How to Master Celebrity Names That Almost Everyone Messes Up

Updated on March 5, 2014 at 4:31 AM

Don't pull a John Travolta — learn how to properly pronounce your favorite stars' names before you find yourself saying them aloud in public. Do you know if you are properly enunciating Lupita's "Nyong'o" or making the one mistake that everyone does with "Demi Moore"? Or are you just fumbling over multisyllabic stars like Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Zach Galifianakis? We've got you covered. Read on to find out how to say them correctly, and see if you have been messing up any famous person's name!

Lupita Nyong'o

Everyone in America probably knows how to pronounce Lupita's name after the Oscars, but in case you need a refresher: "Loo-pita Nee-yong-oh." She even made a handy video on how to pronounce her name.

Idina Menzel

This one's for you, John Travolta: "Eye-dee-nuh Men-zell."

Saoirse Ronan

This Irish star's name is pronounced "SEAR-sha Ro-nan."

Domhnall Gleeson

"DOUGH-null Glee-son" is how to say this About Time star's name.

Chiwetel Ejiofor

The 12 Years a Slave star's name is harder to pronounce than it looks: "Choo-eh-tell Edge-ee-oh-for."

Leighton Meester

It's "LAY-ton," not "LEE-ton." Confusing, we know.

Zach Galifinakis

Just sound it out: "GAL-if-an-a-kiss." Easy!

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

The handsome Game of Thrones star's name is actually pretty simple to say: "Nick-oh-lie Coh-ster Wall-daw."

Amanda Seyfried

You may think you are saying Amanda's last name right, but you are probably not. It's pronounced "SIGH-fred," not "SEE-fred."

Mia Wasikowska

Mia's last name is pronounced "Waz-eh-kow-ska."

Demi Moore

Yes, you've been saying Demi's first name wrong this entire time. It's "Da-MEE" not the more common "DEH-mee."

Idris Elba

No, it's not "EYE-dris." It's "EE-dris ELLE-ba."

George Stephanopoulos

The Good Morning America's last name looks imposing, but it's actually pretty simple: "Stef-an-op-a-luss."

Quvenzhané Wallis

Last year, everyone was trying to master how to pronounce this Oscar nominee's first name. It's "Kwah-ven-jah-ney."

Ralph Fiennes

Did you think it was just "Ralph"? Well, you were wrong. It's pronounced "RAY-ff Fines."

Chloë Sevigny

The trick to saying Chloë's last name is to ignore the "G." It's pronounced "Seven-yee."

Anders Holm

No, it's not "ANN-ders." The proper way to say the Workaholics star's name is "ON-ders." Now we know why his costars just call him Ders.