Backstory
noun
The background information or past events of a character or situation in a movie, book, or play.
The movie flashes back to reveal the character's heartbreaking backstory.
Often appears as...
- character's backstory
- reveal the backstory
Usage tips
Literary
noun
The history or facts that led to a particular situation or event.
To fully understand the conflict, we need to delve into the region's complex backstory.
Often appears as...
- complex backstory
- region's backstory
Usage tips
Academic
noun
Details about the life of a person before they became famous or achieved something notable.
The biography delves into the artist's intriguing backstory.
Often appears as...
- artist's backstory
- personal backstory
noun
The background information or past events of a character or situation in a movie, book, or play.
The movie flashes back to reveal the character's heartbreaking backstory.
Often appears as...
- character's backstory
- reveal the backstory
Usage tips
Literary
noun
The history or facts that led to a particular situation or event.
To fully understand the conflict, we need to delve into the region's complex backstory.
Often appears as...
- complex backstory
- region's backstory
Usage tips
Academic
noun
Details about the life of a person before they became famous or achieved something notable.
The biography delves into the artist's intriguing backstory.
Often appears as...
- artist's backstory
- personal backstory
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Literary Depth
Provides deeper understanding of characters or situations in narratives.
The superhero's backstory explains why she started fighting crime.
Pro Tip 2/3Flashback Tool
Often revealed through flashbacks or characters reflecting on their past.
Through a series of flashbacks, the soldier's backstory is unveiled.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Connection
Backstories can evoke empathy or help explain characters' motivations.
Her backstory of poverty stirred the audience's emotions.
Pro Tip 1/3Literary Depth
Provides deeper understanding of characters or situations in narratives.
The superhero's backstory explains why she started fighting crime.
Pro Tip 2/3Flashback Tool
Often revealed through flashbacks or characters reflecting on their past.
Through a series of flashbacks, the soldier's backstory is unveiled.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Connection
Backstories can evoke empathy or help explain characters' motivations.
Her backstory of poverty stirred the audience's emotions.
Pro Tip 1/3Literary Depth
Provides deeper understanding of characters or situations in narratives.
The superhero's backstory explains why she started fighting crime.
Pro Tip 2/3Flashback Tool
Often revealed through flashbacks or characters reflecting on their past.
Through a series of flashbacks, the soldier's backstory is unveiled.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Connection
Backstories can evoke empathy or help explain characters' motivations.
Her backstory of poverty stirred the audience's emotions.
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Video examples
Music and emotion...
Symphony that looks at the backstories of music and working with the young musicians at the New World Symphony on projects that explore the potential of the new performing arts centers for both entertainment and education and of course the New World Symphony led to the YouTube Symphony and projects on the
Video examples
Capturing the Year in an...
the world and you can read about our famous wall of photos at headquarters in an essay i wrote for our photography newsletter you can also learn the backstory of eight national geographic photos that made an impact including the image of the peruvian shepherd most importantly this year's year in
Video examples
The strange story of the...
So we can explain that failure two ways. The first, well, it's pretty obvious. I'm going to go ahead and say it out loud Opossums are hideous. But maybe more importantly is that the story of the billy possum was all wrong, especially compared to the backstory of the teddy bear.
Video examples
Descendents of Cahokia PIPE...
serpent with deer antlers and it's a narrative that's going on in there with backstories and it's a very complex narrative but all the depictions the characters on the walls of that cave are supernatural beings chemical dating shows that the cave paintings are a
Video examples
Michael Tilson Thomas:...
that looks at the backstories of music, and working with the young musicians at the New World Symphony on projects that explore the potential of the new performing arts centers for both entertainment and education. And of course, the New World Symphony
Video examples
Inside a cartoonist's...
director, stage designer, choreographer, and costume designer. A cartoon has characters, a set, dialogue, even if one line, and a backstory. The characters must be dressed to fit the idea, speak in a way that is natural and forwards the idea
Video examples
Sky Caves of Nepal, Part...
everywhere it's so rich and and the texture of this culture is so deep and so varied and so full and so immediately you hit the ground running and I started just immersing in that part of the story how do I tell the story the backstory of
Video examples
Selecting the Stories of...
classification scheme that we still use for stars today remarkably little about her biography her backstory and so we just had to dig deep we went to Harvard went to their archives had an archivist find material for us to make sure that
Video examples
Big data, small farms...
It's very exciting. This is tomato number one. This is the guy that you'll find in sub shops, supermarkets and fast-food joints around the world. It's got a really long and complicated backstory.
Video examples
Every Animal Deserves a...
tell us the story about how that baby landed in your arms you have a red spout from a milk bottle in one hand and you're caring for this animal I would just love to know the backstory of that
Video examples
Music and emotion...
Symphony that looks at the backstories of music and working with the young musicians at the New World Symphony on projects that explore the potential of the new performing arts centers for both entertainment and education and of course the New World Symphony led to the YouTube Symphony and projects on the
Video examples
Capturing the Year in an...
the world and you can read about our famous wall of photos at headquarters in an essay i wrote for our photography newsletter you can also learn the backstory of eight national geographic photos that made an impact including the image of the peruvian shepherd most importantly this year's year in
Video examples
The strange story of the...
So we can explain that failure two ways. The first, well, it's pretty obvious. I'm going to go ahead and say it out loud Opossums are hideous. But maybe more importantly is that the story of the billy possum was all wrong, especially compared to the backstory of the teddy bear.
Video examples
Descendents of Cahokia PIPE...
serpent with deer antlers and it's a narrative that's going on in there with backstories and it's a very complex narrative but all the depictions the characters on the walls of that cave are supernatural beings chemical dating shows that the cave paintings are a
Video examples
Michael Tilson Thomas:...
that looks at the backstories of music, and working with the young musicians at the New World Symphony on projects that explore the potential of the new performing arts centers for both entertainment and education. And of course, the New World Symphony
Video examples
Inside a cartoonist's...
director, stage designer, choreographer, and costume designer. A cartoon has characters, a set, dialogue, even if one line, and a backstory. The characters must be dressed to fit the idea, speak in a way that is natural and forwards the idea
Video examples
Sky Caves of Nepal, Part...
everywhere it's so rich and and the texture of this culture is so deep and so varied and so full and so immediately you hit the ground running and I started just immersing in that part of the story how do I tell the story the backstory of
Video examples
Selecting the Stories of...
classification scheme that we still use for stars today remarkably little about her biography her backstory and so we just had to dig deep we went to Harvard went to their archives had an archivist find material for us to make sure that
Video examples
Big data, small farms...
It's very exciting. This is tomato number one. This is the guy that you'll find in sub shops, supermarkets and fast-food joints around the world. It's got a really long and complicated backstory.
Video examples
Every Animal Deserves a...
tell us the story about how that baby landed in your arms you have a red spout from a milk bottle in one hand and you're caring for this animal I would just love to know the backstory of that
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
John Hawkes
American Actor
In the time between when you first read a script and are offered the role and the time when you begin to shoot, I really love putting in the time and work on that and getting a solid backstory to a character and researching all that I can about what that person does for a vocation or their upbringing or where they're from.
Quote examples
Jason Reynolds
American Author
I believe that every character is a setting, a world with moving parts, and on the other hand, every setting is, in fact, a character - a living breathing thing with personality and backstory. The way stories come to life, at least for me, is when these elements commune in relationship to one another.
Quote examples
Krysten Ritter
American Actress
I think backstory is really important to know because I'm all about prep work. I like to do all of my work right away, as soon as I get it. I'm incapable of procrastinating on anything, so I like to do all of the work.
Quote examples
Regina King
American Actress
I create my own backstory regardless of if I'm told something about the background or not. There's always more that you can develop in your head that makes a character more layered, more honest.
Quote examples
Ranvir Shorey
Indian Actor
Though every film teaches me at least three new things, I don't subscribe to doing homework about a character's backstory unless it's a historical role or one that requires training in accent.
Quote examples
Sarah Gadon
Canadian Actress
I do build my own backstory as an actor. It's important to know where your characters have come from in order to know where they're going - in order to exist in that state of being.
Quote examples
Yael Stone
Australian Actress
It's really interesting working in television as opposed to the theater, where you know the arc of the character and you are able to create this whole backstory.
Quote examples
Hale Appleman
American Actor
Great direction, great acting partner, great character backstory - these are all rare luxuries to have in the room.
Quote examples
Julia London
American Writer
My characters are all made up of pieces of people I have known, their backstories pieces of mine.
Quote examples
Richa Pallod
Indian Model
Detailing and backstories are so important; only they draw you into the life of a character.
Quote examples
John Hawkes
American Actor
In the time between when you first read a script and are offered the role and the time when you begin to shoot, I really love putting in the time and work on that and getting a solid backstory to a character and researching all that I can about what that person does for a vocation or their upbringing or where they're from.
Quote examples
Jason Reynolds
American Author
I believe that every character is a setting, a world with moving parts, and on the other hand, every setting is, in fact, a character - a living breathing thing with personality and backstory. The way stories come to life, at least for me, is when these elements commune in relationship to one another.
Quote examples
Krysten Ritter
American Actress
I think backstory is really important to know because I'm all about prep work. I like to do all of my work right away, as soon as I get it. I'm incapable of procrastinating on anything, so I like to do all of the work.
Quote examples
Regina King
American Actress
I create my own backstory regardless of if I'm told something about the background or not. There's always more that you can develop in your head that makes a character more layered, more honest.
Quote examples
Ranvir Shorey
Indian Actor
Though every film teaches me at least three new things, I don't subscribe to doing homework about a character's backstory unless it's a historical role or one that requires training in accent.
Quote examples
Sarah Gadon
Canadian Actress
I do build my own backstory as an actor. It's important to know where your characters have come from in order to know where they're going - in order to exist in that state of being.
Quote examples
Yael Stone
Australian Actress
It's really interesting working in television as opposed to the theater, where you know the arc of the character and you are able to create this whole backstory.
Quote examples
Hale Appleman
American Actor
Great direction, great acting partner, great character backstory - these are all rare luxuries to have in the room.
Quote examples
Julia London
American Writer
My characters are all made up of pieces of people I have known, their backstories pieces of mine.
Quote examples
Richa Pallod
Indian Model
Detailing and backstories are so important; only they draw you into the life of a character.
Example 1 of 10
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