From chart-topping singers to award-winning actors and history-making sports stars, some celebrities didn’t just create a public persona; they created entirely separate identities. These alter egos became extensions of their fame, allowing them to say the unsayable, experiment creatively, or escape the pressures of being themselves. In many cases, the characters became just as iconic as the stars behind them, so why did they decide to give them up?
From Slim Shady to Sasha Fierce and Ali G, find out why these celebs decided to ditch their alter egos.