Jamie Foxx's Real Name Isn't Jamie Foxx And The Internet Feels Betrayed

Updated April 27 2020, 1:56 p.m. ET

Many celebs that you know with catchy or memorable names have a secret that isn't really all that secret; they use stage names. I don't mean one or two of them, I'm talking about a significant portion of celebrities that even your grandma knows.

It seems like a strange concept to wrap your head around; why would you put so much work into something and not have people learn your real name?

It turns out that some do it to avoid being typecast in a particular role, while others needed a name that was easier for everyone to remember. A great example is Cardi B. People were completely shook when they found out that Cardi B's real name was Belcalis Almanzar, so much so that it took over both Instagram and Twitter for a week, dominating feeds with memes and reactions to the noise.

It's no secret that stars change their names in order to make themselves more marketable.

Now I don't know what Vin Diesel's real name is, but I'm pretty it  doesn't say "Diesel" on his birth certificate. Unless he comes from a long and proud lineage of Peterbilt trucks.

It turns out that some of the less octane-related Hollywood names are also completely made up for the sake of standing out to casting directors. It shouldn't come as a surprise in such a competitive line of work, but people are always floored when they find out one of their favorite stars has been living under a pseudonym for most of their lives.

Like when Twitter discovered Jamie Foxx's real name isn't Jamie Foxx.

It turns out it's Eric Marlon Bishop.

And although the nature of show business is literally people acting like someone else for our own entertainment and emotional release, people couldn't get over the fact that Jamie Foxx wasn't the actor's real name.

Like, they were flabbergasted.

People felt betrayed.

Others were battling an existential crisis.

There was outrage.

Others revealed that Foxx's stage name had some pretty clever origins.

And some people had questions about the names of his children.

Mostly, though, people couldn't believe it.

But there were some people who weren't surprised at all.

Ultimately, the news doesn't really change anything.

Because what's your name? The one you were given? Or the one that you made for yourself? Let that marinate.

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