SCOTS actor David Tennant has revealed the hilarious true story behind why he legally changed his name – just weeks before getting married.
The 52-year-old actor is known for his appearances across both the big and small screens in the likes of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Good Omens, Broadchurch and Doctor Who.
However, many fans were left surprised earlier this month when Tennant revealed at the New York Comic Con why confusion with another actor forced him to change his name early in his career.
Footage shows David Tenant sitting on-stage with a Comic Con host as the audience before him carefully listens in.
He begins by telling the audience how he had been looking for a name at 16-years-old after he was advised that there was already a David McDonald in the acting world.
He went on to explain that he began looking through the Smash Hits magazine for a stage surname, ultimately landing on the name Tennant after being inspired by Pet Shop Boys co-founder Neil Tennant.
Tennant says: “I went Neil Tennant, David Tennant and here we are. Now, of course, that’s my real name.”
A member of the audience can be heard asking Tennant when his surname became legally his.
Tennant teases the audience as he says: “Well, here’s a story. [Are] You ready?”
The audience laughs as Tennant says: “I later came to do some work in America, and they said, ‘Oh, you can’t have [that name]’ – The Screen Writers Guild.
“Thank goodness for all they do and the power they wield, but one of the powers that they wield is to go, ‘Well, you can’t have that name either, because we’ve got a David Tennant.’”
Tennant imitates his young self as he says: “’I can’t be known as one thing at one side of the world because the shows I make there come over here. You can’t…what?’
The audience chuckle as Tennant recalls: “So, I went back to Equity (trade union for the performing arts and entertainment industries in the UK) and Equity went, ‘Don’t worry. We’ll have a word.'”
He then explains that Equity then returned to Tennant and conceded that he would indeed have to change his name for legal reasons.
However, as Tennant explains, he had already made a name for himself in the acting profession.
He says: “I was already making Doctor Who by then. That would have been weird to change my name again.”
However, the actor goes on to reveal that he then discovered a loophole.
He says: “And then it turns out that if it’s your legal name, then you don’t have to change it. So, I had to make it my legal name.
“It was just at the time that I was adopting my son, and we were about to have my daughter, and we were about to get married all at the same time.
“So, we all changed our name all at once.”
The audience clap and whoop as Tennant chuckles.
He says: “So the four of us became Tennants within a sort of two-week period. Busy two weeks.”
The video was posted on social media earlier this month by social media user @nat55041 and has received over 31,100 likes and 200 comments as many fans were left amazed by the revelation.
One person joked: ” I would have changed it to ‘Not David Tennant’ and make them use it.”
Another said: “Wow. [I] totally assumed he legally changed it way earlier. Between him, Georgia, and Ty, all I can think is ‘holy paperwork, Batman.’”
A third comment: “Neil Tennant of Pet Shop Boys must be proud.”
Another added: “Oh my God, I didn’t know that’s his legal name now.”
