Celebrities with Different Reel and Real Names
From avoiding confusion between other actors and protecting their identity to keeping work life separate from personal lives, there are several reasons why actors use different names or take on a stage name. Sometimes, actors change their names because of entertainment unions. For example, SAG-AFTRA rules do not allow two actors to perform under the same name. Here is a list of Celebrities with Different Reel and Real Names.
Famous Actors and Their Real Names
- Michael Keaton
Michael Keaton, who gained popularity for his dramatic portrayal of Batman, started using his stage name during his initial days as an actor because there was already an established actor in the industry. Michael Douglas is the real name of Michael Keaton. - Jamie Foxx
Next comes one of the most surprising celebrity real names. The comedian, Jamie Foxx’s real name is Eric Marlon Bishop. Changing his name was a smart career move. Eric found that female comedians were usually asked to perform first. So he decided to go with a gender-neutral name ‘Jamie Foxx’. - Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston, an American actress best known as ‘Rachal Green’ in Friends, changed her last name—Anastassakis—to Aniston. She changed her name because it was difficult to pronounce. - Katy Perry
Katy Perry,one of the finest music creators in the world, changed her name to Katheryn Elizabeth Hudon in the early 2000s. The singer changed her name because it was similar to the well-known actress Kate Hudson. She adopted her mother’s maiden name, Perry. - Gigi Hadid
One of the most famous supermodels, Gigi Hadid’s real name is Jelena Noura Hadid. Gigi’s mother, Yolanda Hadid, gave her the nickname. In an interview, she revealed how she got this name. Apparently, during her first or second grade, Gigi had a classmate named Helena. Both the teacher and Gigi were confused whenever they called out Jelena and Helena. So the teacher approached Gig’s mother and asked, “If I needed to call Jelena a nickname, what would it be?” her mom replied, “I call her Gigi sometimes.”