Ralph Fiennes Clears Up How to Pronounce His Name After 'Always Having to Deal' with Questions About It

Mar. 15, 2025

Ralph Fiennes at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Feb. 6.Photo:Rebecca Sapp/Getty

Rebecca Sapp/Getty

Ralph Fiennesis clearing up how to pronounce his name once and for all.

Speaking withThe Hollywood Reporterat theSanta Barbara International Film Festival, theHarry Potteralum, 62, opened up about the correct way to say his name — “Rafe Fines” — and joked that this has been a long lasting problem for him.

“It’s one of those funky old English things that I was dealt — my parents dealt me,” he joked, to laughs from the audience. I think it’s the case that the spelling ‘R-a-l-p-h’ used to be pronounced…‘Rafe.’ That was the old way to pronounce ‘Ralph,’ you said ‘Rafe.’ "

“And I have met a lot of ‘Rafes,’ spelled ‘Ralph,’ " Fiennes added before eliciting another laugh from the crowd. “I’ve always had to deal with this question.”

Ralph Fiennes in ‘Conclave.'.Courtesy of Focus Features

Courtesy of Focus Features

“That was the name I was born with and I sort of have some weird thing about, I’m sticking with what I was given,” he said at the time.

“I believe my father named me after his step-grandfather. His name was Ralph Eastwood, nicknamed Rusty, but spelt R-a-l-p-h,” the actor recalled at the time. “And I wanted to, I suppose, honor my parents giving me this name and keeping up the spelling but I have — I’ve come on occasion to regret it because it would be easier.”

TheOscar nomineewas also being honored at the SBIFF as the outstanding performer of the year award for his leading role inthe Vatican-set thrillerConclave,which sees his fictional Catholic Cardinal Lawrence attempt to lead cardinals from all over the world as they gather to vote for a new pope.

Fiennes has made lots of public appearances over the past several months as he promotes theAcademy Award-nominated film— and at one stop in Palm Springs, Calif., for theVariety‘s 10 Directors to Watch and Creative Impact Awards brunch, hereunited with hisMaid in Manhattancostar,Jennifer Lopez.

Ralph Fiennes and Jennifer Lopez.Vivien Killilea/Variety via Getty

Vivien Killilea/Variety via Getty

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Fiennes, who played politician Chris Marshall opposite Lopez’s Marisa Ventura in the film over two decades prior, first complimented the singer and actress for her “amazing skills” as he recalled making the film together.

“But of course, to be a legend and a groundbreaker, it’s a matter of spirit. If you have the skills, their currency is lessened, unless there’s a strong spirit behind them. It’s the spirit which moves us and lifts us,” Fiennessaidat the time, per an Instagram video fromVariety.

“I am the senator, if you didn’t know,” he added, referring to his role in the 2002 romantic comedy. “In my brief stint as a Republican senator, I wasn’t very convincing. I didn’t stand a chance, really. To be honest, her powerful energy just leaves the men sort of, well, they’re just left behind, and off she goes, she blasts away. Jennifer, obviously I’m talking about you, you’re incredible. Your wings are unstoppable.”

source: people.com