Why create a character with the same first name?
-
number9-4 — 9 years ago(July 08, 2016 10:16 AM)
To me, it's to differentiate the character from the real life person but still retain the idea that they are similar to the actor.
That's what I figured, but I still think it's kind of strange. What's funny is that some people get accused of bad acting because they supposedly just act like themselves and don't change their demeanor at all for the character. So I guess you could get away with that if you just called the character your same name! -
roberts_4427 — 9 years ago(July 30, 2016 05:55 AM)
I know Vivian Vance said that she wished her character had been named Vivian on I Love Lucy because it was very annoying to be called Ethel for the rest of her life. Fans have a tendency to not be able to separate the character from the actor.
-
Manna-Fest — 9 years ago(August 18, 2016 08:22 AM)
Yep, and that's why when she returned for "The Lucy Show" and "Here's Lucy" both of her characters ended up being named "Vivian". But this wouldn't help since she would ALWAYS be remembered as Ethel. "I Love Lucy" was just too huge of a show for her to think going by her real name on the other Lucy shows (where her role and fame wasn't even that big compared to ILL anyway) will change how people label her.
-
number9-4 — 9 years ago(August 19, 2016 09:31 AM)
I know Vivian Vance said that she wished her character had been named Vivian on I Love Lucy because it was very annoying to be called Ethel for the rest of her life.
That's an interesting point. Though in Fran's case, she probably still gets called, "The Nanny" instead of "Fran" a lot of the time. -
Manna-Fest — 9 years ago(August 18, 2016 08:19 AM)
I guess because the actors feel comfortable still being referred to by their first names as opposed to a different one even when acting. I know if I was starring in a show, I'd want to use my real name. It's just simpler and then you don't have to deal with some one making a mistake addressing you by a different name. The user above me who makes the point about Vivian Vance is pretty much the idea here.