Emma Stone who recently clinched her second Academy Award, is making headlines not just for her cinematic achievements but for a personal revelation—she prefers to be called by her birth name, Emily.
The star, widely known by her stage name "Emma," disclosed her preference in a candid conversation with The Hollywood Reporter.
A Name Not Her Own
It all started when Stone entered the acting world and needed to register with SAG-AFTRA.
Unfortunately, "Emily Stone" was already taken. "It’s just because my name was taken [by another actress in SAG]," she explained.
Opting for "Emma," a name she admired, seemed like a straightforward solution at the time.
Reclaiming Emily
Years into her successful career, the name "Emma" began to feel less and less like her own.
"I freaked out a couple of years ago. For some reason, I was like, ‘I can’t do it anymore. Just call me Emily,’" Stone recounted during the interview. She shared how her co-star from "The Curse," Nathan Fielder, often calls her "Em," which feels closer to her real identity.
During the interview, Fielder himself interjected, highlighting the dual identity Stone navigates.
"Her name’s Emily, but she goes by Emma professionally. So, when there’s people that don’t know her, I end up saying Emma. But I’m going to just say Emily from here on," he declared.
Stone responded with a light-hearted touch, affirming that she wouldn't mind being called Emily by fans either. "No. That would be so nice. I would like to be Emily," she admitted.
The tale of how "Emily" became "Emma" is tied to a childhood fancy.
Stone once told Jimmy Fallon that her choice was inspired by Emma Bunton of the Spice Girls. "My real name is Emily, but I wanted to be called Emma because of Baby Spice. And guess what? Now, I am," she joked back in 2018.
