What’s in a name? It turns out a lot. I’m a mix of European ancestry – Spanish, Italian and Polish but my name sounds distinctly Latin. Growing up I loved my name because it made me feel unique – the double A’s, the alliteration, the musical quality of Amelia Alvarez. Once I became a working actor it got more complicated. All of a sudden I was being told that I couldn’t play Jewish because my last name was Alvarez. On the flip side I would show up to auditions to play a Puerto Rican girl and feel like every other person in the room was looking at me like “who invited whitey?” I even had a casting director tell me point blank “you should change your name, it’s confusing.” 

  All of this made me feel incredibly self conscience, protective of my name and by extension myself. When we filed for our marriage license the clerk asked me if I would be taking my husbands name. I wanted so badly to say yes but I restrained myself. I had just spent the past few years defending Amelia Alvarez and I couldn’t let her go willy nilly.

This Fall I’ve decided to start using my husband’s name. I’m sad to be seeing the Alvarez go but I’m also excited to be that wife. I’m excited to have the same last name as my future children.

 I’m also just invigorated to try something new, aware that the ideas we cling to about who we are can prevent us from seeing who we are meant to become. 

Making the transition on a fashionable note I’ve been wearing two small initial earrings in my right ear,  a gold A. and C. In my left ear is a metallic stud from Jewelmint. I’m a fan of the mismatched earring trend, it feels fresh and new, kind of like Amelia Champion.