You use off-screen to refer to the real lives of film or television actors, in contrast with the lives of the characters they play. He was immensely attractive to women, onscreen and offscreen Off-screen, Kathy is under the watchful eye of her father Terry. on-screen Off-screen is also an adjective. They were quick to dismiss rumours of an off-screen romance. on-screen. when a film actor is not acting on-screen