Character backstory - It's not what you think. And no, you don't "need" it.

Character: Vito Corleone from the movies “The Godfather” and “The Godfather Part II”

Think you know what character backstory is? Well, definitions kind of vary. Not to mention approaches to backstory. So, do you really need it?

​Backstory Definition #1: The character’s entire history before the actual story begins.
Some people, especially actors, write a character’s whole life history—childhood, likes, dislikes, traumas. This can feel like you’re working hard but can end up being a crutch to avoid actual storytelling or character development. It’s limiting if you stick to it because it might contradict your gut instincts while writing. For example, your gut might feel a character should launch a rocket in a scene, but your backstory tells you she’s too scared because of some unrelated past event. So you don't do it. Trust me, one thing I've learned over the years, and 34 awards later, is that your gut is often a way better writer and actor than your brain. Follow your gut.

Backstory Definition #2: Specific past experiences that form the character’s personality.
This means picking key events that explain a character’s desires, fears, and motivations. * But do you really need it? If the backstory is part of the current story, like Rick in “Casablanca,” it’s useful. But if it’s not on screen, it’s often pointless. For me, backstory is only important if it’s in the script. I just need to know the character’s personality, not the origins of it. Like in “The Lion King,” we don’t know why Mufasa is confident or Scar is evil; they just are. In “Shrek,” his grumpiness and feeling "othered" is shown through present events, not his past. We can assume this has gone on all his life, but neither the writer or the voice actor needs to know anything outside of present events to figure it all out.

My definition of backstory: I don’t have one unless it’s in the script as part of the story.
If it’s not part of the story, it doesn’t exist. Some of the best movies don’t delve into backstory. Take “The Godfather”—we don’t know his past; we just see who he is and how it shapes the story. Backstory only matters if it serves the plot. In the sequel, it's all about his past, but I don't consider that backstory 'cause that's the actual story at that moment.

I briefly took a class on character backstory, but had to cancel due to my father being hospitalized. This class insisted that all characters need a history of pain to be compelling. I so disagree. First, you don't need a character's history to be compelling. The Oscar and Tony award winning screenwriter, Aaron Sorkin, said, "I don't have character in mind when I'm starting a story. The character is born from intention and obstacle. And then, the tactics the character uses to overcome the obstacle, that's what the character's gonna be." No mention on the history of the character. For more, check out masterclass.com and go to "Developing Characters: Part 1." I do remember him saying something to the effect of, "There's no character history before page one of a story." 
In short, backstory isn’t essential unless it’s part of the story. If it’s revealed through flashbacks or plot twists, then it matters. Think of ‘No Country For Old Men.’ Do we know any of their backstories? Nope. Did the Coen Brothers write unseen backstories? I doubt it. Joel Coen mentioned that making ambiguous elements clear doesn’t necessarily add value to a movie. They prefer to keep some aspects, including character backgrounds, open to interpretation, letting the audience engage more deeply with the narrative.

Conclusion
In the end, I'm a part of the team that stick's to the present and how characters deal with current events to drive my narrative.

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