15 Famous Celebrities Whose Real Names You Did Not Know
Hollywood isn’t an easy place to work at. There are a plethora of things one needs to do or change in order to get decent work. Sometimes it can be either lose weight or lose their natural accent while other times it can be a change in hairstyles or names. Yes, even your name can become a deciding factor on how much work or exposure you get in the entertainment industry. This is why many famous celebs use stage names and hide their real ones.
1 Jean-Claude Van Damme
He was named Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg at the time of his birth in 1960. Today, he is known as Jean-Claude Van Damme or JCVD. He changed his name so that the American audience would find it easier to pronounce. He is best known for movies like ‘Bloodsport’, ‘Double Impact’, ‘Hard Target’, etc.
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2Angelina Jolie
She is a cultural icon and one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood. But her real name was Angelina Voight. The reason why she changed her name was due to her estranged relationship with her father. She legally changed her name in 2002 removing Voight and replacing it with Jolie.
Image Source: indiatvnews.com
3Antonio Banderas
Just like Jean-Claude Van Damme, Antonio Banderas was given a very long name at the time of his birth. His real name is José Antonio Domínguez Bandera. He shortened it when he gained prominence in Hollywood. Fearing people would not hire him judging him by his name he shortened it.
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4Olivia Colman
The English actress is best known for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II on the show ‘The Crown’. But even hardcore fans do not know that her real name is Sarah Caroline Olivia Sinclair. She also won critical acclaim for her work on the dark comedy ‘The Favourite’.
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5Helen Mirren
Did you know that Helen Mirren’s real name was Helen Lydia Mironoff? Yes, her father changed the family name to Mirren by deed poll when she was young. She is known for her movies like ‘The Madness of King George’, ‘The Last Station’, ‘Gosford Park’, etc. She even appeared on the British TV show ‘Prime Suspect’ that ran from 1991 to 2006.
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