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Thandiwe Newton is changing her name back to the one she was given at birth.
Most famously known for her role in "Westworld," Newton revealed in a recent interview with Vogue she is reclaiming her given name and will be using it for all of her acting credits going forward.
Originally, the name Thandie was a nickname forced on her as a schoolchild then a careless misspelling in her first acting credit.
She resigned herself to using it until now.
The director of my first film asked to use my actual name for the character - because it was authentic and beautifu… https://t.co/HoDra6t6Fo— Thandiwe Newton OBE (@Thandiwe Newton OBE)1617642252.0
Newton said:
"That's my name. It's always been my name. I'm taking back what's mine."
Over Newton's career, she has spoken out against racism and sexual abuse.
In the same interview with Vogue, Newton share her story of actively supporting abuse survivors' rights and citing her own treatment off screen as a young star. Her sexual abuse was in conjunction with racism she experienced from the beginning of her career.
On the topic of her abuse, she said:
"There's a moment where the ghost of me changed, you know, and it was then, it was 16."
"He derailed me from myself utterly. I was traumatized."
Newton has been known for speaking out against abuse over the years, saying staying silent was like dying to her.
Reclaiming her name seems to come with reclaiming a part of herself that was lost due to the abuse and racism:
"I've changed a whole lot."
"Many lives have been lived since then."
Many people on Twitter share how their birth names had been changed to something more "English."
@ajplus @BritishVogue This is good news indeed. In England I was Julius. In Nigeria, I am Tunji and in South Africa… https://t.co/l2lM7MqObM— Adetunji Adebola Omotola (@Adetunji Adebola Omotola)1617684004.0
@ThandiweNewton @BritishVogue I can relate . My surname is Khairo however it appears at Kaiiro and we're told we ar… https://t.co/MnYZhiz2gt— Mmakhutso🌻 (@Mmakhutso🌻)1617690786.0
@ajplus @BritishVogue I know a lot of ppl in entertainment who’ve changed their name bc higher ups told them it wou… https://t.co/x3VFdjJ1ui— IG: @genius.jen 💡 (@IG: @genius.jen 💡)1617660181.0
@ThandiweNewton Growing up and attending primary and secondary schools in America during 70-90s, teachers and class… https://t.co/VmWBucZmxh— LaTorria M Wilson (@LaTorria M Wilson)1617684445.0
@ThandiweNewton @MrChuckD SAG should also not be Allowed to Force Actors to change their Names just because another… https://t.co/uPalpq3LmH— Vincenzo De Padova (Hope Both Teams Have Fun Bet) (@Vincenzo De Padova (Hope Both Teams Have Fun Bet))1617655930.0
@JohnSchaech @ThandiweNewton I was told at drama school that my surname Charalambous would ‘never do’. I used my mu… https://t.co/9u77XYHQ1r— Alex James Nicola (@Alex James Nicola)1617649104.0
@Txtwistatornado @ajplus @riggerus @BritishVogue It took her 30 years to see the light that yr culture is the best… https://t.co/I61W2iJpRZ— Mwanawepasi (@Mwanawepasi)1617655904.0
Twitter also had to point out the error in the article, but Newton tweeted the correction on the origins of her name.
Many users still showed their support for her in her reclamation.
@ThandiweNewton @BritishVogue From ours to yours, we love you sister— Godknows Chirara (@Godknows Chirara)1617715953.0
@ThandiweNewton So effing proud of you!!!! I love the original spelling and pronunciation of your given name. You a… https://t.co/eDK601BIv9— KG (@KG)1617651558.0
@ThandiweNewton So proud of you to live your truth. It’s a beautiful name. Standing with you and honoring you. 💕— Alysia Joy Powell (@Alysia Joy Powell)1617647168.0
@ThandiweNewton @franklinleonard Congratulations! It’s never too late to be who you really are.— LDR (@LDR)1617647102.0
Thandiwe Newton is taking back her name and taking control of her life.