Celebrity names: How do you pronounce that?!

Do you get a little stuck when talking about celebrities with your friends because you just don’t know how to pronounce some of those stars’ names? (“You know, the show with David Bor… uh, Angel from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer?”) Well, now, with this handy guide, you can safely attend red carpet events and get on a first name basis with some actors, actresses, musicians and other celebs.

In alphabetical order, say hello to…

Arquette, Patricia and David: ark-ETT (‘ETT’ rhymes with pet)

Basinger, Kim: BAY-sing-grrr

Boreanaz, David: bo-ree-AH-nuz

Bullock, Sandra: BULL-luck

Campbell, Neve: nev (like the first three letters of never)

Crichton, Michael: CRITE-un (rhymes with brighten)

Degeneres, Ellen: ge-GEN-er-us (like generous)

Deschanel, Zooey: ZOH-ee (like Zoe) day-sha-NELL

D’Onofrio, Vincent: duh-NOFF-ree-oh

Elwes, Cary: EL-wez (rhymes with Elvis)

Fiennes, Ralph: rafe (rhymes with safe) fines (rhymes with signs)

Grace, Topher: TOE-fur

Gruffudd, Ioan: YO-an GRIFF-ith

Gyllenhaal, Jake and Maggie: JILL-in-hall

Hargitay, Mariska: mah-RISH-kuh

Heche, Anne: haytch

Janssen, Famke: FOM-kuh (‘fom’ rhymes with palm)

Kim, Yunjin: YOON-gin

Klum, Heidi: kloom

LaBeouf, Shia: SHY-uh la-buff (‘buff’ rhymes with tough)

Lavigne, Avril: AVE-rill la-VEEN

Leoni, Téa: TAY-ah lee-OH-nee

Lightbody, Gary: LIGHT-bud-ee

Lohan, Lindsay: LOW-en

strong>McConaughey, Matthew: ma-CON-uh-hay

Moore, Demi: duh-ME

Mullally, Megan: MAG-un mull-AL-lee

Newton, Thandie: TAN-dee

Pompeo, Ellen: pom-PAY-oh (‘pom’ is like palm)

Reeves, Keanu: key-AH-new

Remini, Leah: LEE-uh REM-in-ee

Ricci, Christina: REE-chee

Romijn, Rebecca: Romaine (like the lettuce)

Schreiber, Liev: LEE-ev (‘ev’ like the first two letters of ever) shry-BER

Sevigny, Chloe: KLOW-ee SEV-in-knee

Theron, Charlize: shar-LEASE THROWN

Visnjic, Goran: GORE-on VISH-nish

Weisz, Rachel: vice

* The “translated” words are in bold

What to do with this new information? Try slipping some of these names into everyday conversations around the watercooler. Here are some topics to start you off:

• “In X-Men, I liked Famke Janssen’s character better than Rebecca Romijn’s.”

• “Speaking of Goran Visnjic, did you know that the show ‘ER’ was created by novelist Michael Crichton?”

• “Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz were brilliant in ‘The Constant Gardener,’ don’t you think?”

With a little practice, you’ll soon be impressing — and educating — an entire generation of Us Magazine readers with your spot-on pronounciation of celebrity names.