The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word FIGURANT
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
F
I
G
U
R
A
N
T
More clues leading to the result FIGURANT
Buddy explains!

The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does FIGURANT mean?
FIGURANT noun- An actor or dancer in the background lacking an aural presence.