A thrift shop in Belgium has caused quite a stir on the Internet. People at Opnieuw & Co, a local establishment in Mortsel, discovered an old photo album where a woman posed next to the biggest stars in Hollywood. After they shared some of the pictures, the online community immediately started their investigation. Who was this woman hugging Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Bruce Willis, and other A-list celebrities?

After a while, someone noticed a tag she had in one of the photos. Turns out, the 'mysterious' woman is actually Maria Snoeys-Lagler, a former member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). It's a non-profit organization of journalists and photographers who report on the entertainment industry. The HFPA consists of about 90 members from around 55 countries, and they're the ones conducting the annual Golden Globe Awards ceremony in Los Angeles every January.

Looking at these pictures, it's clear that Maria Snoeys-Lagler has met virtually everyone dominating the biggest screens and stages. Or is it the other way around? Maybe, just maybe, there's a secret club in Hollywood of all the celebrities who have had their picture taken with Maria Snoeys-Lagler?

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#1

Johnny Depp And Juliette Lewis

Johnny Depp And Juliette Lewis

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RitaGG
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

3 different blouses. That means 3 greetings with Johnny Depp. Life goals.

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"We still have no idea how the album got to us," a spokesperson of Opnieuw & Co told Bored Panda. "We are a thrift store and we rely on donations to fund our social workplace (we provide refugees and people who can’t find a job with work). That means someone probably dropped it off at one of our shops in a box full of other stuff as well."

"One of our people browsed through the album and realized this was not something that someone would get rid of voluntarily," they said. "We figured out the lady’s name through her press badge in one of the photos. Then, one of our country's national TV stations used their contacts and located her daughter in California. Nobody has any idea how the album ended up here."

#2

Patrick Stewart

Patrick Stewart

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Monty Glue
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Love any photo with that extraordinary gent in it. The lady had a unique life, but so sad the album passed from her to a thrift shop. (But lucky someone was curious enough to buy it)

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"Maria died in 2016 after being a Hollywood reporter until the age of 87. We have now contacted her daughter to make sure we can return the album to her."

Judging from the photos, it's clear that her job had meant a lot to her. Let's hope they reach California safely and Maria's daughter gets to keep these tributes to her mom's work.

#3

Sam Neill And Robert Downey Jr

Sam Neill And Robert Downey Jr

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Fixin'Ta
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love Sam Neill! He seems like the nicest guy. (Of course, he's a Kiwi so there ya go...)

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#4

Bruce Willis

Bruce Willis

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#6

Kevin Bacon And Tom Hanks

Kevin Bacon And Tom Hanks

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Kjorn
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

this picture is usefull in the game 7 degrees of kevin bacon.

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#7

Keanu Reeves

Keanu Reeves

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respulero
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

she is Aitana Sanchez-Gijon. A walk in the clouds (1995)

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#10

Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore

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#13

Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington

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Iggy
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Such a gorgeous picture of Denzel.

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#14

Clarence Williams III, Kyle Maclachlan And Samuel L Jackson

Clarence Williams III, Kyle Maclachlan And Samuel L Jackson

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#15

Sir Anthony Hopkins And Richard Attenborough

Sir Anthony Hopkins And Richard Attenborough

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Victoria Kondas Koverchick
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh my I missed This one or did not show up before I signed IN?? Just love me some Anthony Hopkins! What an actor of our time!

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#18

Walter Matthau

Walter Matthau

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Monty Glue
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He was great. Check out the original"Taking of Pelham 123" and "Hopscotch", two of my favorite Matthau films. Pelham123 is 1970s NYC frozen in time.

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#19

Jack Nicholson

Jack Nicholson

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Noez 🇸🇪
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That wolf like grin is oddly nice and scary at the same time 🤔

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#22

Liam Neeson

Liam Neeson

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See Also on Bored Panda
#26

Lawrence Fishburn

Lawrence Fishburn

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Monty Glue
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wish she kept a diary of these meetings and her thoughts on the people she met.

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#27

Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage

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Rabbit Carrot
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Their expressions match. It could almost be mother and son.

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#30

Ashley And Mary-Kate Olsen

Ashley And Mary-Kate Olsen

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Note: this post originally had 69 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.