Dwayne Johnson from Rutherglen explains what it is really like to share his name with a star

But spare a thought for the people who – through no choice of their own - happen to share their name with a celebrity.

People like Dwayne Johnson, 36, from Rutherglen, Glasgow.

He says: “I get comments all the time about my name. I work as a recruiter and often my manager will introduce me as Dwayne ‘not The Rock’ Johnson, which I also use as my name on LinkedIn.

Dwayne Johnson Budvar

“Sometimes when I reach out to people about a job, they’ll think they’re being scammed. On one occasion when I’d asked a successful candidate for their bank details to share with the employer so they could be paid, they reported me. For that reason, I try and only use my first name where possible. In the past, employers have asked if they could use my first and middle name to make my work email address to avoid things like this.”

Budweiser Budvar, the Czech lager brand, partnered with Dwayne as part of their campaign, Unmistakably Us (Not U.S.), to champion the unique individuals who in a twist of fate - or parental oversight – have ended up living their lives with a famous name. This comes after their own mistaken identity experiences that have resulted from sharing their name with a well-known American beer.

Dwayne says he’s had his fair share of ‘mistaken identity experiences’ outside of work too.

“I’d made a reservation at a posh restaurant and when I got there, they turned me away as they said they were expecting the celebrity, Dwayne Johnson and thought I was trying to pull one over on them.

“Similarly, I’d booked a hotel in London and when I went to check in, they told me they were expecting the wrestler. I just laughed it off and said, ‘you must be disappointed’.”

As well as Dwayne, Budvar has teamed up with Michael Jordan from Hertfordshire and Julia Robers from Bedfordshire, who have also shared their mistaken identity stories, including being banned from playing basketball at a kids’ summer camp having been accused of lying about their name, and being named after a film star as part of a prank by their siblings.

Despite being 16 years younger than him, Dwayne from Glasgow says it wasn’t until after the American actor and wrestler featured in his first Hollywood film that people made the connection.

“Up until then, most people only really knew him as a wrestler. Funnily enough, I used to be a huge fan and always idolised Dwayne Johnson as a kid. When people found out that we share the same name, I’d tell people he was my dad,” he laughs.

“When I started going to clubs, there were a few occasions when I was turned away by the bouncers who accused me of having a fake ID. On top of that, if ever I tried chatting to women, they would often ask to see my ID to prove my name.”

Reflecting on what it’s like to share his name with a well-known celebrity, the 36-year-old says: “I think it has its pros and cons. There have definitely been some funny moments that have come from it, but it can equally be frustrating, especially in a professional setting.”

Claire Sharpe, UK Marketing Manager at Budweiser Budvar says: “We are a completely independent Czech lager and we know what it’s like to live with an American namesake. That’s why we launched this campaign to champion all those who share their name with an American celebrity. From free hotel upgrades to repeated bad jokes, our namesakes, Michael Jordan, Dwayne Johnson, and Julia Roberts, have already done a fantastic job of giving us a glimpse into their reality.”

She adds: “We are owned by the Czech Nation, therefore, a lot of craft goes into perfecting our beer and providing drinkers with a great quality experience. To reinforce this, through our campaign, we want to remind beer drinkers everywhere that we are individual, we are unique, and we are unmistakably Czech.”

Keen to discover other famous namesakes living under the radar, Budvar has set up a national hotline, encouraging people to call in and share what it’s really like to be the UK’s Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian, or Tom Cruise for their chance to win a free crate of Budvar* (T&Cs apply). To call the hotline, please dial 0758 101 3856 (calls will be charged at your standard network rate).

Elsewhere, several tap rooms across the country will be hosting ‘Namesakes’ Nights’, a social meetup for people who share their name with a celebrity to enjoy a free pint of Budvar* (T&Cs apply, selected locations only) while bonding over their mistaken identity experiences.

Anyone who shares their mistaken identity stories either via the hotline or the Namesakes’ Nighthave the chance to be inducted to the Budvar Hall of Name digital gallery which will feature on the brand’s website and social media. They will also get exclusive access to a new social profile pre-fix (Unmistakably) pioneered by Budvar to ensure no wires get crossed ever again.