Oona Chaplin says she mulled new surname to dodge nepotism claims

Oona Chaplin contemplated changing her surname early on in her acting career to dodge nepotism claims, Australian Associated Press reported.

The 39-year-old is the granddaughter of the silent film legend Charlie Chaplin - who died of a stroke aged 88 in 1977, nine years before she was born - and the daughter of actor Geraldine Chaplin, 81, and cinematographer Patricio Castilla.

Oona Chaplin thought about changing her surname after graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, feeling undeserving at times when securing roles because of her famous showbiz family.

The Avatar: Fire and Ash star told The Sunday Times newspaper: "It's been a journey to feel deserving, because I know that doors have opened for me that potentially wouldn't have opened if I wasn't associated with this brilliant man. It's definitely tricky to feel undeserving of the place you're in."

However, her mindset changed from "guilt to gratitude by working really hard and knowing that whatever I do is never going to compare to what my grandfather did".

"If all my purpose in this realm is for people to say, 'Oh, Charlie Chaplin's granddaughter,' and they Google him and watch a movie of his, then I'm happy because he's such a genius," she said.