Olivia Wilde discusses her VERY rude real last name… and why she had to change it for Hollywood career

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By ADAM S. LEVY, US SENIOR SHOWBUSINESS REPORTER

Published: 20:04 EDT, 29 June 2026 | Updated: 03:39 EDT, 30 June 2026

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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.’

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. 

Article source: https://www.dailymail.com/tvshowbiz/article-15939909/olivia-wilde-change-career.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490