Steve Buscemi admits everyone pronounces his name wrong, including himself

Steve Buscemi explains that everyone has been pronouncing his name wrong, but that even he isn’t quite sure how to say it.

During a recent interview, the 67-year-old actor discussed the many ways he has heard his last name pronounced, joking he’s even confused about the correct way to say it.

“Growing up, we said ‘Bue-semi,’ which I can’t even do that anymore,” he explained. 

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The discussion surrounding the pronunciation of his last name comes after his guest appearance on the hit Apple TV+ comedy series, “The Studio.” In the cameo, the actor played himself and a running joke throughout the episode was that everyone was unsure how to say his last name.

Jimmy Fallon, who interviewed Buscemi on “The Tonight Show,” said that “At one point, they said ‘Brusch-kemi,’ like bruschetta.”

Buscemi replied, “I don’t like that one. ‘Boo-shemi,’ I like that … That is the Italian way to say it, but I just didn’t grow up that way.”  

He now pronounces his name “Boo-Semi,” saying, “I sort of take a little bit from each pronunciation.”

“I don’t know how to say my own name,” he joked.

Similarly, actor Denzel Washington recently surprised fans by sharing they have been pronouncing his first name incorrectly his whole career, blaming the confusion on his mother.

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While audiences have referred to the Academy Award-winning actor as “DEN-ZEL” for the duration of his career, he announced on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” this week, it’s pronounced “DEN-zel,” with a clipped “e” vowel in the second syllable. 

“I’m Denzel Jr. My father’s Denzel Hayes Washington Sr. I’m Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. My mother would say Denzel, and we’d both show up. So she said, ‘From now on, you’re Den-ZELL.'” he recalled.

Known for his iconic roles in “Fargo” and “Reservoir Dogs,” Buscemi is currently starring in the second season of the Netflix series “Wednesday,” as the new principal of Nevermore Academy, Principal Barry Dort. 

“It’s nice and exciting to be in a show that people actually know about,” he told The New York Times in August. “As soon as I mention ‘Wednesday,’ it’s like, ‘Ohhh, yes, my kids love that!’”