I will presume here, but in America “character” is not just a descriptive adjective, it is also an assumed qualitative adjective with a bias towards the positive. Having “character” is akin to a combination of that you are honorable, are principled, upstanding, and often implies a higher level learning or understanding and some refinement.

It is why it is believed to be “well-deserved” as it is a function of his behaviors, actions, and words.

That makes no sense. Your behaviors, actions, and words are your character. That's what "character" means. If you do good things, your character is good. If you do bad things, your character is bad. Those statements are true by definition.

It isn't possible for your character to differ in any direction from your behaviors, actions, and words, since it consists of nothing other than those things.