101 Personality Traits of Movie, TV and Literary Characters

When it comes to character development, you can often feel overwhelmed by the many rules, instructions, and guidelines provided by books, courses, classes, lectures, and interviews. While tools are provided to help you find your character, the process of character development is actually easier than you think, and it all starts with conflict and character traits.

A simple two-step process includes:

1. Create a character who will struggle with the central conflict presented in the premise.
2. Include personality traits that help or hinder them from overcoming the conflict at hand.

Then when you blend those two elements with the many conflicts they’re forced to face during the course of the story, the character development and depth takes on a life of its own.

With that in mind, we’ve listed here 101 essential personality traits that you can turn into traits that define your characters in your story. When you compare these traits to the conflict of the story, it takes on the depth and arc of the character, either having your character succumb to the conflict, having your character succumb to the traits, or having them transcend them to gain Compelling character arcs, or embracing them to overcome any conflict they encounter.

Read more: 9 Enneagram Personality Types Writers Can Use

“Joker: Pas de Deux” (2024)

101 Personality Traits of Movie, TV and Literary Characters

These character traits are presented in the form of character types, which you can shape and mix as needed in your story:

1. Trance: They forget things and are less attentive in life.
2. achievement oriented: They want to develop and demonstrate their abilities to others.
3. positive: They are hyperactive and ready to engage.
4. provocative: They will not hesitate to attack or confront.
5. pleasant: They have a cheerful and pleasant personality.
6. altruism: They are selfless and care about the well-being of others.
7. anxious: They are extremely uneasy about uncertain outcomes.
8. Be assertive: They act with confidence and power.
9. boastful: They brag and have excessive pride and self-satisfaction.
10. brave: They face danger, conflict, and pain without hesitation.
11. careful: They will do whatever it takes to avoid harm.
12. careless: They don’t care about others and rarely consider making mistakes.
13. cautious: They try to avoid harm and danger.
14. hapiness: They are always happy and usually optimistic.
15. compassionate: They have empathy and compassion for others.
16. confident: They are certain of their abilities and abilities.
17. Responsible: They are thorough and effective in the way they work.
18. continuous: They rarely change their methods and methods.
19. traditional: They try to adhere to what is socially acceptable.
20. creative: They have creative and original ideas and solutions.
21. critical: They won’t hesitate to express their dissatisfaction or judgment.
22. curious: They want to learn or understand new things—good or bad.
23. deceptive: To mislead others.
24. dependent: They are overly dependent on others to function.
25. depressed: They are unhappy and often immersed in sadness.
26. diligent: Their work and approach are specific and serious.
27. Observe discipline: They follow focused behaviors and ways of working.
28. dogmatism: They automatically communicate and follow principles they believe are right.
29. dominant: They demonstrate some power and influence over others.
30. efficient: Their productivity is precise with minimal waste.
31. self-centered: They only think about themselves and usually not others.
32. emotional: Their appearance is affected by their inner feelings, and they appear easily agitated or overly emotional.
33. energetic: They always show great energy and energy.
34. expressive: They don’t hesitate to express their thoughts or feelings.
35. extravagant: They spend and use resources without hesitation.
36. Outgoing: They pay great attention to external social interactions and often seek satisfaction outside themselves.
37. loyal: They are loyal and steadfast to their beliefs and those close to them.
38. horrible: They display fears, emotions, and anxieties.
39. Feminine: They possess qualities traditionally associated with women.
40. friendly: They are friendly and pleasant to others.
41. perseverance: They are very strong while always showing courage and determination.
42. greedy: They always want and desire more than they have and are willing to get it before others do.
43. guilty: They often feel like they have done something wrong or failed someone.
44. honest: They are honest and sincere.
45. Hypochondriasis: They are unusually anxious about their health.
46. hypocritical: Their words and deeds are inconsistent.
47. impulse: They do things without thinking them through first.
48. independent: They do not obey others, nor are they influenced by others.
49. innovative: Their ideas are original and creative.
50. insecurity: They have low self-esteem and no confidence in themselves.
51. intellectuals: They focus on objective reasoning and understanding.
52. introversion: They are more antisocial and tend to seek satisfaction within themselves.
53. Be creative: They can use what they know and the knowledge they have around them to create new things and ideas.
54. ironic: They are sarcastic and use sarcasm whenever possible.
55. irresponsible: They are not responsible for their actions and often put themselves and others at risk.
56. lazy: They are unwilling to work or use energy.
57. lively: They are positive, outgoing and energetic.
58. loyalty: They always show unwavering and consistent support and loyalty to those around them.
59. Controllability: They try to control others.
60. male: They possess qualities traditionally associated with men.
61. humble: They are modest in their assessment of their abilities and achievements.
62. Moody’s: They are prone to sudden and unpredictable mood swings.
63. negative: They display negative emotions and expectations.
64. negligence: They often fail to perform their duties properly.
65. nervous: They are easily agitated, panicked and fearful.
66. neurotic: They are overly sensitive, obsessive, or anxious.
67. obsessive-compulsive disorder: They have difficulty letting go of things, people, or ideas.
68. Open: They are open to new experiences and ideas.
69. organized: Their approach is structured and systematic.
70. outgoing: They are friendly and confident in social interactions.
71. suspicious: They are overly sensitive to criticism and conflict.
72. Passive: They are often unresponsive or resistant to conflict.
73. Exaggerated: They are either pretentious, solemn, or self-righteous.
74. positive: They treat emotions and expectations in a positive way.
75. precise: They are accurate, precise and detail-oriented.
76. Pretentious: They try to impress others by misleading others.
77. quiet: They have a gentle personality and an introverted personality.
78. reasonable: They tend to use reason and logic.
79. reckless: They don’t care or think about immediate danger or consequences.
80. reserved: They are reluctant to reveal emotions or opinions.
81. elastic: They are able to withstand or recover from conflict and struggle.
82. take risks: They do not hesitate to take risks with uncertainty.
83. confidence: They are confident in their abilities and character.
84. sentimental: They are prone to feelings of tenderness, sadness, or nostalgia.
85. thrill seeking: They go out of their way to discover new sensations, feelings and experiences.
86. sensitive: They are easily overly sad and have no hesitation in empathizing with others’ feelings.
87. shallow: They lack the depth to think seriously and consider others.
88. shy: They are often nervous or timid in social situations.
89. sincere: They speak their mind without any pretense or deception.
90. careless: They are careless and unsystematic.
91. cunning: They are cunning and cunning by nature.
92. Sociable: They are friendly and willing to interact with others in social situations.
93. solitary: They often enjoy solitude and life.
94. stable: They are not easily upset or disturbed.
95. shallow: They lack depth of thought or character.
96. talkative: They talk a lot.
97. nervous: They are unable to relax amid tension, anxiety and conflict.
98. thorough: They pay attention to details and are focused.
99. tough: They can endure difficulty or pain.
100. unconventional: They do not adhere to what they normally do or believe.
101. withdraw: Don’t like to communicate with others.

Want more ideas? Check out our other story prompts!

Ken Miyamoto has worked in the film industry for nearly two decades, most notably as a studio liaison and then as a script reader and story analyst for Sony Pictures.

As a production writer, he participated in numerous studio meetings with companies such as Sony, DreamWorks, Universal Pictures, Disney and Warner Bros., as well as numerous production and management companies. He previously signed a development deal with Lionsgate and has had several writing assignments, including starring Anne Heche, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Zane, James Brolin, Haley ·The miniseries “Blackout” starring Duff, Brian Bloom, Eric LaSalle and Bruce Bucklina. Follow Ken on Twitter @ken电影 and Instagram @KenMovies76.