5 Celebrities Whose Stage Names Conceal Their Ties to Famous Family Members
These 5 Celebrities Concealed Their Famous Family Backgrounds by Using a Stage Name
Social media has brought celebrities and their fans closer than ever before, with many of the former sharing regular updates about their lives and work online. However, there still may be some information that isn't lodged in the public conscience as deeply, such as why some actors/performers decided to take the road less traveled and use a stage name to mask their familial connections with other celebrities. Even though it can be advantageous to launch a career in entertainment with the right connections, it seems as though these five people wanted to make it big by their own volition. In fact, some of the names on this list may even surprise you!
1. Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage has been a big name in movies for years. However, many of us didn't know his real name is Nicolas Coppola, and yes, he's got the legendary Francis Ford Coppola in his family tree. Meanwhile, according to BuzzFeed, the 'Cage' in his name is inspired by a Marvel character and a composer named John Cage. So you might wonder why he ditched the Coppola legacy when talent's practically in their family genes. Well, Cage did open up about that. He revealed that having that famous last name made everyone grill him about Uncle Francis every time he went for an audition. Changing his name makes the audience believe that he made his spotlight.
2. Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is actually the daughter of the famous actor Jon Voight and started her acting journey along with her dad in Lookin' to Get Out. Surprisingly, she went for a name change, swapping out Voight for Jolie legally. According to Daily Mail, their relationship had a lot of ups and downs, though, especially since he cheated on her mother. Although they did reconcile their differences a few times, it hasn't always been smooth sailing. Some arguments and clashes created distance between them and made them drift apart, and he recently slammed Jolie, a former special envoy of the UN High Commission for Refugees, for her stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict.
3. Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias, the pop sensation, has always soared high in the music scene, etching his name among the most triumphant artists in history. But did you know that his parents are Julio Iglesias, who is often thought to be the most commercially successful Spanish singer in the world, and journalist Isabel Preysler? Enrique started his music hustle on a secret note, keeping it all unknown from his family. However, when he signed a deal with a record label, that's when he revealed the truth, dropping his debut album with his real name. He is popular for his romantic melodies and lyrics that touch your heart. He's been serving us international hits for over two decades now.
4. Norah Jones
Next up is Norah Jones, originally named Geetali Shankar, who was born to the popular Indian musicians Ravi Shankar and Sue Jones. Geetali, her birth name, has a beautiful meaning—melodious—which also makes it quite apt given her highly successful music career. However, Jones didn't quite have a good bond with her father for a while, as per the Daily Mail. Eventually, she adopted her new name by blending her two middle names. Additionally, she soared into the spotlight with her album Come Away With Me, marking her as one of the most accomplished and recognized talents in the music world ever since.
5. Olivia Giannulli
Olivia Giannulli is the daughter of actor Lori Loughlin and fashion icon Mossimo Giannulli. She has always lived what seemed like a dreamy life to many, especially when she started her YouTube journey by donning the influencer hat under the name Olivia Jade. However, her life became quite complex when her parents were caught up in a college admissions bribery scandal, as per CNN. Nonetheless, Jade has been a whirlwind in the social media cosmos. She dazzles her followers with her fashion and beauty tips, ruling the industry on Instagram and YouTube.
