World War Z

How does an actor become a character actor?

Some are 'stars' in real life. They probably smile a lot and do adorable things without even thinking about it, making other people smile a lot.

Is a character actor someone who thought they could be a 'star,' or a 'lead,' and went through all of the acting training with that dream, and then was gradually pushed towards more 'character' parts?

How does a character actor become a lead? Does that happen only when the 'character' is something intensely relatable for a big audience? Like Bob De Niro's tough?

THREE Z'S

Zoe Kazan (Sept. 83, Yale, 5 ft. 4 1/2")
Paul Dano (Jun. 84, Eugene Lang)

Franny and Zooey
Franny = an actress going to Yale
"There isn't anyone out there who isn't Seymour's Fat Lady. That includes your Professor Tupper, buddy. And all his goddam cousins by the dozens. There isn't anyone anywhere that isn't Seymour's Fat Lady. Don't you know that?"

Zooey Deschanel (1980, Northwestern {did not complete}

*Bonus* JD Salinger's Uncollected Writing Online *Bonus*