The article discusses how several actors felt pressure to hide or change their ethnic identities to succeed in Hollywood. Martin Sheen, originally Ramón Gerard Antonio Estévez, faced discrimination due to his Hispanic name and adopted a more palatable stage name. Raquel Welch changed her name from Raquel Tejada, believing her career would have suffered if she retained her birth name. Similarly, Ben Kingsley, born Krishna Pandit Bhanji, claimed his name limited him to minor roles, while Kirk Douglas opted for a name that felt less 'Semitic' to him, underscoring the challenges ethnic actors faced in the industry.
Martin Sheen, originally Ramón Gerard Antonio Estévez, changed his name to gain opportunities in Hollywood, facing discrimination for his Hispanic name.
Raquel Welch reflected that with her birth name, Raquel Tejada, she would not have achieved the same success, revealing Hollywood's pressure to conform.
Ben Kingsley, born Krishna Pandit Bhanji, was advised to change his name to avoid being typecast in subordinate roles and to pursue leading man parts.
Kirk Douglas noted that his original name, Issur Danielovitch, felt 'too unwieldy and too Semitic' for Hollywood, prompting his name change for better acceptance.
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