Static Characters: Playing the Steady Presence

Put simply, a static character is someone who is the same at the beginning and the end of the story. They don’t undergo any complicated moral or personal shift during their character arc. 

• They’re consistent: A static character doesn’t change very much emotionally, physically, or spiritually between the beginning and the end of the story.
• They can be flat or round: It’s easy to make the assumption that static and flat characters tend to be closely linked, but that’s not the case; they tend to be flat and round in equal measure.
• They serve any narrative function: You can find them anywhere; whether primary or secondary, hero or villain, any character type can be static.
• They can still be nuanced: It may sound like a negative or uninteresting descriptor, but many beloved characters are steady. For example, many heroic protagonists, like Odysseus from “The Odyssey” or Ellen Ripley from “Alien” are fairly static. While they may learn things throughout the course of their stories, if a hero is good and kind at the start of the story, they tend to stay that way.

What’s the difference between static and dynamic characters?

A dynamic character is one who changes over the course of the story. It’s important to understand that in order for a character to be dynamic, the change will be significant—like personality or moral stance 180° change level significant. So don’t worry if your static character experiences a little change, since that won’t necessarily strip them of their static character status.

Sam Malone (Ted Danson), “Cheers” (1982–1993)

On the very first episode of the long-running sitcom, we’re introduced to bartender and ex-baseball player Sam Malone. He’s a wisecracking, cocky womanizer. While a lot does happen to Sam over the next 11 years—he cycles through hundreds of flings, endures a five-season on-again-off again relationship, loses and then rebuys his beloved bar—by the end of the run, Sam is…still a wisecracking, cocky womanizer. And Sam isn’t alone in this. Most sitcom characters are static, since the traditional episodic sitcom setup relies on character interactions remaining the same. Sure, a character may learn something over the course of an episode, but by the next week it’s probably business as usual.

Jean Valjean, “Les Miserables” 

The hero of Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel “Les Misérables” (and a hit 1980 musical), Jean Valjean was portrayed by Hugh Jackman in the 2012 film adaptation. Valjean is a great example of how a static character can still be nuanced. Valjean might not be the most obvious choice for a static character in that he does change, from humble beginnings in prison for stealing bread to becoming a respected member of the community. But while Jean Valjean undergoes an intense transformation of physical station and standing in society, he doesn’t change very much internally. Sure, he begins the story as a thief, but only in order to save his family from starvation—even his so-called crime is in pursuit of a greater good. Time and time again, Valjean proves himself to be moral, just, and an overall A+ dude.

Tevye, “Fiddler on the Roof” 

One of the great roles in the musical theater canon, patriarch Tevye is another character who is surprisingly pretty static. Set in 1905 against the backdrop of the impending Russian Revolution, “Fiddler” (1964) spawned a beloved film (1971) and multiple revivals, including the 2004 Broadway musical starring Alfred Molina. The stubborn Tevye must come to terms with his beloved daughters picking more and more unorthodox choices of husbands. His third daughter ultimately goes too far, and he feels he has no choice but to disown her. Again, many things around Tevye change, including his beloved home of Anatevka and his relationship with his daughters, but Tevye remains stuck in his ways, for better or worse. At the end of the day, Tevye leaves the play the way he begins, maintaining the importance of tradition above all else.

Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon), “Legally Blonde” (2001)

Though heroine Elle Woods initially enrolls at Harvard in order to chase her ex-boyfriend Warner, Elle quickly finds that she has the intellect and determination to succeed at law school. While bubbly sorority girl Elle’s character is surprising and stereotype-subverting in many ways, she doesn’t change very much. She might learn a lot about the law, but it is ultimately being true to herself that leads to her success.

Charlie Kelly (Charlie Day), Dee Reynolds (Kaitlin Olson), Dennis Reynolds (Glenn Howerton), and Mac (Rob McElhenney), “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (2005–present)

The characters of “Always Sunny” are perpetually awful people who never learn or grow—and that’s exactly the point. Charlie keeps huffing paint and stalking the Waitress, Mac is forever seeking approval, Dennis remains narcissistic and just a touch predatory (because of “the implication”), and Dee will never not be a bird. Even through major life events, like Mac coming out or Charlie finally landing the Waitress, the Gang never fails to revert back to their hilariously predictable ways.

Now that you know what a static character is (and that it has nothing to do with a broken TV screen), here’s how to take on the role. 

1. Consistency is key.

With all that stability comes great responsibility. Figure out what your character’s core principals are, and then make sure you stick to them.

2. Consider your “why.”

It’s possible that your static character is resistant to change. Why might that be? Investigate your character’s motivations and figure out why they might be so constant.

3. Remember that static doesn’t mean stale.

Just because your character is static doesn’t mean that they should be boring. Static characters can still be round and complex; they just won’t change much. Treat a static character just as you would any other and allow them to experience a full arc, even if it isn’t radical. Frankly, static characters can be very comforting, so enjoy being able to play an old faithful.