Ordered the two cars -— actor needs to get into one (9)
I believe the answer is:
character
'actor needs to get into one' is the definition.
(an actor gets into character for a role)
'ordered the two cars' is the wordplay.
'two cars' can mean two substitutions for 'car'.
'ordered' indicates anagramming the letters.
'the'+'car'+'car'='thecarcar'
'thecarcar' with letters rearranged gives 'CHARACTER'.
(Other definitions for character that I've seen before include "Amusing individual" , "I, for example" , "card" , "eccentric individual" , "Stamp < letter" .)