Celebrity kids grow up in a complicated world. While most of them enjoy financial stability and access to all manner of incredible opportunities, they're also subject to the media's attention and pressure. Many wish to lead anonymous lives or to follow in their parent's footsteps without the pressure of the media and the world knowing their origins. To shield themselves from public scrutiny, many have decided to take on new surnames, or to produce their own projects under a different name.
Scroll down to learn more about celebrity kids who've taken on new names:
© Axelle/Bauer-GriffinWillow Smith
Willow Smith makes music under the name Willow. As the daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow has opened up about the difficulties of dealing with the pressure of having famous parents. She's also rejected the "nepo baby" label.
“I truly believe that my spirit is a strong spirit and that, even if my parents weren’t who they were, I would still be a weirdo and a crazy thinker,“ she said in an interview with Allure. “I definitely think that a little bit of insecurity has driven me harder because people do think that the only reason I’m successful is because of my parents."
Suri Cruise
Suri Cruise is the daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. And while she's grown up in the spotlight, she's managed to retain much of her anonymity. Over the past year, she's let go of the surname Cruise and started going by the name Suri Noelle, a tribute to her mother, whose second name is also Noelle.
Malia Obama
Malia Obama, the eldest daughter of Barack and Michelle Obama, is starting her career as a filmmaker. She's worked as a writer on the show "Swarm" and has directed her first short film, titled, "The Heart." She's listed on both of these projects as Malia Ann.
Sasha Obama
Sasha Obama appears to also have an interest in the entertainment industry. A person named Natasha Obama appeared on the credits in the new season of the documentary series "Couples Therapy." While it's unconfirmed if that person is the youngest daughter of Barack and Michelle Obama, Sasha was born Natasha Marian Obama.
© Evan AgostiniAngelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is one of the most famous movie stars in the world. She's also the daughter of Academy Award winner Jon Voight, having one of her first credits in one of her dad's films. She goes by the surname Jolie, which belonged to her mother.
© GettyImagesNicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage has an incredibly lengthy career in Hollywood, and comes from one of the industry's most prominent families: The Coppolas. Born Nicolas Coppola, Cage decided to drop his surname in order to avoid dealing with the pressure associated with the Coppola name.
© Kevin WinterScott Eastwood
Scott Eastwood, the son of actor and filmmaker Clint Eastwood, began his career with the surname Reeves, which belongs to his mother. He ultimately returned to Eastwood, and has managed to build a career of his own.
