Can Changing Your Name Change Your Life? The Chloe Bennet Story

How one actress's decision to change her last name sheds light on racial bias in the entertainment industry.

Recognize this girl?

Her name is Chloe Bennet. She's a semi-famous American actress known for her roles in shows like "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." and "Nashville."

But when Chloe first began trying to become an actress in 2010, her career was far from glamorous. After moving to Los Angeles, she faced countless rejections. Casting directors seemed to dismiss her based on her last name: Wang.

Chloe is biracial, with a Chinese father and a white mother. In Hollywood, her name immediately labeled her as Asian, limiting her opportunities for leading roles or any roles at all.

Frustrated and struggling to make ends meet, Chloe made a difficult decision. She changed her last name to Bennet, a more "white-sounding" name. With this change, she began passing as a white woman at auditions.

And it worked. Chloe landed a role in a successful TV show that launched her career.

Despite changing her name, Chloe embraces her Asian heritage and uses her platform to address racial inequality in Hollywood. But her story raises questions about the pressure actors of color face to assimilate and the need for greater diversity and representation in the industry.