeker

They are always on a quest for the truth, uncovering mysteries, lies, and deception despite all dangers both big and small that they face on a personal and professional level (Erin Brockovich).

Shrew

A bad-tempered or aggressively assertive woman.

Side-Kick

The friends and helpers of the main hero. They are much like the loyalist, but play a more active part in the Hero’s adventures (Robin from Batman Forever and Short Round from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom).

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