Pleasant encounters with celebrities

I posted Ben Stiller's picture because I met him once at the Bergamot Station art galleries in Santa Monica, and he was incredibly down to earth and friendly. This was back in 2002, probably during the height of his popularity. Pocket-sized, too.

I thought he was an asshole but it’s nice to hear.

Steve Buschemi was super nice and laid-back. Met him at a convention briefly and he seemed like a cool dude.

Met June Shannon (Mama June). Very cordial.

Trisha Yearwood is very sweet and genuine.

I wonder if Faye dunaway is nice?

Sandy Dennis was quite lovely.

Joan Rivers. I posted this before but my boyfriend at time saw her at a Starbucks at the Toronto airport. My boyfriend got the guts to say hi to her and she looked at us and asked "Are you two a couple?" and when we said yes she put her arms in the air and said "I found my gays!" She paid for our coffee and took a picture with us.

Met Donald Sutherland in Toronto after a play he was appearing in. He was very kind and charming, and even taller in real life.

Ian McKellen

This was many, many years ago. Worked as his dresser for a tour of the states in the 80s. Sweet, charming, lovely man

[quote]R6 I wonder if Faye dunaway is nice?

She has mood swings. I think it would depend on when exactly you caught her...

I was in line next to Anjelica Huston to pick up tickets to see Baz Lurhmann’s LA BOHEME and I told her I thought she was a wonderful actress. She was nice and said thank you. She was with a date. Then I said I had just watched her on INSIDE THE ACTORS STUDIO and found her interview to be very interesting, which I admired because it’s an hour long show, and I said not all the guests on that show are really able to communicate that well about acting technique for an hour. She thanked me again and then I left her alone.

My uptight friend I was with asked me why I did that, and I said, “Are you kidding? Actors would be MISERABLE if no one recognized and complimented them!”

I used to work for the Toronto International Film Festival's publicity department and one of my jobs was to set up press junkets for some of the films.

Three of the best encounters were:

John Krasinski - when we got him into the seat and he was getting miked, he asked me what my name was and how my day was going. After he was done with his interviews (about 45 mins) he got up shook my hand and called me by name. His wife Emily Blunt on the other hand was a total cunt.

Chris Hemsworth - interviews for his film Rush. He was super easy going, stunningly handsome and he smelt amazing (pretty sure he was wearing acqua di gio). When he left the interviews her patted me on the shoulder and said "thanks mate" I think I jizzed my pants.

Miranda Richardson - was doing press for a film called Belle. She was hungover and had a bad case of the giggles. At one point she turned to me and my coworker and just said "my tits look terrible in this dress"

Sarah Paulson at a party. She was so fun and normal. And very charismatic. I told her how much I loved a play she was in with Linda Lavin (Collected Stories) and I think it established me as NOT a dumb-dumb.

Donald trump

Reported no one ever R15

I worked on a shoot with Meredith Vieira that was a total disorganized shambles -- the kind of mess that gets people fired. She would have had every reason to be irritated, but she was warm, patient and encouraging and we got through a very long day with less agony than we deserved.

Gregory Harrison, about six years ago. He'd sung at a benefit concert and was part of the meet & greet afterward. Very tall, nice, and I cautiously asked him about 'For Ladies Only," and he happily told the tale of his having self-produced the TV movie, plus other parts of it. Several other gays surrounding us were obviously jealous, because he was directing his chat to me.

Big hands!

R8 Joan Rivers is awesome.

Me and two friends where sitting in a park in San Fran one day and Richard Crenna walked in with three suits and scouted out the place.We asked him if the park looked good enough for a movie.He said maybe but ours beers looked better.We offered him one but he declined and slit with the suits.

R18, Your story just gave me a chubby.

I have no idea what R20 is talking about.

R17 reminds me of an encounter years ago with Meredith, on The View, when it was just starting out. I was there to do background stuff on a segment and she was just so lovely and down to earth backstage. Everyone else was not interesting in talking to “little people,” and I had been warned beforehand that she would probably the only one who would care enough to greet me and chat. They were right.

I was watching a play at the Mark Taper Forum one evening, and several times I heard this marvelously rich, deep, husky voice behind me, speaking to his or her companion or letting out a big hearty laugh. The voice sounded familiar, but I couldn't quite place it, nor was I sure if it belonged to a woman or a flamboyantly accented man. So, during intermission, I turned to see who this person was, and it was Miss Suzanne Pleshette, sitting next to Tom Poston. We locked eyes and she flashed this wide grin and said, "Hello, dear. Are you enjoying the play so far?" I replied in the affirmative and she responded, "That's good." And when I asked if she was enjoying the play herself, she mentioned that the two actors were good friends of hers. When the play ended and we got up to leave, she wished me a good night. Wonderful woman. Tom, however, remained silent throughout our exchange.

Yes, I once met Carlene Carter after a performance when she offered to speak to fans & sign autographs. I'd felt nervous waiting in line but immediately was put at ease in her presence.

Carlene was friendly & even asked if she could give me a hug. At the time, I didn't realize that she is my fifth cousin. We're both descended from the Butcher family. (Loretta Lynn is from the same family after which her homeplace Butcher Hollow was named. Loretta's paternal grandmother was a Butcher.)

I met Garth Brooks a few of times during the late 80's and early 90's while working as a buyer for a couple of record chains. What a total fucking sweetheart! Charming, engaging and a memory that defied belief. The second time I met him he said, didn't you used to work for.... and he was right ( and the prior employer was not really a major player in the biz). He had that talent, which few do, that made you feel like you were the only other person in the room while you were talking to him.

I also remember a post Metropolitan Opera performance dinner with opera star Renee Fleming where the conversation ended up being centered on how hard it was to be a working mother. No pretense, no diva airs, just a woman with a job to do. It was fairly early in her career, but she was already a "star".

Catherine Tate was wonderful. Liam neesons late wife Natasha Richardson was Amazing. Sharon. Osborne was fab...Kellie was Adorable. martin kemp was very sweet. heath ledger was so ordinary and nice that after talking to me, I had to be told who he was. But the winner by a mile was Angela lansbury.

R2, I had been lead to believe something similar based off of rumor, but either that was untrue or I caught him in a particularly good mood. He was very nice to a pair of teenagers who recognized him, when I could have seen that situation be very annoying to someone who was just trying to enjoy some art.

R27, please tell us about Angela Lansbury.

[quote]But the winner by a mile was Angela lansbury.

Yes, Angela is kind of our fairy god mother.

bump

Watched trump get ambushed by Ali g. Trump was very polite (he was on camera of course) and the only person I know who caught on fast that it was Fake interview. Hes no dunce and does not suffer fools.

Men's room of The Catch. 1989. Keanu. Nuff said.

Brie Larson might be the most polite person I’ve ever met. She’s very gracious and warm, and I met her both before “Room” and after she won the Oscar. She didn’t change a bit.

Patricia Clarkson is the perfect mix of Southern Belle and hip New Yorker, bringing the best qualities of both.

And the most surprising one? Russell Crowe came across as a genial, middle-aged dad. He might have been a terror in the primer his career, but when I met him a few years back, he was mellow, laid-back and funny.

Mary Martin: friendly and nice, but very much aware she was major Broadway star.

Sat next to Jennifer Tilley at a bar on 8th and 46th in NY a decade ago. She was very pleasant. I'm a Woody Allen fan, so we talked about "Bullets Over Broadway."

Jeannine Garaffalo in a liquor store in Hollywood. I was on my way to a party and needed to run in to buy a bottle of wine. It was about a year after The Truth About Cats and Dogs, (which I loved), so before she self-destructed. She was dressed very casually and was with this rocker-looking guy I assumed was her boyfriend. I recognized her instantly. I had to intention of approaching her or invading her privacy. But just for a second, she turned towards me and our eyes locked. Without even thinking, I mouthed, "I love you". A huge blushing grin overtook her face. "Thank you" she mouthed back with a glint in her eye as her bf grabbed her hand and led her out.

Mink Stole. I met her a few times at parties with film and theatre people. I didn't bother her with a single question about John Waters films. She seemed to appreciate that. People chatted and ate, drank. No fan fawning. Most celebs I've met like that.

R38, that is one star I could not control myself around. I adore her!

I met a rapper many years ago seated next to me on a plane (business class). He told me who he was and was astonished that I had never heard of him and didn't know anything about him. He looked angry and upset and didn't speak to me for the rest of the flight. So that was a pleasant encounter, for me.

R7 what is your Sandy Dennis story?

R40 do you remember his name?

Dolly Parton in an elevator at the old Ambassador East in Chicago: as nice as could be. I was overwhelmed. All I could see was her boobs and the look on my face reflected into infinity in the mirrors that lined the walls. I said, "Hello, Miss Parton." She said, "Don't call me Miss Parton. Call me Dolly. Only people trying to sue me call me Miss Parton."

Ann Miller, sitting in front of me fiddling with her lighted compact re-doing her face all through the first act of "Dreamgirls." We walked up the aisle together and had champagne at intermission. Nice enough; told me her feet hurt.

Mel Brooks on a cross country flight. He kept me and the rest of the first class cabin in stitches for six hours.

Audra McDonald, years ago after a concert at Harvard's Memorial Hall. Friendly, engaged, seemed a little bit anxious that people were in awe of meeting her and worked to put them at ease.

Roy Scheider in the hot tub every morning for a week sharing his copy of the NY Times with with me at the Sunset Marquis in LA.

Barbara Cook after a concert where they'd screwed up our seats and made up for it with comped champagne and a trip backstage to meet her after the show. Such a warm, wonderful person in addition to her beautiful voice.

[quote]Ann Miller, sitting in front of me fiddling with her lighted compact re-doing her face all through the first act of "Dreamgirls."

How did you keep yourself from killing her?

R13 , can you say more ab emily blunt please? I thought she was supposed to be very nice. English manners and all...

R42, it was something African, so no.

Cher - many years ago when she was on Broadway in Altman's "Come Back to the 5 and Dime Jimmy Dean..."

The fire alarm went off so the entire theater had to empty out into the street. I looked up and Cher was right next to me. She was very sweet, friendly and down-to-earth chatting with me and a few others. Until some security person whisked her away to a safer location.

Charlize Theron was mean to me when i approached her.

Gwyneth Paltrow is always gracious to her many inferiors--and you know, there are so many of them!

R44

It was distracting but hey, it was also Ann Miller. She was about to open down the street in "Sugar Babies" on the national tour.

It's worse today now that everyone has something that lights up to look at besides the show. Thirty five years ago it was rare.

I was walking across a hotel parking lot when I noticed John Denver with a few of his people also walking. I said "John, I love your work!" He was so warm and happy and said "Thank you!" with a big wave.

Add these two to the "most polite people I've ever met:" R34

Garry Trudeau who was with Robert Altman researching a television show about a lusty computer named Hot Lips. Altman was nice, but Garry Trudeau was so kind and deferential to Altman, and he signed each of my partner's 34 volumes of Trudeau cartoon books.

Even nicer, and we know him better, is Michael Stuhlbarg: father of TimO'Tay in Call Me By Your Name. He is a wonderful actor and is so polite and kind.

When smoking was allowed in restaurants. I was a busboy and lit Audrey Hepburn's cigarette she grasped my hand and said "thank you darling". When she left she smiled and waved at me. Beautiful woman.

Back in the early 80's at a matinee of 42nd in NYC. James Mason was there with Clarissa, and at he intermission I told him how much I liked him in "Five Fingers." He held my arm and was most appreciative.

As a kid my dad was on a class trip to the UN and he said he met Ginger Rogers and how she introduced herself to the small group of students, but when a girl in the group went over and asked for her autograph she was told no.

My dad also met Stallone when Rocky was being filmed in Philadelphia and said how Stallone was polite and at the time not full of himself.

I have met Tony Danza and he was polite and nice. Jim Breuer was also nice, and funny.

Linda Evans. Waited on her in a dress shop in L.A. Could not have been nicer.

I've met Trump a few times over the past 25 years, before he entered politics. He's a close talker. He didn't say anything interesting though.

Venus Williams is surprisingly shy. She is very beautiful.

Yes R18 so many other gays are always jealous of you.

Blythe Danner. Vanessa Redgrave. Both most engaging women! Dinner parties. Jessie Tyler Ferguson, walking High Line with mother and aunt. I nodded, "like your work." They all smiled broadly.

I had a nice encounter with Robert Downey Jr. when he was on the downward slope, at the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood, just a bit before he was kicked out for not being able to pay his bill.

We were going to see Bob Dylan at the El Rey or was it UCLA, and were excited. When I see celebrities I act like I don't recognize them but I'm friendly. I blurted out, "Are you going to see Bob?" and he said, well, yes, I'm going to watch a movie at my friend Bob's house. So I said, Bob Dylan, and we laughed, and he said he wished he could go.

Molly Ringwald was there, too, and looked uptight as I went to pet her Pomeranian puppy she was holding in a basket. I just said, Oh, I miss my puppies so much. Your's is darling. and she looked relieved.

—In the early '70s I was the male lead in a dinner theater melodrama ("The Drunkard") at the Timbers Restaurant in Goleta, just outside Santa Barbara, CA. In the smallish audience (40-80?) I noticed a stunningly beautiful older woman. After the play, she came backstage to talk to the actors. She was Ann Miller—who I had never heard of. She kissed me (as friends do) and we had a great talk. Now, of course, I know who she is.

—When I became a police officer, I stopped a middle-aged Ford Country Squire station wagon for a taillight violation and expired registration. The owner/driver was Stuart Whitman. He couldn't have been genuinely nicer and more cooperative. Accordingly, I let him off with a warning.

—Jack Webb gave me a set cufflinks bearing the US Vice Presidential seal that had been given to him by then-VP Hubert Humphrey. Don't ask. And no, there was nothing remotely sexually involved. Sgt. Friday didn't swing that way.

Bryan Batt in a theater rehearsal. Just started chatting with me about what was going on onstage (and backstage) like we'd known each other a long time.

Others have told me that his husband is a real piece of work, however.

Cam Neely - played hockey for the Boston Bruins. I was in a line at Dunkin Donuts to get a coffee. I dropped my wallet and he picked it up and handed it to me. Then he looked at me and said you look like a guy from where I live that I see at the July 4th parade. I laughed and told him we were indeed at the same town parade. Thereafter, he always said hi when he saw me at that event.

Thanks r60. What's the details of your RDJ story? Nice to hear he can sometimes be decent when not doing his obnoxious ass schtick on camera.

I've met Trump too R57 as well as the whole family over the years here in NY. I hate to say it but they were all very nice. I'll leave it at that.

R65 I have a friend trapped in the white house since Obama's time (doing a fellowship she can't leave) who says ivanks and djt are very kind and warm, if totally stupid, when the cameras are off.

I know hated here but I met Tom Cruise twice and he was very nice and made an effort to say hello to everyone present.

Interviewed Joan Jett and Michael J Fox during the press junket for Light of Day. Both very fun and invited me to an after party where they both rocked out.

Beers with Sheryl Crow when she was still doing small clubs. Lots of fun, loves to party. Told her I'd marry her if I was straight she said that's a good idea for a song.

JLo. It was at Pick up Stix in Studio City. She was with her sister and Casper Smart. I didn't recognize her at first because she looked like a young teenager who was overly dressed up. There was a latino family eating that noticed her ordering, and my husband confirmed it was her. It just seemed strange because Pick up Stix is a fast food Asian restaurant, similar to Panda Express. And she didn't look like I expected her to look. She looked very, very young. We wanted to ask for a photo, but didn't want to be annoying - plus when you live in LA you see celebs all the time. But it was Jennifer Lopez. The Latino family asked her for a photo, and so we waited a bit and asked for a photo. She was very sweet and we chatted a little about her experience filming Selena and how it changed her life. They got their food and left. My husband and I, and the Latino family bonded. We were the only ones in the whole restaurant. The staff had no idea it was her and couldn't believe it when we told them.

[quote] Both very fun and invited me to an after party where they both rocked out.

In the case of Michael J. Fox “rocking out” was just spasms from early onset Parkinson’s.

I met Lin Shaye in a Nashville Marriott lobby and she was lovely. This was three years ago so she was about 70-ish and her skin looked incredible.

I want to hear from r13 about Emily Blunt being a cunt.

Years ago, I got to go backstage at a Go-Go's concert, along with some other fans. I held back and let the other fans go up to them first. The other ladies were fine, but Belinda Carlisle was being kind of quiet and standoffish. I'm not sure what it was about me, but she turned it on for me and was warm, friendly, talkative. I am pretty sure she's nuts, but I've always loved her and I was thrilled.

Kyle Dean Massey! I saw him in 'Wicked' and 'Pippin,' but only met him after one of his Below54 cabaret shows. He's so hot and short, and took compliments easily. We stood at the 'step and repeat' photo op area with a friend, and he put his arm behind me, I placed my arm gingerly on his back (he'd removed his jacket) and it was very warm with a light coating of sweat. I got a chubby.

Unfortunately, I can confirm Tom Cruise was unaffected and friendly. He bought shakes for his kids in Double Bay, Sydney, when filming MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2. He had amazing hair and was deeply charismatic. When he smiled, people would melt.

Nicole Kidman came in at other times and was awkward and chilly. She would skulk in the corner with black sunglasses as her neurotic assistant would order her coffee. She was very slim and beautiful.

R68=Jlo

R66, how's it hangin, djt?

[quote][R13] , can you say more ab emily blunt please? I thought she was supposed to be very nice. English manners and all...

I'm not R13, but there have been stories about Blunt being cunt. When The Office was on, there were stories that Blunt hated being around Krasinki's co-stars from that show at awards events. I do recall someone on reddit claiming that they worked on The Office and that Krasinki and Jenna Fischer weren't very nice on set. I always thought there was something phony and bitchy about Fischer.