Minnie Driver is ditching her iconic girl-next-door roles and taking on a much fancier persona in Emily In Paris season five which made its highly-anticipated return on December 18.
The actress, who plays Princess Jane in season five of the Netflix show, has revealed her real name and the adorable reason behind her nickname that stuck.
Speaking to The Guardian, the 55-year-old shared that she was born Amelia Fiona J. Driver on January 31, 1970.
Where did the name Minnie Driver come from?
The actress shares older sister, Kate, with parents Ronnie (a former financier) and Gaynor (a former interior designer and model).
Sharing the story behind her stage name, the mum-of-one revealed that it was a nickname given to her by her older sister throughout childhood.
“Minnie was the nickname my sister gave me,” she said, “well, I was never going to be an Amelia, was I?”
Giving more details about their sisterly bond, Minnie told the outlet, “we are still very close, although like most siblings we fought like cat and dog when we were young.”
The sisters were raised in Barbados until they were six and eight, with Minnie also adding: “Our parents separated when I was six, and Kate, being two years older, had to always be the one who was responsible for me. No child should have to do that, really.”
Who does Minnie Driver play in Emily in Paris?
However, Minnie left all of that behind as she stepped into her Emily in Paris role as the influencer friend of Sylvie Grateua who married into a royal family, Princess Jane.
Hilariously, the actress joked to Yahoo! News that she “wouldn’t know an influencer if it jumped out of the wardrobe and smacked her in the face with a ring light.”
She added: “I have actually seen a few of these extraordinarily older women who, you know, they’re always doing their fits and their jewels and their houses and everything.”
Who is Princess Jane in Emily in Paris?
As for her own character on the show, Minnie described her to the outlet as a “bit of a manipulator” and someone who is always “working an angle.”
Linking her new role with her former Will and Grace character, Minnie added: “There’s a part of me that feels like she might be related to Lorraine Finster, like somewhere, I just feel like maybe there’s some weird familial connection.”
We are even more excited to watch the show now… just need to do a Will and Grace refresh first!
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