Amy Mormino
Supporting Actor
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2004
- Messages
- 537
A little background: It used to be customary for actors and actresses to routinely change their names for stardom. Some famous examples are Archibald Leach's name change to Cary Grant and Frances Gumm's change to Judy Garland. Positive changes, both. But starting in the 1970s, actors increasinly have kept their original name, even if it is hard to pronounce or just plain ugly-sounding. Now, I understand that giving up their original name is a sore point for some actors, but I really wish some of them would consider it. Asian actors do it all the time and don't consider it beneath them.
I won't include foreign actors here (but posters can), but here are some actors whose names have or likely will impede their chances of stardom:
1. Ioan Gruffudd: How the heck do you pronounce this name? He's in King Arthur and will have a role in the Fantastic Four movie as Reed Richards, so perhaps he can overcome the limits of this name.
2. Carrie Snodgress: This talented and recently deceased actress might have gone further with a better last name, frankly.
3. Billy Crudup: My favorite example of a bad actor name. Just a terrible name all around. Billy Bob Thornton is the only actor I know of who can get away with "Billy" as a first name without looking silly. And Crudup (pronounce "Crewed-up", I think) is just an awful last name.
I won't include foreign actors here (but posters can), but here are some actors whose names have or likely will impede their chances of stardom:
1. Ioan Gruffudd: How the heck do you pronounce this name? He's in King Arthur and will have a role in the Fantastic Four movie as Reed Richards, so perhaps he can overcome the limits of this name.
2. Carrie Snodgress: This talented and recently deceased actress might have gone further with a better last name, frankly.
3. Billy Crudup: My favorite example of a bad actor name. Just a terrible name all around. Billy Bob Thornton is the only actor I know of who can get away with "Billy" as a first name without looking silly. And Crudup (pronounce "Crewed-up", I think) is just an awful last name.