30 Times People Met Someone Famous And Didn't Even Realize Or Care

People meeting celebrities but didn't even realize or care - some of us couldn't even imagine that.

Daphnie

• Published in Film & TV
• December 18, 2021

Celebrities are just like us, except they live in huge houses, make tons of money, travel on private jets and live a famous lifestyle. Some of us might not even notice them if they were doing "normal things."

If you saw Nicholas Cage at McDonald's do you think you'd notice? I think most of us might not even know it was him, just because we might not expect to see him anywhere except on a film set.

It's hard to imagine that celebrities do the same things we do and can be found in public just like us. This Reddit post gives us all the examples when they asked for people to tell their stories about when they've met a celebrity and didn't even know it.

Some of us have probably met a celebrity just doing our job. I know if I was serving a "customer" I might not immediately notice who it is just because I am on autopilot, but overall I think seeing a famous person outside of a movie might even be a little bit weird.

Let's look into these stories and examples of when people met a celebrity but didn't even notice or really didn't even care.

1. Pierce Brosnan

My mom yelled at Pierce Brosnan. She and my dad were at a ski resort getting lunch. My mother gets quite hangry (an unfortunate trait I inherited) and was waiting in line to order. Right as she's about to order a guy tried to cut in front of her and interrupt her. She snapped and told him to go to the back of the line like everyone else. She got her food and went back to my dad sitting there mouth wide open in shock.

"Do you know who that was?"

"No?!"

"That was Pierce Brosnan. You just yelled at James bond"

"Well he shouldn't have tried to cut me"

2. Elton John

My mom is a big sports fan. One time she was shopping at and saw a really large, fit looking man who she didn't immediately recognize but seemed familiar. She thought it must of been a professional football player or something, so she went up to the only other person in the shop, who was this smaller wierd-looking guy, and asked him if he knew who the athletic looking man was. The short guy looked at my mom and said "That's my bodyguard, I'm Elton John."

3. Scarlett Johansson

This happened yesterday! My wife took my son to the zoo, and he wanted to read every little plaque in the reptile area. My wife was distracted for a moment, so he asked the nearest stranger to read the plaque for him. My wife turned around to see Scarlett Johansson happily reading the info to him.

4. Leonardo DiCaprio

I used to be a server at a Mexican restaurant right outside LA in the late 90s. One day Leonardo DiCaprio came in with who I assume was his mom to have lunch. This would've been post Titanic so really at the peak of his breakthrough mega celeb status. He was wearing a ball cap, sunglasses and unshaven but I recognized him anyway. I didn't let anyone know and I wrote something like "your movies are awesome, I hope you liked our food" on his receipt when I dropped it off at the table.

After he left, I swung by and picked up his payment and he had left me a note back that said "thank you so much for not blowing my cover" with a $100 tip. S**t was awesome I was only like 19, I went and got some Playstation games with it after my shift ended.

5. Steved Spielberg

I helped Steven Spielberg move his daughter's bags into her college dorm.

I was working a shift helping first-years move in and I see a guy in a hat and sunglasses who is unmistakably Spielberg. I strike up a conversation, ask if he needs help with the bags, etc. First names only -- "We're from CA. My wife, Kate, and I sent all our kids to East Coast schools though." Stuff like that.

Later, when his daughter opened the door for the first time, he whipped out a camcorder and, wearing the biggest Dad grin, recorded the whole thing before turning the camera on my friend and me to ask us about the city.

So, I have a supporting (the luggage), speaking role in a limited release (home movie) film shot by Steven Spielberg.

6. Robin Williams

My dad met Robin Williams in an elevator. He got in and they rode a few floors in silence. They stopped on a floor and s bunch of fans ran in and started getting pics with Robin. My dad said he was gracious and took pics with everyone. The doors closed and they rode a few more floors and my dad turned and said “does that ever get old?” and Robin smiled and said “Nope. Never.” Then my dad got off on his floor and they nodded to one another and my dad went on with his day.

7. Sigourney Weaver

This doesn't count because it's about my father in law, and he legitimately didn't know who she was, but we were vacationing in Maine and spending a lot of time on the beach. My father in law would walk his dog early everyone morning. He met this lady and they would meet up and walk their dogs together then go their separate ways.

One morning I got up early to come with him, and to my surprise, we met up with Sigourney Weaver and went for a walk.

8. Stephen King

I was in a book store in RI and was in the horror section. Picked up a book by Stephen King, and flipped it over and saw his picture on the back (or inside the cover, I don't really remember).

I look up, and in the next aisle over, right across the book shelf from me, is a guy that looks exactly like Stephen King. So I hold up the book and say "is this you?"

"Yeah."

"Good books"

"Thanks"

And that was that.

9. Alan Rickman

I worked at a Barnes & Noble in NY as a clerk, but once or twice I'd be called over to the in-store Starbucks cafe to help out whenever they were understaffed. One time, Alan Rickman came up and ordered something, I can't recall what. I wrote "Hans Gruber" on his cup though. He smiled at me when he noticed it.

10. Harry Potter Star

I was 10 years old in 2002 when my mom took me to the Bronx Zoo for the first time. It was a rainy day so we practically had the whole place to ourselves except for 3 British kids running around, chaperoned by a woman. My mom quickly befriended the woman while I made like a kid and joined the hoard, looking at spiders and scorpians and sharing in the awe and excitement of the animals.

After about an hour when we said our goodbyes, my mother told me that the kid, Daniel, who I had been hanging out with had played Harry Potter in the movie that came out last year.

I had thought he looked familiar.

11. Stan Lee

I had the fortune of being on the same plane as Stan Lee. We were being shuttled to another part of the airport. I whispered to what I assumed to be his bodyguard that I didn’t want to lead others on who he was so please just let him know that I appreciate his work. He nodded then whispered into Stan Lee’s ear. He then smiled and put his head down in acknowledgement.

Rest In Peace big guy. You were a big part of my childhood.

12. Magic Johnson

About 5 years ago my dad was in LA for business and got into the elevator of his hotel to head down to one of his meetings. When he got in, he instantly recognized a huge, legendary, hall-of-fame LA Laker standing next to him. Normally, my father would never say anything but for some reason felt compelled to introduce himself. He stuck out his hand and said, "Shaq, it's nice to meet ya." He immediately realized he messed up and the guy responded, "I'm Magic Johnson but it's nice to meet you too." The secondhand embarrassment is real.

13. Post malone

My friend's mom (over 70yrs old) owns a small asian grocery store. Post Malone came walking in with his girlfriend and his mom had no idea who he was. A few cute things happened:

1. She was nervous because of his tattoos, but happy/not worried once he bought a lot of food. She had no idea he was a celebrity.

2. She gave him a free snack for buying so much food and told him to come back for lunchtime for cheap and tasty gyoza (he did come back the next day!)

3. She was worried he would get mugged going to his car because of 3 big men outside so she followed him outside (they were his bodyguards)

4. She really liked his "cool car" (it was a lamborghini)

She told my friend about the encounter that evening and he pulled up a youtube video based on the description - it was him. When Post Malone came back the next day for Gyoza she got a selfie with him (it's on my friends phone so I don't have the picture available right now). Whole thing is adorable with how innocent his mom is.

14. Chuck Norris

My husband was vacationing in Arizona, killing time in a bar over a burger and a beer. A guy sits next to him and my husband has a nice chat with him. The guy leaves and my husband goes to close his tab and the bartender tells him it’s been covered by the guy he was talking to.

The bartender asks if he knows who he was talking to. My husband has no idea. Chuck Norris, it was his bar.

Edit: How embarrassing. It wasn’t Arizona, it is Woody’s Wharf in Newport, California and still exists today. The story is still true. I just flaked on the location. Thanks for all the fun comments!

15. The Rock

The Rock was at the Gold Coast, Australia to film San Andreas. He came into the place where I worked in Surfers Paradise with a woman and a young child. He was kind-of in disguise, had his head covered and had something partially obscuring his chin.

I served them and didn't recognize him at first. The woman handled the talking, and he just kind of hung back quietly. I looked at him once, and probably wouldn't have given him a second thought, but his eyes widened for that split second (possibly he was wondering if I'd recognized him and was about to cause a scene, it was a packed centre) and it just clicked in my head to connect the eyes with the news of the Rock being in town.

Once I made the connection, it was totally obvious who he was, and since I was still looking at him, I could tell by now he knew he'd been spotted.

Then I just wished the group enjoy their day and half-smiled at him, and he gave me a nod, and they went about their business.

I didn't tell anyone at work, because I didn't want the dude to get swamped when he was trying to spend time with his family. I didn't tell anyone I knew, because it's really not that much of a story. In fact, this is the first I've ever shared this story with anyone.

16. Justin Timberlake

I met Justin Timberlake and had no idea it was him until someone told me afterwards. Went to a basketball game with my dad and we stopped by the bar area in the arena first. The game had just started so it was pretty empty except for the bar itself. My dad goes to the restroom and I walk up to the bar to order a beer. There's only one seat at the bar next to a guy in a baseball cap and sunglasses. I politely ask if the seat is taken and he just says "nope, it's all you, man." We shoot the s**t for a couple minutes. He's sitting on my right and eventually he says he and his wife are going to go to their seats. He extends his hand and asks my name. I tell him and ask his name. He says, "Justin. Nice to meet you dude, have a good night."

He and his wife leave and the bartender comes up to me and says, "You know that was Justin Timberlake, right?"

I immediately did a double take and couldn't believe I didn't recognize him even with the hat and sunglasses. I told my girlfriend at the time who was a huge Justin Timberlake fan and she couldn't believe I met him without knowing it was him. She wouldn't let it go for like a month.

17. Sigourney Weaver

Sigourney Weaver. I think I was in the middle of selling her a jacket and some art from the Whitney museum gift shop before I truly recognized her. She was amazingly tall and I got to bask in the glory that was Ripley. Totally makes sense why they casted her as the Xeno queen fighter she was. Just her presence alone was both intimidating and alluring. SO cool.

18. Owen Wilson

A couple of years ago me and my sister were at Comic-Con. You tend to see some a lot of famous people there, but it's usually with them in booths with guards and stuff (with the exception of Seth Green).

Anyway, me and my sister were at one of the booths waiting for their giveaways when a man suddenly came up beside me all excited and in a bit of wonder. He told us how great everything was there and how much of an experience it was for him there, all in a while I was probably looking at him strangely because of how familiar his accent and his voice and his face and his blond hair was. He asked where we got our poster tubes, and that's probably when I remembered who he was but decided to just not mention it because I was kind of still in disbelief and pointed him to one of the far off booths where they sell poster tubes.

The man was Owen Wilson. I hadn't been sure it was him, because I always thought he'd be a lot taller. It was kind of warming to see how excited he was to be there in the crowds.

19. Elon Musk

Met Elon Musk in a Tesla store in LA. Really wanted to meet him but didn't want to be that guy. Decided I had a plan, so walked up to him and said, "Excuse me, do you work here?"

He replied, "I mean yeah kind of".

I say, "Ah what can you tell me about the entertainment console of the Model S?"

He says, "let me see if I can find someone to help you."

To which I say, "nah I'm just f**king with you"

He laughed and shook my hand and walked off.

20. Tom Cruise

I was at a test screening of the movie Valkyrie. Me and my friends were near the front of the theater talking before the movie started, and I went on this big, loud rant about how "normally I like Tom Cruise movies but War of the Worlds was such a piece of s**t, one of the worst movies I've ever seen, plot didn't make sense, they strung a bunch of cool scenes together and put a s**t happy ending on it and called it a day. " after I wrap up my 5 minute rant outlining everything wrong with War of the Worlds the person sitting behind us tapped me on the shoulder and point 4 seats down in my row to Tom Cruise glaring at me, I gave him the nod and sat there for what might have been the longest 10 minutes before a movie started ever.

Not quite what you were asking for but close enough for an excuse to tell that story.

TLDR: Didn't notice Tom Cruise was listening while I talked s**t about one of his movies.

21. Jeff Goldblum

Was walking out of a gas station over on Crescent Heights and Sunset and heard a "hey!...hey!" coming from a cracked window on tinted out range rover that was parked at one of the pumps. I walk over to the car to see Jeff Goldblum, who had somehow seen my gold ring I was wearing on my right hand from 20 feet away. He proceeds to tell me how he loves my ring and has been looking for one just like it and asks me where I got it. I tell him it was my grandfather's and he asks to see it up close. I hold my hand up to Jeff Goldblum, he takes my hand, gushes about the ring for a minute and thanks me. I said sure and walked back to my apartment.

I like to think we're friends now.

22. David Tennant

Used to work at a posh hotel and we had wedding there all the time. I was pretty young at the time, say 15.

David Tennant was at one wedding, Doctor f**king Who and I was pouring him coffee.

At first I was sat there thinking is he/isn’t he so I was playing it cool. I went back to the kitchen to top up more coffee in my coffee jug and the staff were talking about it too before deciding it actually was David Tennant.

Spent the rest of the night playing it cool because I was in that yeah whatever stage of teenage life. Inside I was freaking out.

23. Eminem, Dr. Dre, And Jimmy Lovine

When I was younger with fewer responsibilities I used to just drive around for the hell of it. To me, driving is a hobby. Late at night was my favorite time. The streets are empty. My uncle is like this too. I asked him if he wanted to meet at American Coney Island. We sat down in a booth. A couple guys walked in after us and sat down behind us. Eminem, Dr. Dre, and a guy I later found out was Jimmy Iovine. We paid them no attention, but we knew who they were. They finished before us and as they were walking out, Eminem nodded at us and said, "thanks for not making a big deal about this. We got you." He and the other guys disappeared around the corner.

24. Henry Winkler

My father has the best one.

He was coming back from work and was stepping around a bus that was outside the Port Authority in NYC. As he's coming around, someone else is coming the other way and they bump into each other. My father apologizes and the guy just gives him a smile, letting him know it that it's cool. As walks away, he looks back again and realizes that it's Henry Winkler, AKA The Fonz, and he almost knocked him on his ass. This was before cameras in phones were a thing.

25. Daniel Radcliffe

I served Daniel Radcliffe brunch one time. All the other servers were freaking the hell out that he was in our restaurant, so, given I don’t care much about actors and would remain professional, I was chosen to take care of him. He ordered the eggs Benedict, no sides, extra Benedict. I dubbed it “The Quad Benny”. He was incredibly polite and appreciative, tipped well, and his accent was downright intoxicating. After that experience, I became a big Radcliffe fan.

26. Michael Jordan

My dad and I bumped into Michael Jordan at a Walgreen's near Chicago. This was back in 2006 or so.

We were picking out birthday cards for my mom, and MJ and his son came in the same aisle browsing some cards. My dad kept his cool and continued to look through different cards, giving him his personal space. I, on the other hand, was 9 years old and in awe, sort of staring at him. After MJ picked out his card, he winked at me and gave me a walk-by fist bump.

Didn't really set in until I was older how cool that was.

27. Ethan Hawke

One of my best friends doppelganger is Ethan Hawke. Like it's scary how much he resembles him, to the point that during those stupid facebook challenges he just changed his profile picture to him and nobody realized it. Also his favorite story was one time at San Diego Comic Con he actually confused Rosario Dawson at a hotel bar.

Anyway one night I'm walking home from work in NYC, and I see who I thought was my friend, John just walking on a kind of secluded part of of 9th ave around Hells Kitchen, and I yell "JOHN!"

He doesn't turn around.

So I decide to yell it again, and instead of responding his pace quickens. I decide the best thing to do is to run at him which seemed to terrify him as keep in mind it's late and there are very few people around. Anyway I catch up to him and say "Oh, you're not John" and then walk away from what was a very frightened Ethan Hawke.

28. Jack Black

My cousin rode a ski lift with Jack Black in Vail. Just the two of them. Her husband and I were in the lift behind them, freaking out. When we got off the lift they’d gone their separate ways. We made our way to her she was like “wow, that guy on my lift was so nice.” We were like NO S**T THAT WAS JACK BLACK. She was like “THE SCHOOL OF ROCK GUY?!?!”

She was so embarrassed. She said she rambled on about living in Iowa for most of their conversation. We laughed our asses off.

29. Jared Leto

Jared Leto. I work in an outdoor goods store in Boulder CO, which for those who don’t know is one of the biggest climbing towns in the US. He came into the store to get some stuff as he’s known to travel here and climb with other big pros, notably Alex Honald who is a buddy of his. He had been outted in the middle of the footwear department by a coworker on mine in front of a big group of customers so by the time he got over to the climbing area where I work he was really on edge and unfriendly. I walked up to him and honesty just acted like he wasn’t hot s**t. I acted like I didn’t really know who he was and just spoke to him like any other customer even breaking conversation with him at several points to answer questions for other folks as opposed to giving him my full undivided attention.

After about 5 minutes of that he totally relaxed and his entire demeanor changed. He went from being somewhat rude and cold to being very chill, calling me bro etc. and I ended up walking around the store with him for like 25-30 minutes helping him shop. The only time I implied I knew who he was was towards the end as I was ringing him up. He asked me to recommend some climbing spots close to town like the flatirons. It was a beautiful Saturday and I said to him that those places are great but he’ll get bombarded by people if he goes there and I recommended some spots just outside of town instead. He sorta leaned in and thanked me for my discretion and that was it. It seemed like he really just wanted to be treated like a normal guy.

30. Ben Affleck

Not sure if this counts but when I was 15 I was really into playing Starcraft (being a 3 month old game at the time) on battle.net. I did mostly 3v3 games. After finishing this one particularly epic match (close game, we won), we all got into a chat room to talk about how fun that was. Iirc, one of them says something to the effect of "not sure if you all care but you just beat Ben Affleck." Of course we all ask him to prove it, so he told us to wait a minute and visit his official website's message board (benaffleck.com or something like that). He had just made a post in red (red being Ben Affleck himself) about just losing a game of Starcraft.

We briefly chatted with him and that was it.

After reading some of these stories I don't know that I could be so "cool" about seeing some of these famous faces. I wonder if I or people I know have seen a celebrity and didn't even know it.

Do you have any stories like this? What would you do if you saw a celebrity in person just living their life?

I think a lot of us won't know what we would do until we meet them.

Daphnie