# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2016, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/41 "2016-02-09T23:56:09Z")
Apparently Blake Shelton and Blake Lively are two different people. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/42 "2016-02-10T00:01:00Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > 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. Yep. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/43 "2016-02-10T00:02:08Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > I always confused Poul Anderson with Piers Anthony. There’s also another Frederick J. Pohl who wrote about pre-Columbian explorers of America > **[Frederick J. Pohl](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_J._Pohl)** > > Frederick Julius Pohl (August 18, 1889 – February 21, 1991) was a prolific playwright, literary critic, editor and book author. He is best known for his books espousing speculative and controversial historical theories of pre-Columbian trans-oceanic contact by Europeans, including the Vikings and others. > Pohl was the husband of playwright/author Josephine McIlvain Pollitt (October 15, 1890 - August 1978; married Frederick in May 1926) and later Loretta M. Baker (née Champagne, 1906 - April 27, 2... As long as you’re bringing up SF authors, “William Tenn” was really Philip Klass > **[William Tenn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Tenn)** > > William Tenn was the pseudonym of Philip Klass (May 9, 1920 – February 7, 2010), a British-born American science fiction author, notable for many stories with satirical elements. > Born to a Jewish family in London, Phillip Klass moved to New York City with his parents before his second birthday and grew up in Brooklyn, the oldest of three children. After serving in the United States Army during World War II as a combat engineer in Europe, he held a job as a technical editor with an Air Force rada... Not to be confused with Aviation week editor and UFO debunker Philip J. Klass (although one Doper did so): > **[Philip J. Klass](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_J._Klass)** > > Philip Julian Klass (November 8, 1919 – August 9, 2005) was an American aviation/aerospace journalist and UFO researcher, best known for his skepticism regarding UFOs. In the ufological and skeptical communities, Klass inspires polarized appraisals. He has been called the "Sherlock Holmes of UFOlogy". Klass demonstrated "the crusader's zeal for what seems 'right,' regardless of whether it brings popular acclaim," a trait he claimed his father instilled in him. "I've found," said Kl Longtime uf... (I’ve spoken to both of them, but they died five and ten years ago) Turns out there’s also an actor of that name, but he hasn’t been in much. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/44 "2016-02-10T00:32:22Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > I always confused Poul Anderson with Piers Anthony. I thought Curt Siomak was a pseudonym for Cliff Simak. Turns out that’s not true. When I was a kid, I thought that Ann Jillian’s name was so famous she only went by one name: “Angillian’” I guessed. ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/45 "2016-02-10T00:35:12Z")
I get tripped up over Sarah Michelle Gellar, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Mary-Louise Parker. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/46 "2016-02-10T00:45:11Z")
Juliette Binoche and Julia Ormond have similar names and [look alike](http://www.stylepinner.com/julia-ormond-and-juliette-binoche/anVsaWEtb3Jtb25kLWFuZC1qdWxpZXR0ZS1iaW5vY2hl/). ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/47 "2016-02-10T00:49:09Z")
Not really a confusion between _multiple_ people but I might as well admit that it was within the last five years that I realized that it’s “Pia Zadora” and not “P. Isadora”. In my weak defense, she was sort of a generation prior to me so I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a film with her in it. ---
**Author:** ![adhemar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@adhemar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhemar)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/48 "2016-02-10T01:21:44Z")
James Marsden and James Marsters ---
**Author:** ![Goofus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7feea3/32.png) [@Goofus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Goofus)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/49 "2016-02-10T01:32:06Z")
Taylor Schilling and Taryn Manning probably wouldn’t confuse me as much if they weren’t on the same show. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/50 "2016-02-10T02:22:15Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > John Hurt is not William Hurt, who in turn is not Bill Pullman And neither are John Heard. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/51 "2016-02-10T02:42:26Z")
I just discovered recently that Helen Reddy and Anne Murray are two different people. The names aren’t so similar, but they occupied the same neurons in my brain. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/52 "2016-02-10T02:42:39Z")
**Seth MacFarland** is the guy who does _Family Guy_ and _Ted_. **Todd McFarlane** is the guy who created \*Spawn \*comics and makes cool videos and action figures. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/53 "2016-02-10T02:44:47Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > Apparently Blake Shelton and Blake Lively are two different people. Yes! Of different genders, too. Always makes me do a double take when they talk about one Blake’s spouse, Ryan Reynolds. ---
**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 10, 2016, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/54 "2016-02-10T02:46:08Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > **Seth MacFarland** is the guy who does _Family Guy_ and _Ted_. > > **Todd McFarlane** is the guy who created \*Spawn \*comics and makes cool videos and action figures. Seth MacFarlane, actually. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/55 "2016-02-10T02:48:43Z")
And, I always thought Melissa Manchester was that ballsy, scratchy-voiced rock singer who peaked in the late 80s, kind of a lesbian proto-Sheryl Crowe. Nope, turns out that’s Melissa _Etheridge_. Ms. Manchester is a sort of Barbra Streisand/Celine Dion-type songstress who peaked in the mid 70s. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/56 "2016-02-10T02:49:28Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Seth MacFarlane, actually. Thanks! I looked them up and I still couldn’t get it right 😃 ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/57 "2016-02-10T03:39:55Z")
Ok, it’s less problematic once they’re dead, but…Jean Stapleton is not Maureen Stapleton, who in turn is neither Maureen O’Hara nor Maureen O’Sullivan. When I hear Jamie Lee Curtis I know who it is, but when I hear Jennifer Jason Leigh I have to take a moment to remember she isn’t Jamie Lee Curtis. I also struggle with Cate Blanchett and Kate Winslet. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/58 "2016-02-10T10:31:05Z")
Not quite in the same vein as the other entries in this thread, but on topic… It wasn’t until watching Guardians of the Galaxy that I realized the band that performed Hooked on a Feeling was named Blue Swede, not Blue Suede. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2016, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/59 "2016-02-10T19:19:34Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > 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. Yeah, it’s this Carol Stockard Channing Tatum O’Neal person. I understand that this is a real name given by his parents but it sounds like a focus group was tasked with finding a true “Hollywood” name for an actor and they put a bunch of famous names in a hat and drew them blind. “What sex should it be? I don’t know, put 5 or six kinds back in the hat and we’ll draw again.” As a result, at least for me, is the most forgettable Hollywood name I can think of, and I have to Google to find a picture to know who we are talking about. And I will not remember him the next time his name comes up. He’s no Brad Smith, Alex Pitt or Cooper Johnson. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2016, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638/60 "2016-02-11T11:48:55Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > How about [Helen Hunt and Leelee Sobieski](http://starcrush.com/celeb-lookalikes-3/) > > [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/). Throw Anna Kendrick on the Adams / Fisher pile. (Yum!) In terms of look-alikes, some more recent ones that jump out at me: [Amber Heard](http://i2.listal.com/image/1280372/936full-amber-heard.jpg) and [Teresa Palmer](http://static.tumblr.com/1d29449a42acd13dcaa8982586007658/9ezautq/1r1mtz6gi/tumblr_static_tumblr_ml45ear8il1snygdio1_250.jpg) [Kerry Bishe](http://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/bg/Kerry+Bishe+18th+Annual+Critics+Choice+Movie+T6xEukvMQLDl.jpg) and [Marin Ireland](http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Marin+Ireland+Twenty+Eight+Hotel+Rooms+Portraits+j41sF5fWA01l.jpg), who get look-alike bonus points for having played sisters in The Understudy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-whose-names-confuse-you/745638.md?page=4)