ANNIEFICATION: A character/actor becomes so beloved among the fans, writers or creators that they become a central protagonist or the de facto male/female lead of the show or movie despite having started much lower on the call sheet or cast order.

Annie Edison (Community) - Annie Edison began Community as a relatively lesser member of an ensemble, without being positioned as the primary female lead. Over time, however, Alison Brie's performance and popularity among the fan base and showrunners made Annie increasingly central. Later seasons gave her many of the show's emotional storylines, paired her more frequently with the male lead Jeff, and often treated her as the de facto female lead despite the ensemble format.

Steve Harrington (Stranger Things) - Steve was introduced as the stereotypical popular high-school boyfriend and was originally intended to be a relatively minor antagonist. Rather than writing him out after Season 1, the writers gave him a redemption arc. Steve then essentially transformed from a supporting character into one of the faces of the franchise because both audiences and writers adored him.

Jesse Pinkman (Breaking Bad) - Jesse was famously initially intended to die during the first season. But Aaron Paul delivered such a compelling performance that creator Vince Gilligan had to change his plans. Jesse ended up becoming the emotional heart of the series, evolving into an equal narrative lead because of overwhelming audience and creator affection.

"Anniefication", more than just a breakout role