Fans are only just discovering Reese Witherspoon’s real name

Reese Witherspoon has revealed her birth name and it’s taken a lot of people by surprise, including her co-stars.

Celebrities in the spotlight often go by different names than the one they were given at birth, and this is for a variety of reasons.

Some opt to change their name purely to make it sound better to get jobs.

However, most people in the industry will be signed up to a union that has strict rules that say that two members can’t have the same name.

Reese Witherspoon wasn’t born with that exact name. Credit: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty

These unions could be SAG-AFTRA or Equity and it can be a real headache for people who are just starting out to find that someone has already taken their name.

You can then either sit and wait and hope that the other person leaves the union, or come up with a new name entirely.

This week, however, a revelation about Reese Witherspoon has left fans in disbelief.

The fact that Reese Witherspoon isn’t her name, previously unknown to many, came to light during a Vanity Fair interview with her Big Little Lies co-star Nicole Kidman.

Nicole Kidman, who has been friends with Reese for years, admitted her own surprise at the revelation. “I hate how you call her Dern,” Kidman said, referring to their co-star Laura Dern. “It sounds so weird. I’m always like ‘Laura,’ and you’re like ‘No, Dern, Dern,’ and I’m like, ‘Why?'”

Reese explained the nickname confusion by saying: “‘Cause my name is Laura, and her name’s Laura, and it’s confusing to me.”

The acclaimed actress, known for her roles in Legally Blonde and Big Little Lies, was actually born Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon.

Despite the revelation, Reese’s fans have been taken aback. Social media quickly buzzed with reactions.

Fans are shocked to learn Witherspoon’s real name. Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty

“Reese Witherspoon’s real name is Laura but she looks like a Reese or does she look like a Reese because she told us she was a Reese?” one fan questioned. Another added: “Reese Witherspoon’s real name is Laura Jeanne and I feel LIED to.”

A third person wrote: “Finding out Reese Witherspoon’s real name is Laura Jeanne makes sense. She’s very Laura Jeanne coded.”

A fourth person said: “I was today years old when I found out that Reese Witherspoon’s real name is Laura Jeanne.”

Other celebs who have different names are Emma Stone, who was born Emily – Rihanna who was born Robyn Fenty, and Lady Gaga who was born Stefani Germanotta.