Rosanna Arquette reveals the correct way to pronounce her name
The “Desperately Seeking Susan” star believes the Toto song inspired by her is the main reason for the common mispronunciation.
Rosanna Arquette reveals the correct way to pronounce her name
The "Desperately Seeking Susan" star believes the Toto song inspired by her is the main reason for the common mispronunciation.
By Mekishana Pierre
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Mekishana Pierre
Mekishana Pierre is a news writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2025. Her work has previously appeared on *Entertainment Tonight* and Popsugar.
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February 2, 2026 1:48 p.m. ET
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Rosanna Arquette attends Through Her Lens: The Tribeca CHANEL Women's Filmmaker Program Luncheon at Locanda Verde on Sept. 16, 2025 in New York City. Credit:
Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage
Rosanna Arquette is rectifying a long-standing mistake: the pronunciation of her name.
The* Desperately Seeking Susan* star, who is celebrating a return to the big screen with her role in the Charli XCX film *The Moment*, opened up about the common confusion when it comes to how folks say her first name.
"It's Rose-ahna," the 66-year-old actress told PEOPLE. According to the outlet, instead of the second half being pronounced like 'banana' it's AH-nah, like like Anna from *Frozen.* "That's how I've always said it."
But Arquette has no ill-will towards anyone who has been saying her name wrong, saying, "But I don't care. I'll answer to anything!"
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Rosanna Arquette in 'Desperately Seeking Susan'.
Orion Pictures/Courtesy Everett
The *Pulp Fiction *star reasoned that the confusion was born because of the Toto song "Rosanna," which many believed was a tribute song for her because of her romantic relationship with founding member Steve Porcaro at the time.
"People come up to me about that all the time," she told the outlet with a laugh, adding that the song wasn't actually a tribute to her. But she does believe that Toto's David Paich, who wrote the song in the early 1980s, borrowed her name for the title. "I was around them all the time. They were wonderful musicians," she added.
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Charli XCX is ready for 'Brat' to be over — for real this time
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Arquette has often found herself entwined with musicians, which she had no problem admitting. "I love musicians. Most of my friends are musicians. Chrissie Hynde is my daughter's Godmother," she said, referring to the lead singer of The Pretenders. "There's something about the power and the energy of music. It's really healing. It's the language that we all understand, and it truly communicates without words. It's just a feeling, and I love it."
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Rosanna Arquette in 'The Moment'.
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It's apt that the second wind of Arquette's film career involves the British singer and songwriter, who serves as the lead for the recently released mockumentary revolving around her gearing up to lead her first headlining tour. The film also stars Kate Berlant, Jamie Demetriou, Hailey Benton Gates, Isaac Powell, and Alexander Skarsgård.
"Charli wrote me the loveliest letter telling me she was a fan and it would mean the world to her if I came and played this part," Rosanna told PEOPLE. "I told my daughter [actress Zoë Bleu, 31, with ex-husband John Sidel], and she was like, 'Oh my God!' It definitely got me some cool points with her."
*The Moment* is currently playing in theaters.
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