When a character on a TV show shares a detail of their heritage, upbringing, and backstory with the actor playing them. When this material and information is written to be a vital part of the character and story, it runs into Meta Casting. When this goes from a minor detail to the focus of the story, it can be an example of Real Life Writes the Plot. A subtrope of Actor Allusion. Compare The Danza, where the character and the actor share a name.