An ensemble cast is a cast in which the principal performers are assigned roughly equal amounts of importance in a dramatic production. This kind of casting became more popular in television series because it allows for flexibility for writers to focus on different characters in different episodes. In addition, the departure of players is less disruptive to the premise than it would be if the star of a production with a regularly structured cast leaves the series.
Some films have ensemble casts, usually ones that revolve around one large theme, such as The Lord of the Rings or Star Wars movies, or ones that revolve around interrelated themes persistent throughout individual subplots of the characters such as The High and the Mighty, Love Actually, or Crash.
The only known major film awards regarding ensemble casts are the Best Cast from the National Board of Review and the Screen Actors Guild's award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.
