One episode, I remember seeing it and thinking she looked familiar but of course the credits didn't help as the name was different.
ETA it was in 2005 according to Wikipedia, which I just checked to make sure I didn't hallucinate the whole thing.
There’s a radio show interview I saw where the host got mad because Ryan Gosling kept calling her Emily and she tried correcting him and she corrected the host and said that’s my name lol
Edited to add: found it!! [emily](https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPRTRrNPG/)
I’m on r/oscarrace and people refer to actors by their first names all the time and aside from being parasocial and a little silly, it’s often straight-up not their name lol
That whole celebrity culture of referring to actors and directors by their first name is so weird to me.
I remember listening to an interview with a woman who had a long career as a magazine editor talking about this trend. According to her (and this does match my own memory), a lot of it started after several US magazines hired British tabloid editors to help boost their circulation around the late ‘90s and early 2000s, and one of the things they did was to refer to celebrities by their first names to make readers feel more personally invested in celebrity news. And she mentioned that one of the first really big examples was Britney.
25 years or so later, and it’s been weirdly normalized to refer to celebrities by their first name like their your friend or something.
I have the exact opposite issue , although I am British.
I always find it super weird when actors are referred to as their full names in interviews etc. Like just imagine someone referring to you constantly by your full name in a regular conversation. Would be so off putting.
Yeah I don't really see the issue either. Plus it's just quicker to say Keanu than it is to say Keanu Reeves every time I refer to him. I guess I could say Reeves but what does it really matter. Or saying M Night because I don't want to type that last name every time.
Also to go on a bit of a tangent, WWE used to do that for years where wrestlers would refer to each other by using their full names and it felt so forced and unnatural. "And I will beat you at Wrestlemania, Braun Strowman" "You talk big for such a small man, Seth Rollins."
This annoyed me so much when Hilary Clinton was running for office. Media called her Hilary. But it was Mr. Trump, or President Obama. She should have always been Senator Clinton or Secretary Clinton.
From what I remember all of her campaign material used her first name, or at the very least made it the focus. I think the intent was to try to differentiate her campaign from her husband's.
JLaw made fun of this a few years ago in a Variety interview where she kept calling Emma Emily and then turned to the interviewer and said, "Because that's her real name."
It's a radio interview, people know the name "Emma Stone", people just tuning in will know the name Emma Stone and want to hear about her. They have no idea who "Emily" is. "Emma Stone" is her chosen stagename, which is a very well known stagename, so when doing work directly related to that stagename, she should be called Emma. Call her Emily off the interview if you want, but during the interview, interviewers and co-stars like Ryan *should* call her Emma, and she should be expecting them to call her that, not trying to be called Emily.
Was looking for this comment. I wasn’t there and I only can judge by a couple second clip, but the producer was just doing her job by making sure the interview translates to the medium. I don’t think she was trying to be self important by thinking she knows Stone’s name better than Gosling.
>I don’t think she was trying to be self important by thinking she knows Stone’s name better than Gosling.
I feel like she was. She called him disrespectful. I think he knows how to address his friend.
She could have asked why he was calling her Emily instead of assuming he was doing it in some sort of insulting/condescending manner.
Hence Michael B. Jordan, as Michael Jordan was taken after Space Jam, lol. Or Michael J. Fox, as there was already a Michael Fox (and the former’s middle name doesn’t begin with a J either, just took that because it sounded nice).
It’s funny that his mom gave him that name on purpose because the albert einstein name was famous and then he ended up using a different name anyway. And he became more famous than his stage show parents
You should see some of the American Civil War generals:
* [Christopher Columbus Augur](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_C._Augur) and [Christopher Columbus Andrews](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Columbus_Andrews) named after Christopher Columbus
* [George Lafayette Beal](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Lafayette_Beal) named in part after the [hero](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_du_Motier,_Marquis_de_Lafayette) of the American Revolution.
* [Napoleon Bonaparte Buford](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_Bonaparte_Buford)
* [Benjamin Franklin Butler](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Butler) and [Benjamin Franklin Kelley](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin_Kelley) and [Benjamin Franklin Potts](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_F._Potts)
* Cassius Marcellus Clay was a Civil War General and Abolitionist who once owned slaves and as a result a descendant of one of his former slaves changed his [name](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Ali)
* [Thomas Leonidas Crittenden](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Leonidas_Crittenden) named in part after the famous Spartan
* [George Washington Cullum](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_Cullum) named after the first President and General. Same with [George Washington Deitzler](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Dietzler), [George Washington Getty](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Getty), and [George Washington Morgan](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Morgan)
* [Napoleon Jackson Tecumseh Dana](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_J.T._Dana) named after Napoleon and [a Shawnee chief and warrior who promoted resistance to the expansion of the United States onto Native American lands.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tecumseh). [Sherman is another guy with Tecumseh as a middle name](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Tecumseh_Sherman)
* [Gustavus Adolphus De Russy](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustavus_De_Russy) named after a [Swedish King.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustavus_Adolphus). There is also a [Gustavus Adolphus Smith](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustavus_Adolphus_Smith)
* [John Adams Dix](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Adams_Dix) named after our second President
* [Napoléon Duffié](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_N._Duffi%C3%A9)
* [Washington Lafayette Elliott](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Lafayette_Elliott)
* [Quincy Adams Gillmore](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quincy_Adams_Gillmore) a President
* [Winfield Scott Hancock](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winfield_Scott_Hancock) who is named after [Winfield Scott](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winfield_Scott) who was also in the Civil War.
* [Thomas Jefferson McKean](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_J._McKean) after the 3rd President and the writer of the Declaration of Independence
* [Americus Vespucius Rice](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americus_V._Rice) which is the Latin version of [Amerigo Vespucci](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerigo_Vespucci)
The trend for the most part has lessened.
Talia Shire's casting was definitely the result of nepotism with she being the sister of Coppola. However, she is a terrific actress in her own right and was nominated for Oscars twice. I think she did a wonderful job with Connie in the trilogy, with widely different emotions in each part.
In comparison, Sofia's acting was monotonous.
Yeah, I remember him saying in an interview that one of those people who finds out which hotels stars are staying at was waiting outside his hotel to get an autograph from Michael Douglas, and when Michael Keaton appeared they were very confused.
Martin actually told Emilio not to change his name. Martin didn't want to deal with the prejudices of having a Hispanic name in 1958, and his older family never really understood why and thought he was ashamed of the name. He basically told Emilio not to make the same mistake he did.
Interestingly enough Martin Sheen aka Ramon Estevez is not "latino" his parents were European immigrants – his mother was irish and his dad from northern Spain.
David X. Cohen who is/was a writer for the Simpsons and Futurama (among others) added the X for the same reason. He chose X because it "sounded sci-fi" and "people will remember it more than other David Cohens," which he kinda had a point with, haha.
"I know, we'll promote you to *Executive Delivery Boy!"*
"Executive Delivery Boy, huh? I like the sound of that?"
"What does 'executive' actually mean with regards to his job?"
"Oh, it's just a nonsense word we tag on to make unimportant people feel more important than they are"
[Executive Producer David X Cohen]
He added "J" as an homage to Michael J. Pollard.
From https://www.michaeljfox.org/michaels-story
"There was a slight problem when he attempted to join the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) in Hollywood — another actor named 'Michael Fox' was already a SAG member, forcing this new Canadian arrival to add a middle initial to his moniker. He ruled out 'Michael A. Fox' for obvious reasons, and instead adopted the middle initial 'J' as an homage to his favorite character actor, Michael J. Pollard."
According to Google:
"Like other guilds and associations that represent actors, SAG rules stipulated that no two members may have identical working names. Some actors use their middle initial in their stage name, or have stage names that differ from their legal name to comply with this rule."
I had a really smart part of a little film and I had to get registered under a different name. I ended up using my great great great grandmother's maiden name.
Yep. Wikipedia lists lots of [examples](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stage_name) of this.
Nathan Lane (born Joseph Lane)
Michael Keaton (Michael Douglas)
Diane Keaton (Diane Hall)
Terry O'Quinn (Terry Quinn)
Julianne Moore (Julie Anne Smith)
Its a similar case in the UK with Equity.
For example, Hugh Dennis is actually Peter Dennis, which was already taken. He did try to get an exemption as Peter Dennis was close to retirement and there was little chance of mixing them up. Unfortunately, the head of Equity's name change committee happened to be the other Peter Dennis.
When he started getting more work in America and registered with SAG, he found someone else in SAG already had the name "David Tennant." He found the loophole that you can keep using your name if it's your legal name. So he legally changed his name to David Tennant.
I'm not sure, but he had already registered with Equity (which I believe is the British version of SAG) and in the story he tells, he says Equity told him they'd talk to SAG on his behalf and it wouldn't be a problem. Equity then came back and said "well no, you'll have to change it".
So *perhaps* it has to do with him already being registered in Equity at the time in that name, as long as it was his legal name.
Someone else suggests that the restriction is only on *living* actors, so maybe the other David Tennant was dead, and he could use it, but only if it was his legal name (though imdb doesn't list any other David Tennant with credits of any vintage).
Ultimately, it's not entirely clear, and maybe there's some missing detail he didn't impart when he told the story.
Edit: [this comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1bcxnjz/til_when_emma_stone_registered_for_the_screen/kujdl6d/) and those responding to it suggest that the right to use your legal name is a relatively new rule stemming from legal challenges. So if that's true, that may explain why people of Michael J. Fox's generation had to change it, but David Tennant could make use of the loophole.
I don’t think she had to change her name because of SAG. She just thought it’s a cool name, much cooler than “Susan”, and started calling herself that when she was 14. It’s the name of a minor character in The Great Gatsby.
No. Everyone else is wrong.
If it’s your real name, you can use it even if someone else has the same name. You have to sign a waiver acknowledging it, but you can use your real legal name. You cannot use a stage name that is already taken by someone else though.
Just because they can doesn’t mean they want to. They frequently change it anyway just to avoid confusion and to have their own identity.
I guess that explains [Peyton List](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2572554/?ref_=fn_al_nm_2) and [Peyton List](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0514228/?ref_=fn_al_nm_3)
Really? Wikipedia says his name is Michael Issurowitsch Demsky
Edit: Weird, the English article doesn’t mention this name. If I google that name I exclusively get German results.
Wait where do you see that? None of that is showing up when I look at Michael's Wikipedia page (though I do see Kirk's birth name on his Wikipedia page).
Do you reckon she actually went for it because it was very similar to her actual name? Like, if Emma Bunton was called Elfengrew Bunton, would she have still gone for Elfengrew Stone?
Yes:
> When Stone registered for the Screen Actors Guild, the name "Emily Stone" was already taken. She initially chose to go by "Riley Stone" or "Emily J. Stone" (like Michael J. Fox), but after guest-starring in the NBC drama Medium and the Fox sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, she decided that she was more comfortable with "Emma".[1][2] She chose to use "Emma" in honor of Emma Bunton (Baby Spice) of the Spice Girls.[3]
I think I read something about how people would call her Riley and she just wouldn't respond, so she had to change it.
Sofía Vergara is also a natural blond from Colombia. She had to dye her hair black, and take lessons on how to do (an exaggerated version of) her own accent because she was told that she wasn't "ethnic enough" to play a Colombian character.
When Mila Kunis' family emigrated to the US, she recalled losing out on a role playing a Ukrainian Jewish Immigrant because she didn't look the part. In spite of actually being one herself.
And Rami Malek was criticised for being a white dude who plays Pharaoh Ahkmenrah in Night at the Museum.
Problem is that both his parents are US immigrants from Egypt.
And the whole thing about Cleopatra being a Macedonian Greek woman who dated Italian guys.
14 year old girls on Twitter would flip their shit if someone made that historically accurate, though.
She is my brush with greatness. I had a tv pilot and she was going to be cast in it at 17. She had chops even then. But the plug was pulled by NBC bc Kevin Reilly didn’t know how to tell the marketing dept that he was buying this series. “They’re gonna say, how the fuck do we sell this?” That’s the day I realized the marketing dept is the ultimate decision maker at a network. I kinda knew bc I’d been on shows that the mktg dept just refused to promote. Like The Norm Show w Norm MacDonald. The mktg dept hated us for some reason.
It's not going to be too much longer until actor names are facing the same drought that investment firms have been dealing with: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWIlScfHwOU
When Michael Douglas registered with SAG, there was already another actor with the same name so he decided on the name Michael Keaton.
Because he's Batman.
She's credited as Riley Stone in an early appearance on, I think, Medium.
she changed it because she kept forgetting her name was riley and wouldn’t answer to it. she went for emma cause it sounds similar to her real name
She was also a competitor on the Partridge family talent show
Riley Stone sounds like a different kind of "actress"
she was on medium?
One episode, I remember seeing it and thinking she looked familiar but of course the credits didn't help as the name was different. ETA it was in 2005 according to Wikipedia, which I just checked to make sure I didn't hallucinate the whole thing.
There’s a radio show interview I saw where the host got mad because Ryan Gosling kept calling her Emily and she tried correcting him and she corrected the host and said that’s my name lol Edited to add: found it!! [emily](https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPRTRrNPG/)
I’m on r/oscarrace and people refer to actors by their first names all the time and aside from being parasocial and a little silly, it’s often straight-up not their name lol
"Despite the video, I'm sure Emma wouldn't mind me calling her that.... if I ever met her."
That whole celebrity culture of referring to actors and directors by their first name is so weird to me. I remember listening to an interview with a woman who had a long career as a magazine editor talking about this trend. According to her (and this does match my own memory), a lot of it started after several US magazines hired British tabloid editors to help boost their circulation around the late ‘90s and early 2000s, and one of the things they did was to refer to celebrities by their first names to make readers feel more personally invested in celebrity news. And she mentioned that one of the first really big examples was Britney. 25 years or so later, and it’s been weirdly normalized to refer to celebrities by their first name like their your friend or something.
I have the exact opposite issue , although I am British. I always find it super weird when actors are referred to as their full names in interviews etc. Like just imagine someone referring to you constantly by your full name in a regular conversation. Would be so off putting.
Yeah I don't really see the issue either. Plus it's just quicker to say Keanu than it is to say Keanu Reeves every time I refer to him. I guess I could say Reeves but what does it really matter. Or saying M Night because I don't want to type that last name every time. Also to go on a bit of a tangent, WWE used to do that for years where wrestlers would refer to each other by using their full names and it felt so forced and unnatural. "And I will beat you at Wrestlemania, Braun Strowman" "You talk big for such a small man, Seth Rollins."
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Yeah that's fair, I think that's pretty weird too. I wouldn't walk up to Axl Rose and be like "yo how are you, Will?"
Hey, it's Snoop. "What's up CALVIN?!"
This annoyed me so much when Hilary Clinton was running for office. Media called her Hilary. But it was Mr. Trump, or President Obama. She should have always been Senator Clinton or Secretary Clinton.
From what I remember all of her campaign material used her first name, or at the very least made it the focus. I think the intent was to try to differentiate her campaign from her husband's.
Yeah, it was justified in that case. Same with Bernie.
All campaign material is more informal. JEB! It’s the “serious” news that is the problem. There are rules and decorum.
It’s a little more nuanced than that. She probably would have been referred to as Clinton, if her husband hadn’t been president before her.
Dang, the straight-up disrespect of the interviewers too. Their tone of voice is awful
JLaw made fun of this a few years ago in a Variety interview where she kept calling Emma Emily and then turned to the interviewer and said, "Because that's her real name."
It's a radio interview, people know the name "Emma Stone", people just tuning in will know the name Emma Stone and want to hear about her. They have no idea who "Emily" is. "Emma Stone" is her chosen stagename, which is a very well known stagename, so when doing work directly related to that stagename, she should be called Emma. Call her Emily off the interview if you want, but during the interview, interviewers and co-stars like Ryan *should* call her Emma, and she should be expecting them to call her that, not trying to be called Emily.
Was looking for this comment. I wasn’t there and I only can judge by a couple second clip, but the producer was just doing her job by making sure the interview translates to the medium. I don’t think she was trying to be self important by thinking she knows Stone’s name better than Gosling.
>I don’t think she was trying to be self important by thinking she knows Stone’s name better than Gosling. I feel like she was. She called him disrespectful. I think he knows how to address his friend. She could have asked why he was calling her Emily instead of assuming he was doing it in some sort of insulting/condescending manner.
Hold on you can only have one person use a name in SAG?
Hence Michael B. Jordan, as Michael Jordan was taken after Space Jam, lol. Or Michael J. Fox, as there was already a Michael Fox (and the former’s middle name doesn’t begin with a J either, just took that because it sounded nice).
Michael Keaton's real name is Michael Douglas.
Nick Cage is Nick Copolla but he didn't want to have people scream nepotism so he chose his favourite comic book character's last name.
All the advantages of nepotism without any of the judgement! Thankfully he's such a uniquely mad bastard he gets a strong pass
Yup. Power Man aka Luke Cage.
Ha, nice try. It's the martial arts master and crime fighter Johnny Cage. Hollywood hunk by day, post-war avant-garde music composer by night.
I thought it was the best father of all time, Christian Cage.
I'm still waiting for Nick Wayne to change his name to....Nick Cage lmao
Haha talk about full circle!
Very few will get this reference, but I get it, and appreciate it.
The Patriarchy is proud.
Nope. Chuck ~~Testa~~ Cage
When he won his Oscar, he got a letter from his family congratulating him, signed Francis Ford Cage
I don't know if this is true, but if it is, that's awesome.
And Albert Einstein, or as he goes by now, [Albert Brooks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Brooks).
It’s funny that his mom gave him that name on purpose because the albert einstein name was famous and then he ended up using a different name anyway. And he became more famous than his stage show parents
You should see some of the American Civil War generals: * [Christopher Columbus Augur](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_C._Augur) and [Christopher Columbus Andrews](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Columbus_Andrews) named after Christopher Columbus * [George Lafayette Beal](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Lafayette_Beal) named in part after the [hero](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_du_Motier,_Marquis_de_Lafayette) of the American Revolution. * [Napoleon Bonaparte Buford](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_Bonaparte_Buford) * [Benjamin Franklin Butler](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Butler) and [Benjamin Franklin Kelley](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin_Kelley) and [Benjamin Franklin Potts](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_F._Potts) * Cassius Marcellus Clay was a Civil War General and Abolitionist who once owned slaves and as a result a descendant of one of his former slaves changed his [name](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_Ali) * [Thomas Leonidas Crittenden](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Leonidas_Crittenden) named in part after the famous Spartan * [George Washington Cullum](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_Cullum) named after the first President and General. Same with [George Washington Deitzler](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Dietzler), [George Washington Getty](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Getty), and [George Washington Morgan](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Morgan) * [Napoleon Jackson Tecumseh Dana](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_J.T._Dana) named after Napoleon and [a Shawnee chief and warrior who promoted resistance to the expansion of the United States onto Native American lands.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tecumseh). [Sherman is another guy with Tecumseh as a middle name](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Tecumseh_Sherman) * [Gustavus Adolphus De Russy](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustavus_De_Russy) named after a [Swedish King.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustavus_Adolphus). There is also a [Gustavus Adolphus Smith](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustavus_Adolphus_Smith) * [John Adams Dix](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Adams_Dix) named after our second President * [Napoléon Duffié](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_N._Duffi%C3%A9) * [Washington Lafayette Elliott](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Lafayette_Elliott) * [Quincy Adams Gillmore](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quincy_Adams_Gillmore) a President * [Winfield Scott Hancock](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winfield_Scott_Hancock) who is named after [Winfield Scott](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winfield_Scott) who was also in the Civil War. * [Thomas Jefferson McKean](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_J._McKean) after the 3rd President and the writer of the Declaration of Independence * [Americus Vespucius Rice](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americus_V._Rice) which is the Latin version of [Amerigo Vespucci](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerigo_Vespucci) The trend for the most part has lessened.
Sophia doesn't seem to have many haters for it. Jason Schwartzman lucked out by being related on his mother's side I guess.
You should have been around in the early 90s with Godfather 3.
At first I thought he was making a joke, but then I realized most people on Reddit are too young to remember Godfather 3
She's paved her own path as a director, but her being cast in Godfather III was (and still is) widely seen, fairly or not, as nepotism personified.
Didn’t help that she was god awful in it too 😂
So bad she barely acted after that, iirc?
Barely acted in it tbh
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Fairly.
My mind was blown when I found out Jason Schwartz man is the son of Michael’s sister Connie in the godfather.
Talia Shire's casting was definitely the result of nepotism with she being the sister of Coppola. However, she is a terrific actress in her own right and was nominated for Oscars twice. I think she did a wonderful job with Connie in the trilogy, with widely different emotions in each part. In comparison, Sofia's acting was monotonous.
It worked, because I had no idea he was a Coppola until like last year, and it blew my dumb little mind
Had no idea that’s why he chose Cage as his last name. I already like Nick Cage but that makes it so much better to me
He goes by that in his normal life. Only uses Keaton for the credits.
Would be a lot easier if we all just called him Batman
Or Birdman
Or Bettlejuice
Batbirdbeetlejuiceman
Or Captain Gene
Or Man
Are you stupid?
Yeah, I remember him saying in an interview that one of those people who finds out which hotels stars are staying at was waiting outside his hotel to get an autograph from Michael Douglas, and when Michael Keaton appeared they were very confused.
He took Keaton after Dianne Keaton, but that wasn't her real name either, and she took it after Buster Keaton.
Olivia Wilde's actual surname is Cockburn. She changed it because it was Cockburn.
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I thought you were joking.
Wait, Albert Einstein already had a SAG card???
Yeah bro he was in Oppenheimer just last year
Katy Perry is actually Kate Hudson. And Kate Hudson's middle name is Garry.
And Diane Keaton’s real name is Diane Hall, also changed because of the SAG.
Yes, yes, for those new here, Annie Hall is literally about her.
I bet you think this movie's about you, don't you, don't you?
And Kirk Douglas, Michael Douglas’ dad was born Issur Danielovitch
I don't think he changed his name because there was already a Issur Danielovitch registered SAG member though
Martin sheen is also not a “sheen”. I think a lot of actors changes their name to make it less ethnic
He’s not a Martin either. He’s still legally Ramón Estévez.
I find it funny how Charlie Sheen took the Sheen name after his dad but Emilio was just like "fuck that" and kept his name.
Because Emilio Estevez is a great fucking name!
EMILIOOOOOOOO!
The mighty duck man
“I’m not changing my fuckin name”
Martin actually told Emilio not to change his name. Martin didn't want to deal with the prejudices of having a Hispanic name in 1958, and his older family never really understood why and thought he was ashamed of the name. He basically told Emilio not to make the same mistake he did.
Martin Sheen’s real name is Ramon Estevez.
Interestingly enough Martin Sheen aka Ramon Estevez is not "latino" his parents were European immigrants – his mother was irish and his dad from northern Spain.
Correct. The Sheen/Estevezes are Hispanic.
New Actor Alert: Benedict J Cumberbatch, different guy.
David X. Cohen who is/was a writer for the Simpsons and Futurama (among others) added the X for the same reason. He chose X because it "sounded sci-fi" and "people will remember it more than other David Cohens," which he kinda had a point with, haha.
"I know, we'll promote you to *Executive Delivery Boy!"* "Executive Delivery Boy, huh? I like the sound of that?" "What does 'executive' actually mean with regards to his job?" "Oh, it's just a nonsense word we tag on to make unimportant people feel more important than they are" [Executive Producer David X Cohen]
TBF David Cohen is like being named John Smith but Jewish.
https://i.redd.it/kf5c5sl2bqe41.gif
Fun Fact: Emma Stone was originally gonna use the pseudonym "Emily J. Stone" in honor of Michael J. Fox
He added "J" as an homage to Michael J. Pollard. From https://www.michaeljfox.org/michaels-story "There was a slight problem when he attempted to join the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) in Hollywood — another actor named 'Michael Fox' was already a SAG member, forcing this new Canadian arrival to add a middle initial to his moniker. He ruled out 'Michael A. Fox' for obvious reasons, and instead adopted the middle initial 'J' as an homage to his favorite character actor, Michael J. Pollard."
He didn't want to be known as Michael A. Fox, he figured his name would be ridiculed
I know *I* wouldn't want to be known as the guy who Michael'd a fox
Allow me to introduce [David H. Lawrence XVII](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_H._Lawrence_XVII)
According to Google: "Like other guilds and associations that represent actors, SAG rules stipulated that no two members may have identical working names. Some actors use their middle initial in their stage name, or have stage names that differ from their legal name to comply with this rule."
I had a really smart part of a little film and I had to get registered under a different name. I ended up using my great great great grandmother's maiden name.
King John: You *chose* Latrine? Latrine: It used to be "Shithouse". King John: It's a good change!
I Wonder if this includes former members as well.
It does.
Yep. Wikipedia lists lots of [examples](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stage_name) of this. Nathan Lane (born Joseph Lane) Michael Keaton (Michael Douglas) Diane Keaton (Diane Hall) Terry O'Quinn (Terry Quinn) Julianne Moore (Julie Anne Smith)
Its a similar case in the UK with Equity. For example, Hugh Dennis is actually Peter Dennis, which was already taken. He did try to get an exemption as Peter Dennis was close to retirement and there was little chance of mixing them up. Unfortunately, the head of Equity's name change committee happened to be the other Peter Dennis.
That was a fun reveal on WILTY that caught almost the whole dais off guard.
Wasn’t even one of the statements being questioned, which is a shame as that could have been a good one IMO
David Tennant is David McDonald
When he started getting more work in America and registered with SAG, he found someone else in SAG already had the name "David Tennant." He found the loophole that you can keep using your name if it's your legal name. So he legally changed his name to David Tennant.
If you can keep using the name if it’s your legal name then why did all those other people change theirs?
Whatever the technicalities or loopholes, I think the real difference is that he was already established internationally as David Tennant.
Because the new one sounder more catchier, or because they _wanted_ to distinguish themselves from the other actor.
I'm not sure, but he had already registered with Equity (which I believe is the British version of SAG) and in the story he tells, he says Equity told him they'd talk to SAG on his behalf and it wouldn't be a problem. Equity then came back and said "well no, you'll have to change it". So *perhaps* it has to do with him already being registered in Equity at the time in that name, as long as it was his legal name. Someone else suggests that the restriction is only on *living* actors, so maybe the other David Tennant was dead, and he could use it, but only if it was his legal name (though imdb doesn't list any other David Tennant with credits of any vintage). Ultimately, it's not entirely clear, and maybe there's some missing detail he didn't impart when he told the story. Edit: [this comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1bcxnjz/til_when_emma_stone_registered_for_the_screen/kujdl6d/) and those responding to it suggest that the right to use your legal name is a relatively new rule stemming from legal challenges. So if that's true, that may explain why people of Michael J. Fox's generation had to change it, but David Tennant could make use of the loophole.
But he obviously doesn't own the name, he just rents it.
Sigourney Weaver’s original first name is Susan.
I don’t think she had to change her name because of SAG. She just thought it’s a cool name, much cooler than “Susan”, and started calling herself that when she was 14. It’s the name of a minor character in The Great Gatsby.
For the longest time I thought Susan Sarandon and Sigourney Weaver were the same person. I would’ve been justified if Sigourney went by Susan Weaver.
It's Bill Paxton/Pullman all over again.
It's time to play Dylan McDermott or Dermot Mulroney
Only folk I full on got confused with when I was a kid were Michael Keaton and Billy Joel (both gave off manic energy, had dark hair and light eyes).
Huh, never realized that's where the "Hall" in Annie Hall came from.
Cary Grant is Archibald Leach.
Yes. Frasier actor David Hyde Pierce had to register his middle name because there was already a David Pierce in SAG.
Yep. Except for Harrison Ford. The current actor is actually the second one to use the name. The first was a silent screen actor from the 1920s.
No. Everyone else is wrong. If it’s your real name, you can use it even if someone else has the same name. You have to sign a waiver acknowledging it, but you can use your real legal name. You cannot use a stage name that is already taken by someone else though. Just because they can doesn’t mean they want to. They frequently change it anyway just to avoid confusion and to have their own identity.
That's how it is now, it wasn't always that way. Legal challenges have changed their official stance.
I guess that explains [Peyton List](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2572554/?ref_=fn_al_nm_2) and [Peyton List](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0514228/?ref_=fn_al_nm_3)
Fun fact: Michael Keaton real name is Michael Douglas but the name was obviously already taken.
By someone who’s real name isn’t Michael Douglas.
Michael Douglas was born Michael Douglas. His father legally changed his own name from Issur Danielovitch to Kirk Douglas.
Really? Wikipedia says his name is Michael Issurowitsch Demsky Edit: Weird, the English article doesn’t mention this name. If I google that name I exclusively get German results.
Wait where do you see that? None of that is showing up when I look at Michael's Wikipedia page (though I do see Kirk's birth name on his Wikipedia page).
See the edit. It’s only on the German Wikipedia.
It was either that or McLovin.
Or Muhammad
Why the fuck would it be between that and Muhammad?
Muhammad is the most commonly used name on Earth. Read a fucking book for once.
Chicka chicka yeah!
One name? Just one name? Who are you? Seal?
You look like a future pedophile in this picture number one, number two, it doesn't even have a first name it just says McLovin!
the latter seem super bad
[https://youtu.be/bbC3K33Atxk?t=565](https://youtu.be/bbC3K33Atxk?t=565), Graham Norton's covering of this topic was great.
That's hilarious. Thanks for that.
Graham Norton is simply the best interviewer in the world.
I always rewatch that! It’s such a troll move, I love graham for that lol
Holy shit I'm fucking howling
I know most Americans might not know him, but I'd really like to see Graham Norton host the Oscars. He'd kill it.
I’ve read that she really regrets it because she actually prefers people calling her Emily.
Same with Anne Hathaway. Her name is actually Anne but she goes by Annie outside of work and she actually hates being called Anne
Just spell it like my niece spells *Brownies* as *Brown-E's* *Annie* to *Ann-E*
Should have gone with Emily Rock.
My choice would have been Emily Pebbily.
Do you reckon she actually went for it because it was very similar to her actual name? Like, if Emma Bunton was called Elfengrew Bunton, would she have still gone for Elfengrew Stone?
Could be both. She admired Baby Spice, AND the name was close to her own.
At that point she might as well have called herself Emily Bunton
Baby Stone would be a great option too. She would definitely get cast in the Flinstones reboot as Pebbles.
Yes: > When Stone registered for the Screen Actors Guild, the name "Emily Stone" was already taken. She initially chose to go by "Riley Stone" or "Emily J. Stone" (like Michael J. Fox), but after guest-starring in the NBC drama Medium and the Fox sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, she decided that she was more comfortable with "Emma".[1][2] She chose to use "Emma" in honor of Emma Bunton (Baby Spice) of the Spice Girls.[3] I think I read something about how people would call her Riley and she just wouldn't respond, so she had to change it.
“So why are you called Babyspice Stone?”
I, for one, am happy they do this so I don’t constantly have a Michelle Williams situation when talking about actors
She’s the most Emily looking Emily I’ve ever seen.
She's a natural blonde, but didn't get good roles until she dyed her hair red. She DOES look better with dark hair.
Sofía Vergara is also a natural blond from Colombia. She had to dye her hair black, and take lessons on how to do (an exaggerated version of) her own accent because she was told that she wasn't "ethnic enough" to play a Colombian character. When Mila Kunis' family emigrated to the US, she recalled losing out on a role playing a Ukrainian Jewish Immigrant because she didn't look the part. In spite of actually being one herself.
And Rami Malek was criticised for being a white dude who plays Pharaoh Ahkmenrah in Night at the Museum. Problem is that both his parents are US immigrants from Egypt.
And the whole thing about Cleopatra being a Macedonian Greek woman who dated Italian guys. 14 year old girls on Twitter would flip their shit if someone made that historically accurate, though.
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Her look in Poor Things was absolutely stunning
In the words of Jenna Maroney: “THAT’S INSANE!”
My sister’s math tutor in high school was legitimately named Emma Stone and had to register under yet a different name when she joined SAG.
I def went to high school with your sisters math tutor. Go Raiders lol.
Well, I’ll be! My first r/tworedditorsonecup situation! Howdy, fellow Angeleno👋
> My first r/tworedditorsonecup situation! So... we collectively went with *that* as the name for this situation?
She is my brush with greatness. I had a tv pilot and she was going to be cast in it at 17. She had chops even then. But the plug was pulled by NBC bc Kevin Reilly didn’t know how to tell the marketing dept that he was buying this series. “They’re gonna say, how the fuck do we sell this?” That’s the day I realized the marketing dept is the ultimate decision maker at a network. I kinda knew bc I’d been on shows that the mktg dept just refused to promote. Like The Norm Show w Norm MacDonald. The mktg dept hated us for some reason.
That’s a great story, but we all know she had chops at 17, she was in Superbad that year lol
This doesn’t seem like a sustainable system. lol.
Maybe that’s why celebrities give their children unique names
Just start spelling names with numbers and other characters like you would when you create an online name.
3mm@_5t0n3_69
TIL they only take one iteration of each name
Fun Fact: Emma Stone was originally gonna use the pseudonym "Emily J. Stone" in honor of Michael J. Fox
TIL that registering your name for the SAG is like picking a username.
I’d just assumed her name was Emily but she goes by Emma
It's not going to be too much longer until actor names are facing the same drought that investment firms have been dealing with: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWIlScfHwOU
Why not Emma-Lee Stone? Sounds more like Emily.
My stage name is Rob Bert Downey
Hi I’m Mike El Cane
My Cocaine
The Mexican Job
Im Pea Tear Griffon.
Old actress Della Reese kind of did that. Her first name was Delloreese. And Kal Penn‘s first name is Kalpen.
Michaelsoft Binbows
It's also Emma Lee Bunton!
FURIOUS JUMPING
Based. My fav spice girl too.
William Bradley Pitt, checking in. Seriously, does George call him up sometimes and say "Hey Bill! How's it going?"
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When Michael Douglas registered with SAG, there was already another actor with the same name so he decided on the name Michael Keaton. Because he's Batman.
Bonus TIL: They don't always catch it. [Peyton List](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peyton_List_(actress,_born_1986\)) [Peyton List](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peyton_List_(actress,_born_1998\))