We’re told to never meet our heroes, right? Many of us tend to build up our favorite stars in our heads, imagining them to be these ‘perfect’ people who are as charismatic as they are kind. But putting them on a pedestal can lead to a shock when you do meet them and the reality of who they are clashes against your sky-high expectations. However, some folks really do live up to the hype in the best possible way!
Members of the super popular r/AskReddit online community shared some of their most positive celebrity encounters ever, from meeting Robin Williams to having a friendly chat with Adam Driver. Check out their wholesome stories below.
We got in touch with the author of the viral thread, redditor u/Former-Tadpole, and they were happy to share their thoughts about fan and celebrity interactions. Check out Bored Panda's interview with them below!
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Dolly Parton.
She’s an incredible person. When I was a kid, my grandma was an in home care nurse for a sweet paralyzed man. He loved Dolly. She was in town for a concert and someone had reached out to her, she came to the house and sat with him and my grandma for two hours. My grandma cooked and she ate every bite and sat around with them acting like anyone else who was visiting would.
She’s just really a lovely person.
I've told the story before, but Robin Williams.
When I got out of the Army, I was working as a security guard. I was guarding one of those $500/plate rubber chicken dinner charity events, when I noticed a little hairy guy on the other side of the velvet rope about 10' away. It was Robin Williams. I didn't stare or say anything, I just went back to watching the crowd.
When he got up next to me, he struck up a conversation. I was absolutely nobody and he was very kind.
He was not absolutely nobody, he was a security guard, pretty important person if you ask me. :p
Mr. Rogers. I lived in his neighborhood during the summers (I really did live in Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood!). He and his family were authentically lovely people.
Psychotherapist and executive coach Moshe Ratson explains on Psychology Today that our unrealistic expectations can lead to disappointment and frustration. “There is a gap between the reality we face and the way we think it should be, and frustration and disappointment highlight the discrepancy. Unmet expectations are quite common, and they are a major internal trigger for anger,” he writes.
According to Ratson, though it’s natural to have expectations in life, if we’re too attached to them, it leads to suffering. Meanwhile, realistic expectations are fine because they’re grounded in experience and logic. But when they become detached from reality, they can sabotage our sense of happiness.
Michael Keaton- he was filming a movie in our neighborhood. While all the other actors would run to their trailers between scenes, he would sit on the curb and BS with anyone who wanted to. Very down to earth guy.
Stephen King. Ran into him at a gas station as I was pulling in to gas up, he pointed to one of the pumps and said “that one’s out of order”.
It is not a thrilling tale, just a hero author saving me a few minutes of time going to a gas pump that wasn’t working. Everyone who has lived in maine probably has an identical story. King is always in random places being a solidly normal and decent dude.
Always spreading horror stories it seems. "That one's out of order" is pretty short, but it's got some horror in there.
Never met him, but Steve Carrell has a video where he explains why he hates Ryan Gosling.
It's because in his free time Gosling spends a lot of time doing charity work. No cameras, not social media posts, no reporters. He doesn't do it for clout, he does it because he's a genuinely good person who recognizes how fortunate he is and wants to help others.
Ryan Gosling is the type of incredibly wholesome person that makes you feel like you feel like s**t because you see him and feel like you need to do more to follow his example.
And that's why Steve Carrell hates Ryan gosling.
It really does help to go through life with realistic expectations that keep you grounded. If your expectations are too high, you risk being disappointed when you finally meet that person, see that movie, or try that product you’ve been daydreaming about for ages. If there’s a large gap between what you expected/wanted and what you got, it’s only going to ruin an experience that might otherwise have been pretty decent.
On the flip side, if you’re always cynical and pessimistic about the future, you might miss out on truly spectacular opportunities in life. So, it’s often best to keep your expectations in check as much as possible and to allow life to surprise you if things take an unexpectedly positive turn. Meanwhile, any disappointments that will come your way won’t hit as hard because you’re letting your life experiences, not your imagination, guide you.
Encountered Robin Williams in an airport years ago. He was every bit as funny and kind as you’d hope, making jokes and genuinely asking about my day. That encounter still brings a smile to my face.
He filmed the movie Jumanji in the city where I went to college in NH (Keene). When he was filming scenes on the street he would work the crowd like a politician. Walking down the rope line making people laugh, signing things for hours. He really didn't have to, but he really was a sweetheart.
Terry Prachett on one his new book signing tours at a small bookstore. Really nice talk and meet and greet during the signing.
Gahan Wilson, cartoonist, at a Comicon. He took time to draw something for everyone in line. He talked with both my daughters and I have a drawing of them by him. Really genuine and nice person.
I can testify this for Sir Terry Pratchett. He was the nicest guy during a book signing. I still miss his books. I can barely manage to read "The shepherd's crown" without getting teary
Meeting Sir Ian McKellen after a stage performance was a dream come true. He was gracious, witty, and incredibly humble, taking time to sign autographs and speak with fans. It was a magical experience.
It helps to remember that celebrities—no matter how talented, rich, and charismatic they might be—are human beings. Just like you and us, they’re anxious about the future, worried about how others see them. They have flaws, insecurities, and worries like their fans, even if they might be better at hiding them.
This more human perspective can help you keep your expectations in check before you meet up with your beloved star. It should also help you keep at least some of your nerves in check. After all, you’ll be talking to another person, not a deity. Be polite. Be civil. Be authentic. And the odds are that they’ll return your kindness with more kindness.
Reputation is something that celebrities live by. Being kind, nice, well-mannered, and learning to get along with others isn't just the 'right' thing to do, it's also the smartest strategy.
The entertainment industry is quite tight-knit. If someone has a reputation for being rude or hard to work with, they might not get to work on high-profile projects much longer. On the flip side, someone who's got a magnetic personality, is a team player, and treats others with respect is going to quickly become an industry favorite, no matter what part of the industry they're in.
Eddie the Dog from Frasier (real name Moose). I helped put on a giant dog festival in Seattle in 2000 and Eddie was a special guest. He was so god damned chill; even with hundreds of people wanting to pet him. Not sure why I thought he might be high strung but not at all. Later we went up the space needle with his handler and had a lovely dinner.
Neil Gaiman was utterly lovely. It was supposed to be a signing only, no personalization, but he personalized both my books and my friend’s without us asking and was overall just very nice.
Dave Grohl. Ran into him at the Northridge mall all by himself and he totally stopped for a minute while I gushed like a star struck 9 year old. Super cool guy! Chino Moreno also. Hung out at the pool in Vegas before thier set and he totally just talked with me like nothing for a hlaf hour. Both bad a*s singers and super cool guys!
"It's very easy for celebrities to become complacent and even frustrated with the amount of attention they get on a day-to-day basis, and it’s a constant battle to keep the smiles coming," u/Former-Tadpole, who sparked the positive topic online, told Bored Panda.
"When you meet a celebrity, you’re seeing a tiny 5-minute window of who they are as a person. They could be having a bad day, they could be exhausted from meeting people for 8 hours earlier on. But to you, that meeting is all you’ve got to go on. So if it goes badly, naturally you might assume they’re just a bad person in general and that isn’t always the case," they shared why it's so important to set realistic expectations for yourself before you meet your fave stars.
"I think one of the cool things about the thread is that there are some celebrities in there where people had a really great encounter with their idol, and then someone replies saying they had an awful encounter with the same celebrity! And I think that really hammers home the point. Celebrities should always think about this in the back of their minds, and vice versa, we should try not to judge people on their worst mistakes!"
I got to interview Dick Van Dyke once, having admired his work for years, and he was every inch as charming, friendly, voluble, and modest as you could hope.
i love d**k van dyke and so happy to hear he was as nice as i imagined he would be
Willie Nelson. After a long show in a big honkytonk bar, he stayed after to meet anyone who wanted to meet him.
Rick Astley. He is the kindest, most lovely guy. I got to meet him backstage as I had a connection with one of his team at the time and I hung out together with him and his band, he gave me wine and offered me toast!
10/10 would recommend meeting Rick Astley.
The OP opened up to us that it was actually someone from their social circle who inspired them to start the thread. "My roommate told me a story about a few negative encounters with celebrities while working door security for their events," they shared.
"The media tends to focus on these negative encounters, the scandals, and I figured Reddit would be the perfect place to hear some stories from the other side of the coin," u/Former-Tadpole said that it's refreshing to talk about wholesome encounters, instead of someone's drawbacks.
Saw Michelle Obama at a book signing, and she was every bit as elegant and insightful in person. She made time to have a real conversation with each person, making the experience unforgettable.
There are only a few "first ladies" in the role who wore the crown and didn't let the glitter seep into their personality. The first I personally remember is Mrs. Carter, a true lady who was a full set for President Carter. The first Mrs. Bush was so excellent, and had an awesome sense of humor. Mrs. Obama was just so wonderful, planting a garden literally and figuratively, putting their favorite foods on the white house menu and including them in state dinners,her literacy and health campaigns, and not the least parenting two young ladies during very turbulent years of their lives. If she suddenly lost her mind and announced that she was running for President, they would declare her the winner that very day, and dare anyone to say else. And few people would.
Stan Lee he was so humble and loved every single one of his fans. He used to call me She-Hulk whenever he saw me.
Adam Driver came to see us when I was stationed in Korea. Nicest dude, made sure to meet and talk with each of us that showed up.
I'm sorry, I can't see him in any other movie role than Kylo Ren
The thread actually got so much attention that the OP eventually became a tad overwhelmed. "For the first day or two, I really tried to reply to everyone who shared a story, but the post just got bigger and bigger and eventually I had to switch the notifications off!" they told Bored Panda.
"I guess there is a ‘stigma’ about celebrities being snobby, but in the vast majority of cases it simply isn’t true! And I think people are eager to share their stories as it’s something that goes against the norm."
Keanu Reeves in a jam packed subway car. Who almost knocked me over as we were climbing the steps to the exit.
Betty White. Who’d of thunk it, right? /s
Met here at a charity fundraiser for a guide dog school and she couldn’t have been more gracious. Took time to speak with most everyone in the room.
Oh yeah, Charles Barkley is a pretty good dude also.
Betty is immortal. It doesn't matter that she's gone, she will always be with us.
Vincent Price. He came to my university to lecture and afterward stood in the doorway of the men's dressing room of the auditorium talking to us for about an hour while we stood in the hallway. If it hadn't been later than 11:00 p.m., I think he would have kept talking.
I don't think he ever met a stranger, and he was the nicest most approachable human being. But very very tall. And very very elegant. And entirely on his own. No assistant, no manager.
Have you ever met any stars in person, dear Pandas? What was your experience like? What celebrity would you love to talk to if you could pick anyone in history? Feel free to share your perspectives in the comment section at the bottom of this post! We're always happy to hear what you have to say.
Ewan McGregor was as nice as you’d ever hope for. Chatted about his brother and flying for a half hour, as easy as could be.
Roddy Piper, I loved wrestling growing up and Roddy was my hero. Flash forward 30 years and I see him in a pub in Ireland of all places. I decide that I'm gonna go talk to him, which I wouldn't usually do. I get myself psyched up and tell myself to be cool and not be weird about it. I walked up, introduced myself. He grabbed my hand really hard pulled me in close to him and looked me up and down (I'm a big guy) and said "with you by my side I could have taken them all".... I giggled like a schoolgirl. He then chatted took a pic with me and was lovely. Fantastic memory.
"I giggled like a school girl." a charming admission coming from a 'big guy' !
Weird Al and Fred Armisen. Both were some of the nicest, down-to-earth gents I ever met.
Eddie Vedder is one of the nicest humans on the planet. Met him a few times and he is just so kind and warm and funny. And such a huge music fan.
David Evans, aka The Edge is the same.
Henry Rollins.
At the time I was teaching a college writing course. We looked at Henry's, admittedly bad, poetry and read some of his prose stuff as well as listened to Rollins Band songs to discuss the lyrics. He came to a nearby town to do one of his spoken word shows. I emailed him to see if he'd do a Q&A with my students, not expecting him to answer. He did. He said he could meet with us for 30 minutes after the show. He did just that, answering all my students' questions, and the thing was he answered each of them with long, thoughtful answers. Nothing was canned or cliche. Then he let us take a pic with him.
The man was everything I hoped my celebrity hero would be.
Keanu Reeves. Popped up in a Starbucks in San Fran. Totally chill and awesome dude, but had to dip before word got out he was around. I felt bad after that starstruck wore off. Imagine not being able to linger because you are always pursued. Like Battlestar Galactica.
Unrelated to the story, but... does anyone actually say "san fran" in real life???
My dad and I met Eric Idle (from Monty Python) last May at a bookstore in Stratford, Ontario. Long story short, he was absolutely delightful, especially given that we were interrupting his day. Took a selfie with my dad, and chatted with me for a little bit and shook my hand.
It was especially nice given some of the rumours that John Cleese is a bit of a prick. He just had like this aura of pleasantness to him. Just happy to be there, and happy to say Hi.
I think Cleese probably acts like a prick when you catch him in character.
Tony Curtis
Met him in the reception of the Beverly Hills Hilton one quiet afternoon in 2008.
He was in a wheelchair, and had his wife and PA with him (both attractive blondes). My wife and I walked over and asked for his autograph. He smiled and said he’d be delighted to. He then took a pen and paper and did a sketch, signed and dated it. He recognised we were from the UK with our accents, and the 3 of us chatted whilst he completed the sketch.
He then kissed my wife’s hand, and shook my hand.
Despite age catching up with him, he was still a good looking fella with piercing blue eyes. And he was a complete gentleman. A moment we will never forget.
Jon Stewart. Met him. Has a brief chat. He was hilarious, smart, curious and gracious.
Billy Connolly. He is the sweetest man.
Billy Connolly is the sort I imagine you can listen to all night long just telling stories and laughing.
Tony Iommi, guitarist for Black Sabbath.
He came in to record an interview at a place I worked (this was early 2000s), and he was nice enough to sign my copy of Paranoid. He opened up the gatefold to sign it and he quipped, "Oh, I expected some seeds to fall out of this."
Just freaking made my day, especially since he was the main reason I picked up the stupid guitar in the first place!
I've met a couple people (not ozzy) from Black Sabbath, cool dudes. And as a very young woman they weren't creepy!
Hulk Hogan is not a great human being, but I've never seen anyone be so kind to their fans. People approached him as his family was leaving dinner, and everyone who walked by also stopped. He sent his family home and spent over 3 hours talking to every single person that came up. It was wild.
John Cena was exactly as nice and caring as you would expect him to be. Just a humble and caring guy.
I randomly had a beer with Sufjan Stevens once. Very quiet and polite. I asked about his music and told him about my cooking and just food stuff in general.
He says to me, “you have a real gift with food… perhaps you should pursue that.”
A year later I was accepted in the culinary school of my choice. I graduated and had a successful career as a baker and pastry chef (for a few years until disability robbed me from this kinda work).
Woulda never done that without his kind nudge!
Most of the cast of Lucifer :) they’re all lovely and so down to earth.
Whenever I see Tom Ellis I remember his part on Miranda and that always cracks me up.
Note: this post originally had 42 images. It’s been shortened to the top 35 images based on user votes.
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I've delivered to lots of celebrities. Lulu, Michael Palin, Benedict Cumberbatch & Will Self were all particularly nice and friendly. I won't name the ones I didn't like.
I'm really jealous you exchanged even a word with Michael Palin, I love him so much!
Load More Replies...
Penn from Penn and Teller is pretty nice. I saw them live once, and afterwards was the usual meet and greet. But when all that was done, my father and I saw Penn hanging out outside. We chatted with him for a bit, and despite it being his break he took the time to talk to us, even encouraged me in my own pursuit of being a magician. Really nice, we had a pleasant conversation. Then, as he goes to go back into the building, he gets stopped because the door is locked and won't open. And you hear a little voice from the side as my mom calls out "Use Magic!"
I've delivered to lots of celebrities. Lulu, Michael Palin, Benedict Cumberbatch & Will Self were all particularly nice and friendly. I won't name the ones I didn't like.
I'm really jealous you exchanged even a word with Michael Palin, I love him so much!
Load More Replies... Penn from Penn and Teller is pretty nice. I saw them live once, and afterwards was the usual meet and greet. But when all that was done, my father and I saw Penn hanging out outside. We chatted with him for a bit, and despite it being his break he took the time to talk to us, even encouraged me in my own pursuit of being a magician. Really nice, we had a pleasant conversation. Then, as he goes to go back into the building, he gets stopped because the door is locked and won't open. And you hear a little voice from the side as my mom calls out "Use Magic!"
