Renowned in the movie industry, this actor recently clinched a Golden Globe for his standout performance in an HBO project. Surprisingly, prior to his foray into television, he had never actually watched any of his own performances.
In a candid interview, he confessed his initial skepticism towards TV projects, stating: “If my agent had called me and said, ‘I think you should do a series,’ I would have fired my agent…”
However, it was his actress wife who ultimately persuaded him to reconsider. He fondly recalled the joy of sharing the screen with her and attending award ceremonies together.
Reflecting on his wife’s versatile acting career, he drew inspiration from the legendary Meryl Streep, noting: “You know, when I started to see her film work, you know, she does one part, and then she does another part, and it’s like barely recognizable, and to me, that was what I had always envisioned being an actor was, to be able to put on these different hats and become different people”.
This accomplished actor, none other than the charismatic 65-year-old Kevin Bacon, has journeyed from struggles to stardom, finding solace and happiness alongside his wife.
During a recent chat with Kelly Clarkson, Bacon reminisced about his humble beginnings. In 1976, he made the leap from Philadelphia to New York, where he had previously visited with his sister.
Arriving in the Big Apple, Bacon initially bunked with his sister until he could secure his own place. With just $150 to his name for the month, he stumbled upon a makeshift living situation advertised in The Village Voice. “Artists, actors, musicians, residents” were welcomed, and he found himself in what he describes as “basically a flophouse”.
For four years, he shared a space with a pianist in a rental office, unable to afford a proper apartment. Despite the challenges, Bacon’s determination and talent eventually paved the way to success, leading him to cross paths with his future wife, Kyra Sedgwick.
Their serendipitous encounter occurred in 1987 on the set of “Lemon Sky”. Bacon was smitten from the start, though Sedgwick needed a bit more convincing. After some persistence, their first date unfolded, marked by laughter and a deep connection that sealed their fate.
“We’ve always been each other’s biggest support and fans. A sense of humor is crucial. He is very freaking funny”, Sedgwick fondly remarked.
Together, they navigated the journey of parenthood, raising two children, Travis and Sosie, who are now adults. For Bacon, being a father is paramount, as he strives to instill values of honesty, integrity, and compassion in his children, emphasizing the importance of caring for the world and each other.
13 Celebrities Who Changed Their Real Names Before Becoming Famous
Sometimes we are given names that are either too hard to pronounce or too long to keep in their entirety. And if you are someone with a normal 9-5 job, that is completely fine. But, if you are someone in the entertainment industry who wants your name to be known by everyone, this may not be the best thing. That’s why many people choose to either shorten their full names or completely change them.
1. Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus legally changed her name back in 2008 from Destiny Hope Cyrus to Miley Cyrus. The name Miley is a rendition of her childhood nickname “Smiley” in honor of her paternal grandfather.
2. Victoria Beckham
Prior to becoming known as the fashion diva, Victoria Beckham, back in the early days of the iconic group we love, Victoria Adams was the name used for her records. However, when the Spice Girls became rising stars, she changed her name to Posh Spice. Years later, she become the famous Victoria Beckham we know today.
3. Vin Diesel
At the age of 17, Mark Sinclair was a rather big guy. He even used to work as a bouncer at a nightclub called The Tunnel. Around that time he took the name Vin Diesel and started to shave his head regularly.
4. Rachel Weisz
Early in her career, she changed her name to Rachel Vyce, but when people told her that it was too difficult to pronounce, she changed it to Kenya Campbell. She decided to keep it that way for a while, but she soon realized that it sounded unpleasant. The actress then decided to stay with Rachel Weisz and made a lot of iconic movies.
5. Natalie Portman
It was in 1994 when a very young Neta-Lee Hershlag auditioned for Leon and landed her first role in a major production. While filming, the actress changed her name to “Natalie” and took her mother’s maiden last name. Apparently, she wanted to maintain her privacy because some scenes in the movie were polemical.
6. Alicia Keys
Her real name is Alicia Augello-Cook, but she changed it and decided to have her own different stage name with a special meaning behind it. She explained, “It’s like the piano keys, and it can also open a lot of doors,” and she ended up with the name Alicia Keys and broke multiple records in her career.
7. Jamie Foxx
Eric Marlon Bishop, now known as Jamie Foxx, tried out a couple of different names when he first started doing open mic nights. When he’d sign up to the open mic lists, he used the names Tracy Brown and Stacy Green but eventually landed on Jamie Foxx.
8. Iggy Azalea
Her birth name is Amethyst Amelia Kelly, and she ended up with Iggy Azalea because she has a dog named “Iggy,” and it became her nickname. She came up with the surname Azalea, as she explained, “Because that is a street name that my mom and family live on, and it sounds very feminine, and I thought it would balance out Iggy being so masculine.”
9. Lana Del Rey
The singer’s real name is Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, but she’s now known as Lana Del Rey. When she began singing, she went by the name, “Lizzy Grant,” and also performed as “Sparkle Rope Jump Queen” until she landed on Lana Del Rey.
10. Tom Hardy
Before becoming Tom Hardy, his birth name was Edward Thomas Hardy, and he only used his first name before deciding to go by his middle name instead. Even though the Internet was aware of his true identity, it was not widely publicized.
11. Blake Lively
After Blake became an actress she decided to take the surname of her mother, Elaine Lively as her stage name.
12. Aaron Paul
His full name is Aaron Paul Sturtevant, but when he went to auditions, no one could pronounce his surname, “Sturtevant,” so he had to change it so that everyone could say it, and then he shortened it when he entered Hollywood.
13. Lorde
Lorde changed her original name at the age of 12 when she was signed to a development contract with the Universal Music Group after an agent of theirs saw footage of her singing at a middle school talent show. Her real name is Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor. The royalty hidden in the name Lord encouraged her in changing her original name, but she also added an “e” because she felt that Lord would be too masculine for a girl.
Preview photo credit Laurent VU/SIPA/Sipa Press Russia/East News, mileycyrus / Instagram
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