Christina Milian Shares Her Journey of Changing Her Name After Facing Rejection from Casting Directors

Christina Milian.
Credit:

SoFi/YouTube

NEED TO KNOW

• Christina Milian entered show business as Christina Flores.
• She changed her last name after casting directors “didn’t even give me a chance to go into the auditions.”
• Milian stated that changing her last name “changed the trajectory of my whole career.”

Christina Milian recently reflected on how changing her name significantly impacted her career. Initially in the industry as Christina Flores, she soon observed that casting directors’ perceptions were influenced by her Latina surname.

“It was absolutely a business decision. I’m Afro-Cuban, [and] you didn’t see as many of our faces on TV,” Milian shared during an appearance on the Richer Lives by SoFi podcast. “A lot of auditions I would go in for, I would try to go in as a Latina, but my skin color didn’t really match the last name to what was appealing at the time.”

Milian added that she often faced rejection for Latina roles and was also overlooked for roles intended for Black women. “They didn’t even give me a chance to go into the auditions,” she remarked. “So a friend of ours changed her last name, and it really worked out for her.”

After discussing various stage names with her family, Milian ultimately decided to adopt her mother’s surname, Milian. The decision led to immediate changes in her career trajectory. “Same picture, same headshot, changed the last name to Milian, and do you know, overnight… It changed everything,” she recounted. “I booked TV shows immediately. Just that one small little change actually changed the trajectory of my whole career.”

Reflecting on the implications of her experience, she stated, “It’s unfortunate. It’s not something that I’m proud of, that being the reason, but I’m happy we see more Black Latina faces on television now. People aren’t so hung up on little things like that, and they allow you to come in for your talents.”

Milian, who recently moved to France with her husband Matt Pokora and their children, expressed optimism about the current industry landscape. She believes that if she were starting her career today, she would not need to change her last name to achieve success.

Christina Milian early in her career.

Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage

Milian shared insights about her journey via social media, noting, “Early in my career, I had to think strategically about how I showed up in the industry—and this one decision changed everything for me.”

Her early work includes a credited role in a 1996 episode of Sister, Sister as Christina Flores, followed by a performance in Smart Guy the following year as Christina Milian.

In a 2015 interview, Milian discussed her evolving understanding of her racial identity, stating, “We’re all different, but you have to accept our differences.” She emphasized that Afro-Cubans, like other Latinos, come in various colors and shades, affirming, “You can tell it’s in the core of our blood.”