Many celebrities are encouraged to change their name when seeking stardom.
Whether they need a more catchy title, or have a name too similar to another in the limelight, there are many reasons why star’s decide to ditch their given name for one more suitable.
LaLa Land actress Emma Stone is one such star.
The 28-year-old revealed in a recent interview with W magazine, that she was forced to change her first name, which is actually Emily, by the Screen Actor’s Guild.
That’s because no two actors on the SAG official list can share the same name, and there was already an Emma Stone on their books.
Emma back at the start of her career in 2006
“Well, I was 16 when I found out at SAG I couldn’t have my own name,” she explained.
“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.’”
But, as Emma explained in the interview, the name just didn’t fit.
“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.”
But despite the professional name change happening a decade ago, ‘M’ says she misses her original name.
“I would love to get her back,” says Stone, who could have also opted for a middle initial to differentiate herself from the other Emma.
