scene stealing
Overshadowing the lead
Scene stealing is drawing attention to oneself in a way that diverts focus from whoever should be the center of attention.
The term comes from theater and film, where a supporting actor might upstage the lead through sheer charisma or showboating.
It extends to any situation where someone pulls focus: The flower girl's antics were pure scene stealing at the wedding.
- upstagingOutshining a performer
- standoutExceptional person or thing
- showstopperSpectacular crowd-pleasing performance
- breakout roleFame-making acting job
- memorableWorth holding onto
impressive · dramatic timing · captivating · striking · screen presence · improvisation · charisma · stage presence · character actor · humor · spectacle · mugging · over the top · noteworthy · magnetism · ham · highlight · unforgettable
- acting termsmethod acting, overacting, character voice, dialogue, body language
scene stealingblending in
Avoiding notice by conforming
self-effacing · unobtrusive · understated · invisible · wallflower
scene stealingsupporting
Bearing or sustaining
team player · collaborative · deferential · listening · straight man
scene, stealing, scenes, scenic, scenery, steal, steals, stolen, stealer