Many fans feel like they know everything there is to know about their favorite celebrities, but time and time again, that's proven not to be the case. Just when you think you've figured out what you're capable of, stars of all stripes often find a way to throw curveballs, from hidden geniuses to famous family members.
Read on for 100 fun facts about celebrities that are sure to impress your friends and help your team at trivia night.
celebrity real name
1. Rihanna’s real name is Robyn Fenty.
The singer was born Robyn Rihanna Fenty in 1988 and decided to use her middle name as a nickname when she entered the music industry.
2. Emma Stone’s actual name is Emily.
The only reason the Oscar winner decided to use Emma as her stage name was because there was another Emily Stone who was already registered with the Screen Actors Guild.
3. Reese Witherspoon’s real name is Laura.
The actor was born Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon in 1976, but decided to use her middle name during her career.
4. Katy Perry shares the same name as Kate Hudson.
Perry's birth name was Katherine Hudson, and she used the name Katie Hudson on her first self-released album. However, she thought of Perry due to possible confusion with actress Kate Hudson.
5. Bruno Mars as Peter Jean Hernandez.
The singer's father nicknamed him "Bruno" because he looked like the wrestler Bruno Sammartino. He added "Mars" to the end of his stage name because he claimed he was "not of this world." True.
6. Lady Gaga is Stephanie Germanotta.
She is Italian.
7. Lana Del Rey is indeed Elizabeth Grant.
Del Rey used the name Lizzy Grant on her self-titled first album, but devised her stage name in Miami, where she spoke Spanish with her Cuban friends . “It sounds beautiful coming off the tip of your tongue,” she said.
8. Miley Cyrus was born Destiny Hope.
The singer's name was Destiny Hope Cyrus, but her parents soon gave her the nickname "Smiley," which was later shortened to "Miley." Miley). In 2008, she legally changed her name to Miley Ray Cyrus.
9. Jamie Foxx’s real name is Eric.
The actor and comedian was born Eric Marlon Bishop, but he told David Letterman in 2014 that he used a gender-neutral name like Jamie names to gain an edge in stand-up comedy, as women are more likely to be chosen first for open mics.
10. Blake Lively’s last name is Brown.
The actor was born Blake Ellender Brown, but decided to use his mother's maiden name after becoming an actor, possibly to differentiate himself.
11. The Duchess of Sussex was not born Meghan.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was born Rachel Meghan Markle, but she decided to ditch her first name and use her middle name professionally.
12. Prince Harry is actually Prince Henry.
Markle's husband also goes by a different name. Prince Harry's real name was Henry Charles Albert David, and even he himself didn't know why everyone called him Harry his whole life.
13. Alexis Bledel’s name is Kimberly.
The "Gilmore Girls" star was born Kimberly Alexis Bledel, whom she used as a child model. But before entering showbiz, she decided to use her middle name.
14.Drake is not really Drake.
The rapper was born Aubrey Graham, a name he adopted when he was a teenager on Degrassi. Like his former flame Rihanna, he decided to use his middle name as a single name when his rap career took off, but he still refers to him by his first name often.
15. Joaquin Phoenix changed his name several times.
The actor was born Joaquin Bottom, but when he was four, his family changed their last name to Phoenix after leaving the Children of God religious group. He then worked as a child actor as Leaf Phoenix, matched with his siblings (who were both named after nature) before returning to Joaquin as an adult.
16. Natalie Portman’s real name is Netta Lee.
Portman was born Neta-Lee Hershlag in 1981, but she adopted the English spelling of her name after moving to the United States from Israel as a child. When she became an actress, she began using her maternal grandmother's maiden name.
17. Brad Pitt isn’t just short for Bradley.
The Oscar-winning actor was born William Bradley Pitt, and while he decided to shorten his middle name and use it professionally, he still prefers William in his personal life.
18. Olivia Wilde’s surname is Cockburn.
Inspired by author and playwright Oscar Wilde, the actor and director chose to use Wilde as her professional surname.
19. Jason Sudeikis’ first name is Daniel.
Wilde's ex-husband also had his name professionally changed, using his middle name Jason instead of his first name Daniel to avoid confusion with his father (who was also named Daniel).
20. Frank Ocean also changed his name.
The singer was born Christopher Edwin Breaux in 1987, but in 2011 he legally changed his name to Christopher Francis Ocean, retaining his name while also reflecting his stage persona.
Unexpected celebrity couple
21.Julia Roberts dated Matthew Perry.
Perry revealed in his memoir that the two actors dated briefly in the late '90s. This helped Roberts land a memorable cameo on Friends .
22. Sandra Bullock was in a relationship with Ryan Gosling.
Bullock and Gosling met on the set of the 2001 film "Murder by Numbers" and remained romantically involved for the next two years before reportedly breaking up in 2003.
23. Cher had a fling with Tom Cruise.
Cher and Cruise met at Madonna and Sean Penn's wedding in 1985 (the most amazing encounter ever) and had a quick affair after reconnecting at a White House event. They didn't go very far, but in 2013, she did call him one of her five lovers.
24. Kelis dated Bill Murray.
In the summer of 2023, the singer's milkshake brought Murray to the yard, launching a whirlwind two-month romance.
25. Pamela Anderson is engaged to Kid Rock.
Anderson's relationship with Tommy Lee is well-documented, but she was also married to another rocker. She was engaged to Kid Rock in 2002 but broke up a year later, reunited with him on a yacht in 2006 and broke up again a few months later.
26. Kim Kardashian dated Pete Davidson.
While Kardashian and Davidson's relationship is now classic, no one saw it coming. The affair supposedly started after the reality star was hosting Saturday Night Live and the pair dated for eight months before splitting in August 2022.
27. Davidson is engaged to Ariana Grande.
Davidson got engaged to Grande in the summer of 2018 after about a month of dating, which felt like a fever dream. By the end of the year, they had gone their separate ways.
28. He also dated Kate Beckinsale.
Davidson is the king of unexpected relationships. After splitting from Grande, he casually dated the 50-year-old model for several months in 2019.
29. Avril Lavigne and Tyga are important.
He's a boy and she's a girl, but there's nothing obvious about the pairing. The two artists had an on-off romance in 2023, but called it off later that year.
30. Katie Holmes and Jamie Foxx together.
The two actors split in 2019 after six years together. They keep their relationship very private.
31. EmRata and Eric André happened.
Emily Ratajowski started dating the comedian a month after splitting from her ex-husband. They broke up two months later.
32. Mila Kunis was Macaulay Culkin’s first love.
The That '70s Show actor dated the Home Alone star for nearly a decade before splitting in 2011.
33. Rachel Bilson dated Bill Hader.
The comedian doesn't seem like Summer Roberts' type, but that's not the case with Hader and Bilson's relationship. The two first dated in 2019 and broke up a year later.
34. Chelsea Handler and 50 Cent casually date.
The rapper and comedian had a "casual" fling in 2011. Interestingly, Handler was willing to rekindle the flame if 50 Cent denounced Donald Trump on social media, which he quickly did.
35. Jessie J is dating Channing Tatum.
The British singer and "Magic Mike" star began dating Jenna Dewan after her 2018 divorce. They lived together for nearly two years before separating in April 2020.
36. Grimes has a child with Elon Musk.
The indie singer dated the Tesla founder for nearly four years and welcomed their first son, X Æ A-12 Musk, in May 2020. Even after that on and off, they welcomed two more children, Exa Dark Sideræl and Techno Mechanicus.
37. Alanis Morrissette dated Ryan Reynolds.
No, Reynolds didn't inspire "You Should Know." The singer and actress met at Drew Barrymore's birthday party in 2002, a few years after her hit song, and got engaged two years later before eventually splitting in 2007.
38. ScarJo and Jack Antonoff were high school sweethearts.
Yes, Scarlett Johansson and producer Taylor Swift dated for over a year in 2001, while they were students at New York's Vocational Children's School. They even went to prom together.
39. Nicole Kidman is engaged to Lenny Kravitz.
Kidman dated Kravitz for over a year in 2002 and revealed they actually got engaged while starring in Big Little Lies with their daughter Zoe.
40. Cameron Diaz is dating Jared Leto.
Diaz has always had a soft spot for rock stars. Before marrying Good Charlotte singer Benji Madden more than a decade ago, she dated the 30 Seconds to Mars frontman for more than four years before splitting in 2003.
family relations
41. Sofia Coppola and Nicolas Cage are cousins.
Cage's uncle is legendary director Francis Ford Coppola and filmmaker Sofia's father, who are cousins. Yes, that means Cage's last name is actually Coppola, which he changed in order to make his way in Hollywood.
42. Jamie Lee Curtis is Jake Gyllenhaal’s godmother.
Curtis is a long-time friend of Gyllenhaal's parents, director Stephen and screenwriter Naomi Foner. During the 2020 lockdown, Gyllenhaal and his girlfriend Jeanne Cadieu lived in a house next door to Curtis.
43. Gyllenhaal also has a famous goddaughter.
Gyllenhaal is the godfather to Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams' daughter Matilda, continuing the godfather chain.
44. Sabrina Carpenter's aunt voiced Bart Simpson.
Carpenter is famous for the Disney Channel, but it doesn't hurt to have a famous voice actor in the family. Her aunt Nancy Cartwright voiced the iconic television character. "Relationship-wise, I'm a legend, too," she joked during a 2021 radio interview.
45. Mariska Hartigay has a famous mother.
Olivia Benson carries on the acting pedigree. Khadijah's mother is the late actor Jayne Mansfield.
46. Meryl Streep is Billie Lourd’s godmother.
Lorde not only has the legendary Carrie Fisher as her mother and Debbie Reynolds as her grandmother, but Meryl Streep is also her godmother.
47. Dionne Warwick is Whitney Houston's cousin.
Houston's mother, Cece, is the sister of Warwick's mother, Delia, making the two singers direct cousins.
48. Emily Blunt is Stanley Tucci’s sister-in-law.
Emily and Nigel from The Devil Wears Prada are related in real life. Tucci married Blunt's sister Felicity in 2012, whom she met at Emily's wedding to John Krasinski a few years earlier.
49. Paris Jackson is Macaulay Culkin’s goddaughter.
Jackson's father, Michael Jackson, was a lifelong friend of the Home Alone star.
50. Yara Shahidi and Nas are cousins.
The Black star is cousins with the rapper and even served as a flower girl at his 2005 wedding to Kellys.
51. Diana Ross is Ashlee Simpson’s mother-in-law.
Simpson married Ross' son Evan in 2014. Yes, that also means Tracy Ellis Ross is her sister-in-law.
52. Miley Cyrus is Dolly Parton’s goddaughter.
There's a reason Cyrus calls Parton "Aunt Dolly" in "Hannah Montana." A close friend of her father, Billy Ray, the country legend was asked to serve as Cyrus' godmother when she was young.
53. Tom Hanks’ ancestor is Abraham Lincoln.
Filmmaker Michael Moore invited Hanks to run for president, which is actually in his blood. Hanks is distantly related to Lincoln through the president's mother, Nancy Hanks.
54. Jeff Bezos is related to a famous country singer.
The Amazon founder is related to legendary country singer George Strait. In 2018, he called him his "cousin," but their family tree suggests it's a little more complicated.
55. The Beckham children have famous godparents.
It feels only natural that David and Victoria Beckham's children have epic godparents. Brooklyn and Romeo consider Elton John their godfather, and Harper considers Eva Longoria her godmother.
56. President Obama has some famous distant cousins.
Obama counts fellow president George Bush as his tenth cousin and Brad Pitt as his ninth cousin, making for a fairly complete family tree.
57. Cameron Diaz is Nicole Richie’s sister-in-law.
Richie doesn't just have a famous father. She and Diaz became sisters-in-law in 2015 after she married Benji Madden of Good Charlotte, brother of Richie's husband Joel.
58. Melissa and Jenny McCarthy are actually related.
Melissa and Jenny are cousins, as the latter inadvertently reminded us on Instagram in 2015.
59. Brandy is Snoop Dogg's cousin.
The singer counts rapper Snoop Dogg as one of her cousins, creating a very musical family dynasty.
60. Beanie Feldstein is the sister of Jonah Hill.
The Super Bad star's last name is actually Feldstein, which is why many fans never noticed that he was the Broadway star's older brother.
61. Steven Spielberg has two famous goddaughters.
The iconic director has iconic goddaughters: Gwyneth Paltrow and Drew Barrymore. Barrymore called him the "only parental figure" in her life.
hidden talent
62. Sydney Sweeney is also a car mechanic.
When Sweeney isn't starring in Euphoria , she works part-time as a car mechanic. She single-handedly restored her 1969 Ford Bronco.
63. Margot Robbie is now a respiratory specialist.
During training for the underwater fight scenes in Suicide Squad , Robbie learned how to hold his breath underwater for an impressive five minutes.
64. Dermot Mulroney plays cello for Spider-Man.
At the age of 10, Moroni became the cellist in a children's orchestra. He never gave up this passion and has played cello on major film scores including Mission: Impossible 3 , Spider-Man: Far From Home and The Incredibles 2 .
65. Maya Rudolph has a Prince cover band.
Rudolph not only plays the richest television character ever. When she's not making her fans laugh, she performs regularly with her Prince cover band, Princess.
66. Steve Martin is a banjo player.
He is an established banjo player, recording and touring with various bluegrass artists.
67. Ariana Grande is a master of impressions.
Grande's impression is almost as impressive as her singing. (Almost.) She can sing the voice of just about every diva from Celine Dion to Britney Spears.
68. Geena Davis is almost at an Olympic level in archery.
After the 1996 Olympics, Davis decided to take up archery and became so proficient that he almost qualified for the 2000 Summer Olympics.
69. Kaley Cuoco is a professional equestrian.
Cuoco has been riding and competing in equestrian events since her acting career, which is how she met her ex-husband, Carl Cook, a professional showjumping competitor.
70. So does Bella Hadid.
Horse riding was Hadid's first love, but the model had to take a break from competing in 2016 due to symptoms of Lyme disease. She slowly got back on the horse and competed in a show jumping competition in March 2023.
71. Jamie Foxx and his daughter have talents to match.
The comedian and his daughter Corinna are both cross-eyed in a very strange way, a genetic trick they share with Kristen Bell.
roles that actors didn't get
72. Britney Spears almost appeared in The Notebook .
The singer was the second choice to play Rachel McAdams' Ellie in The Notebook . While she said it would have been fun to reunite with Mickey Mouse Club costar Ryan Gosling, she's glad she didn't get the role.
73. So does George Clooney.
Believe it or not, Clooney was chosen to play the role of Gosling's Noah. But they all backed out after realizing he looked nothing like Paul Newman (who would play an older version of his character).
74. Blake Lively auditioned for “Mean Girls.”
The "Gossip Girl" star was one of many young actors to audition for "Mean Girls." Lively tried out for the role of Karen Smith, which was ultimately played by Amanda Seyfried.
75. Amy Schumer should be Barbie.
The Barbie movie heading into 2023 was originally announced in 2016, with Schumer starring and co-writing the script. She left the project due to creative differences.
76. Vince Vaughn is almost a member of the cast of Friends .
Vaughn was invited to audition for the role of Joey Tribbiani on Friends and was seriously considered for the role. But Matt LeBron clearly has better chemistry with the rest of the team.
77. Leonardo DiCaprio turned down Boogie Nights .
DiCaprio doesn't regret many things, but he does regret turning down the role of Eddie Adams in Paul Thomas Anderson's classic '90s film Boogie Nights , which he had to turn down because of the filming of Titanic .
78. Claire Danes is almost Rose from Titanic .
In 2021, Denise said there was "huge interest" in her playing Rose in Titanic - having just starred alongside DiCaprio in Romeo + Juliet . Ultimately, she turned down the role after realizing it would be a "life-changing role" and not feeling ready for that level of fame.
79. Hugh Jackman was asked to play James Bond.
After the success of "X-Men ," Jackman was asked if he would be interested in taking up the Bond mantle. He turned it down because he thought the script was becoming "unbelievable and crazy."
80. John Travolta is pretty much Forrest Gump.
Travolta landed the role long before Tom Hanks won his second Oscar for his eponymous role. He rejected it in favor of Pulp Fiction .
81. Emily Blunt had to give up Black Widow .
Blunt was tapped to play Black Widow before ScarJo donned the superhero suit. She was forced to pass due to contractual obligations with another studio, calling it "heartbreaking."
Songs passed down by artists
82. Kesha wrote this hit song by Britney Spears.
Kesha originally wrote Spears' 2011 hit "Till the World Ends" for herself, but even after she gave it to the Grammy winner, she ended up remixing it with Nicki Minaj.
83. Spears wrote this Selena Gomez song.
Spears is no stranger to viral songs. Gomez recorded a song she co-wrote with Spears titled "Whiplash" for her 2011 album When the Sun Goes Down.
84. Sia offered this Beyoncé song to both artists.
Before Beyoncé recorded "Pretty Hurts" for her 2013 album of the same name, songwriter Sia offered the song to Katy Perry, who did not receive an electronic email, while Rihanna put the song "on hold for eight months" without paying. For rights.
85. “Since U Been Gone” was first given to two other people.
Max Martin originally wrote Kelly Clarkson's 2004 seminal hit with P!nk in mind. After she refused, it was then offered to Hilary Duff, who had to turn it down because she couldn't sing a higher note.
86. Many singers have recorded Maren Morris' "The Middle."
Before Morris was chosen to sing Zedd and Grey's hit "The Middle," 12 other artists recorded her parts and tried to get collaborations, including Demi Lovato, Carly Rae ·Carly Rae Jepsen, Tove Lo, Bebe Rexha and many Fifth Harmony members.
87. Kylie Minogue dies “toxic”
After recording her hit song "Can't Get You Out of My Head," Minogue was offered "Toxic" by Kathy Dennis, who co-wrote both of the hits (which, ironically, was the same person). After hearing the demo, she decided not to record it.
88. Jesse McCartney wrote this Grammy-nominated hit song.
One of the songwriters behind Leona Lewis' hit song "Bleeding Love" is actually Disney alum Jesse McCartney, and his record label told him he couldn't put it on his in the album.
89. Hilary Duff unknowingly rejected Charli XCX.
Before she recorded "Boom Clap" and it became a hit, Charli XCX offered it to Duff, but Duff's team rejected it without even showing it to her, calling it "not cool enough." Duff was furious when she found out, writing on Twitter, "If I had known, I would have accepted it."
90. Rihanna turned down many hits.
RiRi has one of the hottest tracks of any artist, which means she's had just as many rejected tracks: Miley Cyrus' "We Can't Stop," Selena Gomez's "Come & Get It" and "Same Old Love" , and "Same Old Love" by Sia. "Chandelier" and "Cheap Thrills."
91. Taylor Swift pitched this song to the Chicks.
After writing "Teardrops On My Guitar," Swift summarized the lyrics and produced a demo for The Chicks' 2006 album Taking the Long Way . After the band passed, she put Drew's name back on it and recorded it on her own debut album.
What celebrities did before they became famous
92. Madonna running on Dunkin'.
Yes, you are not mistaken. The pop star worked at Dunkin' before getting her big break, but she only lasted a week before being fired after playing Jelly Jet.
93. Melissa McCarthy is a barista at Starbucks.
After moving to Los Angeles to start her career, McCarthy worked at Starbucks. She has served coffee to many celebrities, including her comedy idol Chris Farley.
94. Nicholas Galatzine worked with the Bridgerton star.
While building up his acting resume, the "The Idea of You" star worked at a frozen shop with future "Bridgerton" star Simone Ashley.
95. Joe Alwyn also worked in a yogurt shop.
Alvin worked in a "yoghurt shop" in London, and his ex-girlfriend Taylor Swift wrote the famous lyrics in the folk song "Invisible Strings."
96. Meghan Markle wrote Robin Thicke’s wedding invitation.
Before becoming the Duchess of Sussex, Markle worked as a freelance calligrapher. She wrote the invitations to Thicke's 2005 wedding to ex-wife Paula Patton.
97. Rachel McAdams works at McDonald's.
As a teenager, the actor worked at McDonald's for nearly three years, although she said she was "not a great employee."
98. Nicki Minaj serves at Red Lobster.
Before her rap career took off, Minaj was a waitress at Red Lobster. She was fired after knocking on the car door of a couple who didn't tip her and taking her pen.
99. Brad Pitt wore a chick costume.
When he first entered Hollywood, Pete had many odd jobs, such as becoming the mascot for El Pollo Loco when they opened a new store in Los Angeles. Includes chick costume and large logo.
100. Tiffany Haddish is an airport gate agent.
Before she made fans laugh, Haddish made travelers laugh as a gate agent for Alaska Airlines, testing material while scanning boarding passes and making announcements.
