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Joseph Moyer
Dr. Stumphy
English 102, 304
12 February 2015
What Makes for an Interesting Character in Film
There is no exact method in creating an interesting film character. There are many
different characteristics that make popular characters so appealing to viewers. The most crucial
attributes in defining an interesting character in film include an intriguing background,
motivations, mental state, intelligence, uniqueness, and appearance. If you look at many of the
characters you find fascinating in any film, they should bear a few of these traits. Each character
does not need to have all of these features. Developing each captivating character involves a
particular blend of these traits. The main goal in developing these interesting characters is to
create a person that we can relate to as a human.
Backstory is an essential facet of many fascinating characters throughout the film
industry. For many film characters it is the most important component in making them so
engaging. The backstory lets us know where the character came from: who they are, what they
do, what they have done, and what has happened to them in their lifetime. It lets us develop an
understanding of the character so the viewer can relate to the character and follow their actions
and reasoning. Harry Potters backstory tells us a lot about who he is and the world he lives in.
Harry Potter is represented as a victim of a cruel man that took away his parents (Burkley). The
viewer develops an understanding for Harry Potters character because of what they know he has

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gone through. Anyone who has experienced great loss which is just about everyone can relate
to Harry Potter. The viewer feels bad for him and wants to cheer him on and is encouraged when
he succeeds because of the relation the viewer developed with him. The other side of the coin is
when we are introduced to a character than we can relate to but has taken all of the wrong
choices in life. Darth Vader is introduced to us as an imperator of evil that does not tolerate
anyone not useful to him. Then we learn of his backstory as a kind and bright little boy that cared
for his mother that turned down the wrong path when a loved one was at risk. We develop this
further human relationship with the character because we see how a seemingly good person can
commit foul actions for the sake of love. We see this kind of human nature displayed to us is
such a harsh way. It makes the character very engaging and shows a depth further than just good
and evil. Backstory gives us a sense of who these characters are and why they do what they do.
We get an understanding of the motivation behind the characters actions which lets us connect,
understand, or even disagree with their actions.
Another facet of many interesting and thought-provoking characters is their mental state.
Many fascinating characters have very altered and confusing mental states. The joker as
portrayed by Heath Ledger in Christopher Nolans The Dark Knight is one of the most
fascinating psychos of modern film. The joker is this insidious criminal with an appetite for
anarchy that doesnt seem to ever be sated (Moye). What is so intriguing about the character is
that there seems to be no reason for any of his actions barring causing chaos, chaos, and more
chaos. He thrives on this loss of control yet his character seems to be in control of almost every
situation he encounters. Another character with a very questionable mental state is Gollum from
Lord of The Rings. Gollum has a split personality disorder that causes him to frequently argue
with himself about what he should do. Unlike the Joker, or at least what we know about that

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joker from just the movie, there is a reason for Gollums insanity. He held a magical ring that
corrupted him for the majority of his life which caused him to be a psychotic twisted being. This
makes us feel bad for the pathetic creature instead of just loathing him. Nonetheless, the viewer
finds Gollums insanity enthralling because it shows two sides of his character. One is very
insidious and deceiving and the other is kindhearted and trusting. These opposing personalities
show us the two extremes of human nature (Steinmetz). The reason we find psychotic characters
like the joker and Gollum so fascinating is because they show us these extremes of human nature
and we want to understand how they think.
One facet of character that seems to often fall in line with psychotic characters is
intelligence. Intelligence can be an important trait of an intriguing character because their actions
and way of thinking will normally be more complex than one of lesser intelligence. It is much
more thought-provoking to see a well-thought out and clever plan go to fruition than one of brute
force. Dr. Hannibal Lecter from Silence of the Lambs is such a fascinating character because
throughout the movie you always find yourself wondering what he will do next. Even if you can
anticipate what action he will take next, you can never guess at how he will accomplish it. What
makes this even more interesting is that he is also a psychopath which makes it even harder to
guess at his motives and actions because they are lacking emotion (Hannibal). Not all
intelligent characters are psychotic like Dr. Hannibal. Leonardo DiCaprios portrayal of Frank
Abagnale Jr. in Catch Me If You Can displays another kind of intelligent character that appeals to
viewers. He does whatever he wants and almost always gets away with it. Its riveting to see his
close calls with the law and how he cleverly escapes time after time. It makes you want to be
intelligent and suave just like him. Viewers are drawn to intelligent characters because of their

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perceptive tendencies and creative ways of thinking. The viewer admires these characteristics
and wish they had them as well.
Another feature admired by many viewers is that of uniqueness in character. Viewers love
to see an enigma with an uncommon view of life. The Dude from The Big Lebowski has a
very unique way on looking at life. The Dude is a slacker that enjoys white Russians and
bowling and the only other important characteristic about him is that he has a rug that really ties
the room together. One of the defining characteristics of The Dude that makes him so likeable is
that he lives in the moment. He will only do what he wants to do without care for any worldly
desires other than his white russians and his rug. This kind of laid-back attitude appealed to many
viewers because they would like to somewhat be as autonomous as him. Some characters are so
unique that they pop out without much effort. Captain Jack Sparrow is a character that spits
uniqueness. His dubious nature, scarcity of morality, chronic alcoholism, and consistent selfinterest make him a very curious character. He manipulates everyone around him and only seems
to care for his ship, The Black Pearl. His seemingly crazy character attracts the viewer because
of his sporadic actions and unconventional methods. Enigmatic characters attract viewers
because of their quirks and unconventional methods and way of thinking. You never know what
they will do next and its exciting to watch and see their next actions.
Interesting characters are spawned through these attributes that allows the viewer to
connect with them or admire them. They portray human nature in many existential facets. The
viewer wants to see a facet of human nature that they can relate to or one that they dont
understand so they can learn what it is about. Intriguing characters are such because the viewer
gains something from learning about them and connecting with them. They should have an effect
on how the viewer thinks.

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Work Cited
Burkley, Melissa, Ph.D. "The Harry Potter Effect: The Science Behind Why We Like Magical
Things." Psychology Today. The Social Thinker, 14 July 2011. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.
Moye, David. "Batman Villains Psychoanalyzed By Mental Health Experts." The Huffington
Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 21 July 2011. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.
"Hannibal Lecter Psychological Profile." Flow Psychology. Flow Psychology, n.d. Web. 11 Feb.
2015.
Steinmetz, Katy. "The Hobbit's Andy Serkis on Getting Inside Gollum's Skin." Entertainment
The Hobbits Andy Serkis on Getting Inside Gollums Skin Comments. Time, 11 Dec. 2012. Web.
11 Feb. 2015.