Actor Rainn Wilson, best known for his role as Dwight on the popular sitcom “The Office,” announced in a video on social media that he has changed his name to “Rainfall Heat Wave Rising Sea Levels Wilson” to protest climate change, according to CNN.
“As a cheap little stunt to help save planet Earth, I’ve changed my name on Twitter, Instagram, and even on my fancy writing paper,” Wilson said in the video.
Wilson’s new name is displayed on his Instagram, but not on Twitter. The actor couldn’t change his name on Twitter due to name change restrictions for verified accounts, per CBS News.
The Guardian reports that Wilson changed his name to demonstrate to world leaders and influencers that the time for action is now. He said that the move to change his name is not a joke and that he’s “as serious as the melting Arctic, which amplifies global risks including extreme weather events around the globe,” per NBC News.
Wilson is a board member of Arctic Basecamp, an environmental advocacy group. In his video, he encouraged his viewers to follow his lead and to use Arctic Basecamp’s “Arctic Name Changer” to change their names on social media.
The sitcom star hopes that all the name changes will get the attention of world leaders at COP27, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, which is taking place until Nov. 18.
Other names Wilson considered include “Leonardo Di-Polar Ice Caprio Are Melting,” “Amy Poehler Bears Are Endangered,” and “Cardi The Arctic B Melting,” according to The Guardian.