Beetlejuice: Michael Keaton’s name isn’t Michael Keaton, and he wants to change his name

Few people know, but Keaton is not Michael Keaton’s real name! According to Hollywood legend, when the latter chose a career in show business in the 1970s, he chose a stage name from the telephone directory.

In fact, the iconic actor — who we’ll soon be seeing in his iconic role as Beetlejuice in the sequel to Tim Burton’s hit 1988 comedy — “doesn’t remember” choosing his new pen name decades ago, he told People. magazine earlier this month.

at the time Michael Keaton could not retain her birth name because there was already another person of the same name registered with the Screen Actors Guild, which prohibits the use of another member’s professional name. his real name Michael Douglas… and of course the union already had Michael Douglas, the future Oscar winner for Wall Street that we know so well, and Mike Douglas (the talk show host). So he became Michael Keaton.

When asked by people about the history of the telephone directory, Michael Keaton He replied that he doesn’t really remember how he chose the nickname that made him a star.

“I was looking in the directory, I can’t remember if it was a phone book or not“, he said. “I had to be like, I don’t know, I’ll figure something out.“

And even if the name “Keaton” served him well, the actor, now 72, would now like to return to his real name – or rather use it along with his stage name and thus become Michael Keaton Douglas for his professional life. projects.

He already had it in mind for his latest production, Knox Goes Away, a dramatic thriller released earlier this year in which he also stars, but “forgot” to film due to stress.

“I said, “Hey, just to let you know, my credit is Michael Keaton Douglas.” And it completely escaped me. And I forgot to give them enough time to set it up and create it. But it will happensaid the Oscar-nominated actor for Birdman, who also stars as Michael Keaton in his latest film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the sequel to the 1988 comedy. Tim Burton.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice hits theaters September 11: Now it’s time to preview the first installment, which is currently available to stream on Max.