Name Game: How Katy Perry, Vin Diesel & More Found Stardom With New Identities

• Katy Perry (Katheryn Hudson) adopted her mother's maiden name to avoid confusion with Kate Hudson, launching her as a candy-coloured pop icon.
• Emma Stone (Emily Stone) changed her name due to SAG-AFTRA conflicts, paving her way to Oscar-winning acclaim in films like La La Land.
• Whoopi Goldberg (Caryn Johnson) chose her name from childhood pranks and Jewish heritage, becoming an EGOT winner and comedy trailblazer.
• Vin Diesel (Mark Sinclair) reinvented himself as "Vin Diesel" from his middle name and a nickname, embodying his action-hero persona in The Fast and the Furious.
• Nicolas Cage (Nicolas Coppola) dropped his famous uncle's surname for identity, achieving iconic roles; Bruno Mars (Peter Hernandez) embraced his heritage and a "cosmic flair" for chart-topping success.