We’ve written a lot about people’s experiences meeting celebrities here at BuzzFeed, and now we’re back with some of the most heartwarming tales! Here are some of the nicest celebs, according to redditors and members of the BuzzFeed Community.
1. “Rachel McAdams is by far the nicest celebrity I’ve met. We sat next to each other in the audience at the taping of a reality competition show (she was a celebrity audience guest; I was just the next person over lol), and I was a MASSIVE fan at the time. This was 14 or so years ago, but peak Notebook and Mean Girls fame. I told her what a fan I was and then, as a 16-year-old boy, kind of blacked out lol. Later, as we were leaving the building, she ran up to say hi and remembered my name. She walked back to my family’s car with us, took a photo with me, and then hugged me and said goodbye. She was just SO genuinely nice.”
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“I met her when I was in acting school, and she was doing a play with one of my directors. I met her at an afterparty, and she asked my friend and me all about acting school, what we were working on, etc. She was so sweet and lovely.”
2. “Heath Ledger helped me load sacks of mail into a truck in the pouring rain. He was just walking by, he saw I needed some help, and he tossed his umbrella aside and helped me out.”
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3. “I ran into George Lopez in an airport bar in Vegas. I was minding my own business, and he asked me, ‘Hey…do you know what the f@&k Etsy is?’ He was doing his kids’ Christmas lists. We spent the next hour just being two dads relating about having kids. Super nice guy.”
Kevin Winter / Getty Images
4. “I ran into Tom Hiddleston in a bookstore in London, of all places. I was peeking through some shelves, and there he was, just browsing quietly. I hesitated to approach him because you never want to be intrusive, you know? But I noticed he picked up a novel I absolutely loved. After a bit of an internal battle, I mustered the courage to just say, ‘That’s an amazing book; I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.’ He looked up, his eyes brightened, and he gave me the warmest smile. ‘I’ve heard good things. Any other recommendations?’ he asked. We ended up talking about books and theater for a good half an hour. He was incredibly polite, eloquently spoken, and genuinely interested in my thoughts. I walked away with a few book recommendations from him, and he insisted on paying for my book as a thank-you for the chat. Never made me feel like he was in a rush, and he never seemed anything less than delighted to talk. Absolute gentleman.”
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5. “My uncle met Harrison Ford through his job as a helicopter mechanic. Harrison Ford has a reputation for being a bit gruff, but my uncle said that he’s incredibly nice and took the whole crew out for lunch to thank them for working on his helicopter. I think he comes off as a bit standoffish because he just doesn’t like a lot of people bothering him in public.”
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6. “Justin Bieber was incredibly sweet! He was by himself at a mall, and he wasn’t trying to be incognito. He was dressed really casually, just kind of walking around and shopping. I don’t really know his music, but I recognized him. He drew me in with a big hug and chatted me up. He was lovely.”
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7. “I’ve worked pretty closely with Owen Wilson and found him to be one of the loveliest celebs, which makes me sad to see the headlines about his daughter. I can’t speak to that, but I got the sense that he has to interface with SO many people that he’s just not going to engage with anyone more than necessary, which is totally fair. After a couple of weeks of working together, he very quietly made one of the funniest situational jokes I’ve ever heard, just for me. I heard from other people that they had similar experiences. He was extremely easy and respectful to work with. And had an awesome dog.”
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8. “John Travolta is literally the nicest guy ever! Made friends with him through a mutual acquaintance, and he couldn’t have been more genuine in every way. The guy is totally down-to-earth and has something positive to say about everyone. He is also someone who asks a lot of questions and is actually interested in what you have to say. An old-school gentleman. The man is just all-around great and very generous.”
Kevin Winter / Getty Images
—Anonymous
9. “I met Bryan Cranston at some random D-list celebrity awards thing in 2007. At that time, I only knew him from Malcolm in the Middle. He spoke a bit at the ceremony about his upcoming project about a high school teacher who has cancer and decides to sell meth. Afterward, everyone milled about and talked. My dad and I got to meet him. He possesses that skill of making you feel like you’re the only one in the room. He listened to what you had to say, asked follow-up questions, and was very kind and encouraging. It takes skill to be that good at listening, and I always associate him with that.”
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—Anonymous, 37, US
“My family ran into Bryan Cranston at my brother’s law school graduation. He agreed to take a picture with us, and my dad mentioned Tim Watley (the dentist from Seinfeld). Just before my mom took the picture, he turned to my dad and asked, ‘Are you flossing?'”
“I was the last person in line at a meet-and-greet event. Bryan engaged with everyone with a genuine smile. Took a moment to chat with everyone. I said, ‘It’s great to meet you, Dr. Watley,’ and he had a good chuckle. We took a photo together, and he grabbed me firmly by the shoulder. Good dude.”
10. “I met Jennifer Lawrence during the filming of The Hunger Games movies at a super weird bar. I was waiting to order a drink from a close friend who was bartending. The side of the bar we were on was very cramped, and Jennifer sort of got smushed up against me. She was profusely apologizing, and I told her not to worry about it; the place was always like that. She looked confused for a minute and asked if there were tables. My friend came over, and Jennifer bought us drinks, and then my friend took us over to the secondary DJ booth. She said some friends were coming in and asked my friend to direct them over to where we were. It escapes me at the moment who the friends were. She and I chatted for a few minutes; she asked me a few questions about Atlanta and good places to go that were fun but not crowded. I met her and the other cast members for brunch the next day at a tapas joint.”
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Getty Images
“Security was with them, but it was pretty much a couple of dudes a table over just making sure things were chill. They were all very kind and nice; I think they were relieved to find nice people who didn’t make a big deal or get starstruck. She autographed a napkin for me and promptly dumped her drink by accident right onto the napkin. She was mortified, and I told her not to worry. She autographed the receipt while I held her drink, so there were no spills. It was honestly just hilarious. Definitely the best random celebrity meeting I’ve had.”
11. “I met Louis Tomlinson in London before a show. There were lots of people there, but Louis came over to say hi to us because I had a sign that said, ‘You saved my life.’ Louis hugged me and said he was very touched, and asked how I was doing. He is the most amazing, humble, kind person I have ever met in my life. He didn’t leave until everyone had their photo with him. He also asked if we had any requests. I told him, ‘Don’t Let It Break Your Heart’ (because that song is so important to me), and he said back, ‘I promise I’m going to sing that song for you,’ and he smiled, then said goodbye and left. It was the best experience ever.”
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—Anonymous, 28, USA
12. “When I was 13 and in a youth dance company in LA, Beyoncé was casting dancers for her tour at the same studio my company had rehearsal at in the early 2000s. Solange was there, and she was SO nice. She talked to my mom for an hour (my mom had no idea who she was), and I got to meet her. I didn’t get to meet Beyoncé, but she did walk past me with three very large bodyguards in tow — she had no time for us teenagers lol, but I’ll never forget Solange hanging out with us and being so normal.”
Arnold Jerocki / Getty Images
—Anonymous, San Diego
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13. “I love sharing my Keanu Reeves anecdote, which is that I once sat a couple of empty seats away from him at the Nuart theater (I have no idea what I saw because all I could think was ‘oh my god, I’m sitting next to Keanu Reeves’). I was so distracted that I started fiddling with my wedding ring during the movie, until it came off my finger and fell on the floor. As I bent down to start frantically looking for it, I realized that he had heard it fall and was also looking around for it. I found it before he did, but in retrospect I probably should have let him find it because ‘Keanu Reeves Returns Lost Wedding Ring to Distraught Moviegoer’ seems like such a tailor-made Keanu headline.”
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“My then-boyfriend had broken up with me in a really foul way (text message while I was out of town). As soon as I got the text, I sat on a park bench and just started bawling. It was the gross, ugly, messy cry. I was emotionally raw and not in good shape. A man sat next to me and asked if I was okay and what I needed. I handed him the phone with the text pulled up. He said, ‘You don’t deserve to be treated like that.’ Then he asked if I would sit there for a minute. I nodded and literally went back to crying. He came back with a tea, a muffin, and a handful of napkins. Here comes the embarrassing part. He asked my name, and I gave it. I asked him for his, and he said, ‘Keanu.’ I said, ‘Oh, I know that name from somewhere.’
He smiled and sat with me while I ate my muffin and drank my tea. When I was done, he asked if I was okay. I said yes, and then I asked, ‘What was your name again?’ He said, ‘Keanu.’ I said, ‘Like the actor?’ He said, ‘Just like the actor. I’m a musician.’ He again made sure I was okay, and then he left. Interestingly, no fans came forward; it was a very small park in California. I’m still embarrassed that I said ‘Like the actor’ and that I didn’t recognize him.”
14. “I met Lady Gaga — by happy coincidence. I was having drinks with a friend at the Dublin hotel she was staying at while touring. I didn’t recognize her initially, as she was dressed in a pretty low-key way, until she stood up to leave the bar and her security guys got up, too. We said hello, and she talked with us for a solid 5–10 minutes about Dublin and where to visit. She was so sweet. When we went to leave the hotel bar later, we went to clear our tab and discovered it had already been paid for.”
Gilbert Flores / Getty Images
15. “I am genuinely grieved over the loss of Shannen Doherty. I had the chance to meet her, and she was the nicest, kindest actor I have ever met. She talked with me for over 20 minutes about our love for our home state of Tennessee. It only makes me angrier that she had a bad reputation. It was clear to me that the reputation was likely gained because she’s ballsy.”
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—Anonymous
16. “I met Patton Oswalt at O’Hare Airport. I was sitting in a lounge and saw someone walking by; as he got closer, I realized it was him. Now, lots of people say that I look like him, and my wife is kind of obsessed with it. I’ve also been a huge fan of his since his earliest HBO comedy special. I didn’t want to be that guy and make a scene, so I waited a bit and then decided to slip him a note. I said I was a fan, thanked him for the laughs, and told him my wife thinks we’re doppelgangers. A few minutes later, he got up to get a drink and some snacks, and as he walked back, he turned and walked straight up to me and said, ‘Oh my god, we are. We should not be seen together like this often.'”
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“He was great; we had some laughs about it and took some pictures. I told him of a time when I’d had an intoxicated woman come up to me and insist I was him, and there was NOTHING I could do to convince her otherwise. He told me that as long as I was nice to people and didn’t get him canceled, I should totally have fun with it if it happened again and send him pictures. It was a 10/10 encounter. He was pretty much exactly like anything you’ve ever seen him in, just a nice and genuine guy.”
17. “My absolute favorite was meeting John Rhys-Davies at Comic-Con SLC a few years back. I wasn’t in a great place in life at that time, and things were pretty dark for me. But the second I stepped up to get a picture with him, he just lit up and immediately treated me like a princess. He took my hand and kissed it like a gentleman, asked me how I was, and called me a lady. Then he just wrapped his arms around me for the picture and even got down to my height for it too! (I am 4ft 8 1/2 in.) Then, when I went to leave, he wished me well and kissed my hand again, and honestly, it made me feel so happy and appreciated for the first time in a long time. He is a true gentleman through and through and absolutely one of my favorite people in the world just from that one day. It might not have been a long encounter, but it really made a difference for me. I hope I can tell him that one day.”
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18. “Speaking with Hugh Jackman was like talking to someone you’ve known for ages. He’s very friendly.”
JC Olivera / Getty Images
“My exact experience. I worked on the set of X-Men 2 for, like, a month… He was like your cool uncle who is your mom’s younger brother, and he asks you all the cool questions about sports and movies and hobbies when you see him at Christmas each year.
I met quite a few famous actors while working in the industry for a few years in Vancouver in the early 2000s, and he was the best of the lot. He loved to poke fun in that Aussie, loving way.”
19. “I waited for Kate Bush outside a radio station in the rain when she came to NY after the Hounds of Love release. I was originally going to get my album signed when she was at Tower Records earlier, but the line was around the block. She came out with an army of handlers who were desperately trying to rush her along into the car. I said, ‘Hi Kate! Would you sign my record, please?’ She said, ‘Of course, love!’ She grabbed my pen and said, ‘Who’s it for?’ I said, ‘Me!’ She said, ‘Do you want me to write… To me?’ We laughed, and I told her my name. She asked me how I liked the record, and I told her I loved it, but The Dreaming was my favorite. She thought that was hilarious. I have to say that I’ve never seen a more striking face that close before. I was an absolute stuttering idiot, and she was so nice.”
20. “I was late for my slot to meet Carl Weathers at Comic-Con because I was stuck in traffic. Carl not only hung around until I arrived, but also gave me a good-humored lecture on the importance of punctuality, talked about Arrested Development and general acting stuff with me for much longer than he needed to (cons are usually 30 seconds and out), and signed off with the Predator handshake. What a guy.”
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“When I was in high school in Northern California, I had the pleasure of meeting Carl Weathers. His son played football for a rival team, but he still signed autographs and took pictures with anybody from our high school that approached him. Such a nice man, one of my all-time favorite actors from my younger days.”
—Anonymous, 56, M, California
21. “I met Brittany Murphy by accident outside the Today show as a child. I told her my name was Brittany, too, spelled like hers. She asked my sign, and I told her. Later, outside TRL Studios, I saw her again waiting to meet the musical guest. She said, ‘Brittany the Gemini!’ and we laughed. We took a photo together on a disposable film camera. She was so sweet and so personable. I think of her so often.”
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22. “I had heard stories that Eric Estrada from the TV show CHiPs was difficult to work with. And nobody really liked him, then. I found myself working with him one morning at the corner of Sunset and Vine in Hollywood, where we were promoting the customer appreciation day for the bank on the corner. I was DJing, and he was meeting and greeting with passersby; he was very sweet. Very personable; he asked me a lot of questions, interacted with me, even when he really didn’t need to, and overall, a very cool guy that made a really strange and awkward job into something fun and easy.”
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23. “I ended up being one of the last people in line at the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo to meet Paul Rudd. They were literally turning off the lights in the convention center. He stood up and said not to worry, that he was gonna meet all of us. When we got up to him, he was great; he shook both my wife’s and my hands. He got very excited that he was autographing a CrapBag Friends mug, and he told me it was the best thing he signed all day. He wrote out a line from the episode and signed it. Then we asked if he would do us a favor, and he said, ‘Anything.’ We asked him to do the air piano from one of the episodes for our other family members who had been waiting on us in the half-dark. He cracked a huge smile, stood up, rolled up his sleeves, and air piano-ed perfectly! We thanked him, and he shook our hands again and thanked us for waiting. It was just awesome, and he really was just amazingly nice.”
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“Paul Rudd went out of his way to be super kind to my friend and me, gave us autographs and pictures, and chatted for a long time, and even offered to share a cab back down to Times Square (which, of course, we said yes to). 1,000/10 amazing human being.”
24. “I met Henry Winkler at a con. Instead of standing behind a table and signing without talking, he walked up and down the line talking to you before you even got to the table. At the table, he gave you a minute to pick which of the hundred or so pictures you wanted him to sign, which is when he worked the line. He pretty much ignored me and talked to my daughter the whole time. In line, he got down and did a magic trick for her. When we took the picture, he was hugging her. Then he turned her around and said, ‘Every once in a while you meet someone special, and I am so glad I met you.’ Scripted line, but damn if it didn’t make me tear up. Then he asked if he could have a hug, and she practically leaped into his arms. It will always be one of my favorite celebrity moments.”
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“I’ve met a lot of celebrities, and many disappoint. But I flew across the country once with Henry, and not only was he the nicest celebrity I’d ever met, he was the nicest PERSON I’d ever met. So warm and receptive to every single person who wanted to say hi. Later, after we landed and went our separate ways, I saw him again at the airport. There was this shy old woman who clearly wanted to say hi but lacked the courage. He went out of his way and walked right up to her to introduce himself and ask how her day was going, etc. Totally made that old woman’s day.”
“I worked/met a few musicians and celebrities through my work. Without a doubt, Henry Winkler stands out as not only the most friendly celebrity I’ve crossed paths with but also the kindest individual overall. Don’t get me wrong, there were other celebs who were nice as well, but Henry Winkler surpasses them all on a whole different level.”
“I met him at a movie theater in LA; he was just seeing a movie with his wife and some friends. He was so welcoming and warm when I approached him that my date told me afterward that initially, she didn’t realize who he was and just assumed he was my uncle or something.”
25. “A friend went to a charity thing, and the name card beside her said ‘Jack Black,’ and she said, ‘How cool would it be if it was the real Jack Black?’ (We live in a different country than he does.) Then she hears someone behind her say, ‘Cool indeed’….it was Jack Black.”
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“I met him at a Tenacious D aftershow last year — he and Kyle came in, went round the room to everyone one-by-one and made sure to say hi and offer to take a photo with every single person. I thought it was a really nice touch.”
“Jack Black is hands down the kindest celebrity I have ever had the honor of meeting!!!! He was a regular of mine at a spot in West Hollywood for a few years, always called me by name, was super sweet, would take photos with fans, and then just go back to playing Bejeweled. One time, when I was begging my boss for an extra shift (I was $50 short on rent that was due in two days), he overheard the conversation and tipped me $100 on a $20-ish tab and told me he remembered living paycheck to paycheck and to enjoy my day off. From then on, he never left me less than a $50 tip and would always check in with me at the end of the month to make sure I had rent. Truly the BEST!!!!!”
“Jack Black is the best! I was living in Wellington, New Zealand, at the same time the King Kong movie was being filmed. My friend and I were having a drink to celebrate his birthday. Turned around, and there was most of the cast of King Kong! Adrien Brody, Naomi Watts, Jack Black, and a few people I didn’t recognize. I’d had a few drinks, so I managed the courage to go to the table. Adrien Brody and Naomi Watts bristled when they saw someone approaching, but I tapped Jack on the shoulder and told him it was my friend’s birthday, that he was a huge fan, and that he would love to meet him. Twenty minutes later, my friend went to the bathroom, and just then, Jack Black came over! I had a generic T-shirt with a Japanese symbol on it, and Jack’s opening line was, ‘Awesome T-shirt, do you do Karate?’ and he did some karate moves!
I had to confess, no. He then asked where my friend was, which was awkward for a minute, but then my friend came back, and there were hugs all round! Best guy ever.”
26. “I met Victoria Beckham at a meet-and-greet in London. She was promoting her clothes. I was there with the catering team. She’s really nice; she said hello to everybody and thanked us for helping and for our time. She was not stuck up at all.”
Samir Hussein / WireImage Getty Images
27. “I met Angelina Jolie through my aunt’s work, and she was the nicest, kindest person you could imagine. I was a dorky teen, admitting to her that I wanted to be an archaeologist because of her part in Lara Croft and that I thought the movie was so cool, yada yada…She probably thought I was a weirdo, but she took so much time out of her day to have a conversation with a twelve-year-old girl, and she was super kind about it. She took a photo with me and told me to always be inspired by what I want to achieve. It was such a cool moment. I’ll always remember it.”
28. “My dad’s mate was at a film premiere, and he was standing, talking to a group of people. He’s from Newcastle, so he speaks in a Geordie accent. He suddenly hears (in a joking Cockney voice), ‘Who the hell let a fucking Geordie in here?’ Turns around and boom, Christian Bale. Apparently, he stood and talked to the group for a good 20 minutes, showing a genuine interest in them all and what they did.”
Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images
29. “I’ve met Weird Al over 30 times, but one of my favorite ones was in 2019. A little backstory: in 2018, my family and I went to LA and got to see him receive his star on the Walk of Fame. We also did all the touristy things like Disneyland and studio tours. A few weeks later, my 13-year-old daughter was heading into class and her teacher, who was known to ask random questions at the start of class, pointed at her and said, ‘Best vacation you ever took?’ She said we had just gone to LA, and the teacher asked what she had done. She then told him that we got to see Al get his star and then go to a private party thrown by him for donors. No mention of Disney or anything else. I told Al this story, and he actually got a little misty-eyed and said, ‘You don’t know how much that means to me.'”
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30. “I had the privilege of taking care of a family member of Robert Downey Jr.’s at a hospital back when I was a nurse. He was so down to earth and always joking. He hung out at the nurses’ station with us a few times and was always engaging. He ordered the entire floor In-N-Out for dinner one night. He never expected preferential treatment. And he was there daily, genuinely concerned for his family member, participating in his care decisions, etc. Just a cool dude. No assistant or better-than-thou attitude.”
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31. “Dolly Parton has been the nicest celebrity that I have ever met. She even aggressively pulls you in for a hug, making sure you’re all tight with her in a picture. A lot of stars don’t want you to even look at them. She complimented me on my hair and makeup. I told her that I do hair, and she said, ‘I can tell I do a really good job.’ ❤️❤️❤️ LOVE HER!”
John Lamparski / Getty Images
“I was in Branson, leaving a restaurant with my family, when a series of golf carts drove past us at the outlet we were at, and on the back of the middle one were Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton (the rest of the carts were filled with various security). I immediately freaked out, and Kenny made them stop the golf carts to say hi to me and my sister; we were absolutely beside ourselves (we grew up with both of them from our grandparents). They didn’t have time for an autograph or picture, but them taking an extra 10 seconds just to stop and hug us was the most magical moment of my life.”
—Anonymous, Branson, Missouri
“I’ve met Dolly Parton and can confirm that she’s just as great as you’d assume. She was just so nice to everyone. She was a lot smaller than I expected, probably because she’s got such a larger-than-life personality.”
32. “Olivia Newton-John was my wife’s hero/icon, and we happened to be near her when she was doing a photo shoot about 14 years ago. I asked ‘her people’ about saying hello, and they said to me, ‘Unlikely…Olivia is working,’ and I accepted that, and so we kind of hung around watching and trying to look cool. Fifteen minutes later, when my wife was distracted, Olivia walked over and introduced herself, and we had a lovely chat… well, my wife couldn’t speak, so I did most of the talking. Olivia offered to pose for pictures and did not leave until she ensured we were happy with the pics. My wife met her hero that day and came away even more enamored with her. Lovely lady, RIP.”
Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images
33. “I have worked on many seasons of Gordon Ramsay’s US shows, and I can confirm that he is one of the friendliest, sweetest, most down-to-earth celebrities I’ve met. He treats the entire crew with respect and is happy to have a conversation with anyone. He turns on the temper for the cameras, but grins mischievously about it on the other side. I think that one reason he’s outlasted many other celebrity chefs is that he’s relatively easy to work with.”
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34. “I used to work security at a music venue, and Kevin Smith came to do his podcast live. He ended up coming in a little later, after the crowd got into the venue, and I was the guy who had to put an artist wristband on him. He walked up, saying hi to everyone. He extended his hand out to get a wristband, but I went to shake his hand instead. He said, ‘Nice to meet you too, bud, but am I getting one of those as well?’ After his show ended, he was taking pictures with my coworkers, and I wasn’t able to join them at the time because I was still on the clock and in uniform. And right before he was about to leave, he asked if anybody else wanted a picture.”
Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images
“My coworkers pointed at me, and I said I couldn’t do it yet because I was on the clock, but my manager had told me to clock out, and Kevin said, ‘Go clock out. Get out of uniform, and I’ll take a picture with you. I’m not leaving just yet, so don’t worry.’ I’ll never forget that day and how genuinely nice he was to not just me but his fans clamoring around him.”
Related: “15 Absolutely Unhinged Celeb Facts That Haunt My Dreams”
35. “Josh Brolin. I was at the gym, and normally I don’t approach celebrities, but I said, ‘Hey man, just wanted to say I’m a big fan of your work. Don’t want to bother you, though. Have a great workout.’ And he said, ‘Hey, thanks, man.’ Then proceeded to say, ‘You look great, dude. I need to get back to looking like that,’ and that is the greatest compliment I’ve ever had. He did not need to say that. He was working out with his trainer and wife. Really nice dude.”
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36. “I can vouch for Ian McKellen — he was an absolute angel to a very excited stage teen at the stage door of a Broadway play he did with Patrick Stewart some years back. The kid asked him if he’d received the letter he’d sent Ian at the interval, and the good man said ‘yes,’ patiently listened to the kid, and was generous with his time and kindness. The kid and stage mum (and all of us who witnessed this) were big fans. Patrick Stewart and Billy Crudup were there too, and they just did the blank-faced signings and buggered off.”
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37. “The late John Candy sat with my father-in-law and had lunch on the set of Planes, Trains & Automobiles. My father-in-law was a mechanic for the actors’ motor homes on set. My father-in-law was a pain-in-the-ass, yet Candy treated him like a nice new acquaintance.”
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38. “I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Jeff Goldblum three times in my life. He’s a sweet and fun dude. I have a small YouTube channel, and I asked him if he could make a small video for it. He grabbed my phone and said, ‘Sure! What do you want me to do?'”
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39. “I met Magic Johnson at King’s Island in Cincinnati years ago. He was genuinely super kind and polite. At one point, he camped out at one of the carnival basketball games and just started winning stuffed animals for all the kids around.”
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40. “Conan O’Brien was filming a remote for Late Night a long time ago at the casino I was working at. He was a super nice guy. He had no entourage. He drank Woodford Reserve, and after he was done filming, he bought all the bartenders and waitresses a round. I’m a Conan guy for life after that interaction.”
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“My son and I met Conan O’Brien at a restaurant in Boston a few weeks ago. He was so kind and polite. When we told him we had just come from an audition for my son, he shook his hand, wished him good luck, and told him, ‘I’ll probably be calling YOU for a job in a few years!’ An absolutely delightful person!”
“I was in an airport bathroom in Boston, and as I was casually relieving myself in a urinal, I noticed a tall man walk into the stall next to me. I instinctively looked up in his direction and, wouldn’t you know it, it’s Conan freakin O’Brien in all his glory. Being in an already giddy mood at that moment, we made eye contact, and I could think of nothing better than throwin’ the handsome devil a fully committed WINK. I got a half-sincere chuckle out of him, and my life’s been better ever since!”
41. “Years ago, I worked with Jamie Lee Curtis. She’s super nice and kind to everyone on set. I remember talking to her about Lindsay Lohan; back then, she was still getting in trouble. They had done a movie together, and she seemed genuinely worried about her. I am glad they have stayed in touch, and they are apparently working together again.”
Steve Jennings / Getty Images
42. “I met Matthew Lillard once when he and his then-fiancée saw Being John Malcovich at the theater I worked at. My coworker only knew him from Scream (which was partially filmed in our town) and asked, ‘Aren’t you the dude from Scream?’ Matthew was nice and just said, ‘Yeah.’ I kinda gave him a little grin cause I knew more of his work. He gave me the same kinda grin like, ‘What are you gonna do?’ After the movie let out, I asked him how he liked it. He said it was worth a watch. I told him SLC Punk! was amazing. He seemed glad to get recognized for a smaller role. I didn’t ask for an autograph or anything, cause he was just there to see a movie, but he seemed like if I had asked he’d have been cool with it. He was just a down-to-earth, chill dude.”
Sonia Recchia / Getty Images
“Matthew Lillard is awesome. I met him at a meet-and-greet, and he was super charming and down-to-earth. I can be a little awkward and not great at conversing with strangers, but we got to chatting and immediately hit it off; he made me feel so at ease. After several minutes, the people working the line had to stop him and say, ‘Sorry, but we’re gonna have to move this along.’ He was like, ‘Well, I guess they’re telling us to stop talking. It’s been a real pleasure.’ Super cool dude.”
43. “I met Chris Paul about five years ago. My parents were members at a country club in North Carolina; he was there visiting his sister. He walked past me and my friend (we were 12 and eating lunch) and went to sit at a table with some friends. He stopped a call with his agent when my friend and I asked him for autographs and pictures, then told us to sit down and ordered us each fries. He was a really chill guy and made me a big fan for life.”
Steve Granitz / Getty Images
44. “Years ago, in the mid-’90s, my uncle bumped into Kevin Costner on a run (Costner was also running), and they got to talking. He was apparently super nice and down-to-earth — however, my uncle wanted to continue on, and Costner wouldn’t stop chatting, lol.”
Amanda Edwards / Getty Images
“I met Kevin Costner once by surprise. He walked into a small upstairs room in the House of Blues Cleveland where his band was performing, and my boyfriend at the time was security. My friend was waiting in line for a meet-and-greet with him to get his autograph, and I was just trying to sober up. My boyfriend took me to this place upstairs where no one else was in to sit down, and after a few minutes, Kevin Costner walked in alone. He seemed surprised, but sat down and chatted with me. He was a nice guy — talked about his kids, made small talk, and asked me my name.”
45. “I met Olivia Colman very, very briefly the year she won her Oscar. She was so nice! The whole interaction must have lasted five minutes, if that. But she was really lovely! She seemed really shocked that we recognized her. I was also star-struck, and I never thought I would be that type of person. But I was!”
Kristina Bumphrey / Getty Images
46. “Ke Huy Quan is actually the kindest and sweetest, most darling man. So down-to-earth. We were doing interviews, and so many journalists were like, ‘We’re so happy you’re back after such a long break from working!! We missed you!!’ And he would start getting really emotional and tearing up, so we’d have to pause between each interview. It meant so much to him. On top of that, he is the happiest, kindest person, and he has the most can-do energy in the world — like, he has no ego at all and has the biggest heart and consideration for others. He’s such a good dude!!!!”
Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images
47. “I worked with Michael Caine on a film about 14 years ago. He was one of the voices in an animated film, and when he was in town, we needed him to come in and do some pickup lines. He arrived at the studio, introduced himself to EVERYONE involved in the session with ‘Hello, I’m Michael Caine’ and chatted to us all for a few minutes. Because of his status, we had someone on standby to get him lunch from anywhere he might like. When asked, he said, ‘I’d love a turkey sandwich and a bottle of water if it’s not too much trouble.’ We did the recording session, and when he left, he again made sure to come in and thank everyone. He couldn’t have been nicer or more down-to-earth.”
Arnold Jerocki / Getty Images
48. “Larry David was so nice to us when we asked to take pictures with him. Some set crew person angrily yelled at us to ‘get away from Larry David!!!’ and Larry just smiled at us and said, ‘Oh, it’s fine! Come on up here 😊!’ and proceeded to greet and engage in small talk with us for a bit before we took pictures. He seemed like a genuinely friendly guy.”
Leon Bennett / Getty Images
49. “The late Debbie Reynolds was one fabulous babe with a wicked sense of humor, who, at 80 years old and just recovering from a broken leg, still had the energy of someone half her age. Her daughter, the late Carrie Fisher, was rather standoffish with most of the crew — until she learned I had worked with her mom for six weeks and adored her. After that, it was like we had been friends for years.”
Ethan Miller / Getty Images
50. “Lisa Ann Walter was an absolute delight. She came to my college to speak about 15 years ago, and she was just so genuine. After her talk, she stayed and took photos and chatted with anyone who stuck around. It’s been fun to see her back in the spotlight with Abbott Elementary!”
Michael Tullberg / Getty Images
—Anonymous, 30s, F, Midwest
51. “I met Tim Meadows at the Montreal airport, and he was great. I approached him and dumbly asked if he was Tim Meadows — he had his headphones in, but politely took them out and confirmed he was indeed Tim Meadows. I told him I thought he was hilarious and that I loved him in Mean Girls. He was super nice and said thanks. I asked why he was in Montreal, and he said he was filming a new TV show. I didn’t want to get a picture with him to draw attention to him, but he was super nice and gracious even while traveling!”
Maya Dehlin / Getty Images
—Anonymous, 37, M, Milwaukee
Related: “23 Celebs Who Fumbled Their Careers In The Dumbest Ways Imaginable”
52. “I used to work on a zipline on Maui. Chester Bennington, the sadly now-deceased singer from Linkin Park, came up and was the absolute sweetest celeb I’ve met. He stayed after the tour to sign autographs and take pictures with everyone, even people not on his tour. An absolute gem passed away the day he died.”
Michael Tran / Getty Images
—Anonymous, 41, F, Hawaii
53. “I wasn’t there, but my good friend was waiting to meet Jeffrey Dean Morgan so he could sign an autograph at a scheduled event. Her mom was a huge fan of his, but sadly she was dying of cancer. When it was her turn to get to meet him, my friend told him that her mom loved him and couldn’t make it because she was so ill. He spent extra time with her, asked questions about her mom, and signed autographs for both of them. At one point, security tried to usher her along (I’m guessing only a certain amount of time is allotted for each fan), and he told him to wait, that they were chatting about her mom. It’s something that stuck with her to this day. It meant everything to her, especially after her mom passed. It’s the little things in life that matter.”
Gilbert Flores / Getty Images
—Anonymous
54. “Carol Burnett was my daughter’s idol, and she wanted to be an actress just like her. Burnett had an ‘Evening with Carol Burnett’ show coming to Houston, and we got tickets for my daughter’s 10th birthday to go see her. She was beyond excited to get these tickets! I got my mother to make the infamous curtain rod outfit from the ‘Went with the Wind’ sketch, and my daughter wore it to the show. She got so much attention wearing that outfit that it got back to Burnett’s people. We had a nice gentleman (her manager?) approach us and tell us Carol wanted to meet my daughter after the show, and we did!”
VALERIE MACON / Getty Images
“Burnett was incredibly kind and gracious and talked to my daughter for about 10 minutes before Burnett’s car arrived, and she was set to leave the theatre. That is still my daughter’s favorite memory and definitely one of mine too!”
—Anonymous, 48, Female, Texas
55. “In college, I worked at a country club that hosted a celebrity golf tournament. I was in the locker room bathroom using the bathroom, and someone walked in and was using the urinal next to me. I then saw an arm come in between us, holding a golf towel and asking the person next to me for an autograph. I looked over, and it was Charles Barkley, who said to the person, ‘Can I finish pissing?’ Surprisingly, after he finished, he signed the towel. I said to him, ‘What the hell is a matter with people? You should’ve used the towel to wipe your hands when you were done.’ He just shook his head and laughed.”
Eakin Howard / Getty Images
“Not long after, I saw him trying to eat in the main dining room. People kept asking for pics and autographs. I went up to him and asked if he would like to eat in a private area. He said Yes, thank you. I took him to the private area and asked him how he deals with this all the time. He said, ‘It is a pain in the ass sometimes, but it pays very well.’ Gave me a perspective on the shit celebrities deal with and the fans who think they can invade their privacy. Chuck could’ve told everyone to piss off, but he was super cool.”
—Anonymous, 55, M, North Carolina
56. “In the mid-’90s, my friends and I were at the San Gennaro festival in Little Italy. It was a rainy night, so we were huddled in the back of a famous dessert place. Tony Danza walked in, and he initiated a conversation with us. He was so nice and normal. He commented on the weather and how it can’t keep people away from the good food. I remember thinking he was much taller in person than I had expected. Very exciting moment.”
Joy Malone / Getty Images
—Anonymous, New York
57. “Swizz Beatz is an absolute sweetheart! I met him in ’06 or ’07 at a go-kart track in Atlanta. My family was debating whether it was really him until I finally decided to go over and say hi. He was very sweet, gave me a big hug, and took a picture with me. He also told me that I smelled great!”
John Nacion / Getty Images
—Anonymous, 39, W, Massachusetts
58. “I met and cooked dinner for both Eric Dane and Amy Madigan when they were filming a movie on my little island hometown around 2014, when I was 18. The connection came through another actor in the movie who is a local in my town and a friend of one of my uncles. Amy was so kind, down-to-earth, and very funny! I was a huge Grey’s Anatomy fan, so I was incredibly nervous to meet Eric, but he couldn’t have been nicer. They chatted for a long time with me and my family, took a photo with some of us, and even complimented my grandmother’s peanut butter fudge she made for the occasion. I was an awkward, bumbling, nervous wreck, but I think they could both sense that and purposefully made me feel more comfortable (even though my grandmother divulged to Eric that I ‘didn’t sleep at all’ the night before because I was so excited! God rest her soul, lol.)”
—Anonymous, 29, F, Massachusetts
Jeff Kravitz / Getty Images, Arturo Holmes / Getty Images
59. “I met Sean Patrick Flanery at a convention, and typically these moments are: step up, say hi, get a photo, walk away, but he had us there for a good 10/15 minutes! He was so sweet, broke out into the Boondock accent, was talking with my nephew about soccer and wrestling, then pulled his phone out and was sharing videos of his own kids in sports.”
60. “I met Andrew Scott last year. All of Us Strangers had played at a film festival near me about two months earlier, and I’d gone to see it. He was at a con I was at because people knew him from Sherlock or Fleabag, etc., but when I told him I’d seen All of Us Strangers, his face LIT up. I’ve never seen an actor so genuinely happy to hear someone mention his work. We talked for a good few minutes about the film. I was telling him moments that really touched me as a queer person, and it was clear how proud he was that the work had connected. He spoke about it with such reverence, and honestly, it was beautiful. He genuinely seemed as excited to meet me and discuss it as I was to meet him. That really stood out.”
Samir Hussein / Getty Images
61. “I met Patrick Stump [from Fall Out Boy] after his solo show headlining the Metro, and he is such a genuinely cool dude. He was so excited I’d traveled to Chicago from where I was living, and when I told him I’d also driven up to Milwaukee a few days before to see him open for another band, he was genuinely surprised and grateful. There were hundreds of people just crowded all over a city sidewalk, and he took the time to have a genuine chat with everyone. And when we went to get a photo, I figured we’d do a side-by-side pose, but he fully hugged me so tight, and it was just really sweet. It’s probably the happiest I’ve ever looked in a photo, lol.”
Astrida Valigorsky / Getty Images
62. “I was at a con to meet Jeremy Renner, and as he was being escorted by security to the photo area, he spotted a lad of about five or six in a Black Panther costume with his dad. He stopped in the middle of the crowded convention floor, gave this kid the Wakanda Forever salute, and thanked him for helping the Avengers. The kid and his dad hadn’t tried to get his attention; he initiated the whole thing. Adorable. The kid didn’t quite recognize Hawkeye until his dad went, ‘that was HAWKEYE!’ after he’d walked away, and the kid got a little more excited.”
Mindy Small / Getty Images
63. “The nicest celebrity I ever met was Rey Mysterio. My son and I were at a restaurant where he happened to be. My son was a HUGE wrestling fan at the time. He wanted to ask for his autograph, but I wouldn’t let my son disturb him while he was eating. We were leaving, and Rey was walking out ahead of us, talking on his phone. My son ran ahead, saying, ‘Mr. Rey, Mr. Rey, can I have your autograph?’ Rey just kept talking on the phone and walking. My son looked defeated, but I explained that he probably just didn’t hear him. We kept walking, and we had almost made it to our car when we heard someone yelling for us. It was Rey Mysterio; he ran up the hill after us. When he made it to us, he apologized to my son for not responding and said that he was talking on the phone and that he wasn’t trying to ignore him. He gave my son a handshake and an autograph. He was amazing. I never saw my kid so happy.”
“Rey honestly is one of the nicest guys in wrestling. I was sitting ringside at a show where he was teaming up with the late Eddie Guerrero, and he jokingly heckled the ref for blocking my view of Eddie. The two of them thought that was the funniest thing ever and ran jokes with it the entire match. After they won, they both came over for hugs and pictures. Eddie passed away shortly after that. I ran into Rey a few years later, and he not only remembered me, but he also stopped to talk for about 10 minutes. He’s awesome.”
64. “I met Jim Cummings at a Comic Con three years ago, and he was incredibly sweet and nice! When I approached him, he talked in Darkwing Duck’s voice and called me Gosalyn. When I told him that I used to get bullied for loving Darkwing Duck, he told me in Winnie the Pooh’s voice that I was as sweet as honey. He spent time with all of his fans and was kind to everyone.”
Image Group LA / Getty Images
65. “Willie Nelson is not just a pothead. I was best friends with his goddaughter growing up and met him multiple times. When we were underage, we never saw pot and had no hint of it around us. Yes, we had heard stories, and you could smell it in the crowd at concerts, but I never saw it backstage or on the bus. I imagine it may have been happening on one of the other buses, but not the bus the kids were on. In person, he is just a short, older man; he reminded me a lot of my grandfather. Soft-spoken, very polite, wearing Keds sneakers on stage. His bandmates were sweet guys, too, and never had a problem with us kids running around. We even got to shake some sound makers during some songs a couple of times.”
Gary Miller / Getty Images
66. “I met Cary Elwes from The Princess Bride at a con last year. He was so kind and engaging, and really tried to have a good conversation and connection with everyone he met. We chatted a bit about an upcoming trip I had planned, and he gave me recommendations for places to visit. A friend of mine met him later that day and said he had a similar experience.”
John Shearer / Getty Images
67. “Muhammad Ali was probably the nicest famous person I’ve met. I cooked him food, and he was very thankful and kind to me for doing so. I still remember his hands engulfing mine when he shook my hands and thanked me so clearly.”
The Stanley Weston Archive / Getty Images
68. “Corbin Bleu is a sweetheart. I met him at the stage door of a show in NYC. He took pictures, signed, and when I wanted to take a photo with him and one other actor in the show, he made sure it happened.”
Taylor Hill / Getty Images
—Anonymous, 33, NYC
69. “I met Sebastian Stan at a con in Houston back in 2019. It was my first con, and I traveled there by myself, so I was nervous. I befriended a fellow Sebastian fan, and we attended his Q&A panel together. After the panel, we bumped into Sebastian, and he talked to us all the way back into the main room. I was so nervous and starstruck that I accidentally stepped on the back of his shoe, and he tripped. I apologized profusely, and he was so kind about the whole thing. I took a photo with him later, and he was so sweet! It was the most embarrassing/coolest moment of my life.”
Rob Kim / Getty Images for FLC
—Anonymous, 31, Fort Worth, TX
70. “A few years ago, I was at a food kiosk at JFK Airport, and as I was gathering my things and getting up, a man very politely asked if I was leaving and if they could take my table. I looked up, and it was Jonathan Groff. Completely starstruck, I blurted out, ‘Oh hi! How are you?’ And he gave me this big smile with total eye contact and said, ‘I’m good! How are you?’ He actually waited for my ‘I’m good too!’ response. What a sweetheart. I will never forget his face.”
Bruce Glikas / Getty Images
—Anonymous, 71, Florida
71. “Last year, Shawn Mendes came to my city, Bogotá. He was going to perform at the Stereo Pícnic Festival. I couldn’t go to watch him sing, but the next day I went with a friend to the hotel where he was staying. We arrived, and there were about 10-15 other people. He was leaving that same day, and we saw their work team, his security guard. When Shawn was coming out. We were trying so hard to be calm. He came out and saw us, said hello to us in Spanish, and then suggested taking a group picture. And we all agreed. He was very nice, with a smile. So friendly. He loved our country.”
Arnold Jerocki / Getty Images
—Anonymous, 33, Colombia
72. “I had the pleasure of working with Tom Kenny for several months, and he is just the nicest, sweetest man. There were also a few other co-workers who asked him to record a greeting for their kids, nieces, or nephews as SpongeBob, and he never hesitated to say yes; he was always more than happy to do it. Just a gem of a person.”
Michael Tullberg / Getty Images
73. “Sammi Sweetheart truly lives up to the name. I got a photo with her, and she complimented me on how sweet I was. We left her store, and I realized my wedding ring was not on my finger. I frantically went back into her store, and she must have noticed how frazzled I was. She kindly asked what was wrong, sympathized with my situation, and agreed to keep an eye out. I wound up leaving it at home and forgot to put the ring back on after bathing my dog.”
Manny Carabel / Getty Images
—Anonymous, 32, Scranton, PA
74. “I met MC Hammer in the late 90s/early 2000s at a college event at a school I eventually attended. He took photos with my mom, my sister, and me. He was so polite and enthusiastic about even taking the photo. I don’t know where that photo is now, sadly.”
John Sciulli / Getty Images
75. “I once sat next to Chris Daughtry’s lead guitarist on a flight from Atlanta to LA, and Chris was in the row behind us. They were super nice and asked me for my address so they could send me an autographed photo of the band. I still have it in a box somewhere, but I was super excited about it at the time. This was back in the 2007 timeframe, and they were on their way to the American Idol finals the year Jordin Sparks won…I got to meet her too, and she was so sweet!”
Kevin Mazur / Getty Images
76. “A friend of mine in high school had horses, and one of her horses was in the movie Hidalgo with Viggo Mortensen. He was super nice to her and loved her horse, and he got her like 100 tickets to the premiere of the movie. He rented out the nicest theater in our state for us, and it was just a bunch of high schoolers. He wasn’t there, but it was still a nice gesture. Sadly, the movie wasn’t that great, but the surrounding stories are a fond memory.”
Rune Hellestad – Corbis / Getty Images
77. “Kel from Kenan & Kel came to my campus to host a show, which was sold out because he was there. He stayed well after it was over to take photos with all of us ’90s kids, lol. He was very nice and made conversation with everyone.”
Ron Galella / Getty Images
Related: “17 Mind-Blowing Secrets About Old Hollywood’s Biggest Stars”
78. “Summer Glau from Firefly is one of my number one meets. I met her in the UK back in ’09 and got her to sign an autograph for my dad. I said he’d have loved to be there, but couldn’t. She wrote ‘wish you were here’ on his autograph, and said that she hoped she could meet him next time. I thought it was sweet, but figured she was just being polite. Fast forward to the following year, and my Dad and I were in San Diego for SDCC. While walking past the venue, I spotted Summer talking to some of her friends. I didn’t want to interrupt, because outside the event, their time is their own. However, she then spotted me, yelled my name — which she remembered over a year later — and beckoned us over. She then saw my dad, greeted him by name, and said how happy she was to finally meet him.”
J. Strauss / Getty Images
“I was just standing there in absolute awe because she was a con regular, and we only had a short two-minute interaction, but she remembered all that? That was unreal. My dad was so happy.
I don’t expect people to be able to believe that one, because honestly, if it hadn’t happened to me, I wouldn’t have believed it either.”
“I have met her at Cons, and she is so warm and very chatty. A simple comment from a fan about a role she played will result in her telling a five-minute story about something that happened while filming. She is very sweet, but her lines move very slowly because she spends so much time with each person!”
79. “This was a long time ago, but I met Kristin Cavallari while she was in Oklahoma City after she worked on an independent film that did some of its shooting here. This wasn’t too long after her Laguna Beach/The Hills days, and I’ll admit I was a bit of a fan girl of hers at that point, but was also quite intimidated since she sort of had that ‘bad girl’ reputation on the shows. I’m not lying when I say she was nicer than 95% of the people I encounter in everyday life. She warmly introduced herself and asked my name, and I just thought it was cool that she didn’t assume that I knew who she was.”
Steve Granitz / Getty Images
“We sat by the pool having a conversation for a few minutes, then she took three or four pictures with me and was as down-to-earth as could be. Thanks, Kristin.”
—Anonymous, Jenny, 38, OKC
80. “I met Kiefer Sutherland a few times when I worked in a bar in Chicago in the ’80s while he was preparing to film a movie (yes, that one). He was very private and a perfect gentleman. The bar had knobby tables that tipped a lot of drinks. I noticed his drink had fallen off the table, so I got him a new drink. He wanted to pay, but I would not accept it as it was not his fault. Truthfully, it was not until then that I noticed who he was; I would have done it for anyone. He accepted the drink but gave me a tip — unfortunately, a lot of celebs forget to tip. A few days later, I was working when the SF earthquake happened, and I could not reach some family members in the area. He noticed I was distracted, and when he found out, he offered to help me reach them.”
Jason LaVeris / Getty Images
“Luckily, I got in touch with everyone, and they were all safe. He was never drunk, never obnoxious, and always the nicest person in the room. I never could figure out why he got a bad rep; he truly is a kind person without an agenda that just wanted to wind down after a long day.”
—Anonymous
81. “I waited on Ben Stiller for about two months while he was shooting something in my town about five years ago. He stayed at the hotel where I worked. Every night, he’d come in with a couple of people or solo and want to sit in a squared-off section in the back so nobody could see him. I waited on him every night, and he was quiet (nice but didn’t say much). After like a month, I got the courage to say something to him. He ordered his food, and I just said in a monotone voice, ‘Dinner has been canceled due to lack of hustle, deal with it.’ (From his movie Heavyweights.) I was mortified I said it and was like, ‘He’s going to rip my fucking head off.’ He burst out laughing, and we actually chatted for quite a while. Also, on his last night, he left me a 1k tip.”
82. “I worked at a tiny vegan restaurant (though we mostly did takeout) in LA from 2008-2012, and we used to get lots of random celebrities. One day, the owner decided to go bag-free, and a lot of our customers were pissed. One afternoon, a HUGE order came in, and we were running around looking for boxes to pack it up in when I heard a voice behind me say, ‘Hey,’ in the sweetest, a little bit country way. I turned to greet with equal friendliness, and it’s Reese Freakin’ Witherspoon.”
“I told her, ‘So sorry, we don’t have any bags or boxes,’ and she was like, ‘That’s fine, I’ll see if I have anything in my car.’ She left and was gone for a long time. Either she parked far or signed 100 autographs (probably both). She came back with a bunch of random bags from places like GAP and Whole Foods, etc. So sweet, great tipper. In a land where people were irritated by having to carry a sandwich, Reese left with an order bigger than she was and smiles on all our faces.✨”
83. “Bob Odenkirk is a gentleman. Years ago, I was a young waiter who had never seen an episode of Breaking Bad. One evening, my manager tapped me on the shoulder and said, ‘Bob Odenkirk is here again, but he really doesn’t want to be interrupted by any fans.’ I asked for clarification, and my manager said he was on Breaking Bad. Later on, when the restaurant was empty, I was feeling sassy and approached him to say, ‘I hear you prefer not to be approached by fans of Breaking Bad. I just wanted to say I’m not a fan.’ He fucking cracked up and slapped me on the back, and we took some photos together. My mom adores Saul Goodman and was elated that I met him. And yes, for those wondering, I eventually watched the show.”
ANGELA WEISS / Getty Images
“He’s one of the most humble actors I’ve ever met, too. I was a fan of his from Mr. Show on HBO. Years later (but still before Breaking Bad), I saw him attending the audience of a Broadway show and asked for a picture with him once out on the street. A couple of people turned to look, and he joked, ‘This is hysterical. People are so confused, thinking you asked a random man to be in a photo with you.’ That always stayed with me. He was a legend to me. Just a few years later, he exploded to fame, and I think he deserves it.”
84. “My sisters and I went to a nightclub this past summer, and we were in line for the bathroom, and behind us was Carson Kressley. He was a sweetheart. He took pictures with us, and we even danced with him, his boyfriend, and their friends. We had a blast.”
John Lamparski / Getty Images
85. “I just want you all to know that in real life, Danny Trejo is a sweet teddy bear. He hugged me at a con years ago, after asking me if it was okay, and had his assistant take our picture. I had wheeled past his booth and did a triple take, so my holy-crap-that’s-Danny-Trejo face gave him a good laugh at least. Sweetheart!”
Robin L Marshall / Getty Images
86. “I gotta say: The late Ray Manzarek once did me a huge favor when he absolutely did not have to, and he did it on a moment’s notice. I was writing an article on L.A. rock bands, and I reached him about an hour before my deadline, and he told me a Doors story he’d never told before, on top of everything else.”
Jerod Harris / Getty Images
87. “I used to work at a small bed and breakfast in a small town. One shift, my coworkers mentioned that John Turturro might be coming through (he’d stayed there before). I was 15 at the time, and a huge fan. Sure enough, at my next shift, I saw a couple walk in, and it was him and his wife. I was way too nervous to say anything, but I was totally freaking out to my coworkers back in the kitchen. Anyways, the manager, unbeknownst to me, went out and told him that I was a fan. When he finished his meal, he walked back to the kitchen and knocked on the door, and basically was like, ‘Hey, I heard you’re a fan; I’d love to meet you!’ We all got pictures with him, and he was really quiet, but down-to-earth and kind. That was the best day of my life.”
Sonia Recchia / Getty Images
—Anonymous, 18 F, Maine
88. “I met Jon Stewart about 10 years ago, right around the time it was announced he’d be leaving The Daily Show and Trevor Noah would be taking over. It was rumored at the time that Comedy Central had pushed him out. I’m a NJ local and ran into him at a local ICEE shop. I was with friends and heard a familiar voice. He was dressed casually, wearing a baseball cap. I approached him, and he talked to me for over ten minutes. He was so nice, kind, and humble. He did his best to convince me to give Noah a chance when he takes over. And he took a picture with me. They say don’t meet your heroes, but he was perfect. And since then, with all the work he’s done for veterans, his charities for veterans and first responders, and his animal sanctuary, it just proves he’s such a good man and an extraordinary person.”
Roy Rochlin / Getty Images
89. “Back when I was 17, I met the Jackson 5 at the height of their fame. Everyone was so nice, especially Tito Jackson. He introduced me to each brother individually and asked who I wanted to meet the most. It was Marlon because we were the same age. He was surprised that it wasn’t Jermaine. Marlon was very nice, and we had a nice chat. My mom was in her car, and Michael leaned against her open driver’s side door, chatting with her. I think he was like 15 years old. I’ll never forget that day. I’m 68 now and remember everything about them! They were just regular guys — kind of shy, even. Best Sunday morning ever!”
Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images
90. “I’ve met a few people at conventions and have been surprised by several interactions; the biggest was with Val Kilmer. I bought some of his art and was told he would sign it for free. When I went into the tent (they had him kind of hidden from view because this was post-cancer and throat surgery), he clapped with such pure glee when he saw me slide the art in front of him to sign. It was just a sweet moment, and even though he couldn’t talk, he came off as nice and really grateful that someone bought what he made with his own hands. I know he had his moments in the past, but in my short interaction with him, he was nothing but sweet. RIP.”
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—Anonymous, 34, California
91. “I met Jay-Z in 1996 and had no idea who he was. He came into a restaurant where I was working. He and the people he was with were super nice and left a huge tip for my BFF. People were coming up to him asking for autographs, and he obliged every person and was very kind.”
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92. “I had Jason Statham, his family, Calvin Harris, and their entourage for a New Year’s Day brunch in Scotland. Statham was so nice, pleasant, and quiet with his oat milk lattes that I can’t watch his films anymore. I can’t take him seriously as a hard man.”
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93. “Jim Varney was a semi-regular at a restaurant I worked at. Super nice, regular guy. He was on a date the first time I waited on him, and I recognized him immediately. I called him ‘Mr. Varney’ and he immediately said, ‘Call me Jim,’ and kind of shushed me, like, don’t make it obvious it’s me. He would come in occasionally after shopping at a nearby mall and sit in the corner booth at the bar where he couldn’t be seen. We’d chat, and he’d have a drink. He liked watches and collected them. I remember him being as stoked about a Timex he bought (‘it glows in the dark’) as he was about a Rolex he had bought on another visit.”
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94. “My company sold a boat to George Kennedy (Airplane, many other movies). I delivered it to his house. He was so totally normal. His wife COOKED ME BREAKFAST. Nicest, most lovely folks you could meet!”
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95. “My buddy was a captain for a fractional ownership airline. One day, while in Teeterboro, he met Sammy Hagar. He asked for a pic because he knew I would love it, as a big Sammy fan. Well, apparently Sammy is a huge flying fan and proceeded to chat my buddy’s ear off for about 30 minutes. He said Sammy was one of the nicest celebrities he’d ever met, in a career of flying celebrities. My buddy said, ‘Sammy was so nice that I couldn’t shake him…he just wanted to talk about flying.'”
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96. “In the mid-’80s, they filmed a scene for a pilot for a TV series in my Arizona town. I was a theater kid, and they called my school to ask if they could send a boy down who could play a paperboy selling papers on the corner. Though I was 16, I looked about 12. My teacher dropped me off on set, and I had no idea what to do, so I just stood there. I looked up, and Robert Culp was standing next to me. He said, ‘Hi, I’m Bob. I’m the lead on the show.’ I was well aware of who he was. ‘I think you might be my paperboy. Hasn’t anyone helped you yet?’ I said, ‘No, Mr. Culp. I wasn’t really given any instructions. ‘So you’re just standing here in the rain hoping someone on set will do their job?’ He took me to his trailer, had his assistant get me a towel to dry off.”
“He went and found the right people on production to get me to wardrobe and makeup, then he asked where my parents were. I told him they owned a restaurant in town and were working. He had production call them to let them know how I was doing.
Any time I was waiting on set, I was in Bob’s trailer playing cards with his assistant or talking to him and others. He just went out of his way to make my one day on a TV set one of the most memorable days of my life. That weekend he and a few other cast members went to my parents’ restaurant for lunch and tipped really well. Bob personally called my parents to let them know the pilot wasn’t picked up (there were talks about bringing me back if it was), and that was the end of my illustrious career in television.”
97. “Adam Sandler is also a super, super nice dude. I’ve run into him twice. You can say whatever you want about his movies, but the man himself is very kind-hearted.”
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“Sandler seems like a pretty genuine guy, as long as you’re not sticking a camera in his face. I played pickup hoops with him in Santa Monica a few years ago.”
98. “I made Mr. T.’s buddy a cake, and he came with me to place the order. He was sooo nice and took a pic with me. He also had a little speaker toy that has a bunch of his sayings, like ‘I PITY THE FOOL’ on it, and I pushed some of the buttons and laughed harder than anyone else. He signed it and gave it to me.”
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99. “Celine Dion is just one of the nicest people. I was in a wheelchair at the time but wanted to stand to get a picture with her. She made sure I was ok and wouldn’t fall afterward. She helped me back in my chair and told my husband, ‘You make sure you take good care of her.’ I’ve met some of her family by accident; they are all just so sweet and nice, all-around great people.”
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100. “Brad Paisley is a sweet guy. He noticed that I wasn’t star-struck like the rest of the group he met backstage. He pulled me aside as I was leaving and said, ‘I know this isn’t your thing, but I really hope you have a great time tonight.'”
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101. And finally, we’ll end on Robin Williams. “A very close friend of ours had a roommate. Not long before, the roommate had just moved to the Bay Area and was briefly living out of his car. One day, the roommate bumped into Robin Williams. Naturally, he recognized him and told him he liked his work. The two started to talk, and Robin asked him what his current situation was. My friend’s roommate told Robin what was going on. Robin pulled out $200 and said, ‘Here, spend the night in a bed, get something good to eat, and wash your clothes.'”
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“When I was in college in the ’90s, I was driving in San Francisco in my VW bug with my boyfriend at the wheel. I saw Robin Williams walking by himself down the street. I hung out the passenger window, waving both arms, yelling, ‘Hi, Robin!’ He started waving both hands and yelling ‘Hi!’ at me. He continued waving both hands and running down the sidewalk as we drove by. He ran, waving his hands, until he got to the end of the block!”
—Anonymous, 57, California
“I met Robin Williams a bit more than 20 years ago. He was performing a stand-up show. My wife (then-girlfriend) was with me, and I convinced her to go around the back of the theater after the show to see if he came out. After about 10 minutes, Robin appeared. He was still soaked in sweat and looked absolutely and completely tired as hell. But he was so soft and gentle. Several people just wanted to talk to him and tell him how much he meant to them. He stood and listened to every word and never broke his gaze on them. He was gracious and utterly just kind. I got an autograph and a picture with him. And I even made him laugh quite heartily when I made a joke at the expense of my girlfriend. It was that loud, explosive laugh that we all remember, and it’s one of the highlights of my life.”
Now it’s your turn — who was your best celeb encounter? What about your WORST? Let us know in the comments below or via this anonymous form!
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