Michael Keaton has been utilizing his stage name for around 50 years.
Michael Keaton has disclosed that after 50 years, he plans to revert to his original stage name.
In a new interview with PEOPLE, Michael stated that he had to change his birth name, Michael Douglas, due to Screen Actors Guild rules.
The Guild declared that “two members can have the same name,” which is why Keaton was forced to change his name due to actor Michael Douglas and talk show presenter Mike Douglas.
“I was looking through—I can’t remember if it was a phone book,” the 72-year-old said.
Keaton explained, “I must’ve gone, ‘I don’t know, let me think of something here.’ And I went, ‘Oh, that sounds reasonable.'”
The Oscar-nominated actor revealed that he now desires a moniker that combines both his stage and real name. From here on, he would receive professional recognition as Michael Keaton Douglas.
While filming Knox Goes Away in 2023, Keaton mentioned that he had intended to adopt the new name, but he “forgot” to do so.
“I said, ‘Hey, just as a warning, my credit is going to be Michael Keaton Douglas.’ And it totally got away from me,” he went on.
“And I forgot to give them enough time to put it in and create that. But that will happen.” Keaton continued. However, that will happen.
Meanwhile, Keaton is not the first famous person in Hollywood to go back to his real name.
Emma Stone, who co-starred with him in the film Birdman, also revealed that she “would like to be” called “Emily” whenever feasible.