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Star
of
heavy
metal,
needing
no
introduction
or
finale:
Plant
(4,5)
Star of heavy metal, needing no introduction or finale: Plant (4,5)
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The definition is at the beginning of the clue.
How the clue works
Star is the definition. LEAD gives us "a heavy metal" (lead being a well-known heavy metal). Then "Plant" clues FACTORY, but "needing no introduction or finale" tells us to drop the first letter (F) and the last letter (Y), leaving ACTOR. Put them together and you get LEAD ACTOR — another way of saying the star of a show.