I started thinking about this when reading a review for a new horror movie called Smile. It stars Sosie Bacon, one degree from Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick. It made me wonder why some actors change their names and some don’t. The obvious answer, of course, is nepotism but is that always the case? If you were the offspring of a famous actor, would you keep the last name or switch it up like Nicholas Cage?
Hell no. Acting is a very competitive arena. I would use every advantage at my disposal.
^^ Nicolas.
Nah, I wouldn’t change it up, most everyone would know anyway.
I guess that the problem is that all actors have to have different names, so if your given name is Kevin Bacon (and you are not him), you have to find a different one to register with.
Acting dynasties have been a thing probably since Aristophanes.
It is expected that offspring follow in the same career. (If you consider circus arts to be acting they are even more insular.)
Would Jack Quaid have been considered for the roles he currently has if not for who his parents are? I doubt it.
Are there literally hundreds of struggling actors who could play those parts just as well if not better? I am certain of it.
Does it matter? No. Life is not fair, especially in a competitive field like acting.
(There are hundreds of people working as assistant managers at 7-11 who would be excellent firefighters or musicians, and Congresspersons whose natural abilities are more suited to being fry cooks. Life circumstances have more impact on career success than native talent.)
Some ( maybe all) of the actor’s unions require unique names, but in general, adding an initial or a generational suffix is enough to make a name unique, so Kevin L. Bacon or Kevin Bacon III would be allowed.
Which raises the question - If someone totally unrelated to KB decided to use one of those names, would there be anything KB could do to stop them? Assuming he wanted to.
If I called myself Bob Hope and started a career as an actor/comedian/singer, would his estate slap me with a lawsuit?
There might be a problem if someone who both has a completely different name and is unrelated to the famous KB wants to use Kevin L Bacon or Kevin Bacon II - but this guy is not the 17th person by that name in his family. He was the 17th person with that name to join SAG.
I’m supposed to change my name so people think I’ve made it on my own even though everyone that would care already knows who I am? I might not change my original name to a more well known one, or a just plain better name than Aloysius Q. Thudplunker but I probably would anyway because it’s a stupid name and even if a long line of Thudpunkers has had successful careers because I write my relationship on my resume. And if for some reason the Thudpunker will sell more tickets of course they can list me that way in the credits if they want because selling tickets is the business I wanted a job in
Would the purpose of the change be to keep your true identity from the audience or from casting directors. I don’t see the reason for the former, and the latter probably wouldn’t work.
In any case, for small roles acting chops don’t count that much. It is more looks, and to some extent safety. Being related to an actor means you know the ropes and are less likely to screw things up. Plus people might recognize you if you visited sets and knew what they were like. When my daughter was acting someone asked me if I was auditioning for the role of a father, and her younger sister got asked if she was interested also. No in both cases.
If the name in question belonged to someone at the very tippy-top of the profession, I think that I might be inclined to change it. I can totally understand Nicolas Cage trying to duck the Coppola legacy, or in the case of writing, why Joe Hill wanted to put a little distance between himself and his ridiculously famous dad, Stephen King. But if we’re talking about a relative who is merely kind of famous, I don’t think I would bother. I wouldn’t be too deeply affected by being, say, Bill Paxton’s nephew or Sam Rockwell’s cousin.
I feel like changing your name is almost a luxury for people who know they’re going to be successful no matter what, or who don’t really care either way. Changing your name doesn’t erase your connections with the influential people in the industry. You’ll still get auditions and meetings. You’ll still know other actors and acting families. Even if you’re playing at “going it on your own in Hollywood,” you’re still the acting equivalent of royalty and nobody is fooled.
There was a lot of confusion when a young man named Kevin Bacon was murdered in a very weird sexually-oriented crime a while back.
His famous namesake did send his condolences to the family.
An actor named Albert Einstein knew he would have to choose a stage name, so he’s known as Albert Finney.
I think you may have gotten the late Albert Finney confused with the still alive Albert Brooks (nee Einstein).
You are correct; my bad.
Sadly, Albert Einstein’s brother Bob Einstein has passed away. He was better known as ‘Super’ Dave Osborne. Their late father was a comic actor who went by the name Parkyakarcus.
I think if your parent is famous enough, it doesn’t matter. Look at the Sheen/Estevezes. Looking very much like your famous relatives also doesn’t help.