Olivia Wilde on why she had to change last name for Hollywood career
Olivia Wilde has opened up about the reason why she took a stage name, and what it was like growing up with her actual last name.
The 42-year-old actress and filmmaker, appearing on the Armchair Expert podcast with Dax Shepard and Monica Padman on Sunday, revealed her family surname.
'I'll tell you something - and there's no way you would know this - it's pronounced Coburn,' the New Yorker said.
She added, 'Which I want you to imagine being a kid, when you're … because it's spelled "Cockburn."'
The Don't Worry Darling star said that her family birth name is linked to her Scottish heritage. She adopted the last name Wilde in homage to poet Oscar Wilde.
Olivia Wilde, 42, opened up about the reasons behind why she took a stage name, and what it was like growing up with her actual last name, while appearing on the Armchair Expert podcast with Dax Shepard on Sunday
Wilde made reference to a 1969 Johnny Cash song in growing up with her last name, calling it 'character-building.'
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The Invite director-star said, 'It is very much like "[A] Boy Named Sue," you know what I mean?
'I think it's important - we should all give our kids devastating middle names just so that you can grow up with like something to be totally bullied for.'
Wilde said that she didn't get upset when she was mocked by other kids when she was growing up.
'I think it was an early important lesson in laughing along - not in a way that was, like, giving in to the bullies in a way,' Wilde said.
She added, 'I don't know - I thought it was funny too. I was like, "Oh, I get it. That's funny."'
Wilde said that growing up with the last name Cockburn might have been a tougher proposition for her younger brother Charlie.
Shepard said to the star, 'Life was nicer nine years later, a little bit, right? We've gotten marginally better.'
Wilde made reference to a 1969 Johnny Cash song in growing up with her last name, calling it 'character-building'
Wilde pictured at the June 24 LA premiere of her latest directorial effort, The Invite
Wilde said, 'I don't know, have we? I think having the last name looks like Cockburn in any city in any decade.'
Shepard joked that the lack of maturity marked a 'comforting' consistency.
'In fact, it's kind of comforting, too,' he said. 'It's like no matter how evolved we get, if your last name is Cockburn ...'
Wilde said that 'you're always gonna learn to laugh early.'
Wilde's latest directorial effort is the film The Invite, which she stars in with Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton. The film is slated for US release July 10.
Wilde is the daughter of British journalist Andrew Cockburn and his wife Leslie, an investigative journalist and filmmaker.
The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for the actress for further comment.
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
