अभिनेता वह पुरुष कलाकार है जो एक चलचित्र या नाटक में किसी चरित्र का अभिनय करता है। अभिनेता परिकल्पना एवं दर्शक के बीच माध्यम का काम करता है। जो दी गयी भूमिका को किसी मंच द्वारा दर्शक के लिए प्रस्तुत करता है। अभिनय की कला का ज्ञान एवं अभिनेता के भाव प्रस्तुतीकरण को सार्थक बनाता है।

An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is ὑποκριτής (hupokritḗs), literally "one who answers". The actor's interpretation of a role—the art of acting—pertains to the role played, whether based on a real person or fictional character. This can also be considered an "actor's role", which was called this due to scrolls being used in the theaters. Interpretation occurs even when the actor is "playing themselves", as in some forms of experimental performance art.