Glossary of Cast Credits: Series Regular, Recurring, Co-Star, and More
Last reviewed on April 28, 2026.
Cast credits use a small set of recurring terms that look interchangeable until you read them carefully. Each one means something specific about contract, screen time, or honour position. This glossary explains the ones you are most likely to see on a television or film cast list, and how each shows up on a Cast.biz page.
How to use this page
The terms below are grouped by what they describe. Television casting tiers come first — series regular, recurring, guest, co-star, day player — followed by billing-position phrases that appear on both film and television, such as “with,” “and,” and “introducing.” Each entry includes a one-line definition, what it implies in practice, and an example of where you would see it.
Television casting tiers
Series regular
Definition. An actor contracted for the full season under a series-regular deal, with their name in the opening titles or splash credits.
What it implies. The character is part of the show's recurring fabric. The writers can use the actor in any episode without adding a story reason for them to appear.
Example context. The principal cast at the top of a long-running drama page — the leads of Yellowstone, Severance, or The Bear are all series regulars.
Recurring guest star
Definition. An actor contracted episode by episode or for a defined arc, appearing in multiple episodes but not under a series-regular deal.
What it implies. The character returns enough to matter, but not in every episode. Often promoted to series regular if the show runs long enough.
Example context. The supporting tier on a long-running ensemble drama, or a season-arc antagonist who appears in five or six episodes.
Guest star
Definition. An actor hired for a single episode, sometimes two consecutive ones, with prominent credit.
What it implies. The character is significant within the episode but is not part of the show's continuing world. The credit usually appears at the front of the closing roll, or in a dedicated guest-star card.
Example context. A victim of the week, a one-off antagonist, or a flashback character who appears once.
Special guest star
Definition. A guest credit that calls out an unusually high-profile or veteran actor appearing for one episode or a short arc.
What it implies. The production wants to flag the appearance to the audience. The credit is contractual and is sometimes paired with a higher fee.
Example context. A film actor or earlier-generation TV star making a one-episode appearance on a current series.
Co-star
Definition. A smaller speaking role with on-screen credit, usually listed in the closing titles after the principal and guest cast.
What it implies. The character has dialogue and may be central to one scene, but is not a returning presence in the show.
Example context. Police officers, restaurant staff, doctors questioning a patient — characters with named roles but limited screen time.
Day player
Definition. A speaking-role actor hired by the day, usually for a single scene.
What it implies. Smallest tier of credited speaking work. Often included in the closing scroll without a character name attached, or with the role described generically.
Example context. The cashier in a single shopping scene, the messenger who delivers one piece of news.
Billing-position phrases
Starring
Definition. The lead position on an opening title card or main-title sequence.
What it implies. The actor is the production's lead. On a film, the “starring” card identifies the person whose name sells the ticket.
With
Definition. A credit position introducing a respected supporting actor toward the end of the cast roll.
What it implies. The actor's role may be small in screen time but the production wants to mark the contribution.
And
Definition. The final position in a cast credit sequence — sometimes called the “and credit.”
What it implies. An honour position usually given to a senior or otherwise notable actor in a supporting role. Treated as separate from a principal billing position; an “and” credit can be more prestigious than a middle-of-the-list slot above it.
Example context. A veteran character actor playing a major secondary role; a returning legacy actor in a sequel cast.
Introducing
Definition. A credit reserved for an actor's first major screen role.
What it implies. Rare today. Studios occasionally use it to signal that a new face is being introduced to audiences.
Above the title
Definition. A poster billing position where the actor's name appears physically above the film's title.
What it implies. The strongest cast position available. Reserved for major stars and for productions built around a single performance.
Possessory credit
Definition. A credit such as “A Film by [Director],” placed above the title.
What it implies. Belongs to filmmakers rather than cast, but appears in the same area of a poster and contributes to the same hierarchy.
Other terms you may see
Cameo
Definition. A brief appearance, often by a recognisable performer playing themselves or a small role.
What it implies. Different from a guest star: cameos are usually unannounced before release, and the appearance is part of the surprise.
Ensemble cast
Definition. A cast structure in which several actors share roughly equal weight, with no single lead.
What it implies. The opening titles often list the principals alphabetically or in negotiated tiers, and the writing room treats the cast as a balanced group rather than a centre and satellites.
Covered in more detail on Ensemble vs. Lead-Driven Casts.
Performance capture
Definition. A live-action acting technique in which the performer wears a sensor suit and their movements drive a digital character.
What it implies. Closer to live-action acting than to traditional voice work. Credited as the actor playing the character, not as a separate voice credit.
Voice (V.O.)
Definition. Voice-only performance, whether for narration, an animated character, or a hidden in-world voice.
What it implies. Discussed separately on Voice Acting vs. On-Camera Casting.
How Cast.biz uses these terms
On a Cast.biz page, the section called “Main Cast” or “Principal Cast” lists series regulars (for TV) or above-the-title and headline-billing actors (for film). Recurring guest stars and significant supporting credits appear lower down, often grouped by faction or family. Co-stars and day players are usually represented by description rather than by individual entries, since the page focuses on cast that audiences are likely to look up.
Where to look next
For how these tiers come together when a show is being assembled, see How TV Show Casts Are Built. For how the names get ordered once they are known, see Understanding Billing Order. For who decided which actors got into the room in the first place, see Casting Directors Explained.