Margaret Qualley, the acclaimed model-turned-dancer-turned-actress who has captivated Hollywood, has unveiled a surprising personal detail: her real name is Sarah. While she has become a household name through standout roles in films like The Substance and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, she reverts to her birth name when returning home to the United States, where close friends and family still call her by this moniker.
The Name Change Decision
In a revealing cover feature for Vanity Fair, Qualley explained that her modelling agency forced her to choose between her two names at the age of 16. She previously told i-D magazine that, despite considering a return to Sarah, she decided against it after decades of success under Margaret, stating she 'doesn't want to be the person that changes their name'.
Reflections on Career and Mistakes
During the interview, Qualley opened up about the pressures of her career, describing herself as 'super competitive with myself, and very driven'. She admitted to overcommitting professionally, saying, 'I have learned the lesson of my eyes being too big for my stomach... taking all the opportunities I can get and then crashing and feeling like I have a schedule I can't keep up with.' She clarified that while these were not wrong choices, she would not repeat them.
Personal Struggles and Therapy
Qualley also shared that she has been in therapy since she was 16, a topic she discussed with Cosmopolitan. She revealed severe insomnia in her early 20s that significantly impacted her life, recalling, 'I would be awake until 9 in the morning and just begging for sleep.' This condition even caused her to miss the Cannes Film Festival premiere of The Nice Guys, one of her earliest films, as she felt unable to survive after four sleepless days.
Identity and Growth
Now practicing meditation twice daily, Qualley expressed a deep connection to her childhood self but acknowledged the complexities of growing up as a woman. She questioned how much of her identity is authentically her own versus shaped by societal pressures and expectations, highlighting the ongoing journey of self-discovery amidst fame.
