Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul Has Legally Changed His Name

Born Aaron Paul Sturtevant, the Breaking Bad star has legally changed his name to just Aaron Paul.

By Jennifer Asencio | Published

Aaron Paul has a new legal name: Aaron Paul. The Breaking Bad and Westworld actor has officially adopted his stage name according to Vanity Fair, in the midst of name changes for the entire family. He has also changed his infant son’s first and middle names from what was originally on the birth certificate.

Originally born Aaron Paul Sturtevant, the actor is better known by his first and middle name ever since he broke bad with Bryan Cranston on Vince Gilligan’s hit show. He opened up on The Jimmy Fallon Show back in April about the name changes and the joys of parenthood, introducing his son by the name Ryden Caspian Paul, but the birth certificate read Casper Emerson Paul. On November 3, he formally filed for his name change and his son’s.

His wife, Lauren Parsekian, will also be changing her last name to Paul. The couple has another child, Story Annabelle, who was already using the Paul surname. With both children born under the actor’s stage name, it was only a matter of time before he and their mother followed suit.

aaron paul
Aaron Paul on Breaking Bad

Aaron Paul is best known as Jesse Pinkman in the Breaking Bad universe, including the sequel movie El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie and appearances in the spin-off Better Call Saul. Humorously, he also lent his voice to the Black Mirror episode “USS Callister,” which starred Breaking Bad villain Jesse Plemons in another antagonist role that rivals his turn as Pinkman’s tormentor, Todd. Aaron Paul also voiced Todd Chavez on Bojack Horseman from 2014 to 2020.

More recently, he played Caleb Nichols in the third and fourth seasons of the HBO show Westworld. Unfortunately, HBO recently announced the cancelation of that show and the only future project he is currently rumored for is an unknown role in an alleged sixth season of Black Mirror. However, with his youthful good looks, smart comic timing, and passionate intensity, it shouldn’t be long before we hear about Aaron Paul in something new.

Meanwhile, his best starring role has been as a husband and father. He and his wife were overjoyed at the announcement of Ryden’s birth in April, and daughter Story is excited about being a big sister, too.  “[She] can’t squeeze him enough. Like, lays on top of him, suffocates him. It’s her doll,” he told Jimmy Fallon back in April. He also talked about how exhausting fatherhood is, but in an Instagram post of pictures of Ryden, he expressed his pride over “my little man.”

The proud papa also turned to Breaking Bad castmate Bryan Cranston, who himself broke out as a dramatic actor playing Walter White alongside Aaron Paul, to be godfather to baby Ryden. For him, Cranston was an obvious choice because the two build a relationship as they co-starred on the popular show, all while their characters formed their own nearly familial bond. Bryan Cranston can currently be seen on Showtime in the crime drama Your Honor.

Now that Aaron Paul is officially Aaron Paul, fans will be watching what he does next. Currently, he can be seen on Netflix in Breaking Bad and El Camino, and his appearances on Better Call Saul are on AMC+. All four seasons of Westworld are available on HBO Max.