10 Actors Who You Don’t Call By Their Real Name

Summary

• Choosing a stage name as an actor is common, whether for marketability or to adhere to SAG guidelines.
• Names like Lady Gaga and Winona Ryder were unique choices, while others like Emma Stone came about due to rules.
• Notable actors like Marilyn Monroe and Jamie Foxx also opted for stage names to stand out in the industry.

Before fully stepping into the film and TV industry, many actors follow through with the reminder to “make a name for oneself” in the truest sense of the phrase and come up with stage names that audiences don’t realize aren’t their real names. The decision to go by a stage name can be credited to a variety of reasons. Part of being an actor, especially when starting, is being marketable in hopes of making it big. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for actors with unique names to be told they’ll have a better chance at booking jobs if they simplify their names. Therefore, actors will go by a stage name that feels more familiar to audiences.

On the other hand, actors like Emma Stone and Michael Keaton are made to change their names to fit with the Screen Actors Guild membership guidelines. The rules don’t allow more than one member to have the same name. Their names don’t stray too far from those given at birth, but other actors, such as Vin Diesel and Lady Gaga, have one-of-a-kind stage names that make it difficult to call them by anything else.

10 Emma Stone

Real Name: Emily Jean Stone

Since her film debut in the 2007 comedy Superbad, audiences have celebrated the talent of Emma Stone. One of her latest projects includes the Showtime comedy series, The Curse, and during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, alongside her co-star Nathan Fielder, Stone talked about wanting to be referred to by the name she was born with. Born Emily Jean Stone, the actress changed her name as her acting career was beginning to take off.

The Screen Actors Guild has a rule that multiple members are not allowed to use the same name professionally and when Stone registered to be a member, someone else already had the name “Emily Stone.” Before landing on Emma, after the Spice Girls member Emma Bunton, Stone was between the names “Riley” and “Emily J. Stone.” In her interview with Fielder, Stone was asked if it’d bother her if a fan referred to her as “Emily,” to which she responded, “No. That would be so nice. I would like to be Emily.”

9 Winona Ryder

Real Name: Winona Laura Horowitz

Named after her birthplace, Winona Ryder changed her last name after starring in her first film, Lucas. When it came time to credit Ryder as Rina in Lucas, she told the director, David Seltzer, to change her surname from Horowitz to “Ryder.” Unlike other actors who change their names to attract more roles or act under SAG rules, Ryder’s decision was spur-of-the-moment.

Ryder credits the influence of her stage name to the famous rock singer, Mitch Ryder, as her father was a fan of his music. Since making this change, Ryder has gone on to build an impressive career and is known best for roles in Heathers, The Age of Innocence, and Beetlejuice. In 2024, Ryder will reprise her Beetlejuice role as Lydia Deetz in the film’s sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

8 Jack Black

Real Name: Thomas Jacob Black

Due to his comedic and musical talent, Jack Black has become a beloved actor, though a majority of audiences might not be aware of Black’s real name. Thomas Jacob Black is the name he was born with, but even as a child, it wasn’t common for Black’s family to refer to him by “Thomas.” In an interview with Howard Stern, Black explained that Thomas is a name that had been in his family for years before he was born.

Black’s family shortened his middle name and gave him the nickname that the world would eventually know him by. Black hasn’t declared a definitive reason for keeping “Jack” as his stage name, but it’s likely something that felt natural to him. Even with his own family, Black continues to opt for a nickname. Black kept with the tradition and named one of his sons Thomas, but refers to him as “Tommy.”

7 Lady Gaga

Real Name: Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta

Throughout her career, Lady Gaga has gone through multiple reinventions, captivating audiences with her eccentric aesthetic, but the first significant rebrand came in the form of a stage name. Lady Gaga was born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, but her stage name was inspired by her friends calling her “Gaga.” According to her former producer, the nickname came from him and is derived from the song “Radio Ga Ga” by Queen.

Regardless of its exact origins, it’s a unique name that fits Gaga’s artistic vision and one that she kept as she began to transition into acting. Gaga made cameos in films and TV series early on in her career and starred as The Countess in American Horror Story: Hotel. However, Gaga’s first major leading role was in A Star Is Born alongside Bradley Cooper, and later this year she’s starring as Harley Quinn in Joker: Folie à Deux.

6 Michael Keaton

Real Name: Michael John Douglas

If someone were to say their favorite actor to play Batman was Michael Douglas, there wouldn’t technically be anything wrong with what they’re saying. Michael Keaton, known for roles in 1989’s Batman, Beetlejuice, and Birdman, was given the name Michael John Douglas at birth. Keaton’s acting career began in the mid-70s on TV shows, including The Mary Tyler Moore Hour.

Once he became a SAG member, he needed to change his name, as the actor, Michael Douglas, and daytime host, Mike Douglas, were already registered members. Many people assumed Keaton chose the surname to get the attention of the actress Diane Keaton, but he says this is false. According to Keaton, he was looking through the phone book under the letter “K” and was satisfied when he saw the name “Keaton.”

5 Kit Harington

Real Name: Christopher Catesby Harington

Audiences are likely to recognize Kit Harington as Jon Snow in Game of Thrones, but it’s not common knowledge that the actor was given a different name at birth. In fact, Harington didn’t know his real name until years after he was born. During a 2014 interview with Glamour, Harington said it wasn’t until he was 11 years old that he discovered his name was Christopher Catesby Harington.

Growing up, Harington and his brother John were given nicknames, “Kit” and “Jack.” Additionally, Harington’s middle name, Catesby, is his mother’s maiden name and Harington nearly considered going by Kit Catesby, but ultimately didn’t like the way the name sounded. In the interview, he said, “I nearly did, but I thought it sounded too much like a 1950s talk show host.”

4 Jamie Foxx

Real Name: Eric Marlon Bishop

Jamie Foxx began his career by attending open mic nights but soon realized he wasn’t being called to the stage when he wrote down his real name. The names on the list at the comedy clubs were predominately male, and with Foxx’s real name being Eric Marlon Bishop, he was often ignored. It was after this that Foxx began writing down a unisex name, Jamie, in hopes of standing out and getting to perform.

It ended up working in Foxx’s favor and the stage name has stuck with him throughout his career. Foxx hasn’t specified the reason behind his first name, but he credits his surname as a tribute to the famous stand-up comedian Redd Foxx. Foxx has gone on to star in a variety of films, including Django Unchained and Soul.

3 Vin Diesel

Real Name: Mark Sinclair

As fitting of a name as Vin Diesel is for the Fast & Furious actor, it’s not his real name. Diesel’s real name is Mark Sinclair and before becoming a well-known action star, he worked at a nightclub in New York. Diesel was working as a bouncer and wanted to have a name that sounded brawny. As a result, the surname Diesel was given to him by his friends due to the actor’s lively personality and “Vin” is a shortened version of his mother’s last name, Vincent.

Even though Diesel’s stage name came before he began acting, it helped when marketing himself for future roles. Throughout his career, Diesel has starred in many films but is largely known as the character Dominic Toretto. The character is from the Fast & Furious franchise, which revolves around street racing and quick action.

2 Meg Ryan

Real Name: Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra

Meg Ryan is beloved for her work in the 90s, including the timeless films Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail. However, as well-known as her name has become over the years, it’s not her real name. Ryan was given the name Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra when she was born, but when she began acting, Ryan decided to cut down the length of her name.

“Meg” stems from Ryan’s first name, Margaret, but “Ryan” comes from her grandmother’s maiden name. Ryan chose to adopt a stage name when she became a SAG member, though, unlike the circumstance Emma Stone and Michael Keaton found themselves in, there wasn’t any other member with her real name. By establishing herself as Meg Ryan, audiences are better able to remember it, thus increasing her popularity and leading her to become a household name.

1 Marilyn Monroe

Real Name: Norma Jeane Mortenson

One of Hollywood’s stars in the 50s and 60s, Marilyn Monroe is seen as an icon in pop culture. Her real name is Norma Jeane Mortenson and after working as a model, Monroe’s well-known name came to be. Monroe earned a contract with 20th Century-Fox and, while speaking with an executive at the studio, the two workshopped a stage name. The executive, Ben Lyon, suggested “Marilyn” as the first name because Monroe reminded him of Marilyn Miller, a Broadway actress from the 20s.

Monroe was the one to propose the surname, as it was her mother’s maiden name. According to biographer Lois Banner, Monroe also debated between a few other names, including “Clare Norman” and “Meredith” (via Time Magazine). With her stage name set, Monroe began starring in films and gained acclaim for her roles in Bus Stop and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, Glamour, Time Magazine