You might not know it, but some of your favorite stars actually go by a different name in real life. It's a pretty common practice in the entertainment industry to use screen names for several reasons. Some do it as advised by their agencies, especially when they think that your real name isn't all that memorable to the public. Others do it to reinvent themselves and separate their personal lives from their professional personas. Regardless of the reason, several household names in the industry are actually screen names—which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
In case you're curious, we list down seven stars and their ~real~ names below:
1. Julia Montes
Julia Montes' real name is Mara Hautea Schnittka and she is of German descent. According to her, the name Julia came about when she starred in Mara Clara alongside Kathryn Bernardo to prevent confusion as to who's playing who (Kathryn's character was named Mara while Julia, who's real name is Mara, played Clara). Montes was a surname that's relatively easier to pronounce and was given to her by her talent agency Star Magic.
2. Gabbi Garcia
Gabbi Garcia's real name is Gabriella Louise Ortega Lopez. Years ago, she used to go by Gabrielle Garcia before settling with Gabbi.
3. Alden Richards
Alden Richards' real name is Richard Reyes Faulkerson, Jr. Fun fact: Alden was actually a Candy Cutie, and back then, he still went by his real name and even his nickname, RJ.
4. Bea Alonzo
The name Phylbert Angellie Ranollo Fagestrom might be too complex for most people to remember compared to the now-household name Bea Alonzo. She is half-British, half-Filipino.
5. Heart Evangelista
While she's credited as Heart Evangelista in the films and shows she's starred in, her birth name is Love Marie Ongpauco, which is what she uses for her artwork. It's also the name she uses for her YouTube channel.
6. Charlie Dizon
The Fan Girl star is actually April Rose Dizon Matienzo in real life. Charlie Dizon was just the name given to her by ABS-CBN executive Charo Santos-Concio, which she ended up liking for its androgyny.
7. Sue Ramirez
Sue Ramirez's real name is Sue Anna Garina Dodd, but she goes by Sue Ramirez on-screen. Sue's father is American while her mom is Filipino.
***