According to one study, you’re most likely to have a celebrity sighting in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, which is a popular getaway destination for famous people. But you don’t have to head up to a particular state to meet your idol — it can happen anywhere, anytime, and often when you least expect it.
Celebrities are constantly being spotted out in the wild by fans doing regular things, and this popular thread is just more proof of it. Scroll down to find the most memorable star encounters people shared under it, and don’t forget to upvote your favorite picks!
#1
President Obama came to my office at Nike and I got to shake his hand and he spoke to a group of us. He really just oozes swag but at the same time feels so real and human. One of the coolest days of my life.
Image source: LeYabadabadoo23, Conan O’Brien
#2
Brendan Fraser. He approached us when he saw us pointing and trying to snap a stealthy photo. I thought he was gonna get mad but he said something like “you can come over and say hi, you don’t have to stand over here and try to hide”.
Image source: PixiFrizzle, Universal Pictures All-Access
#3
Sir David Attenborough. Genuinely THE nicest person, made time to talk to me about my research, and the rugby. The sort of guy you kinda wish was your grandad.
Image source: BortEdwards, BBC Earth
#4
Jane Goodall. She was a very friendly , lovely person. I feel very privileged to have met her in person.
Ok-Psychology-5702:
I worked a lot of her security details when she was in DC. Hands down the nicest person I’ve ever met
Image source: Any_Assumption_2023, Ok-Psychology-5702
#5
I’ve met a lot of famous people since I worked in music and movies. But the best was Meryl Streep who saw me struggling with grocery bags and bike trying to unlock and open the front door to my SoHo building, bound up the stairs and helped me with a friendly smile and hello. I only realized it was her when she turned around to leave. This was in the 80s.
Image source: ThePhantomStrikes, Boxoffice Movie Scenes
#6
Jeff Goldblum. He’s tall, awkwardly suave, and smells incredible. And he really takes the time to engage in conversations, a very classy man!
Image source: xbeautyxtruthx, First We Feast
#7
Got to chat with Ian McKellen for a couple moments after his one man show in the West End a few years back.
Dude is legitimately as cool as he seems. Can basically recite every written work of Shakespeare’s off the top of his head.
Image source: IrishWithoutPotatoes, The Graham Norton Show
#8
Paul McCartney super cool, upbeat and nice.
Craigydave1978:
Paul McCartney. Regents Park, London, February 2006. I walked up to him and said, ‘Excuse me, Paul.’ He turned around, and I was face-to-face with one of the Beatles. Lovely bloke; warm, engaging, and as I’d just moved to London from Australia, he asked me what I thought of the UK. Shook hands and went our separate ways. Genuinely friendly and kind person
Image source: readicculus11, Craigydave1978
#9
I met Daniel Radcliffe at a coffee shop in DC at like 5am.
We were both clearly exhausted that early in the morning but I at least wanted to say hi. I’d never get another chance and I’m a huge fan of Harry Potter.
So I decide to make a joke out of it. We’re both waiting for our order to come up and instead I said “Aren’t you the guy from ‘Woman In Black?’” which was a movie of his that had just BOMBED right after finishing Harry Potter.
He laughed at the question and just said “That’s me! Woman In Black guy!”
But he gave me a handshake and I told him seriously I’ve enjoyed his work since I was a kid and he said he appreciated it. Then I left him alone.
He said bye on his way out after getting his coffee.
Really nice dude who clearly loves his fans. Glad to see he’s still doing well.
Image source: Smooth_Bandito, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
#10
Alice Cooper! He was so friendly to my girlfriend and myself. Signed autographs posed for a selfie!! He was just so genuine.
Skittlebrau46:
I won a radio contest to get VIP passes to a concert and then have breakfast with him the next morning. He was so amazingly chill that we sort of forgot he was famous and just ended up hanging out and having a good time like we had known him for years. 10/10
Image source: Justacanadianfarmboy, Skittlebrau46
#11
Kevin bacon and his wife Kyra Sedgwick. I was in NYC at our dog run and their new puppy came over to play with my dog. They were incognito, but they couldn’t have been nicer, asking about puppy stuff since they had never had a dog in the city. Talked for like 10 min and then they left once people started coming over to talk to them.
Image source: Beacon_Terrier, Team Coco
#12
Jack Black
Saw him randomly at Quentin Tarantino’s coffee shop he has connected to one of his theaters in Hollywood. Turns out it’s his hangout spot. He was dressed so casually and was just chilling. Walking around with a backpack and headphones, all while his bike was locked at the bike post. People noticed him and were starstruck, and he was so unbelievably kind to everyone that approached him. He was just as goofy as he is in movies, and he took the time to talk with random people and take selfies with them. Super nice and down to earth guy. Just a regular dude.
Image source: Stankassmfgorilla, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
#13
Elvis Presley. 1971 at the gates of his house in LA. 3am in the morning and spent 30 minutes talking with him. A truly down to earth guy. And absolutely the best looking human being I’ve ever seen. Up close he so beautiful, breathtaking.
I was an air traffic controller in the navy at the time and he was fascinated with stories I told him about. He said “ man I thought I had a stressful job” “ you make a mistake and people die” “I do and they boo me”. We had such a great conversation. He also took me to the garage and showed me his motorcycles too. An encounter I’ll remember as I pass to the great beyond.
Image source: elvisfan66, Elvis Presley
#14
Was a maintenance man at a hotel 30 years ago.
I fixed Led Zeppelins John Paul Jones toilet. the flapper chain was broke. super nice guy. had instruments all over his room. never forget him saying “thanks mate.”
also replaced a lightbulb next to Loretta Swits bed. grew up watching Mash. was surprised as hell when she answered the door. She was also very pleasant. But I found it strange to be alone with hot lips. Like I was in an episode of mash.
Image source: DevelopmentCold3590
#15
George Takei. Sat in front of my daughter and I on a flight from LA to New York. My (ex) husband actually switched seats with him so that he could sit next to his husband, Brad. He was super nice, and read the Sunday NYT (every single page, every article) during the entire flight. The reaction of people recognizing him when they got on the plane was a lot of fun and he was a great sport. He was very gracious and my daughter got a photo with him after we landed. Brad seemed like a nice guy too, but we didn’t really interact with him.
Image source: pickleballer
#16
Bruce Springsteen. Many years ago, he bought me a couple of drinks and we talked for a long time. Sweet guy
Image source: Confident_Bat_6213, Bruce Springsteen
#17
Tom Petty. He walked into a bar I was in back in 2012, turns out he was a regular there(it was my first time in there) and he was and still is to this day the kindest, warmest person I had ever met. I probably embarrassed myself telling him how big of a fan I was but he just smiled and continued talking to me like a normal person. He even asked if he could give me a hug because he said I made his night. I’ll never forget that.
Image source: Dope_vangogh, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
#18
I saw Huey Lewis at the Vancouver international airport in Canada a few years ago. I was just looking across the way thinking “God this guy looks familiar”, and then I quietly leaned in and asked “Are you Huey Lewis? I won’t say it out loud and cause a scene, I was just curious”. He smiled, said yes, and was extremely polite to me.
He now looks like everyone’s dad, so it’s easy to miss him in a crowd.
Image source: FutureClubOwner, hueylewisofficial
#19
Sigourney Weaver said “nice shot” to me when I was like 12 playing pool in the sun valley bowling alley.
Image source: prozach_, Josh Horowitz
#20
Muhammad Ali, he was a regular at a restaurant I used to work at. Sat at table nine with his daughter, and ate a half rotisserie chicken that was deboned-not something the cooks would normally do, but they would make an exemption for him.
Image source: Charming_Cucumber774, SOTBW
#21
I shared this before – Hilary Clinton.
I’m personally not a huge fan and so I didn’t think I’d be nervous to meet her, but once I got to introduce myself and shake her hand I immediately became super nervous. In my nervous stupor I didn’t know what to say after telling her my name and so I decided to comment on how soft her hands were. When she looked at me, a bit surprised by my odd comment, I clarified that my hands were super chapped and rough because of the harsh winter and so I was jealous of her soft hands. As she tried to find words to comment back on my comment, I showed her my hands and said “look, rough….” and it was then that I was guided gently away by some people around her.
Needless to say, it was a very pleasant exchange between myself and one of the most well known woman on the planet.
Image source: orange_cuse, Hillary Clinton
#22
Pedro Pascal in a hotel elevator when he was shooting The Last of Us in Vancouver. Super nice guy, of course!
Image source: bradnerboy, Jimmy Kimmel Live
#23
Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash came into my parents small sandwich shop restaurant in a small farm town in Alberta Canada. I was 12 and he seemed like a giant, and she was the same size as me. Both were super friendly and down to earth she was bragging about the new dress she got at the Saan store across the street he just wanted a hot bowl of Soup and a big black coffee.
Image source: hockey1st, Johnny Cash
#24
Met Barack Obama at a rally in Bethune Cookman in 2008. Was invited up on the stage. Also met Joe Biden the same day. Still have his autograph.
Image source: Suitable-Sense-6962
#25
I met Queen Elizabeth II. I won a competition to design and paint a dog bowl for one of her corgis (Dash – if anybody was wondering) and had the opportunity to present it to her.
Image source: longbottomleaf29
#26
I met Kal Penn in Mississippi when he was in Obama’s cabinet. Naturally I thought of him as a stoner dude from Harold and Kumar, but I was bartending at a spot in Jackson and he was looking for some blues spots to go to. He is a lot brighter than the character he’s known for, and he was actually super nice!
Image source: mingalingus00, Jimmy Kimmel Live
#27
I met Stan Lee six months before my daughter was born, who came into the world on Stan’s birthday.
Image source: writeman00, Movieclips
#28
Erik Estrada. We got off the plane to Burbank at the same time, and I thought it would be really funny if he would escort me to baggage claim with my then-boyfriend waiting for me. He was game (and still really handsome). In a hurry but still super friendly. You should have seen the look on then-boyfriend’s face when we showed up, arm-in-arm.
Image source: Reeeeallly, Delta Dental of Virginia
#29
Olivia Newton John – she came to a local tennis charity tournament at a club my family was a part of, and my uncle ran the restaurant and bar. I was like 9, had recently seen Grease, and spent the day following her around, she was incredibly kind.
Image source: kiakey, MicroStrategy
#30
Emilia Clarke was the nicest, sweetest, best-smelling celebs I’ve ever met!
Image source: wavaif4824, Vanity Fair
#31
Alan Tudyk.
Image source: toben81234
#32
My parents and I were on our way to a cousins wedding in Hollywood and Little Richard randomly came into the same hotel elevator as us and called my mom beautiful. Honorable mention- we saw Michael Jordan play a celebrity golf tournament and he high fived my little sister.
Image source: punchdrunkbimbo
#33
Robin Williams when he was in rehab in Oregon wine country. He came to church.
Image source: Exact_Bluebird_5761
#34
Brian May from Queen. I forgot how to speak for a moment or three.
Image source: SpotISAGoodCat, Andrea Bocelli
#35
Toshiro Mifune.
Image source: No-Material-452
#36
Stevie Wonder. He smelled really nice and was also super nice.
Image source: ehhleeana
#37
Paul Newman. He was very nice to a bunch of 17 year olds in the paddock when he was getting ready to race. Talked with us for a few minutes. Great guy.
Got to sit across the aisle from Eva Longoria on a flight from LA to San Antonio. Had a short conversation but she seemed nice. She’s really short.
Image source: I-amthegump
#38
Michael Jordan at a bar in Santa Barbara. He was kind of a jerk.
Image source: AJH05004, NBA on NBC
#39
Viggo Mortensen.
Image source: Ok-Run2845
#40
Graham Green. He was funny and sweet, may he rest in peace.
Image source: SouthTelephone9718
#41
Charlie XCX, Troye Sivan, they came into the coffee I worked at for 3 consecutive days. It was really cool, they got our entire staff free tickets to their concert
Image source: the-greypilgrim, Charli xcx
#42
Ric Flair. I legit just bumped into him at a bar. He looked at me and said “Sorry brother”. I looked up and my jaw dropped. Asked for a picture and he just laughed.
Image source: nifederico
#43
Eric Bana – In an auto parts store I worked at in Melbourne. Such a lovely man.
Image source: CommunicationDry8857
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