10 facts about Lady Gaga: from dyeing her hair to avoid Amy Winehouse comparisons to her bulletproof dress at Joe Biden’s inauguration and being ‘Gaga-mother’ to Elton John’s kids
- Lady Gaga first hit the stage as part of a New York stripper duo and famously took her name from the Queen song Radio Ga Ga – but whose idea was it to rebrand?
- She made her acting debut in The Sopranos at the age of 15, and has since been cast in leading roles in A Star is Born, American Horror Story and House of Gucci
1. Her stage name comes from a famous Queen song
The singer’s stage name was inspired by Queen’s 1984 hit Radio Ga Ga. However, there is confusion over who came up with the name.
Originally, the singer said that “Gaga” was a nickname her friends called her. But in 2010, she told Flybe magazine that her former producer and boyfriend Rob Fusari first called her Gaga, and that the singer then came up with her stage name.
After a tumultuous split – romantically and professionally – Fusari claimed that the name came about when he texted “Radio Gaga” and it autocorrected to “Lady Gaga” which prompted Gaga to take on the name.
2. Lady Gaga’s debut acting credit was in an episode of the The Sopranos at age 15
Although Gaga is known for her acclaimed roles in American Horror Story, A Star Is Born and House of Gucci, she made an important TV appearance much earlier.
At 15 years old, Gaga – credited as Stefani Germanotta – played “Girl at Swimming Pool #2” in a 2001 episode of The Sopranos.