The Reason Baby Driver's Lily James Changed Her Last Name Is Painfully Sweet

Updated on May 14, 2018 at 4:40 PM

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JULY 12: Lily James arrives ahead of the Baby Driver Australian Premiere at Event Cinemas George Street on July 12, 2017 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Don Arnold/WireImage)

With her roles in Baby Driver and the upcoming Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Lily James is well on her way to becoming a household name — but it's not actually the name she was born with. The English actress's birth name is Lily Chloe Ninette Thomson. So, why the change in surname? The reason might encourage a tear or two.

In 2008, Lily's actor and musician father, James "Jamie" Thomson, passed away from cancer. To honor her beloved father, Lily changed her stage surname to James. After filming father-daughter scenes for Cinderella, Lily opened up to the New York Post, stating "It's weird when you get roles that coincide with your life. Cinderella touches on loss, and there was definitely a strong sense of grief."

No, you're crying.

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The Reason Baby Driver's Lily James Changed Her Last Name Is Painfully Sweet

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