Oh, I’d forgotten about political figures.
I met, and was introduced to, Ted Kennedy, Bill Bradley and Arlen Spector (and a couple of other senators I’ve forgotten) when at the Senate confirmation hearing for a relative (not for a cabinet post or anything like that - he was appointed to the US District Court by George H.W. Bush, who I did not get to meet).
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I ran into Don Stark (Donna’s dad in That '70s Show) in the men’s room at Lawrys in Beverly Hills. I didn’t bother him.
Dan Aykroyd walked into a screening of the Matrix I was attending in Kingston, Ontario. He came in dressed in leathers with a few of his biker buddies. They all split the second the credits started to roll.
I was in Bangkok on holidays with my now ex-wife in 2000. We went to a restaurant called Angelique’s. I think it was at the Hyatt, on the river? Nice food and interesting twisty silverware cutlery is all I really remember about it.
My ex suddenly said, “Oh my god, that’s Angelina Jolie.” I turn around and at the top of the stairs descending into the restaurant about three metres away was indeed Angelina Jolie. She just glowed. She was wearing a white linen shirt and her hair looked damp. She had a small smile on her face and seemed utterly composed. With her were Jon Voight, her dad, and I think her brother, James Haven, although I couldn’t be sure as the entire restaurant including me was staring at her. There was with them also a man in a suit who was the size of the Hulk.
All four of them sat at a table immediately behind me. My ex, who is quite funny and very pretty herself, is obsessed with tabloid magazines. She could not stop staring at Jolie over my shoulder to the point of not being able to finish her meal.
My ex then whispered to me, “I want to get her autograph!” I whispered back, “Let these poor people have dinner in peace!” The whispered argument continued for three minutes. As we stood up to go, and I hasten to add had resolved not approach them, Voight gave us the warning stink eye. I wonder if he overheard our argument. The Hulk didn’t really look up as he was scoffing his dinner. Jolie seemed to be in a casual discussion with Voight and Haven or whoever he was.
I then had to spend the next five minutes with my ex crazily jumping around outside the windows of the restaurant trying to get a last look.
It became very surreal when we walked through the restaurant lobby and went past a newsagent selling magazines. About third thirds of the magazines, including Vogue, had Jolie on their covers.
The next day I read in the Bangkok Post that Jolie had just been in Cambodia helping impoverished farmers by giving them gifts of livestock. The newspaper article said the farmers regarded her as some sort of benevolent saint.
No one is going to beat this guy’s anecdote about Bono.
I love that story every time I hear it.
So it was 1990 and I was living in Ketchum, Ida. and delivering something or other for the property management company I worked for and as I got in the elevator to go do something else Bruce Willis beat the doors and we headed down. I had liked Moonlighting and Die Hard so with his star on the rise he was pretty unmistakable.
When the doors had shut as it was just me and him I turned and said, “I loved you in 9[sup]1[/sup]/[sub]2[/sub] Weeks.” He deadpanned without looking at me, “Very funny.” Generally, the locals practiced the attitude which **erysichthon has mentioned: **ignore 'em all, but I couldn’t resist being a prankster.
The few stories I’ve heard about Rollins suggest he prefers to be left alone. Which is not to say he wouldn’t appreciate help when needed.
Oh yeah. I went to Ben Nelson’s victory party the first time he was elected Governor of Nebraska. Shook his hand in passing, but that was the extent of our actual contact.
I always wonder how many people still tell John Malkovich that they loved him in that film where he played a jewel thief.
Nearly got run over by Ian McKaye (he was walking, not driving). Rode public transportation with And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead. Shook hands with Bill Clinton during my Georgetown days (and had a couple Secret Service folks eyeing me).
Best one isn’t mine, though.
Ex-partner was heading home from shopping here in Stockholm and was trucking around carrying a fairly large turkey. Sees someone she recognizes but doesn’t remember from where, so as he passes she says “Hi!” He glances at her, returns the greeting, and keeps going.
Then it hits her - it was Stellan Skarsgaard.
We often wonder if he tells the “wierdo with the turkey” story at parties.
I had lunch with Stellan Skarsgard while working on the set of The Glass House. Normally, the principal actors go off set for gourmet food with the other higher-ups, so I guess he just felt like eating with us regular folks that day. He was funny and a good story teller.
Usually there isn’t opportunity for casual conversation on set, so even though you’re setting up the next scene next to a famous actor, you won’t often get to know them.
One event that stands out was the time Hugh Jackman came up to me after lunch and handed me a ticket for the upcoming big jackpot lottery. He said he’d bought one for everybody - another example of a guy going out of his way to be a decent human being.
Cool, I have always heard Hugh Jackman is a decent enough guy.
Was at a local lunch place in NY and was searching for a seat.na vaguely familiar woman motioned to the seat next to herself. I took, chit-chat ensued as we sipped coffee for a good fifteen minutes. She was finished and excused herself, thanking me for a lovely conversation. I agreed and told her, "I’m Bald Dude, have a great day " She replied,“Jamie, you as well”. Upon paying later, the cashier asked if I realized with whom I was seated. “Jamie” was Jamie Lee Curtis. Very nice person
Hugh. A gentleman.
I used to shoot " MTV Cribs" back in the day.
We did an episode with Hugh Jackman and Halle Berry because they were in the movie Swordfish.
While it is true that they are not connected, the ideas that they were you shopping for their own crib.
Halle could not have been rude to the crew but Hugh and I had an extended conversation about children’s books since his children were small at the time and so were mine.
He had never seen Goodnight Moon or The Runaway Bunny. When I showed them to him and explained that there is an interconnect set of illustrations between the two books he was delighted. He purchased one of each to take back home to his children.
He also had no interest in eating the gourmet lunch that they provided for him and instead sat down and had lunch with the crew.
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Just for clarification: are you saying Halle WAS rude, or WASN’T?
Bette Davis and her entourage had to squeeze past me backstage at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion when she was arriving for an Oscars rehearsal. My wife and I were there as guests of an Associate Producer or Director…can’t remember exactly. I remember her saying “Excuse me young man.” I remembered it as a very nice encounter…I mentioned it to my wife a couple days ago and she says BD was being bitch. That’s women for ya.
I helped Tom Hanks find the tea in our break room.
Best one…was in Mary Tyler Moore’s NYC apartment meeting with her husband. Didn’t even meet her as she was in another room. She called for him and his name was Rob. Sounded like I was right in the middle of a Dick VanDyke Show scene!
Not my encounter, but rather my grandparents. They were in Japan and the hotel they were staying at happened to be hosting Madonna’s Blonde Ambition tour. They were not aware who Madonna even was, but caught part of the show anyway. Afterwards, my grandparents got on the hotel elevator to go up to their room. They shared the elevator with Madonna herself and some of her backup dancers/singers.
My grandmother immediately started gushing over the backup crew saying how much she admired the choreography and the dancing. One of them replied, “Thanks! But you should really be thanking this woman here”, while pointing to Madonna who was apparently silent during the exchange.
My grandmother instantly shot back, “Well, I’m not sure who you’re talking about, but YOU folks were FANTASTIC!”
Madonna, still silent, got off on the next floor.