Phoenix Sick Of Name Mispronunciations.

18-06-2006 09:29

Phoenix Sick Of Name Mispronunciations.

Oscar-nominated actor JOAQUIN PHOENIX is appealing to fans and the media to pronounce his name properly.

The WALK THE LINE heart-throb was born Joaquin, but changed his name to LEAF, before reverting back to Joaquin.

And despite his ever-increasing fame and accolades, Phoenix is stunned so many people can't pronounce the Spanish name.

He says, "I was born in Puerto Rico and Joaquin is a Spanish name. And when I came to the US, nobody could pronounce it. They would say, 'What's your name?' And I would say, 'Joaquin' and they would go, 'Walk-ing? Walk - what?' "And you know how kids always get bothered with that kind of thing. Like, 'No! My name is...' So it bothered me and so I changed it.

"(The worse is) 'Joe Wa-Keem' - I have been called that a lot in Europe. I think there's maybe a German or French name like that".