The Real Names of Movie Stars

The Truth Behind the Stage Names

Movies are made for entertainment and based mainly in worlds of fiction and fantasy. Fitting into these creative worlds are actors who choose often to be credited by names other than their own, known as: stage names. The reasoning behind an actor's choice to go by another name ranges from a disliking of their birth name, to rules involving no two people being allowed to register the same name with the Actor's Guild. Here is a list of many of the world's most famous actors and actresses to work in Hollywood, listed by the names you know them by and then their birth name revealed.

Woody Allen - Allen Stewart Konigsberg: This famous, Academy Award winning director from New York City spent his early years chasing a career in comedy and comedy writing. He adopted the stage name Woody Allen around the age of 16. His directorial debut was the film What's Up, Tiger Lily?, and he has been going ever sense with his special blend of comedy; love it or hate it.

Jennifer Aniston - Jennifer Anastassakis: Born February 11, 1969 Jennifer is first and foremost known as Rachel from the hit television show friends. She has gone on from Friends to star in a wide variety of film roles with comedies such as Bruce Almighty and thrillers like Derailed, as well as suffering through a high profile divorce with actor Brad Pitt.

Fred Astaire - Frederick Austerlitz: Named by the American Film Institute as the Fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time, Fredrick was also known as one of the best dancers to grace the films of Hollywood as well as stages of Broadway. Both he and his sister took on the name of Astaire for a vaudeville act in 1905, with the basis of the name supposedly coming from an Uncle with a similar surname.