*While appearing on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” to promote his Hulu series “Paradise,” Sterling K. Brown shared a deeply personal story about his name that moved host Kelly Clarkson to tears.
The Emmy-winning actor revealed he went by his middle name, Kelby, until the age of 16. “I wanted my own name and it felt like Sterling was like an old man’s name,” Brown explained, per TooFab. However, his decision to return to his birth name came from a much more emotional place.
“My dad’s name is Sterling Brown Jr., my grandfather is Sterling Brown Sr., I’m Sterling Kelby Brown,” he said. “Because he passed away when I was 10, by the time I turned 16 and I hadn’t heard his name for 5, 5 1/2 years and I was like, I kinda just want to hear that name again. So I asked people to call me Sterling.”
Clarkson was visibly moved by the story, responding, “That was so sweet and beautiful.” The moment briefly brought both to the edge of tears before they shared a laugh. Watch the segment via the YouTube clip above.
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The “This Is Us” star has previously spoken about the impact of losing his father at a young age. In a 2019 interview with TODAY, he recalled stepping into the role of “the man of the house” after his father died of a diabetes-related heart attack at just 45.
He shared vivid memories from that tragic day: “Waking up that morning and going into the kitchen, and my mom being on the phone, calling the paramedics and asking me to put clothes on my dad, because he was naked in the bed and his body was stiff.” He also remembered one final moment with his father: “He looks at me over the railing and he winks, just winks. They carry him out the door, last time I saw him.”
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