A mix-up at the hospital when he was a baby led to Michael Sheen's name, the actor has said.
The 50-year-old Welshman, famous for appearing in Underworld and Masters of Sex, was responding to a fan page on social media which said his “real name is Michael Sheen."
He revealed his parents had initially called him Christopher before he was taken into the care of nurses after being born.
He tweeted: “Actually my parents named me Christopher but the nurses had to look after me the first week as my mum wasn't well and they got my names mixed up on my tag so when I was collected my parents asked for Christopher and the nurses said … we have a Michael? So they went with it."
Actually my parents named me Christopher but the nurses had to look after me the first week as my mum wasn’t well a… https://t.co/qTrIqDQpSP— michael sheen (@michael sheen) 1564605637.0
The actor added that he discovered in recent years that his Irish ancestors had emigrated to Wales and kept naming their male children Michael but the infants all died.
Then a few years ago I did one of those family history shows. They told me about my ancestor coming to Wales from I… https://t.co/b1cNm09nm4— michael sheen (@michael sheen) 1564605845.0
They had something like 20 or more children but not many survived. On the certificate it showed that they kept nami… https://t.co/5ZLM3Vc2qr— michael sheen (@michael sheen) 1564606006.0
He wrote: “They were clearly desperate to have a Michael Sheen but sadly they never managed it.
“Generations went by in our family and no Michaels emerged and their story was forgotten. Then one day, many, many years later a nurse got a name tag mixed up and unknowingly tricked whatever malevolent force was at work trying to stop a Michael Sheen emerge.
“So to that nurse, whoever you are, wherever you are, if you're even still alive, on behalf of my long dead ancestors and their mysterious desire – thank you."
Generations went by in our family and no Michaels emerged and their story was forgotten. Then one day, many, many y… https://t.co/JdUPDl9nYe— michael sheen (@michael sheen) 1564606254.0
And, that long forgotten young mother and father, without ever knowing it, and without us knowing why they so despe… https://t.co/J91HIuZ4xB— michael sheen (@michael sheen) 1564606360.0
So to that nurse, whoever you are, wherever you are, if you’re even still alive, on behalf of my long dead ancestor… https://t.co/r2Zq5zafOW— michael sheen (@michael sheen) 1564606472.0
People could help but notice that it sounds a lot of like the plot to the Amazon Prime series Good Omens, which Sheen stars in:
@michaelsheen The way your parents just went with it sjsjj instead of just going back to Christopher, they stuck wi… https://t.co/q4xHHZrdvV— GOOD GRACIOUS (@GOOD GRACIOUS) 1564605799.0
@michaelsheen Are you sure they didn't mix you up and you are secretly the antichrist? 👀 https://t.co/xCprtRCvKJ— Nina (@Nina) 1564605762.0
@michaelsheen neil and terry were inspired to write the chaotic nuns of satan based on your chaotic nurses— nicole FINE LINE (@nicole FINE LINE) 1564622317.0
@michaelsheen 👀 So what im getting from this is that you were possibly switched at birth and given a biblical name… https://t.co/ABjakTjQeT— 🎃👻Bluestar86 | AC&DC (not the band 😏)👻🎃 (@🎃👻Bluestar86 | AC&DC (not the band 😏)👻🎃) 1564608140.0
@Bluestar861 @michaelsheen Does this mean Good Omens is actually a thinly veiled Michael Sheen origin story?— Lady Stardust (@Lady Stardust) 1564611481.0
@michaelsheen were these the nurses by any chance? https://t.co/Uxc9MzgY8f— waHHEEYY (@waHHEEYY) 1564605892.0
@astrangefairy @michaelsheen Specifically, THIS nurse? https://t.co/5Rg2rdGBjM— Katharine (@Katharine) 1564611202.0
Sometimes fact is indeed stranger than fiction.