The world is still recovering from Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Cheryl Boone Isaacs’ pronunciation flub earlier this week. Isaacs misspoke while announcing the nominees for Best Cinematography, calling Mr. Turner’s Dick Pope, “Dick Poop.” The Internet went wild, but Pope had a great attitude about the whole thing. “I’ve been called a lot worse,” he said. Isaacs is hardly alone when it comes to mispronouncing the names of celebrities. We can think of all the cringeworthy moments someone handing out an award at the Golden Globes or Oscars did the same — like that time John Travolta totally butchered Idina Menzel’s name, making it sound like some kind of Satanic incantation. Avoid those awkward moments by studying our handy Hollywood pronunciation guide, and learn about the names you’ve been saying wrong this whole time.
Rachel Weisz
“In America everyone says it wrong. It’s V-I-C-E. I learned to be polite. I have been here for eight years, but now I am going to start correcting people.”
Amanda Seyfried
“My sister says it differently than I do, which is weird.” (Starts around the 2:19 mark.)
Steve Buscemi
“I can’t say ‘BuSHemi,’ because I didn’t grow up that way. I don’t correct people.” (Starts around the 1:20 mark.)
Josh Duhamel
It’s a lot easier than you thought!
Mia Wasikowska
Simple: the “W” sounds like a “V.”
Saoirse Ronan
Yeah, you had that one all wrong.
Quvenzhané Wallis
To the Hollywood talking heads, there are no more excuses. Study this.
Milla Jovovich
“There’s many times where even I, at certain points in the evening, after a few drinks, can’t pronounce my own surname,” the actress admits.
Gabourey Sidibe
It rhymes, even.
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong’o, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano
12 years of bad luck if you keep pronouncing these names wrong.
Zach Galifianakis
It looks scarier than it is.
Ralph Fiennes
There’s no “L” in “Ralph.” Honest.
Chloe Sevigny
We prefer if you pronounce it like this.
Cillian Murphy
It’s a hard “C.”
Henry Cavill
Rhymes with “gavel.”
Mariska Hargitay
Please stop upsetting Olivia Benson with your mispronunciation.
Djimon Hounsou
It rolls right off the tongue. Really!
Idris Elba
Before we can call him 007 (fingers crossed!), this is the right way to say the English actor’s name.
Joe Manganiello
We’re kind of ok with “Man Jell-O.”
Charlize Theron
“It’s literally music to my ears.”
Rihanna
She says it best.
Rhys Ifans
It’s all in the “S.”
Welsh actor, French-sounding name.
