In the world of celebrities, where stage names and larger-than-life personalities dominate, it’s easy to miss the connections and famous families that hide behind the scenes. In this blog, we’ll reveal a fascinating secret: 17 celebs who have cleverly hidden their famous family backgrounds using stage names. These talented individuals have made their mark in the entertainment industry, captivating audiences around the world without depending solely on their famous relatives. Get ready to be amazed as we uncover the true identities of these stars, showing that talent knows no limits, even when it’s concealed by a stage name.
Angelina Jolie
Did you know that Angelina Jolie, the famous actress, was originally known as Angelina Voight? She was born into a family of Hollywood royalty, with her father being the renowned actor Jon Voight. As a child, she even acted alongside her dad in a movie using her birth name. However, when she decided to pursue acting as a career, she made a change. Angelina adopted her middle name and became known to the world as Angelina Jolie. Let’s take a closer look at this intriguing example of a celebrity using a stage name to forge their own path in the entertainment industry.
Nicolas Cage
You might be surprised to learn that the famous actor Nicolas Cage was actually born Nicolas Coppola and has a noteworthy family connection. He is the nephew of the legendary film director Francis Ford Coppola. When Nicolas began his acting career, he used his real name. However, during the filming of “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” he faced constant remarks and references to a famous line from the movie “Apocalypse Now.” To escape the distractions and focus on his work, he decided to make a change. Nicolas adopted the stage name “Cage,” freeing himself from the associations and allowing him to establish his own identity in the world of entertainment. Let’s explore this intriguing journey of transformation as Nicolas Cage embraced a new name and charted his own path in the film industry.
Elle King
Here’s an interesting fact about singer-songwriter Elle King: her birth name is Tanner Schneider, and she happens to be the daughter of well-known comedian and former SNL cast member Rob Schneider. However, when Elle embarked on her music career, she made a personal choice. She decided to use her middle name, Elle, and her mother’s last name, King, instead. Elle wanted to stay true to her own identity and create her own path in the music world. Join us as we explore this fascinating journey of self-discovery and how Elle King found her voice by embracing her unique name.
Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias, the renowned singer and songwriter, has an intriguing story behind his stage name. As the son of famous singer Julio Iglesias and journalist Isabel Preysler, Enrique initially used various stage names, like Enrique Martinez, when he started writing songs as a teenager. He wanted to keep his creative endeavors a secret from his parents. However, when he eventually signed with a record label, Enrique decided to release his debut album under his real name. Join us as we uncover the journey of this talented artist and how he transitioned from using pseudonyms to embracing his true identity in the music industry.
Olivia Wilde
Olivia Wilde, whose real name is Olivia Cockburn, comes from a family of successful journalists. Her parents are Andrew Cockburn, a journalist and editor for Harper’s Magazine, and Leslie Cockburn, who is a journalist, producer, and politician. To distinguish herself in her acting career, Olivia decided to use a stage name. Her mother believed it would be beneficial for Olivia to have her own separate identity apart from their family.
Norah Jones
Norah Jones, originally named Geethali Shankar, is the daughter of musician Ravi Shankar. When she turned 16, she decided to change her name legally to Norah Jones. She chose this name by combining her two middle names, and she also included “Jones,” which is her mother’s last name.
Scott Eastwood
Scott Eastwood, whose father is Clint Eastwood, was originally born with the name Scott Reeves. His mother, Jacelyn, gave him her last name when he was born. When he began his acting career, he chose to use his birth name because he wanted to remain less noticeable and see if he could succeed in getting acting roles on his own merit. He had a few acting opportunities, including some in movies directed by his father, but eventually, he decided to switch to using the name Eastwood professionally.
Mabel McVey
Mabel McVey is the daughter of Cameron McVey, a singer, songwriter, and producer, and Neneh Cherry, who is also a singer. Despite her family background, she chooses to go by the stage name Mabel. Her sister, Tyson, also follows a similar path and sings using a single name as well.
King Princess
King Princess, whose birth name is Mikaela Straus, had a lot of exposure to recording studios during her childhood. This was because her father, Oliver Straus, works as a recording engineer and owns Mission Sounds studio. Notably, Mission Sounds has hosted bands like the Arctic Monkeys. When King Princess started working on her first album, titled Cheap Queens, she chose to record it at her father’s studio.
Lourdes Leon
Lourdes Leon, who is the daughter of Madonna and actor Carlos Leon, shares her music with the stage name Lolahol. She selected this name because she believes the word “hole” has a tendency to make people feel uneasy.
Louisa Jacobson
Louisa Jacobson, originally named Louisa Gummer, is the daughter of Meryl Streep and Don Gummer. Unlike her sisters, Mamie and Grace Gummer, who use their real names for acting, she goes by her middle name. This is because there is already another actor who goes by the name Louisa Gummer, prompting her to choose an alternative to avoid confusion.
Henry Wolfe
Henry Wolfe, a musician born with the name Henry Gummer, is the only son of Meryl Streep and Don Gummer. Similar to his sister Louisa, he also opts to use his middle name for his professional endeavors.
Olivia Giannulli
Olivia Giannulli is the daughter of actor Lori Loughlin and fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli. Her parents were involved in a scandal where they were convicted of bribing their two daughters’ way into USC, resulting in prison sentences. During her high school years, Olivia began her own YouTube channel, choosing to use her middle name. She gained popularity as an influencer under the name Olivia Jade.
Joan Fontaine
Joan Fontaine, originally named Joan de Havilland, was a Hollywood actress and the younger sister of Olivia de Havilland, another well-known actress from the Old Hollywood era. Joan was discovered while working as her sister’s chauffeur in the Warner Bros. parking lot. However, she had to choose a different studio and adopt a different name because her sister, Olivia, believed that having two de Havillands on the movie marquee would be overwhelming.
Tori Spelling
Tori Spelling, the daughter of producer Aaron Spelling, became aware of the TV show Beverly Hills, 90210 through her agent. However, when she found out that her father was executive producing the show, she decided to audition using the stage name Tori Mitchell instead. She borrowed the name from a character portrayed by Heather Locklear.
Leila George
Leila George, originally named Leila D’Onofrio, is the daughter of actors Vincent D’Onofrio and Greta Scacchi. In her professional career, she chooses to use her middle name as her stage name.
Emilio Estevez
Emilio Estevez, the son of actor Martin Sheen (whose real name is Ramón Estévez), contemplated using his father’s stage last name like his brother Charlie (real name Carlos) did. However, he ultimately chose not to do so because his father advised him against it. Martin Sheen told Emilio, “Don’t make the mistake that I did. Don’t change your name.”
