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).
I say em-EEL. But I’m not French, so what do I know…
Appropriately enough, there’s a shoe designer named Steve Madden.
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.
I generally have a hard time remembering the works of Robert Lindsay and Robert Powell. Also single-worded songstresses Rhianna and Beyonce.
British actresses Emily Blount and Emily Mortimer
I like both Amy Adams (Amy Adams - Wikipedia) and Rachel McAdams (Rachel McAdams - Wikipedia) 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.
Before I became acquainted with comedian Louis C.K. I often confused his name with singer/TV personality Andrew W.K.
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.
Nevermind.
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.
As a lifelong Bowie fan, I was confused when all of a sudden everyone was talking about Mick Ronson, the guitarist for the Spiders from Mars - he died in the early 90’s.
Turns out they were talking about Mark Ronson instead.
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]
I always confused Poul Anderson with Piers Anthony.
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:
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.
The NHL has Justin Falk and Justin Faulk. Luckily they don’t play for the same team.
And filmmaker Chris Columbus did not sail the ocean blue in 1492.
Director Paul Anderson
Director Wes Anderson