Sir Michael Caine changes birth name to avoid security hassles

Sir Michael Caine was forced to change his name to avoid airport security hassles.

The legendary 83-year-old actor – whose birth name is Maurice Micklewhite – had to make his stage name his legal moniker by official deed poll following to prevent himself from being questioned about his identity, which conflicted to the title on his passport.

Caine began experiencing more and more problems following the increase in terror attacks by ISIS

The ‘Alfie’ star is quoted by The Sun as saying: "I changed my name when all the stuff started with ISIS and all that.

"He would say, ‘Hi Michael Caine,’ and suddenly I’d be giving him a passport with a different name on it.

"I could stand there for an hour. So I changed my name."

And Caine – who is married to Shakira – has revealed his stage name was inspired by his favorite actor Humphrey Bogart who was starring in a film ‘The Caine Mutiny’.

Speaking about the name he is most commonly known as since he changed it in 1954, he said: "One evening my agent said, ‘I’ve got you a job, I’ve got you three days but you can’t call yourself Michael White, so give me another name.’

"I was in a telephone booth in Leicester Square and I was opposite the Odeon and I looked up, and my favorite actor is Humphrey Bogart, and there it was, it said ‘The Caine Mutiny’, so I said, ‘Caine! Michael Caine!’"

Meanwhile, Caine – who has featured in over 115 films and been nominated for an Oscar six times – has admitted he rehearses every line of his scripts 1,000 times to ensure he is word perfect before stepping on to the set.

Speaking previously, the father of two – who has daughters Dominique, 60, with his former partner Patricia Hanes and Natasha, 43, with his current spouse Shakira – said: "I rehearse on my own and by the time I have come on to a set I have said the line to myself a minimum of 1,000 times.

"I’ve never used a mirror – I just do it anywhere. I just sit there talking."