She’s become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, but contrary to popular belief, the La La Land actress’ birth certificate actually reads Emily Jean Stone and not Emma Stone as the world knows her.
While ‘Emily’ isn’t a huge departure from the name she was born with, it’s clearly something that continues to weigh on Emma’s (or Emily’s?) mind.
The 28-year-old actress has revealed in an interview with W magazine that she was forced to pick a stage name when she signed up to the Screen Actors Guild at just 16 years of age.
According to SAG rules, no two members can have the same working name and an Emily Stone was already enrolled.
During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live Emma explained that the name was already snagged by a former America’s Next Top Model contestant.
“Well, I was 16 when I found out at SAG I couldn’t have my own name,” Stone said to W magazine.
“So to ask a 16-year-old to pick a new name is really an interesting process, because I was like, ‘I’m going to be Riley. My name is going to be Riley Stone.’ And so my name was Riley Stone for about six months and I did a guest spot on Malcolm in the Middle and one day they were like, ‘Riley, Riley,’ and I had no idea who they were talking to and they were like, ‘Hey, hey come on we need you on set.’ And I was like, ‘Oh I’m not Riley, I can’t be Riley.’”
Before making the leap to ‘Riley’ the Arizona-native did consider a simple tweak to her name.
“I had the option of Emily J. Stone and it’s kind of like Michael J. Fox, and I love Michael J. Fox, but I don’t think I could pull off the J,” she said.
“So then I changed it to Emma because you know it’s closer to Emily, but most people call me ‘M,’ that know me well.”
Emma Stone may now be a household name but the actress revealed that she would like to be known by her given name.
Speaking with W Emma said, “I would love to get her back.”
Emma isn’t the first actor to change her name due to SAG rules.
Other stars who had to change their names were Michael Keaton, who was born Michael Douglas, Hugh Laurie, whose real name is James Hugh Calum Laurie, and even Elizabeth Banks – her real name is Elizabeth Mitchell.
Emma was recently honoured with a hand and footprint ceremony at Los Angeles’ iconic TCL Chinese Theatre. The star revealed that she “cried a little bit inside” upon hearing the news.
This story originally appeared on Woman’s Day Australia
