Equity and stage names.

[clairexx2o]

Posted: 7/1/17 at 12:55pm

Hey, guys, I caught myself wondering this while watching this video of this (amazing) actress who has a name very close to mine. Equity doesn't advise (I believe it actually doesn't even allow) names too close to one another so I was wondering if I ever wanted to join equity (which I do) I would have to use another stage name. This actress name is Carrie, mine is Claire and we share the exact same last name, I've been using it as a stage name for 7 years now even though it's not my own. Would I be advised or asked to change it or Claire and Carrie are not so close it would be a problem? 

[Just_John]

Posted: 7/1/17 at 1:09pm

So long as it's at all different from any previous member, you can join equity with the name so you're fine.  There's an Erin Markey and Erin Mackey.    

[Taryn]

Posted: 7/1/17 at 1:23pm

Nah, you only have to worry about changing your name if someone's already registered with the exact name you're using. (So if someone else already joined as Claire [Your Last Name].) Carrie and Claire really aren't that similar to be confusing.

[OKBroadwayFan]

Posted: 7/1/17 at 1:56pm

Similar rules for Screen Actors Guild.   Michael J Fox is really Michael Andrew Fox, but there was an actor already registered as Michael Fox.  Michael J Fox chose the middle initial of "J" for his SAG registration.

Vanessa Williams story from Wikapedia:

Williams is most often referenced and publicly recognized simply as "Vanessa Williams." There is, however, occasional confusion with similarly named actress Vanessa A. Williams, who is just two months younger. It has been reported that Williams first became aware of Vanessa A. in the 1980s when her New York University registrar told her that another, similarly aged student with the same name and from the same state had applied.[13][14] When Williams appeared as Miss America in a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Vanessa A. accidentally received her check for the appearance, which she returned.[13]

In the area of acting, the two ran into name conflict when Screen Actors Guild rules prohibited duplicate stage naming. Vanessa A. had registered the name "Vanessa Williams" first,[13] so as a compromise, Williams was occasionally credited as "Vanessa L. Williams" in acting credits. To compound the confusion, both actresses starred in versions of the drama Soul Food (Williams in the film version, and Vanessa A. in its TV series adaptation). The Screen Actors Guild eventually took the issue to arbitration and decided that both actresses could use the professional name "Vanessa Williams"

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 7/1/17 at 4:10pm

The issue of similarity that you mention only comes in to play when dealing with variations on the same name. So if there is already a John Smith in Equity they may choose to not allow someone to join as Jonathan Smith or Jonny Smith. It really is on a case by case basis, though, as I know several people who have been able to get by with simply adding a middle initial or their full middle name, while others have had to come up with more unique names.

 

As others have already said, Claire and Carrie are distinctly separate names so that would not be an issue.

[SweetLips]

Posted: 7/1/17 at 5:08pm

Whatever name you choose pick one that your audience can pronounce.