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They say that you should “never meet your heroes,” but we think it all depends on who your hero is. While some starstruck fans are crushed when they realize their beloved celebrities aren’t as awesome in reality as they are on the screen or at concerts, others were wowed by how nice, down-to-earth, and wholesome their fave celebs were. So much so that they couldn’t help but spread their joy and shared the stories of their encounters on the net. And we’re talking about the legit kind of ‘nice,’ not “we sang Imagine for you” kind of ‘nice’ (that’s actually not really nice at all).
Be sure to upvote your fave stories that Bored Panda collected as you scroll down. And we can’t wait to hear about the awesome encounters with stars that you’ve personally had, dear Readers! Want more proof that celebs can be awesome human beings? Check out our earlier post about the nicest stars right here when you’re done enjoying this list.
Celebrity and pop culture expert Mike Sington, who has met hundreds of stars during his decades-long career in Hollywood, told Bored Panda that the vast majority of them have been kind, gracious, and friendly. Read on to learn why this is and what kinds of celebrities actually end up being the most problematic until they learn that being friendly to their fans is worth it.
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#1
I served Daniel Radcliffe his dessert at an event, and tripped and spilled some of it on him, probably due to seeing that I was serving Daniel Radcliffe, and he stood up and started apologising profusely to ME. Was very sweet and asking if I was ok.
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#2
I've met Obama a few times.
The charisma is insane and he makes a point to converse with everyone. He remembered me the third time, which was dope. What an incredible human
#3
I got to meet the St. Bernard dog that played Beethoven in the movies with Charles Gordon. His name was Duke. He was a good boi.
Hollywood’s Ultimate Insider Mike told us that celebrities know that their fans can be a tad nervous about meeting them. That’s why they make an extra effort to be nice.
“Don’t be afraid to meet a celebrity! The majority are smart business people, and they realize their fans who watch their TV shows, stream their music, and buy tickets to movies and concerts, are paying their salaries. They want to be nice to you!” the expert revealed that being nice is in any star’s best interest.
In Mike’s experience, the one constant that he’s noticed is that the bigger the star, the nicer the celebrity.
#4
Patrick Stewart-- an absolute delight! Waited on him several times. Literally went up to the line at the open kitchen and said thank you to the cooks, and thanked each staff member in a glorious fashion on his way out. Everyone's jaw dropped. Made our day each time!
#5
Will Smith
Worked a private event for him a couple years back. He made sure to thank each and every employee when he arrived and before he left. He had the best manners and was in such a jovial mood, joking around with the staff. Great guy.
wandile dludlu 4 years ago
Seems like a guy who knows how to have fun with anyone if he's in a good mood
#6
My mom spotted Robin Williams once and she went up to him and asked if she could get a quick photo. She didn't realize he was there in the middle or about to do something with the Make A Wish Foundation so she waited until they were done around 20-30 min later and then a bunch of the kids and people wanted photos with him - he made it a point to stick around and told his staff "I think that woman wanted a photo" and made sure she got it. Mom was thrilled. He was such a humble nice dude.
“In my experience, the one constant I’ve noticed is the bigger the star, the nicer the celebrity. The established stars have it down and understand the importance of the celebrity/fan relationship. You usually only have a problem with the newer, up-and-coming stars. They at times don’t get it and may think they’re too good to interact with you. This attitude often backfires, and they realize if they want longevity, it’s actually not that hard to be nice.”
According to Mike, celebrities need to remember that they’re always in the public eye, even when they think they aren’t. What’s more, everyone’s walking around with a smartphone with a camera in their pocket nowadays. That’s why stars need to change their mindsets and believe that they’re always on display.
“So it does take some conscious effort on the celebrity’s part to be nice, just knowing every interaction, and everything they’re doing in public can be recorded. For some celebrities, in fact, I’d say most celebrities, being nice comes naturally. It doesn’t take any special effort, because it’s who they are as a person,” Mike said that some popular figures have it easier than others because of who they are.
#7
Nathan Fillion when I was working at a movie theater.
Guy bought 6 large popcorns and a bunch of smart waters when I thought, “man this guy is loaded”. He was wearing a hoodie and glasses so I couldn’t quite tell at first. I eventually said, “Hey you kinda look like this guy Nathan Fillion”
He took off his glasses and said, “I sure hope so.” I stood at attention and said, “Captain”
He replied, “As you were, Browncoat”. Coolest moment ever.
#8
I don't think anyone one would be surprised that Jeff Goldblum is nice, but I can attest to it. I was an extra in a movie with him. When he arrived on the scene, some nasty film crew woman was screaming at us not to bother him or ask for his autograph (which none of us had done). He must have heard her, because he turned right around and came over to talk to us.
Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago
I am not surprised at all. I always thought there was something about Jeff Goldblum that gave off a “Nice” kinda vibe.
#9
I met Jim Carrey when I was like 11 at a party my parents attended. I couldn't stop staring at him. He was behaving so normal and then when he noticed me staring he did a mask facial expression and started staring at me.
He's a genuinely funny guy and probably has the purest of heart.
There’s a golden cast of celebrities walking the streets (while social distancing during the pandemic, of course) who already have a reputation for being some of the most empathetic, kindest human beings on Planet Earth. People like Keanu Reeves, Tom Hanks, Jim Carrey, and others.
However, there are also very kind celebs who wouldn’t necessarily be your first pick if you had to choose the ‘nicest’ stars. For example, one of our fave actresses, Emma Stone, dedicates a lot of her philanthropic work to raising awareness and money for terminal diseases. That’s because Emma herself suffers from asthma while her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. So health and fighting illnesses are very important to the actress.
#10
Ian McKellan sat down on some empty theatre steps with me and engaged in a whole conversation. It was awesome and I will never forget it!
Smitten Kitten 4 years ago
I'm not into the whole celebrity worship thing, but meeting Ian McKellan would be a dream come true for me.
#11
Steve Irwin hands down, I've met a few musicians and athletes who have been nice but none were as nice as Steve. I met him in an elevator at a hotel and I walked in soaking wet after swimming in the pool. I was only 11 and I was in awe that I was in an elevator with Steve Irwin. Straight away he starts a conversation with me, asks me what my name is, where I'm from and if there were any crocs in the pool and if I see any at the hotel to come find him. He then starts talking to the hotel worker who was in the elevator with us and staring at Steve the whole time. That interaction with him still makes me ridiculously happy whenever I think about it.
#12
Met -- hung out with for an hour or so -- Kiefer Sutherland.
It was an amazing coincidence running into him as we had plans to go see him at his concert the coming Saturday night. (Tickets were free, but you had to stand in line to get 'em.)
My son was bartending -- I came in to see my son -- and he said, "hey Dad, I got someone I want you to meet..."
So when I met him, the first thing out of my mouth was "oh my goodness, we loved you in Lost Boys, in 24, in so much -- and believe it or not my wife and I are coming to see your band on Saturday!"
He LOST IT!!! He was like, "most people don't have a clue about my music... I can't believe you guys are coming! That's so awesome..."
Yeah, he was thrilled....
So I called my wife? Then she swung by the bar too to meet Kiefer.
Long story short, he left really great seats for us at the will call. Then during the concert he called out for my wife and me to stand up...then he dedicated a love song to us.
He's a good dude!!!
Meanwhile, Taylor Swift uses the funds from some of her concerts to raise money for a wide variety of causes. From supporting education to disaster relief and more. She is also a staunch supporter of feminism-related causes.
Now, someone that you might not expect to have a heart of gold is Steve Buscemi, known for his roles as a villain in lots of movies. A trained firefighter, Steve spent 5 days with his fellow firefighters pulling people out of the rubble and helping the injured after the 9/11 attacks in New York. A real-life hero if we’ve ever seen one, ladies and gentlemen.
#13
I met Paul Rudd on a flight from NY, sat next too him on the plane. My buddy leaned over and told me that he wanted to compliment him on this band shirt he wore when making Clueless, but he "didn't want it to be weird". So his solution was to write him a note and slip it to him, lol. So he does this, and Paul just gets this nervous look on his face, opens the note and reads it. Starts cracking up laughing, leaned over to us and said "best note ever". He then told us the whole story of the shirt, how he fought with the costume dept about it because it was the shirt he wore to set that day. We talked the whole flight, dude was super cool.
Marlowe Fitzpatrik 4 years ago
That was a good idea, slipping him the note. Because it left the encounter on his terms, and he could decide how to proceed from there. Often, I think, fans get so excited that they forget they might be intimidating or even finding the celebrities at a bad time, so the note was a really cool way to do it. I hope it made Rudd's day just as much as it did yours
#14
A friend of mine went to the premiere of X-Men Origins Wolverine and they camped out by the theater, he said he woke up and he was told that Hugh Jackman had bought everyone who camped breakfast. It was a little breakfast sandwich and an orange juice I believe, he also said there was at least 100 people there.
#15
Having met Hugh Laurie in person, I can confidently state that he is one of the nicest and most humble celebrities out there. Not only is he completely happy to interact with his fans, but he also does so in a way that makes each and every one of them feel like they're a friend. He remembers names and personal details with amazing accuracy, and he makes each conversation seem like it's an extension of a treasured (and ongoing) dialogue. Add to that the fact that the man is outwardly hilarious, and you've got a recipe for a genuinely great guy.
#16
Tom Hanks. I worked at Disneyland in the late 90’s and I saw him giving a tour to a group of about 25 kids. He was leading the tour and the Disney tour guide was just tagging along so I could tell he’d done this many times before.
#17
My dad met Lady Gaga at a restaurant in NYC and said she was one of the most genuinely sweet human beings he has ever met in his entire life. He called her “enchanting” and actually became a fan of hers after that!
#18
A lot of people mention Gordon Ramsay being lovely. My godsister can confirm. She worked at a hotel restaurant in Cornwall where Ramsay vacations at regularly. She was so nervous she spilt something but he just gave her a really fatherly warm smile and went “no it’s okay my darling” and continued on with his conversation.
When I was a kid, my family took a trip to London and we were shopping in Harrod’s. Being the kid I was, I was running around while my parents shopped. I ran up to this man, looked up and said “you look REAAAAAAAALLY familiar. Have we met?” And he flashes a smile and says “no, but I get that a lot” and then he walks off. My dad came right over and went “...you do realise that was mr bean you just spoke to right?”
Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago (edited)
I have seen his softer side on Masterchef Australia and on his daughters show Matilda and the Ramsay bunch.
#19
Jason Momoa. He’s an absolute treasure to be around. He’s genuine and loves his job. He wants his fans to have as much fun as he’s having. He can size up a fan and know how far to push/tease them to make them comfortable while not going too far. His personality is infectious, and I had a blast with him.
#20
Tom Hiddleston told me my dog was awsome. So that was the highlight of my life lol.
#21
My mom and sister met the Rock when he was still a wrestler. They had a couple car seats and tons of bags having a hell of a time getting off the plane and people were waiting and then this massive guy offered to carry some things for them and they happily took the help, he grabbed some bags and held the baby carrier with my niece in it and helped them off the plane and left. After people kept going up to them asking how they knew the rock and they were very confused until someone explained who he was.
#22
Back when they were filming Lord of the Rings all the hobbits: Elijah Wood (Frodo Baggins), Sean Astin (Samwise Gamgee), Billy Boyd (Peregrin Took), and Dominic Monaghan (Meriadoc Brandybuck), came into my mom's video store and wanted to rent all of Peter Jacksons movies. They were so excited to have a movie marathon I thought it was super cute.
#23
Anne Hathaway.
We were backstage waiting for her cue to go on started chatting. She told me how she was such a klutz and we joked around a bit. Then, when she was called on stage she tripped hard going up the stairs and face planted, then turned around to me and we both started laughing.
She’s a sweetheart and a genuinely nice person. I’m glad I got to meet her.
#24
Not me but my dads story. My dad interviewed Mr. Rogers and Mr. Rogers was very nice, but the highlight of the interview was Mr. Rogers saying he was proud of my dad. Great guy
#25
Robert Downey Jr., we were on the same flight.. Super personable, witty. I didn’t realize it was him at first.
#26
I met Leonard Nimoy at different times. Leonard was incredibly cool. He was giving a talk at the place where I work and we all knew he was coming so we sat at a table outside near the entrance so we could see when he arrived. His security people led him from the car to the building and we said hello as he passed. They took him inside to a private green room to relax before he went on. To our surprise, after the handlers dropped him off at the green room he came back outside, sat down with us and just hung out, we talked about food and cool places to see nearby. We just chatted like he was one of the crew. Class act guy. One of the neatest celebrity encounters I've had.
#27
I work in the film industry.
Weird Al is insanely f**king nice. Like, you ask him for a photo and he’ll make a 10 second video for your dad nice.
#28
Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter) was very sweet, met him at Comic Con one year, he told me I had a beautiful smile :)
Madison Minyen 4 years ago
I would have forgotten how to f***ing human. I would just freeze in absolute terror/joy
#29
Dolly Parton is without a doubt one of the most polite, friendly and welcoming human beings I have ever met. I was catering backstage at one of her concerts. My job was to prepare the buffet for the backstage guests and basically be invisible. She entered the room and greeted everybody like they were family. Then she saw me and my coworker and said, "Aw, come on over here. We're all family here!" She made herself an equal to everybody in the room.
Daryl Hall was a cool guy. Gave us all autographed tshirts. John Oates not so much. Their crew let us (backstage caterers) watch the show from the wings.
Melissa Etheridge was awesome. Super friendly to the backstage crew.
#30
I’ve also met Stan Lee, twice actually (two different comic con years) At the first I got my picture taken with him and were instructed not to touch or talk to him. When I walked in (probably 15 years old at the time) he sweetly smiled and said hi The second time I got that picture autographed and he was kind to both me and my father, so great to meet a legend like him (RIP Stan)
What do you think ?
Hans 4 years ago
I find these very odd to read. Why do people assume that other people who have fame would not behave normally? This also legitimizes that some people with fame act impolitely. I would rather see a series of overly extrovert celebrities acting strangely...
lil peep stan 4 years ago
my friend met her favorite band and she was telling them that they saved her life, etc etc and they were total jerks to her, ik celebs are humans and have bad days but like, thats the worst time like imagine someone being like "you literally saved my life, thank you" then being super rude
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Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago
My hubby had a close encounter with Michael Hutchins. My hubby was a kid at the time and was travelling with his parents. On the flight he was seated across from Michael and and he started chatting with him and just before the flight ended Michael offered my hubby a Mars Bar. My hubby and his parents didn’t realise who it was until they saw him on the news when he died.
Lauren Caswell 4 years ago
It's always bittersweet watching him on the never tear us apart video
Load More Replies...
Petra Schaap 4 years ago
I once met a guy who was the spitting image of Matt Smith, he was cashier at Trader Joes. When I adressed him about it he said he didnt know him nor Dr Who but would look it up and he was acting all funny. So either he must hear this every day, or it really was him and I'm on candid camera somewhere...
Hans 4 years ago
I find these very odd to read. Why do people assume that other people who have fame would not behave normally? This also legitimizes that some people with fame act impolitely. I would rather see a series of overly extrovert celebrities acting strangely...
lil peep stan 4 years ago
my friend met her favorite band and she was telling them that they saved her life, etc etc and they were total jerks to her, ik celebs are humans and have bad days but like, thats the worst time like imagine someone being like "you literally saved my life, thank you" then being super rude
Load More Replies... Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago
My hubby had a close encounter with Michael Hutchins. My hubby was a kid at the time and was travelling with his parents. On the flight he was seated across from Michael and and he started chatting with him and just before the flight ended Michael offered my hubby a Mars Bar. My hubby and his parents didn’t realise who it was until they saw him on the news when he died.
Lauren Caswell 4 years ago
It's always bittersweet watching him on the never tear us apart video
Load More Replies... Petra Schaap 4 years ago
I once met a guy who was the spitting image of Matt Smith, he was cashier at Trader Joes. When I adressed him about it he said he didnt know him nor Dr Who but would look it up and he was acting all funny. So either he must hear this every day, or it really was him and I'm on candid camera somewhere...
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