Talk:Catherine Zeta-Jones

Her name and hyphen

There is a note at the bottom of the article that her birth certificate has "Catherine Zeta Jones" without the hyphen with no mention of the fact that Catherine and Zeta are her two first names, and her family name is Jones. She has two first names, in common with her brothers David Anthony Jones and Lyndon Paul Jones. What is surprising is that the article seems to use her name represent her name as "Catherine Zeta-Jones" as if it is her single first name and hyphenated last name. I think there should be a more obvious mention of the use of Zeta-Jones than a little note at the bottom of the page that would be more informative, such as establishing the fact of her name and saying when and why she first decided to use Zeta-Jones like a last name. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2600:1700:EA01:1090:A124:FC5:CBAA:AF26 (talk) 15:36, 16 June 2018 (UTC)

That source from The Daily Telegraph says: "The hyphen arrived later and was the first of many self-reinventions..." So perhaps at least that could be added to the note? I'm not sure anyone has found a good source for when she started using it. Martinevans123 (talk) 15:40, 16 June 2018 (UTC)

Deleted insulting (BLP) & racist comment in article.

Article included an insulting and racist comment, insulting the actress, apparently on racist grounds, indicating ignorance that Latinos come in all shades and physical types. The author must not have seen common telenovelas where Hispanic actors frequently do not fit supposed physical stereotypes. (PeacePeace (talk) 18:08, 16 August 2020 (UTC))

Take that up with Indiewire. Krimuk2.0 (talk) 18:18, 16 August 2020 (UTC)

Hyphen again

Having looked back at the Talk page archive, do we have any sources for when and why the hyphen was added? Could be a useful addition to the existing footnote. Or is it hidden in that Daily Telegraph source? Thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 14:22, 2 March 2021 (UTC)

@Martinevans123: - She claims here that she was called "Zeta" since she was a child because there are many "Catherine Jones" in Wales. "I've always been called that. And in my school in Wales, Jones is a very, very popular name in Wales. And so there were like three Catherine Joneses in my class, so they always called me Zeta." Now here's a source where she explains why she hyphenated the name, but her claims are inconsistent with the info provided. In here she claims her mothers name is "Kathleen Zeta", and she hyphenated her middle name, "Zeta", with her surname, "Jones", to "keep my Zeta going". This seems odd because her articles state her mothers name is "Patricia", not "Kathleen". I haven't seen any source claiming her mothers given name is "Patricia Kathleen Zeta" or something to that effect. Also, I'm not sure how common the name "Zeta" is in the UK, but the only "Zeta" in her family we know of is Zeta-Jones' paternal grandmother, "Zeta Jones", whom she was named after. Clear Looking Glass (talk) 19:15, 12 March 2021 (UTC)

Many thanks for those sources. Even if she did "hyphenate her own name" (and get her teachers and friends to use it too?), I really don't know of that hyphen was then consistently taken up by her agents in her professional life and used as part of her "professional name". It sounds more like it was originally just a school nickname that stuck. Martinevans123 (talk) 19:24, 12 March 2021 (UTC)

I'm not sure if she was called "Catherine Zeta" or just "Zeta" or "Zeta Jones". Either way, her own explanation for why she hyphenated her middle name with her surname seems unreliable given all the other information we know about her. Unless someone can provide other sources where her mothers given name is actually said to be "Kathleen Zeta", and not "Patricia (née Pair)". Clear Looking Glass (talk) 19:39, 12 March 2021 (UTC)

I can't reference this, of course, but she was called Catherine Jones in school. There were no other Catherine Joneses in the school that I remember (it was far from a big school), let alone in the class. I never heard the "Zeta" part until she became an actress. Her close friends may have used it, of course, but I was in the year above with her brother and can't remember anyone calling her anything other than Catherine. Neither can my mother, who taught there. Aredbeardeddwarf (talk) 21:54, 2 June 2021 (UTC)

Greek heritage?

Some of the confusion, apparently arising from a CNN interview she did with Larry King, may be explained in this blog post: [1]. Martinevans123 (talk) 18:34, 12 March 2021 (UTC)

Zeta-Jones herself has only said that her "Mother's Irish and my father's Welsh". I've provided a quote from her in her "Early life and initial stage career" section. The only time I've seen "Greek" ever comes up is from that interview (EDIT: and the transcript even says that it was "rushed"). What seems likely is that it was bad wording or miscommunication on whoever wrote the transcript, they probably meant that the name "Zeta" (her grandmothers name, not surname) is a name of Greek origin. Not that Zeta-Jones herself has any Greek heritage. This is backed by an article about her on the BBC, which states that she was named after both her grandmothers "Catherine Fair" and "Zeta Jones", and further mentions that the name "Zeta" is of Greek origin. Clear Looking Glass (talk) 19:18, 12 March 2021 (UTC)

Yes, the blog page suggest that the transcriber simply misheard/ miswrote "not Greek" as "North Greek". Her accent may have played a part? Let's hope the King interview wasn't all like this. Martinevans123 (talk) 19:28, 12 March 2021 (UTC)

I don't think that blog would be in anyway considered a WP:Reliable source for Wikipedia guidelines, but I might put a note in her early life section explaining the situation. Something like, "Although the CNN transcript provided implies that she her grandmother, Zeta Jones, was of Greek origin, Zeta-Jones herself has described her family background as being born to an "Irish mother and a Welsh father". The transcript has a disclaimer that it was "rushed" and likely meant that her grandmothers firstname, "Zeta" is of Greek origin. This is backed by other articles written about Zeta-Jones." And then provide the sources/interviews. Because there has been a lot of confusion about her family background. Clear Looking Glass (talk) 19:45, 12 March 2021 (UTC)

Wholly agree. A very good idea. Thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 21:03, 12 March 2021 (UTC)

She almost certainly said "who is of NOT Greek origin," which the transcriber wrote down as "North." We were talking about this silly transcript from 2001 on here 12 years ago. Are the babies born at the hospital down the road right now going to be discussing this CNN transcript 20 years from now? Honestly, enough. All Hallow's Wraith (talk) 08:13, 14 March 2021 (UTC)

Very sorry for not exhaustively searching the archive for a mention of the transcription error before opening this thread. Wasn't 2001 20 years ago? I don't see why adding that note is necessarily silly. Unfortunately I think the hospital down the road is still full of COVID cases. Martinevans123 (talk) 09:50, 14 March 2021 (UTC) p.s. you know the old adage: "old internet memes never die... they just get written into Wikipedia articles."

@All Hallow's Wraith: - Well, it seems like someone changed the wording recently, so the issue was brought back. Hopefully the note will end any confusion once and for all. Clear Looking Glass (talk) 03:17, 16 March 2021 (UTC)

So the Greek grandmother, indeed the "Greek-origin of the name Zeta," is all just a red herring? It was just the name of a ship. The ship may have been Greek, it may not, but nobody knows and it doesn't really matter. Martinevans123 (talk) 09:41, 24 March 2021 (UTC)

Zeta One (1969)

Zeta One is a 1969 British comedy film. .... 73.241.147.83 (talk) 23:18, 11 April 2021 (UTC)

Hyphen again-again

Do we call her Jones or Zeta-Jones. And if both, what's the rationale? Thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 18:47, 28 July 2021 (UTC)

I mean, for example, is it ok to switch back to Jones within the lead section? In the main body, the first instance of Zeta-Jones is: "A reviewer for Variety considered Zeta-Jones to be a standout in her part ...". That's half-way through a paragraph relating to 1996? Thanks. Martinevans123 (talk) 21:42, 29 July 2021 (UTC)

Hi, the issue is that "Zeta" is her middle name (and a family one) and it is not part of a double-barrelled surname so I would say that the article should just be "Jones" when referring to the her.

Other actors such as "Sarah Michelle Gellar" from the 1990s Buffy the Vampire Slayer and "Paul Michael Glaser" from the 1970s show "Starsky & Hutch" professionally have used their middle names but in interviews are not referred to as "Michelle Gellar" and "Michael Glaser".

I would welcome your input on the question rather than make another change and certainly avoid an edit war.

Juanpumpchump (talk) 05:47, 30 July 2021 (UTC)

Yes, it's a middle name and the hyphen "came later." Her FreeBMD entry is here. There may be an argument for using just "Jones" in the "Early life" section, But after that, without a definitive date, how do we know when to start using "Zeta-Jones"? I think we may have had this discussion before.... Martinevans123 (talk) 19:39, 30 July 2021 (UTC)

Hi, it will always be a bit of a difficult call but happy to leave it as double barrelled.

Kind regards

Juanpumpchump (talk) 12:55, 2 August 2021 (UTC)

Ok, thanks. Does anyone know how to restore all the text Zeta-s with a script? However, I'm sure a few "she"s could be also substituted here and there. Martinevans123 (talk) 13:24, 2 August 2021 (UTC)

Filmography

Filmography ?

— Preceding unsigned comment added by 90.6.36.192 (talk) 03:07, 4 December 2022 (UTC) 

Not Even Vaguely Latinx/Hispanic/Spanish

Please stop adding this person to categories based on having non-British heritage. 203.30.4.8 (talk) 02:27, 21 July 2024 (UTC)