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Lindsay Lohan's latest onscreen drama is The Canyons, and the word on the street is it's a train wreck—despite the fact that Paul Schrader directed and Bret Easton Ellis penned the script. But some good may come out of it yet.
That good would be James Deen, a porn star who's going mainstream (in a fairly porny way) in The Canyons. Deen has been touted as a new kind of porn star, nonthreatening, cute. Yes, he's physically equipped for gonzo sex bouts but is also kind of goofy and drives the ladies—in porn, and not—wild.
Last Thursday, February 7, James Deen turned 27. So that's cool. You know what else is cool? Ditching your given name (Bryan Matthew Sevilla) and calling yourself James Deen, just because you can. Because you work in porn, and in porn you can come up with your own name or even steal someone else's. Change a few letters to avoid confusion—or don't. It's porn, after all.
Here's our list of the best porn stars who became household names by naming themselves after people who were already household names. Shrewd.
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Dru Berrymore and Drew Barrymore
The Barrymore family is considered the greatest dynasty in American theater. No wonder "Dru" wants to be in it.
Justin Long and Justin Long
Sometimes you don't even realize you were born with a porn star name until you see a guy using your name in his porn career. At the end of the day, which would you rather be, the Mac, or the Mack Daddy?
Britney Rears and Britney Spears
Britney Spears has lost a bit of her luster in recent years. Maybe that's why this actress is better known as Jessica Sweet these days.
Olivia Wilder and Olivia Wilde
Some porn star names just write themselves.
Michael J. Cox and Michael J. Fox
There's no telling just how much of a boost this average-looking '90s porn star was able to give his career by riding Alex P. Keaton's coattails.
Lizz Tayler and Liz Taylor
In her day, Liz Taylor was one of the most glamorous women on the planet. That's not the case with Lizz Tayler, but she has other selling points.
April O'Neil and April O'Neil
This geeky XXX star named herself after the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' human accomplice, a dog whistle to geeky porn lovers everywhere that she's one of them.
Nat Turnher and Nat Turner
Clearly, Nat Turnher is a history buff. Why else would he have named himself after the leader of an 1831 slave rebellion?
Diana Prince and Wonder Woman
Diana Prince named herself after Wonder Woman's alter ego. Because "Wonder Woman" would be a silly name for a porn star.
Tyra Banxxx and Tyra Banks
The real Tyra Banks scored a daytime TV talk show and tried to become the next Oprah. So, leave it to Banxxx to make sure your fantasies aren't completely squashed.
Cory Everson and Cory Everson
Did a '90s porn star really name herself after a bodybuilder's wet dream from the '80s?
Nikki Sexx and Nikki Sixx
It seems a little weird that a female adult film star would name herself after a male hair-metal bassist. But it's weirder that a male hair-metal bassist would go by the name "Nikki" in the first place. Isn't that the way a girl spells Nicky?
Mysti May and Misty May Treanor
It's possible that Mysti May named herself after the beach volleyball legend Misty May. It's also possible that she didn't, and beach volleyball legend Misty May just has a porny name.
Wesley Pipes and Wesley Snipes
You may recall Wesley Snipes' catchphrase, "Always bet on black!" Well, Wesley Pipes made a movie called Always Bet on Black. It was a different movie.
Cindy Crawford and Cindy Crawford
Same name. Exact same name. How the porn star didn't get her ass handed to her in a trademark case is a mystery. Well, not really. The court ruled that the blue-movie actress was indeed using her real name. So, it was all a big coincidence; she just happened to share the name of the biggest supermodel of all time. Seems legit.
Monica Beluchi and Monica Bellucci
Little-known actress Monica Beluchi went for the high-brow name ripoff when she invoked the Italian screen siren, and that might have been the problem.
Bella Reese and Della Reese
Did this porn star actually intend to name herself after an actress best known (in her later years) for playing the typical pissed off granny? If not, surely someone would have stopped her.
John E. Depth and Johnny Depp
Trivia: Both were up for the role of Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean series.
Faye Runaway and Faye Dunaway
We think even Faye Dunaway would have to admit that Faye Runaway is an awesome nudie film name.
Daisy Dukes and Daisy Duke
Oh, alright, alright, you are correct. Daisy Duke was a fictional character on Dukes of Hazzard, played by the actress Catherine Bach. So, this here sex movie actress would have needed to name herself after Catherine Bach to make this list. Maybe.
Note, however, that this young lady (also known as Daisy Marie) called herself Daisy Dukes. She didn't name herself after Catherine Bach's fictional character at all! She named herself after Catherine Bach's fictional character's cutoff denim hot pants. And those were all too real.
Tracy Gold and Tracey Gold
The former Growing Pains actress has battled anorexia all her life, and she's the more normal one of the show's two teen stars (Kirk Cameron, dude, what happened?). On the whole, you might rather be a adult film star from Iceland.
Courtney Foxxx and Courteney Cox
Even if you didn't know they had such similar names, you might mistake these two for twins.
James Deen and James Dean
It's not clever, it's not a pun, and it has no apparent meaning. As far as we know, porn star James Deen might simply be a bad speller, and that is what makes it great.
Tera Patrick and Carmen Electra
Say what? No, really, this is one of the better-documented cases of name theft. Linda Ann Hopkins's nom de porn pays tribute to Carmen Electra, who was born Tara Patrick.
Darryl Hannah and Daryl Hannah
The rare case of a porn star and namesake who, if you squint real hard, somewhat resemble each other.