Asian Stars Who Changed Their Real Names to Sound “Less Ethnic”

Many performers with Asian heritage adjusted their names as they built careers in Western entertainment, often choosing shorter or more familiar versions to fit industry norms. These changes ranged from adopting English first names to selecting streamlined stage surnames. The decisions were frequently tied to agency representation practices and casting opportunities. Here are notable examples from film, television, and music history.

Ben Kingsley

Born Krishna Pandit Bhanji in England, he began using Ben Kingsley in the late 1960s while working on stage and screen. The shorter English name helped him secure auditions in a period of limited roles for South Asian actors. He later made the change legal as his career advanced. His early theater credits show the transition from Bhanji to Kingsley.

Kal Penn

Born Kalpen Suresh Modi, he started submitting as Kal Penn while pursuing television and film roles in the early 2000s. The modified surname matched common Western spelling and fit casting lists more easily. He has publicly discussed receiving more callbacks after the switch. His union records reflect credits under both surnames before standardizing as Penn.

Mindy Kaling

Born Vera Mindy Chokalingam, she shortened her surname to Kaling early in her comedy career. The simplified name was easier for club bookers and audiences to pronounce. She retained Mindy from her given names and dropped Vera from billing. Her earliest theater and stand up posters document the shift.

Pat Morita

Born Noriyuki Morita in California, he used Pat Morita for most of his film and television work. Pat originated as an English nickname he received as a child and became his professional first name. Studios often preferred the shorter English given name on publicity materials. He was occasionally credited as Noriyuki Pat Morita on select projects.

Anna May Wong

Born Wong Liu Tsong in Los Angeles, she adopted the stage name Anna May Wong as a teenager. The English given names aligned with studio preferences in silent and early sound cinema. Trade publications of the era regularly used Anna May on casting notices. Her passport records show both her birth name and professional name during overseas shoots.

Jackie Chan

Born Chan Kong Sang in Hong Kong, he began using Jackie Chan after working in Australia where coworkers called him Jackie. The English first name appeared on early international posters and press kits. The change aided distribution in English speaking markets. Hong Kong film credits from the late 1970s reflect the new billing.

Jet Li

Born Li Lianjie in Beijing, he adopted Jet Li as a concise stage name for export releases. The one syllable English nickname was easier to market on posters and trailers abroad. Early US publicity referred to him exclusively as Jet. Asian market credits sometimes continued to list Lianjie alongside the stage name.

Michelle Yeoh

Born Yeoh Choo Kheng in Malaysia, she used Michelle Khan at the start of her Hong Kong career before reverting to Michelle Yeoh. The temporary surname aligned with a more Western sounding screen identity at the time. By the mid 1990s her international credits consistently used Yeoh. Legal documents retained Yeoh as her family name.

Ke Huy Quan

Born Ke Huy Quan in Vietnam, he was credited as Jonathan Ke Quan during portions of his early career. The English first name appeared on casting sheets and television listings in the 1990s. He later returned to Ke Huy Quan across all credits. Modern award submissions and unions list him under Ke Huy Quan.

M. Night Shyamalan

Born Manoj Nelliyattu Shyamalan in India and raised in the United States, he shortened his professional billing to M. Night Shyamalan. Night originated as a long standing personal nickname he adopted while studying film. The initial and nickname format matched Hollywood credit conventions. His earliest indie features show the standardized credit.

Freddie Mercury

Born Farrokh Bulsara in Zanzibar to a Parsi Indian family, he adopted Freddie Mercury before his band reached major label status. The English given name had been used informally since school years. He legally changed his name during the early 1970s. Recording contracts and publishing registrations reflect the Mercury surname.

Tia Carrere

Born Althea Rae Janairo in Hawaii to a Filipino family, she selected Tia Carrere as a professional name early in modeling and acting. The new surname provided a brief and memorable billing for television listings. Casting directories from the late 1980s list both names as alternates. Publicity shots from her first roles use the Carrere credit exclusively.

Merle Oberon

Born in India as Estelle Merle O’Brien Thompson, she entered British cinema using Merle Oberon. The stage surname masked her mixed South Asian background during a period of strict casting barriers. Studio biographies of the 1930s promoted the new identity. Later archival materials confirmed her birth records and heritage.

Sabu

Born Sabu Dastagir in India, he worked in Hollywood under the single name Sabu. The mononym removed ethnic cues from a longer South Asian surname on posters. Studio contracts listed the single name for billing and publicity. Shipping manifests for overseas shoots still recorded his full birth name.

Bruce Lee

Born Lee Jun Fan in San Francisco, he used the English given name Bruce from infancy after it was suggested by a physician. The two word billing Bruce Lee became standard as he worked in American television. The English first name simplified marketing for US audiences. Hong Kong credits often included Chinese characters for his birth name alongside Bruce.

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