Master Celebrity Name Pronunciations: From Chiwetel to Saoirse
This one’s got everything: globe‑trotting actors, public embarrassment, and our collective knack for verbal chaos. BuzzFeed’s latest quiz walks you through the slip‑ups you never knew you were making—because apparently reading a name off your screen counts as origami for your tongue. If you think you’re nailing “Keira Knightley,” think again: it’s KEER‑uh NIGHT‑lee, not “kee‑rah” slapping into your E‑mail drafts. Readers who still enjoy butchering her name might want to reconsider their life choices.
Chiwetel Ejiofor is next on the gallows: it’s pronounced CHEW‑uh‑tel JEE‑oh‑for, not “chi‑wee‑tel.” Plenty of red‑carpet hosts have face‑planted here, turning dignified premieres into amateur hour. If you’re still substituting “chi‑wet‑al,” you’re basically auditioning for a role in the Awkward Pronunciations Hall of Fame.
Saoirse Ronan sneaks in as our next linguistic landmine: SEER‑shah RON‑an. Fans convinced they were whispering a secret code under the breath probably felt real smug—until they learned it’s neither “soy‑ur‑see” nor “sor‑see.” Mispronouncing it repeatedly doesn’t make you niche; it makes you sound like you’re reciting grocery lists in a foreign supermarket.
Timothée Chalamet, star of every indie heartbreak, demands TIM‑oh‑TAY shah‑lah‑MAY. Tweeting “Tim‑uh‑thee” isn’t just wrong, it’s practically a public service announcement that you skipped French class. If you’re lengthening that last “ee” like a wailing ghost, congratulations on inventing a brand‑new crime.
Rami Malek’s RAH‑mee MAH‑lek gets mangled more often than airport luggage. Calling him “Rah‑my Mah‑leek” won’t land you an Oscar, but it will guarantee an imaginary hiss from your Spotify playlist. Newsflash: dropping random syllables does not make you avant‑garde.
Joaquin Phoenix is on deck: wah‑KEEN FEE‑nix. If you’ve been saying “jock‑in” or “jo‑ah-kin,” you’ve been missing the memo—and in Phoenix’s case, maybe a few scripts. If someone corrects you, resist the urge to blame autocorrect; you deserve it.
Ana de Armas wants it smooth: AH‑nah day AHR‑mas, not “An‑uh duh arm‑ass.” Fans swapping “dear mass” for her last name might want to apologize in person—preferably with a gift card to speech therapy.
Florence Pugh is FLO‑rens PYOO, so shouting “Pew!” every time she appears won’t win you any new friends. You’ve spent years attending her premieres and still can’t manage three syllables? That’s commitment to mediocrity.
By the end of this quiz, you’ll either feel linguistically enlightened or eternally cursed to mumble through every acceptance speech you never deliver. There you have it: our public stumbles, served with a side of humility. Expect more celebrity–tongue tango next time.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and BuzzFeed, People Magazine, NPR, Vanity Fair
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
