Hook paragraph
Denzel Washington
During a September appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Denzel Washington clarified his name pronunciation. He said, “My name is not actually pronounced Denzel,” then corrected himself, “My name is pronounced Denzel.” He explained that the unique pronunciation began with his mother Lennis Washington, who used it to distinguish him from his father, Denzel Washington Sr.
Travis & Jason Kelce
On the “New Heights” podcast in 2023, Travis Kelce and his brother Jason discussed their surname. They debated “Kel-see” versus “Kels.” Travis chose “Kels,” while Jason also uses “Kel-see.” The brothers note the mispronunciation is common, but they prefer the original spelling.
Paul Mescal
Paul Mescal told The Hollywood Reporter in 2023, “People get confused on how to pronounce my name because of the drink mezcal.” He added, “Everybody does it, except I pronounce it mess-cull.” Mescal joked that if he launched a tequila line, he’d call it “Mescal’s Mezcal.”
Zendaya
In a 2016 Allure video, Zendaya explained, “In case you are wondering it’s Zendaya.” She broke it down: “Z-E-N Zen, D-A-Y, Day, UH, A.” Zendaya emphasized the stress on the first syllable and the “day” sound, correcting common mispronunciations.
Kirsten Dunst
August 2025, Kirsten Dunst told Town & Country that people often call her “kerr-sten” or “criss-ten.” She clarified the correct pronunciation is “keer-sten.” Dunst added, “I don’t blame people,” and encouraged them to keep trying. Her calm response shows her patience with the common mistake.
Taylor Lautner
Taylor Lautner revealed in February 2022 that the first syllable of his last name rhymes with “out,” not “lot.” He explained the pronunciation to E! News, noting the common mispronunciation. Lautner’s clarification helps fans say his name correctly.
Ayo Edebiri & Tana Mongeau
Ayo Edebiri says mispronouncing anyone’s name is her pet peeve, though she hasn’t complained about her own. Tana Mongeau, during a 2022 “Locked In” podcast, responded to Alex Warren’s critique by saying, “Take it up with the French, I didn’t create it.” Both highlight name-pronunciation frustrations.
Emily Ratajkowski & Tove Lo
Emily Ratajkowski clarified her surname on a TikTok shared by Tory Burch, saying “Rat-Ah-Cow-Skee.” She also shared the Polish pronunciation. Tove Lo, in a 2022 TikTok, explained the Swedish way is “Toovaloo,” but she still answers to “TUV-LOW.” Both artists correct common mispronunciations.
Raven-Symoné & Brendan Fraser
In January 2023, Raven-Symoné revealed on TikTok that her name has been mispronounced for years and is actually “See-mon-ye.” Brendan Fraser, after Adam Sandler mispronounced his name in a December 2022 Variety interview, corrected himself, saying “Fraser rhymes with razor.” Both emphasize the importance of correct pronunciation.
Haim, Adele, Lindsay Lohan
Este, Alana, and Danielle Haim taught fans in 2013 that their surname is “Hi-Um.” Adele praised a fan in October 2022 for pronouncing her name as “uh-dale.” Lindsay Lohan clarified in a February 2022 TikTok that her surname is “Lo-wen.” These stars correct common mispronunciations.
Alicia Silverstone, Kesha, Justin Theroux
Alicia Silverstone said on TikTok, “Ali-SEE-yuh,” noting her mama’s disapproval. Kesha clarified on TikTok, “My name is Kesha. Keh-sha,” not Keisha. Paul Theroux explained that many mispronounce “Theroux,” and his nephew calls himself “Justin tha-row.” All three emphasize accurate name pronunciation.
Ariana Grande, Chrissy Teigen, Gal Gadot
Ariana Grande explained in 2018 to Ebro Darden that her surname is pronounced “gran-dee.” Chrissy Teigen, on “Live With Kelly and Ryan” in 2018, said, “It’s been 25 years, I’m tired of correcting people.” Gal Gadot told Jimmy Kimmel that her name is “guh-dote,” meaning “Riverbank” in Hebrew, and that her original surname was Greenstein.
Jake Gyllenhaal, Ralph Fiennes, Sade Adu
Jake Gyllenhaal, on Conan in 2012, noted his name is correctly pronounced only in Sweden and at Ikea. Ralph Fiennes, in 2011, told The Hollywood Reporter he’d never change his name, named after his step-grandfather. Sade Adu’s stage name is pronounced “shar-day,” according to her IMDb page.
Steve Buscemi, Charlize Theron, Anya Taylor-Joy, Amanda Seyfried
Steve Buscemi confirmed in 2014 that his surname is “boo-sem-ee” and that he doesn’t correct people who say “boo-shh-em-me.” Charlize Theron, on Jimmy Fallon in 2014, said, “They screw it up,” and joked she might make an audiotape. Anya Taylor-Joy pronounces her name “anne-ya,” and Amanda Seyfried said her name is “sigh-frid,” though her sister differs.
