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30 Well-Known People Described By Folks Who Supposedly Knew Them From School And Other Places
Have you ever been surprised by how much your old schoolmates changed? Or seen a colleague at a party and thought it's like they have two different personalities? Well, celebrities are usually seen in a highly controlled image to allow them to be consistently hired due to the cult of their public personality. Sometimes fans get curious about what they were like before fame or in a private setting.
Someone asked Reddit users "People who were childhood friends with a now celebrity, Who were they & what were they like as a young person?" The post was commented on over 30k times. Bored Panda selected the most popular replies. Read them with a grain or rather a cup of salt, as there have always been plenty of fake celebrity ex-classmates grade digging or second cousins that want money from them. To sum it up, take them as seriously as if you were reading some fan fiction.
More info: Reddit
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#1
My dad interned with Tom Hanks when he first started out at the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival. He was always very kind and charismatic with everyone, and just a constant ball of energy. When his son Colin was born, he proudly showed him off to everybody. he was probably just days old.
About 3 years ago, there was a reunion of all the Great Lakes interns. My dad went, not knowing if he was going to show up and if he did, if he'd remember him. But not only did he show up, he approached my dad and remembered him by his full name. He is honestly just a really great man.
Davis the Un-Greatest 3 years ago
He’s also related to Mr Rogers! There must be a lot nice folks in that family!
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Many celebrities have pointed out that becoming famous is traumatic. Celebrity psychologist Donna Rockwell who wrote on fame says "Developmentally, the celebrity often goes through a process of first loving, then hating fame; addiction; acceptance; and then adaptation (both positive and negative) to the fame experience." She adds that celebrities often develop two different characters, one of them authentic, and the other as a celebrity.
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#2
Not me, but my aunt. She knew Snoop during highschool, and at the time everyone there were getting into colors. She decided to join in, tied a bandana to her arm. Later in the day he took it from her, without a word. Turns out that people wearing her color were being hunted down.
Overall, pretty cool dude. I hear he hasn't changed much.
Panda Kicki 3 years ago
What was that colour thing? Never heard anything about such a phenomenon.
Borealbabe 3 years ago
I saw him when I worked in an airport. He had to go through a busy public area before he got to the private lounge and was bombarded by people. He was so cool about it and hung around way longer than other celebrities I saw there. He signed stuff and took pictures with so many people before he had to go. Super nice guy.
Signe Manat Hansen 3 years ago
She must have known Cameron Diaz too then. She went to the same high school at the same time and probably bought weed from Snoop.
Dorothy Parker 3 years ago (edited)
That was major! He does a lot of charitable acts with publicizing them.
Patsy 3 years ago
I love the work he does with Pee-wee football (I think that's what it's called)
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ForgotMyPWSendHelp 3 years ago (edited)
What's weird about it? They both love cooking. There's exactly zero reason they can't or shouldn't be friends.
Load More Replies... #3
Went to elementary school with Justin Bieber. He was a total bully and a giant a**hat but for some reason he took a liking to me and invited me to all his birthdays. A funny memory I have is of him making fun of some kid on the stairwell and then tripping and falling down the stairs and then crying all the way to the Principals Office. He has always been a total douche.
Bobert Robertson 3 years ago
This one isn't true because I have family that lives in Stratford and know that he went to Jeanne Sauve Catholic elementary school, which is a single story building... How can you fall down stairs if there are none?
Melissa TO 3 years ago
One story buildings often have anywhere from 1-6 (or more) steps to get into the door and then into the building.
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#4
Emma Stone! She was very bright, intelligent, and naturally charismatic. She often got the lead in all of the school plays. I remember one year, in our 3rd grade play, the main role was something she really wanted, and I ended up getting it! Even though she was disappointed, she still told me Congratulations and that she thought I would do a good job. We used to play gymnastics at her house all the time and pretend we were Kerri Strug, her parents got us both USA leotards! She was a sweet girl, we kind of split up later in elementary school and don’t talk anymore but she was a great friend! Also wanted to add that I called her by her real name, Emily, haha
Mary Rose Kent 3 years ago
She talks about it briefly on the Graham Norton show, saying that when she joined the Screen Actors Guild (the actors’ union), her actual name was already being used by someone so she changed it from Emily to Emma.
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The psychologist recommends coping with fame by countering it and the narcissistic side it feeds by "becoming part of something larger than oneself," for instance, advocacy and charity work.
#5
Studied performing arts in Baltimore and shared a stage several times with Tupac.
he was kind, sweet, and brilliant. His public persona was just his brand. The rest of us knew then he was going to do something great. Other people would do 2 or 3 person workshops on stage and the rest of the group would study lines or workshop on the floor in the corner, but when he was up, everyone would watch. His only dream was to be kind, and his drive to success was for no other reason than to be able to be kind to as many people as he could.
#6
My husband grew up with Rami Malek. Probably comes at no surprise but he and his twin are just as cool and down to earth as you'd expect.
Jennifer Taylor 3 years ago
When to college with him, he was very quiet in class, but very nice!
Emma Starr 3 years ago
I didn't know he had a twin! That's great to hear, he seems so nice and he's soooo cute.
Wesley Lucas 3 years ago
What was that terrible show he started out on, where he played the neighbor kid that was secretly gay and in love with the son of the main family? He was fantastic in that - the only part of that show worth watching! So glad to see he's had such a successful career, he seems like a really cool guy.
ForgotMyPWSendHelp 3 years ago (edited)
I have no idea what show you're talking about but I remember the character perfectly. That is so weird. He really did stand out, hunh?
Load More Replies... #7
My Great Grandma (still alive) lived close to Elvis' home, they talked like 3 times, she literally thought he was the most annoying little sh**
We can only speculate if we would be exposed to more diverse art and initiative if people's occasional obnoxiousness, whether past, present, or provoked by paparazzi and reporters, was not always taken as a fatal character flaw, or not.
#8
Not me but my father went to high school with Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn from LOTR). He said he was a really nice guy from the couple times he met him, and that he totally understands how he went on to save Middle Earth.
My dad is a huge LOTR fan if you can’t tell.
Mary Rose Kent 3 years ago
I had a weird dream about him once (before LOTR) that we had been old friends who’d lost touch...we’re about the same age, so it could have been true, but I know for an absolute fact that we have never met. Also, in my dream he was born in Norway rather than being American of Danish descent. Dreams can be so freakin’ weird!
#9
Mike Myers went to a high school down the street from mine. We hung out with the same people.
Charmingly funny and very humble. I haven't seen him for a very long time, but I do watch his interviews and he seems to be the same guy he was. I always loved it when he came on the TV wearing a Toronto Maple Leaf Jersey.
Happy he has done so well. He was a jokester and always good to people.
Hasn't forgotten where he came from. That's endearing and rare.
John Baker 3 years ago
About as opposite as it gets. By nearly every account I've seen, he's a d**k.
Load More Replies...Some celebrities have publicly blurted out so many socially unacceptable things that they have become immune to career pitfalls due to such missteps from the glossy pastel norm. It becomes part of the package deal when they perform or are advertised.
What are your thoughts on celebrities, fame, and voyeuristic fans?
#10
Don’t know if this counts but I went to the same jr high and high school as Jensen Ackles (Dean Winchester in Supernatural). All the teachers would talk about how nice he was and how he was going to make it big (think he was already a regular on a soap opera by then). I finally saw him when I was in tech theatre, he had come to see his sister in a high school play. He stayed to the end and looked so proud of her.
Jessica Cifelli 3 years ago
One of my favorite actors! Seems legit. Everyone who gets to meet him at a convention all say he is very down to Earth.
stacey knutson 3 years ago
Such eye candy in Supernatural. Binged all 15 season in like 2 months
#11
My father-in-law went to high school with and briefly (like one date briefly) dated Gillian Anderson. He says she was really wild, your typical bad girl, but she was super sweet and genuinely a good person so she got away with it.
Jean Peterson 3 years ago
So a guy who got one date says she's wild, and a bad girl, yet somehow she is still sweet and a genuinely good person? Hmm... yeah it's called a chick with a freaking personality, there is nothing typical about her, she can be a bada$$ and still be a good person at the same time, that does not make you a"bad girl" FOH I love the fact that she is NOT the typical cookie cutter image that people want to project onto a woman, she's awesome
#12
My mom went to college with Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul guy). They were in the radio department together and apparently he was super funny. They also took shrooms together and I’ve been jealous of my mom ever since I heard that story.
ForgotMyPWSendHelp 3 years ago (edited)
It's kind of weird to see him described as the "Better Call Saul guy" when he's been in entertainment forever and has done sooooo much.
#13
Taylor Lautner would get mad when people called him Sharkboy in high school.
Can’t say I blame him
juice 3 years ago
he played Sharkboy in this movie MV5BZjY5NG...@._V1_.jpg 
Valley Girl 3 years ago
I didn't see the movie until years after it came out. Then I had to feel the shame of wanting to do dirty things to Sharkboy.
RoseTheMad 3 years ago
Did anyone call him Alpacaboy? because I'd pay to see that reaction >.>
Viviane 3 years ago (edited)
That's my name for my brother-in-law: he and my sister have an alpaca farm.
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#14
I went to high school with Pink. I was kind of shy but a lot of my friends were better friends with her. She was alright. I remember her singing to herself a lot.
Verena Abt 3 years ago
I've heard this many times from different persons. It makes her even more adorable. I met her once, bless her. She's nicer than me.
#15
My uncle went to college with John Cena. He said he would walk down the dorm halls naked.
Jos Tiguidou 3 years ago
That explains a lot. His choices of movies and how comfortable he's in them. I suspect that "Vacation Friends" was more like a loosely adapted biography.
#16
My dad went to college with Stephen Fry. Said he was one of the funniest dudes he ever met
Also my granddad went to art college with John Lennon. I unfortunately don't know if they knew each other well or not since my granddad passed away when I was 6. I learned that they went to college together through my mother
Helen Haley 3 years ago
I imagine stephen fry to be witty in real life and think he'd be just a hoot to hang out with.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
I love that Stephen Fry married Elliot Spencer (who was the host of a popular children's show in Australia in the 2000s) and he also just seems like a really nice guy.
#17
My old roommate went to high school with Jake and Logan Paul. He said it was when they were starting to get big on vine, they started turning into complete a**holes. So nothing has changed.
Scipio Africanus 3 years ago
Jake still seems like an asshole but Logan looks like he’s maturing into less of a terrible person
Signe Manat Hansen 3 years ago
Logan is still a massive dickwad. Just not a complete sociopath like his brother.
Priscilla Reshell 3 years ago
Still assholes but I hear Logan might be a little better than Jake
redties_and_blackparades 3 years ago
logan is a bit better than jake but jake is still a huge asshole
#18
Went to LaGuardia High School in NYC. (The "Fame" school.)
I graduated with Marlon Wayans and Omar Epps. Both very chill, Marlon was funny as hell. Like, seriously funny. Omar was chill as well but always had a... I dunno... A strength behind his eyes. Like he was having fun, but seemed aware of everything at the same time.
I was a year older than Adrian Brody, I taught him how to run the sound board in the school theater. Nice kid,
I was two years after Jennifer Anniston. She was nice, but I didn't know her well at all.
In the end, we were mostly just high school kids doing high school stuff. I think Marlon had an idea of what his future held because of the rest of the Wayons family, but in general, we just cared about passing Mr. Murphy's math class and not getting busted by Mr. Cooney, the always angry dean of students.
Marnie 3 years ago
I'm going to go luck up if Omar Epps did anything after House. I loved him on there.
Marnie 3 years ago
Looks like he's still acting! Good for him. (I wonder if he's married ;-)
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Just Bored 3 years ago
Almost everyone in LaGuardia high school knew each other or at least ran into one another at some point. You can only be admitted during your 9th/10th grade https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Fiorello_H._LaGuardia_High_School_alumni
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#19
My aunt was Zendaya’s teacher in 4th grade. She says that she was a sweet girl.
They saw each other at a meet and greet a while back, pretty nice.
#20
I went to school with Chris Pratt - and he was a nice guy. Was able to bounce between all the different circles / or cliques. Got along with everyone. I wasn’t surprised when he became famous.
Kallen Kneeland 3 years ago
From what I've read online, he himself hasn't made homophobic statements, he's just a member of a church where a couple of people said some things. You get no control over others in your group, eh? That his religion is important to him is respect-worthy so long as it isn't extreme (as in hateful toward others, which he does NOT appear to be). See https://www.quora.com/Is-Chris-Pratt-homophobic
Load More Replies... Mary Rose Kent 3 years ago
On interviews he comes across as the most extroverted person on the planet! As a slight introvert, I’m fascinated but also intimidated by this completely unassuming man.
strawberry idiot 3 years ago
I both have a crush on him (of the celebrity kind) and dislike who he supports
#21
My great grandmother was a rockette dancer in the Macy’s NYC Parade, she used to brag about how she went on a few dates with frank sinatra.
Otter 3 years ago
I wonder if great-grandma got to me some of Sinatra's ... more interesting pals.
#22
I went to school with Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark). She was a couple of years below me, but I was in a few plays with her. She was just an average girl tbh, in every way. Really normal, didn't really stand out, but wasn't quiet or shy either. She never got the big parts in plays and wasn't even considered to be one of the 'good' actors at our school, was always just a part of the chorus. Was quite surprised to hear she got a major part in a TV drama, seemed to come out of nowhere.
Daria B 3 years ago
True. But also, although most actors start out with live theatre, I imagine there's some difference between real-time onstage performing and acting on camera. Guess she was more appealing for the latter.
Load More Replies... Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago
Maybe there were other factors at work that prevented her getting better parts in school plays (someone else was teacher’s pet, or had rich parents, etc, which incentivized teachers to favor those students over others without those advantages—-it happens a lot in schools, as well as clubs, offices, etc).
Signe Manat Hansen 3 years ago
What a mean spirited tirade to write about someone you barely exchanged two words with
#23
I was best friends with Post Malone in high school, and he’s pretty much the same person he was then in high school that he is now, just some more wild adventures, but his personality has been that same, and it’s nice to see, with the fame and money he stayed who he is. Fun fact; he use to be an indie music guy in high school, wore Hawaiian V necks, high water tight black jeans, and toms. Coolest, chilliest, and funniest dude you could of hung out with.
#24
Went to school with several people in various royal families, European and African. They could never show in team sports photos or things like that for security reasons but surprisingly there were no actual bodyguards required (at least not that I saw). They seemed pretty down to earth compared to all the other rich a-holes there.
Fritz Baumeister 3 years ago
No royalty, but I went to an elite private school with a lot of children of very old rich families. Unlike all the TV and movie tropes with privileged, spoiled rich kids behaving badly, being bullies, etc... I never saw any of that. The truly rich kids were very laid back and grounded. They were much too classy for any of that. They had nothing to prove to anyone.
Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago
Interesting. My older brothers went to grade school with Eisenhower’s grandchildren—-in fact, one of them still has the valentine that Susan Eisenhower gave him—-and well remember the Secret Service agents following the school bus in the requisite black government fleet cars.
#25
My siblings and I found some pictures the other day of our mom with John Travolta and Peter Horton hanging out on the beach and with his private jet when they were younger. Our grandma was and still is best friends with Ellen Travolta, John's older sister. :)
ForgotMyPWSendHelp 3 years ago
Weird choice of photo for the story. I was waiting for the part where OP's mom visited a school with John Travolta.
#26
Not a friend, but I knew Henry Cavill when he was a kid. He was sweet and reliable and generally a very nice person. Haven’t seen him since around the era when he was taking roles in films like Hellraiser VIII because working as an actor isn’t easy.
Can’t really imagine what it must be like to be the subject of the intense media gaze that goes with being a global celebrity.
Potato 3 years ago
I'm sorry that you don't get Superman or the Witcher where you live. That's rough.
Load More Replies... #27
One of my cousins went to school with 6ix9ine. They weren't friends, I asked him what it was like. He told me that 6ix9ine was just the same dumba** that he is today and I'm not really surprised.
Diane Aguilar 3 years ago
One of the world's most famous pedophiles and a shining example of how justice never gets served to victims of wealthy people.
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Signe Manat Hansen 3 years ago
Oh shush. The man is complete and utter garbage and the world would be a better place if he jumped in front of a bus, but it's not because of his dumb tattoos. It's not hard to get a job with face tattoos these days.
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#28
My dad went to high school with George Lucas.
George was the same age as my aunt, and had a huge crush on her. She was already dating my uncle at the time, and was super popular, so that never would have happened anyway.
My dad was a few years younger. He was on the tennis team with George and would get rides to practice from him from time to time.
My dad said George was nice and also pretty nerdy (no surprises there, and my dad was too so they got along fine). I don't think he was bullied necessarily, but it definitely wasn't popular. He had big ears. They weren't friends, but they were friendly. At least as much as a senior would be to a scrawny freshman on the tennis team. He also talked about the car accident. It was a really huge deal in the town.
I like to think George Lucas would remember my family, but who knows.
Alexandra Hughes 3 years ago
Lucas was in a terrible car accident his senior year of high school. He wanted to a race car driver but after the accident, decided not to. The accident wasn’t his fault.
Load More Replies... John Baker 3 years ago
He may have been OK in high school, but by most accounts, his success has gone to his head.
#29
Knew Ryan Lochte. Not much changed since he was a kid. Swims fast, thinks slow. I view him now as a teenager's mind in a middle-aged man's body, still doing things that don't make much sense
Brian Kirk 3 years ago
He is 37. Average life expectancy for a man is about 75. Could not get any more middle aged than that.
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#30
The kid who wrote the Eragon series (Christopher Paolini) went to school a ways from here. I can't say I knew him, but its rural montana so I ran into him a few times since nobody lives out here. He used to show up at our school promoting his book dressed in reneassance fair style clothing. We all thought he was kind of a geek. He's worth like 30 mil now because of a book he wrote when the rest of us were still trying to figure out who to take to prom.
Whats funny is that I actually recognise a few charecters and places in his books as being partly based on locals and the surrounding area.
Jessica Cifelli 3 years ago
One of my favorite book series! Wish they would of kept going with the movies
Fritz Baumeister 3 years ago
They are still trying to get one of the streaming networks to do a series. Could be great. The movie kinda butchered the book.
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Yoga Kitty 3 years ago
Eragon - promoted as a trilogy first, then, surprise, there will be a fourth book. Okay, fine, even more to read! I was waiting so bad how they would be able to solve all that had been built up towards the end - and then I realized, yeah, that's it, he doesn't know how to solve this, either. The ending was so terribly, terribly lame...
#31
Went to high school with Neil Patrick Harris. He wasn't a bad dude, but wasn't humble in the least. He was still working on Doogie Howser. When he was at school, he wasn't allowed to be himself, surrounded by fans and others. He had the nickname of Drama Dork by some of the other cliques. He hasn't gone to one of the reunions.
Also went with Freddie Prinze Jr. He was a cool dude. But hung out with guys that stroked his ego and bullied others. I was an unfortunate victim to that. He hasn't made it to a reunion yet either.
John Baker 3 years ago
I graduated in 1970 and have been to exactly two reunions in 51 years. There are some times in your life you just want to leave behind.
#32
my cousin dated filthy Frank in high school. she said he was a totally normal guy irl and that he was really funny and nice.
#33
I know the 'Charlie bit my finger' guy. He's a bit annoying.
Mary Rose Kent 3 years ago
I know about this guy only because it was an answer on one of the Big Fat Quiz of the Year shows.
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What do you think ?
Dave P 3 years ago
I know someone whose son was college Roommates with Lin-Manuel Miranda at Wesleyan. They went to see Hamilton (when Miranda was still acting it) and after the show waited out back with fans to see the actors leaving (when most try to get an autograph or picture), they saw him and said they were "so and so's parents". They said his eyes got wide, and took them aside in private and talked with them, asking how his old roommate was, etc. Gave them free tickets to another showing with much better seats and a back stage pass.
Signe Manat Hansen 3 years ago
There's not really backstage passes in theaters. You just get invited to the dressing room after the show if you know one of the members of the show :)
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Alexandra Copperclaws 3 years ago
I had a few classes with Scotty Miller (Tampa Bay Wide Receiver, #10) in High School. Dumb as rocks but super sweet and kind, carried my books for me when I was in crutches. I look at his pictures now and his smile hasn't changed, he is so genuine and full of joy always.
Marnie 3 years ago (edited)
I dated a guy for a short while who was friends with Nick Swardson (Grandma's Boy, Reno 911) when he was a teenager. In Grandma's Boy, there is a guy who has long hair, does martial arts, deals weed out of his basement, and has a ninja monkey that does kung fu. (https://youtu.be/jo_DmKT8Ims?t=58) This guy I dated always had long hair, was a black belt, dealt drugs out of his basement, and used to go on a schtick talking about his (pretend) monkey who knew martial arts and would kick your a**. My friend thought he had to be the inspiration for the Grandma's Boy scene, but never knew for sure. He'd lost touch with Swardson. I like to think he was :-)
Melissa TO 3 years ago
Omg, I love your comment soooo much! I would love to know for sure if your ex boyfriend was the inspiration for that character!
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Dave P 3 years ago
I know someone whose son was college Roommates with Lin-Manuel Miranda at Wesleyan. They went to see Hamilton (when Miranda was still acting it) and after the show waited out back with fans to see the actors leaving (when most try to get an autograph or picture), they saw him and said they were "so and so's parents". They said his eyes got wide, and took them aside in private and talked with them, asking how his old roommate was, etc. Gave them free tickets to another showing with much better seats and a back stage pass.
Signe Manat Hansen 3 years ago
There's not really backstage passes in theaters. You just get invited to the dressing room after the show if you know one of the members of the show :)
Load More Replies... Alexandra Copperclaws 3 years ago
I had a few classes with Scotty Miller (Tampa Bay Wide Receiver, #10) in High School. Dumb as rocks but super sweet and kind, carried my books for me when I was in crutches. I look at his pictures now and his smile hasn't changed, he is so genuine and full of joy always.
Marnie 3 years ago (edited)
I dated a guy for a short while who was friends with Nick Swardson (Grandma's Boy, Reno 911) when he was a teenager. In Grandma's Boy, there is a guy who has long hair, does martial arts, deals weed out of his basement, and has a ninja monkey that does kung fu. (https://youtu.be/jo_DmKT8Ims?t=58) This guy I dated always had long hair, was a black belt, dealt drugs out of his basement, and used to go on a schtick talking about his (pretend) monkey who knew martial arts and would kick your a**. My friend thought he had to be the inspiration for the Grandma's Boy scene, but never knew for sure. He'd lost touch with Swardson. I like to think he was :-)
Melissa TO 3 years ago
Omg, I love your comment soooo much! I would love to know for sure if your ex boyfriend was the inspiration for that character!
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