Being the child of a celebrity comes with its own set of perks and challenges. While the incredible closet archives are a definite plus, the expectations and preconceived notions attached to a famous last name can make it difficult to forge one’s own path. Many celebrity kids have chosen to drop their famous last names to create their own identities. From Shiloh Jolie to Elle King, here are some notable examples.
Malia Obama, the daughter of former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, opted to go by Malia Ann when she debuted her short film at the Sundance Film Festival. By dropping her last name, she aimed to avoid any preconceived notions that come with being the daughter of a president. Her film, “The Heart,” is about a grieving son whose mother left him an unusual request in her will.
Elle King, born Tanner Elle Schneider, is the daughter of comedian Rob Schneider and model London King. She changed her name when she decided to pursue a career in music. “I wanted to be my own person. I never wanted to borrow money from anybody, and I’ve worked hard for my family and for me,” she told PEOPLE. “I want to have a life built for myself, and I want to know that I did it.”
Mamie Gummer, the daughter of Meryl Streep, had her name changed to Natalie Stern by her mother to protect her identity when she appeared in the 1986 film “Heartburn” at just 20 months old. As she grew older, she chose to go by her given name. Streep’s youngest daughter, Louisa Jacobson, also doesn’t use her given surname due to Screen Actors Guild restrictions.
Micheál Neeson, son of Liam Neeson, dropped his last name to honor his mother, Natasha Richardson, who died in a skiing accident in 2009. “I think he did the right thing. It was a lovely homage … Natasha’s family, mother, and sisters were very touched by it as indeed I was,” Liam Neeson told Andy Cohen on Radio Andy.
Emilio Estevez chose to use his father’s real last name, Estevez, instead of the stage name Martin Sheen, which his father used throughout his career. Sheen, born Ramon Estevez, expressed regret for changing his name for Hollywood and was glad that Emilio retained it. “The only influence I had on Emilio was to keep his name,” Sheen said. “When he started out, his agent was advising him to change his name to Sheen and he wouldn’t do it. And I thank God he didn’t.”
Nicolas Cage, born Nicolas Coppola, decided to change his last name to distance himself from his famous family, which includes his uncle, Oscar-nominated director Francis Ford Coppola. “People would not stop saying things like ‘I love the smell of Nicolas in the morning,'” he recalled. He chose the name Cage, inspired by Marvel Comics’ Luke Cage and avant-garde composer John Cage.
Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, one of the six children of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, filed to legally drop “Pitt” from her surname on her 18th birthday. Shiloh is not the only Jolie-Pitt sibling to use “Jolie” exclusively. Vivienne, another of Jolie and Pitt’s children, was listed as Vivienne Jolie in the Playbill for the Outsiders Broadway show, where she has a producer credit. Zahara, another sibling, introduced herself as “Zahara Marley Jolie” in a video shared by Essence.
Suri Cruise, the daughter of Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, appeared in her New York City high school’s graduation ceremony program as “Suri Noelle” instead of “Suri Cruise.” This change signifies her desire to create her own identity separate from her famous parents.
These celebrity kids have taken significant steps to carve out their own identities, free from the shadows of their famous parents. Whether it’s for personal reasons, professional aspirations, or to honor a loved one, dropping a famous last name can be a powerful statement of independence and self-determination.
Source: People, Entertainment Tonight, The Hollywood Reporter, Closer Weekly, Wired, TMZ
