Actors are said to have a type or range . Type is a category of person as defined by such factors as sex, age, occupation, and personality. Range is the degree of character variation that an actor is capable of playing believably. For instance, a seventeen year-old actress with a mature face may be able to play an age range of from 18 to 30, whereas her shorter babyfaced colleague of the same age may be stuck playing adolescents from 13 to 15. Range can also apply to type.
Some actors can play both heroes and villains, red-necks and sophisticates with ease.
As a general rule, the stage allows for greater range since the actor is seen from a greater distance, whereas the close-up media of film and television require actors to be closer in age and type to the roles they play. Those who produce plays and films need a handy way to categorize types of characters and the actors who play them, and there are lots of terms in use for this purpose. At the top of the list are the leads , the casting term for the central characters. Leads may be played by many types, but when they are romantic leads are usually filled by a leading man and leading lady . The term leading man describes a mature male with classically handsome good looks.