For half a century, we’ve known him as Michael Keaton – the guy who brought us unforgettable characters like Batman, Beetlejuice, and that creepy bird dude from Birdman.
After nearly five decades in Hollywood, Michael Keaton has revealed that he plans to use his birth name. Keaton’s decision to change his name back may surprise fans, but there’s an interesting story behind the switch.
Michael Keaton’s real name is Michael John Douglas. Early in his career, he was forced to adopt the name “Michael Keaton” because another Michael Douglas was already a registered actor. The actor has been using a stage name for nearly 50 years and plans to use “Michael Keaton Douglas” moving forward in 2024.
The Name Game: Michael Keaton’s Hollywood Switch
When Keaton was just starting out in the biz, there was already a pretty famous Michael Douglas strutting around Hollywood (you might’ve heard of him – Wall Street, anyone?). Plus, there was a talk show host named Mike Douglas.
In an exclusive interview with People, Keaton revealed that his birth name has always been Michael John Douglas. But due to the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) rules, he couldn’t register under that name since two others were already using it—Oscar-winning actor Michael Douglas and TV host Mike Douglas.
This led the actor to come up with “Keaton,” a name he admits he found randomly, possibly from a phone book.
Keaton, who has captivated audiences with roles like Batman and Beetlejuice, says he’s finally ready to embrace his full name after years of sticking with his iconic stage name. He originally intended to make the switch during the 2023 release of Knox Goes Away but got too caught up in production to make it official.
“I said, ‘Hey, just as a warning, my credit is going to be Michael Keaton Douglas.’ And it totally got away from me,” he shared.
Interestingly, Keaton is not the first star to face this issue. Actress Emma Stone also expressed wanting to return to her birth name, Emily, after years of working under her stage name.
It’s also his birthday, and we wish his even more success with the new name.
For Keaton fans, it may take some getting used to, but what do you think? What do you think about celebs using stage names? Does knowing an actor’s real name change how you see them on screen?
Averagebeing’s Take: Michael Keaton’s name change might feel odd after decades of recognition, but it’s a cool nod to his roots. We can’t wait to see “Michael Keaton Douglas” Grace movie credits soon. Plus, now we can say we’re on a first-name basis with both Michael Douglases.
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