News | Entertainment
3 Apr 2025 14:24
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Joey Lawrence had to choose a "bland" name at the start of his career

    The 48-year-old actor was born Joseph Lawrence Mignogna III, but when he, along with his brothers Matthew and Andrew, began appearing on screen, they decided to drop their surname and simplify everything


    Speaking live on stage as part of a 90s Con panel, he said: "It was my middle name. I was named after our dad and our grandfather on my dad's side. And then, in the early 80s, no one could pronounce Mignogna. That's not a name people will say. Today, things like that are celebrated. But in the 80s, it was like, 'We need to water this down.' The silent Gs. ... They were like, 'We need to go with something a little more bland.' So they're like, 'Let's call him Joey Lawrence,' and then that's just what we did. It just made sense."

    The former 'Melissa and Joey star was joined by his siblings and Matthew - who is known for his roles in 'Boy Meets World' and 'Mrs. Doubtfire' - added that it was easier to "hide behind" their original monikers in the days before information was so accessible online.

    He said: "There was [also] an insulation factor. Before the internet, you could hide a little bit behind that. It would be very, very hard to find us!"

    Matthew added that his stage name was the only way the government would recognise him for a period of time, so there was "no correlation" between his pseudonym and his real name.

    He added: "For a while there, the government only recognised me as Matt Lawrence because I paid taxes from the time I was a toddler to 18 as Matt Lawrence. But really, my name is Matthew William Mignogna. So when I grew up and used my real name on my passport, there was absolutely no correlation. I didn't exist."

    Meanwhile, Andrew explained that it is a "pain in the butt" having to go by two names and admitted that things would have been "easier" had they just become known under what they were called at birth.

    He said: "It's really a pain in the butt, honestly, having two names. You have to prove you're both people."

    © 2025 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     03 Apr: Usain Bolt's father has died
     03 Apr: Suggs has given up booze because alcoholism was "ruining" his life
     03 Apr: Babe at 30: why this much-loved film is one of the best cinematic translations of a children’s book
     03 Apr: Jack Black is having "nightmares" ahead of his return to 'Saturday Night Live'
     03 Apr: Kourtney Kardashian's son Reign has dismissed rumours suggesting Justin Bieber is his real dad
     03 Apr: Dawn Robinson is "proud" to be sleeping in her car
     03 Apr: How Top Gun sparked a decades-long bond between Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    Former Wallaby Israel Folau's hopes of playing for an Anzac side against the Lions in July have been scuppered More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    New Zealanders have starting to have slightly more cash to spend, save or invest More...



     Today's News

    Entertainment:
    Kelsea Ballerini felt like she could not celebrate her work until now due to previous mental health struggles 14:18

    National:
    New modelling reveals full impact of Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs – with the US hit hardest 14:17

    Health & Safety:
    Health New Zealand is patting itself on the back over improving three of five health targets - since the last quarter 14:07

    Entertainment:
    Usain Bolt's father has died 13:48

    Accident and Emergency:
    A fatal boat capsize off Kaikoura was 'almost certainly' after striking a whale - but a report's found other contributing factors 13:47

    Business:
    New Zealanders have starting to have slightly more cash to spend, save or invest 13:27

    Entertainment:
    Suggs has given up booze because alcoholism was "ruining" his life 13:18

    Entertainment:
    Babe at 30: why this much-loved film is one of the best cinematic translations of a children’s book 13:07

    Soccer:
    Liverpool beats Everton 1-0 in Merseyside derby to extend Premier League lead to 12 points 13:07

    Accident and Emergency:
    Details about a fatal capsize off Kaikoura in 2022 will be revealed today 13:07


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd