# Celebrities whose names confuse you **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 9, 2016, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638 "2016-02-09T19:00:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/21 "2016-02-09T20:52:00Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Steve McQueen, the Caucasian actor, died in 1980. Steve McQueen, the black director, is very much alive. Isn’t there a movie director John Madden? Who is not John Madden the former NFL coach and announcer. Also, Sasha Cohen (figure skater) and Sacha Baron Cohen (Ali G, Borat). ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/22 "2016-02-09T20:53:21Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Emile Hirsch. Is it “em-ill-ee,” or “em-eel,” or “ee-mile” or “frank”? I say em-EEL. But I’m not French, so what do I know… ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/23 "2016-02-09T20:53:58Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Isn’t there a movie director John Madden? Who is not John Madden the former NFL coach and announcer. > > Also, Sasha Cohen (figure skater) and Sacha Baron Cohen (Ali G, Borat). Appropriately enough, there’s a shoe designer named Steve Madden. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/24 "2016-02-09T20:54:28Z")
Ryan Phillippe, Ryan Reynolds and Ryan Gosling used to give me a hard time, but I think I’ve finally got it all worked out. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/25 "2016-02-09T20:57:03Z")
I generally have a hard time remembering the works of Robert Lindsay and Robert Powell. Also single-worded songstresses Rhianna and Beyonce. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/26 "2016-02-09T21:04:25Z")
British actresses Emily Blount and Emily Mortimer ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/27 "2016-02-09T21:16:35Z")
I like both Amy Adams ([Amy Adams - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Adams)) and Rachel McAdams ([Rachel McAdams - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_McAdams)) and I’m happy to see either one of them in a film. It’s just that I usually have to go to the movie before I’m sure which one is actually in it. ---
**Author:** ![awldune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@awldune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/awldune)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/28 "2016-02-09T21:23:20Z")
Before I became acquainted with comedian Louis C.K. I often confused his name with singer/TV personality Andrew W.K. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/29 "2016-02-09T21:25:49Z")
I can never remember whether the actor’s name is Channing Tatum or Tatum Channing. It is the first one, but then I get confused because of Tatum O’Neal and Stockard Channing, each of whom have the opposite of the first name and the surname. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/30 "2016-02-09T21:39:54Z")
Nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/31 "2016-02-09T21:47:29Z")
I always have to stop and think about the Freeman brothers, Martin and Morgan. As well as Morgan Freeman and Morgan Fairchild. And among science fiction authors, I can never remember which is which between Frederick Pohl and Poul Anderson. Which is annoying, because I think I like one of them a lot better than the other. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/32 "2016-02-09T21:49:05Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > Holly Hunter and Helen Hunt. > > As an aside: For the life of me, I can’t tell [Jennifer Aniston](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jennifer_Aniston) and [Helen Hunt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Hunt) apart. How about [Helen Hunt and Leelee Sobieski](http://starcrush.com/celeb-lookalikes-3/) > [@Sherrerd](#): > > More confusables: I’ll nominate Amy Adams and Amy Ryan. [Amy Adams](http://blogs.indiewire.com/womenandhollywood/amy-adams-to-play-janis-joplin-in-get-it-while-you-can-biopic-20141125) and [Isla Fisher](http://zntent.com/51-things-may-be-you-dont-know-about-isla-fisher/). ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/33 "2016-02-09T22:06:14Z")
As a lifelong Bowie fan, I was confused when all of a sudden everyone was talking about [Mick Ronson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mick_Ronson), the guitarist for the Spiders from Mars - he died in the early 90’s. Turns out they were talking about [Mark Ronson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Ronson) instead. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/34 "2016-02-09T22:08:45Z")
The names “River,” “Summer,” “Tam,” and “Glau” can be divided up to name an actor and her most famous role. But I’ll be damned if I can ever remember which way they’re supposed to pair up. [sub]"River Glau? Summer Tam? Summer River? River Song? Fuck it! Where’s Google?[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/35 "2016-02-09T22:27:02Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And among science fiction authors, I can never remember which is which between Frederick Pohl and Poul Anderson. I always confused Poul Anderson with Piers Anthony. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/36 "2016-02-09T22:43:30Z")
I managed to refer to Robert Patrick as Patrick Stewart the other night. And of course there’s always singers Bryan Adams and Ryan Adams. Ryan Adams was famously not happy about being confused for Bryan Adams: > **[Ryan Adams Not Amused by Name Game](https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/ryan-adams-not-amused-by-name-game-73812/)** > > Singer/songwriter Ryan Adams is apparently not amused by the similarity of his name to veteran Canadian rocker Bryan Adams. At a Ryan Adams concert Tuesday night at Nashville’s Ryman Auditori… Although years later he did play “Summer Of 69” onstage so maybe he got over it. Rick Springfield and Bruce Springsteen. Springfield recorded the song “Bruce” about it, sounds like has a sense of humor about it. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1rLVqnTEWPk/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHmA4AC4AOKAgwIABABGHIgQig3MA8=&rs=AOn4CLAne3ybdsVxK9lrP62V5MXBKx1P1A "Rick Springfield　　Bruce") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rLVqnTEWPk) ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/37 "2016-02-09T22:50:11Z")
The NHL has Justin Falk and Justin Faulk. Luckily they don’t play for the same team. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/38 "2016-02-09T23:01:20Z")
And filmmaker Chris Columbus did not sail the ocean blue in 1492. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/39 "2016-02-09T23:29:27Z")
Director Paul Anderson > **[Paul Thomas Anderson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Thomas_Anderson)** > > Paul Thomas Anderson (born June 26, 1970), also known by his initials PTA, is an American filmmaker. His films have consistently garnered critical acclaim. Anderson's films are often psychological dramas and characterized by depictions of flawed and desperate characters, explorations of themes such as dysfunctional families, alienation, loneliness and redemption, and a bold visual style that uses moving camera and long takes. Anderson has been nominated for eleven Academy Awards, three Gold He ... Director Wes Anderson > **[Wes Anderson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wes_Anderson)** > > Wesley Wales Anderson (born May 1, 1969) is an American filmmaker. His films are known for their eccentricity and unique visual and narrative styles. They often contain themes of grief, loss of innocence, and dysfunctional families. Cited by some critics as a modern-day example of the work of an auteur, three of Anderson's films have appeared in BBC Culture's 2016 poll of the greatest films since 2000. > He gained acclaim for his early work Bottle Rocket (1996), and Rushmore (1998). During this ... ---
**Author:** ![blue\_infinity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_infinity/32/2817_2.png) [@blue\_infinity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blue_infinity)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/40 "2016-02-09T23:38:56Z")
and Director Paul Anderson [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul\_W.\_S.\_Anderson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_W._S._Anderson) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638.md?page=3)