Any role played close to the start (5,2)
I believe the answer is:
early on
'close to the start' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'any role played' is the wordplay.
'played' indicates anagramming the letters (letters playing around).
'any'+'role'='anyrole'
'anyrole' anagrammed gives 'EARLY ON'.
(Other definitions for early on that I've seen before include "Towards the beginning" , "right at the start" , "In the first stages" , "Before much time has elapsed" , "while still young?" .)