Brandon Sklenar’s Surprising Real Name Will Leave You Speechless!

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Brandon Sklenar is another member of the stage name crew. 

Three years following his groundbreaking role in “1923“, the actor disclosed that the screen name he uses isn’t his birth name; it’s really Brandon Feakins. He provided a relatable explanation as to why he opted for Sklenar (his maternal grandfather’s surname) in his acting profession.

Brandon shared with People magazine in a recent interview that he adopted the nickname because, as a child, his last name was constantly mispronounced. This used to really annoy him.

The 43-year-old individual, whose mother Francine was once a hairdresser and father Bruce Feakins worked in construction, explained that he didn’t prefer to adopt a random surname. Instead, he chose Sklenar because it held a genuine familial connection for him. Despite appreciating this tribute to his ancestry, there are times when people struggle with the correct pronunciation of his name.

In response, she acknowledged their actions, stating, “I can handle that since I wasn’t accustomed to it being pronounced differently when I was growing up.” She further explained, “It felt more like a matter for adults.

Currently, Brandon finds less pressure from minor mistakes, as he’s grown accustomed to being recognized for his acting skills. This actor, who first appeared on screen in the 2011 crime thriller “Cornered” and later starred as Spencer Dutton in the 2022 “Yellowstone” prequel, has observed that with increasing recognition comes less need to correct people about his name.

Brandon isn’t alone in disclosing the roots of his stage name; in March, Kat Dennings (originally known as Litwack), decided to change her surname to make it more easily remembered.

Kat mentioned during her appearance on the “Not Gonna Lie” podcast when she was 9 years old that she made a choice. She didn’t provide any additional details, but at such a young age, she felt this decision wasn’t suitable for her. In her words, ‘This isn’t going to work for me.’ Kat or herself was quite forward-thinking for her age.

Keep reading to learn other stars’ real names…

The This Is Us alum explained why he went by his middle name Kelby until he was a teenager.

In a 2025 interview on The Kelly Clarkson Show, he mentioned that his father is Sterling Brown Jr., while his grandfather is Sterling Brown Sr. He explained during the conversation that he preferred a unique name for himself, as Sterling seemed more fitting for an older generation.

After several years had passed since his father’s heart attack-related death, Sterling chose to go back to using his original name as a means of paying tribute to his dad.

Since he had passed away when I was ten, by the time I turned sixteen and it had been over five and a half years since anyone mentioned his name, he said, “I just wanted to hear it again.” So, he asked people to start calling him Sterling.

All the siblings decided to adopt the surname Lawrence, which was Joey’s middle name, as their stage names. It was Joey who initially made this change after a talent agent expressed dissatisfaction with their original last name during an effort to establish himself in the entertainment industry.

At the tender age of nine, Kat Dennings decided to use a stage name, long before she graced the stage for her initial acting performance in a 2000 episode of Sex and the City.

On the March 13, 2025 episode of the podcast “Not Gonna Lie With Kylie Kelce,” the former star of “2 Broke Girls” shared with Kylie Kelce that she preferred not to have her real name prominently displayed, such as on a poster.

As a devoted admirer, I derived my stage name from two sources that hold significant meaning for me: the enchanting character Kat, portrayed by Christina Ricci in the film “Casper,” and the surname of Janine Denni, the late wife of Lloyd Alexander, the renowned author of “The Black Cauldron.” This literary titan was reportedly a cherished friend of my mother.

For over three decades, Cher thought her legal given name was Cherilyn. However, it wasn’t until the late 1970s, when she obtained her birth certificate for a name change to simply ‘Cher’, that she found out she was actually registered as ‘Cheryl’.

As a lifestyle aficionado looking back on my life’s journey, I found myself reminiscing about a significant moment from my past – a moment that took place in 2024, as I penned the pages of my memoir, “Cher: The Memoir, Part One”. In this particular chapter, I delved into memories of my beloved mother, Georgia Holt, and her response to a fascinating revelation.

She replied, “Allow me to take a look,” and reminiscing about her teenage childbirth, continued, “At 19, I was myself a mother, and the pain was immense. Cut me some slack.

Originally, a famous country musician took on the nickname “Shaboozey” due to a misspelling of his last name in his Virginia high school records. Later, he officially adopted this alias as part of his music artist identity.

Kudos to Post Malone, who made his last name part of his stage persona. Interestingly, he prefers his pals to address him with his birth name instead.

At the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, Taylor Swift playfully called him “Austin” during their acceptance speech for the Best Collaboration award, which they shared for their song “Fortnite”.

Initially, the singer had released a Christian album under her real name in 2001. However, she believed that using the stage name Katy Perry, derived from her mother’s maiden name, would be more appealing to pop music fans, capturing their admiration and awe.

Cardi B adopted the name Bacardi following close relatives and acquaintances dubbing her sibling Hennessy. Over time, she abbreviated the moniker to better fit her personal preferences.

Before she became the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle was briefly known as Rachel. 

Shania Twain revealed the history behind her stage name during an episode of Apple Music’s Home Now Radio: “Essentially, I was initially named Eilleen Regina Edwards, but after adoption, I became Eilleen Regina Twain. As a professional singer, I desired a stage name that wasn’t too similar to my grandmothers’, whose names were Eilleen and Regina. Onstage, I didn’t want to be known by their names, so I opted for Shania Twain. I came across someone named Shania, found the name attractive, and thus, Shania Twain was created.

The stage character of the “Good Luck, Babe!” singer, known as Chappell Roan, has always served as a “drag persona,” enabling her to establish limits and maintain a distinction between her private life and the entertainment world.

It’s interesting to note that Gigi Hadid‘s stage name originated in school when her teacher often mixed her up with a classmate named Helena. As her mother affectionately called her “gigi” at home, she requested the teacher to address her as Gigi instead, and the name has since become synonymous with her.

If you’re looking for an explosive action-star name, how about Vin Diesel instead?

The radiant grin of Miley Cyrus earned her the endearing childhood moniker “Smiley”. Over time,

It seems that the singer bore a greater resemblance to Bruno rather than Peter, causing his father to eventually call him Bruno. From then on, he’s been recognized as Bruno Mars.

Before the meat dresses and chart-topping music, Lady Gaga was just an everyday girl from New York.

Jason Sudeikis shared on Today that he was given the name Daniel after his father, yet due to some mix-up, his mother started referring to him by his middle name, Jason, to prevent misunderstandings.

As a die-hard enthusiast, I’d share my fascination with Emma Stone’s journey. You see, she didn’t just pick her stage name casually. In fact, it was a strategic move. She discovered that the Screen Actors Guild had an existing member with her birth name. To set herself apart and pave her own path in Hollywood, she decided to adopt the name we all now know and love – Emma Stone.

It turns out that “Reese Witherspoon” isn’t actually named after her mother, as one might assume. Instead, she chose the name in tribute to her mother’s maiden surname, which was also Reese.

Every artist typically possesses a secret identity or alternate persona, and in the case of Lana Del Rey, this is the persona she prefers to use as a singer.

In 2014, Frank Ocean legally changed his name because, why not? 

An interesting tidbit about the star of 30 Rock, Tina Fey, is that her real name is Elizabeth. She subtly paid homage to this by giving her character the name Liz Lemon.

This pioneer of West Coast rap would later go on to be known as Snoop Dogg.

It seems that the artist known as “The Royals” singer has a keen interest in the nobility, which is why she opted for the name Lorde, but with a feminine twist on the ending ‘e.’

Prior to becoming a music sensation known as Ricky Martin, he was simply recognized by his ordinary name.

It’s hard to believe that Iggy Azalea was born Amethyst Kelly!

Fans were perplexed when Taylor Swift acknowledged Adam, her then-boyfriend, in an acceptance speech, causing many to learn that Calvin Harris is actually just a stage name. The DJ revealed to Shortlist magazine that he picked the name because his debut single had a more soulful feel and desired something a bit more “ethnically neutral.

Before she became a household name, this was what erstwhile Friend Jennifer Aniston answered to.

Alicia Keys didn’t always have such a musical name.

Before he became arguably the biggest movie star in the world, Tom Cruise went by this name.

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2025-04-10 19:49