You�ve probably heard of�Natalie Portman
But have you heard of�Neta-Lee Herschlag
Well that�happens to be the actress�s original name!
Today we are going to be looking into the actors and actresses
that decided to changed their names!
Michael Caine was born Maurice Micklewhite
and adopted the name of Caine on the advice of his agent
taking it from a marquee that advertised�the 1954 movie The Caine Mutiny�
Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley
known for his starring role as� Gandhi
�and his performance in Schindler's List�
was actually born Krishna Bhanji
He took his stage name from his father's nickname "Benji"
and his grandfather's nickname "King Cloves"
Joaquin Phoenix was born Joaqu�n Rafael Bottom
During his period as a�child actor�he was credited as Leaf Phoenix, his self-given
name.
But later went back to his birth name.
Funnily enough if Joaqu�n had kept his original last name
he would have been credited as Leaf Bottom
Demi Moore at the age of 17, married singer�Freddy Moore
During their marriage, Demi began using Freddy's surname as her�stage name
but originally her name was Demi Gene Guynes
After divorcing Freddy, Demi was engaged to actor�Emilio Estevez!
whose brother is�Charlie Sheen!
We all know Charlie Sheen for his exploits over the years
but before he became famous his
original name was Carlos Irwin Est�vez, which makes sense
as Charlie and Emilio's father
Martin Sheens
Original name was Ram�n Antonio Gerardo Est�vez
Martin adopted his�stage name, from a combination of the�CBS�casting director,
Robert Dale Martin,
and the archbishop,�Fulton J. Sheen.
Michael Keaton
whose original name was Michael Douglas
changed his last name in order to prevent the obvious confusion between himself
and the already established�actor�Michael Douglas.
Ironically Michaels father - Kirk Douglas
was actually born issur danielovitch demsky
and changed his name before entering the�United States Navy
During�World War II
Olivia Wilde whos original last name was Cockburn,
derived her stage name from Irish author�Oscar Wilde
She changed her surname while in high school,
to honor the writers in her family, many of whom used pen names
Eric Marlon Bishop changed his name to Jamie Foxx, feeling that it was a name ambiguous
enough
to disallow any biases.�He chose his surname as a tribute to the comedian�Redd Foxx,
whos original
name was John Elroy Sanford
Vin Diesel
born�Mark Sinclair Vincent.
Used to be a bouncer at a New York City nightclub,
Where he had the nickname Diesel.
So he got the idea to shorten his last�name�Vincent
to create his new first�name Vin!
Winona Laura Horowitz now known as Winona Ryder
Her name was reportedly chosen by her dad,�who was listening to soul singer Mitch Ryder
at the time her agent called to ask how�she wanted to be credited �in her first film.
Meg Ryan was born Margaret Mary Emily Hyra, the actressed changed her name simply to shorten
it
Caryn Elaine Johnson changed her name to Whoopi Goldberg -
her first name was taken from a whoopee cushion, and her surname supposedly was mean to sound
Jewish, so she could get further in Hollywood!
John Wayne s orignal name was Marion Mitchell Morrison.
Where the Studio he worked for decided it had to be changed!
Carlos Ray Norris acquired his nick name "Chuck", at an Air Base in South Korea!
Amanda Lee Roger now known as Portia de Rossi - said that changing her name was the most
daring thing she had ever done up until that point!
Edda Kathleen van Heemstra Hepburn-Ruston shortened her name to Audrey Hepburn
Helen Mirren was born Helen Lydia Mironoff, but her father anglicised her family name
to Mirren
and Cary Grant who was born Archibald Alexander Leach, who changed it for obvious reasons!
The Honrable mentions goes to
Julianne Moore whose original name was Julie Smith!
Will Ferrell who was born John William Ferrell
and Tom Cruise who was originally Thomas Cruise Mapather the 4th