Jerry O’Connell Shares His Real Name and the Story Behind “Jerry”.
Jerry O'Connell does not adhere to his given name. The Stand By Me alum revealed that nobody in his life, not even his own family, refers to him by his legal name.
“Well, my real name is Michael Jeremiah O'Connell," on the May 8 broadcast of Live with Kelly & Mark, Jerry and his mother Linda O'Connell made a collaborative appearance. "But I was always Jerry."
His mom concurred, explaining to Mark Consuelos and anchor Kelly Ripa that the 52-year-old's “real name is Michael Jeremiah Witkowski O’Connell.”
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“His grandfather is Jeremiah,” Linda, whose first name is Witkowski, clarified “and our favorite cousin is Jerry DeScipio.”
No matter how Jerry offended her, she never called him by his full name at home.
"No, I was always a Jerry,” the famous actor from Kangaroo Jack said. “Sometimes I look at myself, and I go, 'yeah, I am a Jerry.' I don't look like a Michael, actually."
As a child, Jerry was definitely quite the mischievous person. According to Linda, “He was very active, very energetic and always in trouble."
“I believe the term was ‘hyperactive,’” he continued. “I don’t know if they use it anymore and I’m sorry if anyone’s offended by that."
Naturally, Jerry's love of performance would eventually lead to a prominent career in entertainment; he made his acting debut in Stand By Me in 1986. Jerry wed colleague star Rebecca Romijn twenty-one years following the film went on to become a hit.
Jerry further made it a point to give his wife, with whom he shares 17-year-old twins Charlie Tamara Tulip and Dolly Rebecca Rose, a Mother's Day salute amid his visit on Live with Kelly & Mark.
In an ironic turn of events, Jerry has acknowledged that, if it comes to relationship advice, he has "turned into [his] mother."
“My girls are 17 right now, and so, a lot of their friends are getting very steady,” he revealed. “I sit them down, and I'm like, 'Girls, you gotta play the field. You can't just go out with one.’”
He went on to say, “I see their friends who are in like relationships, and they sort of don't have fun anymore.”
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