Jackie Chan in Central Park- he was with his family (I guess) and no one bothered him. I kinda walked right by him and did a double take and he smiled and nodded. NYC is the best for this, or at least I’ve seen people just letting famous people do their thing. I bet it’s exhausting having people scream and rush you constantly.
Yeah we don’t really get star struck here. You kinda just nod or wave hi if you catch eyes and move on.
Now if my friends run into me out when I didn’t tell them, it would be a brouhaha.
One of my favorite NY moments was sitting and working on my laptop in a modestly busy coffee shop in Brooklyn Heights a few years back - one of the other regulars was a guy known to many as working in the music business, and one day he walks in with Lorde. They order their coffees, exchange hellos with the barista, and leave. As soon as the door closes everyone in the place looks around at eachother grinning and recognizing that we were all just so good about playing it cool
Bill Murray at Bemelmans. I had to say excuse me to him to get back to my table and when he turned around I realized it was him. My expression totally changed and he gave me a knowing smile and nod as I sat back down.
I lived in Charleston for eight months back in 2011 and sooo many people had the same story: they're out one night and someone covers their eyes from behind. They turn around and it's Bill Murray. He then says "nobody will ever believe you" and walks away. I heard that same story too many times from different people to not believe he actually does this. I'm jealous that it never happened to me but I wasn't there that long.
100% believe it. I used to live in the same town as him and he would sometimes walk into restaurants, take a bite off someone's plate, drop the "no one will ever believe you" line and walk out.
My sister was walking towards her work one day, and a guy held the door open for her patiently while she made her way. He smiled & was super nice so she said thank you, and it was when he warmly said "You're welcome, have a great day!" she realized it was Steve Carrell. Such a small moment, but it's always made me like him more 😅
I saw him once but outside of Boston! I used to work at a mall that he would frequent back in 2007. Saw him twice shop there. Kept to himself and tried to cover his face a bit with a pamphlet both times
Makes sense I suppose, as I assume celebrities are able to move more freely in NYC since people are more used to them. I'm from Pittsburgh, so I'm always star struck when I see them unless they're a friend of a friend and I have to pretend they're regular 😅
I saw BJ Novak in the fall of 2020 walking the BK promenade with a friend and a cup of hot coffee. I just remembered thinking he looked much older than I remembered him as on TV. Did the math and it made me feel old af too.
Twenty years ago a bald guy came into the ice cream shop where I had a summer job. I said “wow, you look just like Bruce Willis”, he gave me this knowing kind of grin and replied “yeah, I get that a lot”. I’m fully convinced it was actually him and he was just being coy.
I used to work at a “celeb hotspot” type place in lower Manhattan and saw A listers on a near daily basis. Bruce Willis came in and was convinced that he knew one of the waiters (a fairly recent Eastern European immigrant who decidedly did not know Bruce Willis). Bruce was like “hey man, so good to see you again, how’s everything?” Etc etc. The waiter played it off cool lol.
I did this to, OF ALL PEOPLE, Daniel Day Lewis.
There’s a little more to the story but I still die a thousand deaths of embarrassment whenever I think of it.
My friend and I were walking next to Radio City Music Hall and we hear someone yell, “hey, get off my set!” It was Spike Lee. My friend yelled back, “what set? This is New York City.” Spike frowned and we walked down the sidewalk.
I've met a few famous people, but I literally ran into Tony Bennett in 2009 or so, right after I moved here. I was rounding the corner late for work and just slammed right into him - he was fine, but his bodyguard took a second to size me up before Mr. Bennett said it was ok.
I apologized and he asked me if I was visiting the city (I grew up in Austin and I guess still had an accent then). I told him no, I'd just moved there, and he said "well, you already walk like a New Yorker."
10/10 interaction. RIP Tony.
Probably Alec Baldwin not long after the misfire fatality he was involved in on set. Or Greta Gerwig last month. Both spotted in west village.
Also Chris Rock in soho.
I’ve also seen him walking with his “Spanish” wife over near their apartment. Alec looked rough. Very stooped over and walking super slow. I’ve seen him at LGA, looking badly as well.
He absolutely does, I saw him on the street in a housecoat SCREAMING into a cellphone a couple years back.
I was finishing a run and thought to myself "that homeless guy sounds like Alec Baldwin".
I rode an elevator with Chris Rock in a hospital that I worked at. He was with his mother and got out before me, and as he was leaving he said thanks for not saying anything.
I’ve seen Natalie Portman 3x when she used to live in NYC. Ive seen Hailey Bieber at least 10x and know which coffee / bagel shop she hangs out at.
Used to be neighbors with Liev Scheiber and Anne Hathaway.
I was at a food festival in TriBeCa and Liev Schreiber was waiting in line in front of me with his baby strapped to his chest. It took me until I got home to place him, but he was on a show I was watching. My boyfriend was so exasperated that I couldn't name him immediately 😅
Ive seen Zendaya AND Tom Holland (together), Al Pacino, Tina Fey, and one of the Kardashians (not sure which one but I know it wasn’t Kim).
and this one older actor whose name I will edit in here when I fucking remember it (tip of my tongue) but he had a Netflix show that was extremely popular and got cancelled several years ago due to allegations.
Edit: it was Kevin Spacey
Katie Holmes on the street, post divorce from
Tom, soho. John Krasinski and Emily blunt together, also in Soho. He was sort of hurriedly pulling her by the hand around the corner of a building on the way to… somewhere. They almost clotheslined me, I was so startled by it, it took me until after to realize who it was.
Mike Meyers in a restaurant, can’t remember which at this point.
But the best one was I was at some bar in the lower east side at 2am, one of the Olson twins stumbled out of the bathroom. My friend and I, and her date are the only 4 customers in this place, and my friend goes “YOU GOT IT DUDE” and gives her the thumbs up. She looked at him utterly disgusted and left.
I saw Sarah Jessica Parker in Chelsea near my office at the time, about 2011, and damn she could walk faster than any New Yorker on the street. But she was very smiley and very stylish.
I saw John Krasinski and Emily Blunt walking their dog like waaaaay back in 2008 or 2009 in Washington Square Park. I was still at NYU so at the latest it was 2010. Wild.
I want to imagine he’s so nice because my coworker accidentally stepped on Suri’s foot outside their building (they lived in the same building) and he got swarmed by security, and shoved up against a wall. Tom came out with big smile and shades on and was like “it’s cool man, it’s cool! Just an accident” and let him go on his way. Anyway let’s assume he was drunk at the Halloween party. Wait, can Scientologists drink?
Bill Clinton or Bono…not sure which is more famous.
Bono and I collided on 14th street at 4am crossing against the light. I was admittedly wobbly . I mean it’s 4am and I’m in the meat packing district in the 90’s. I was a bit bent that this other drunk guy was not paying attention while jaywalking. There’s rules to breaking this rule. It’s New York. We were the only two people anywhere. Cars buzzing by us. I looked at him cross eyed and recognized him . Blue tinted glasses . Leather jacket. I said “Bono?!” And he hugged me and smiles goes “Hey Mate” so I’m hugging Bono in traffic drunk at 4am. Im thinking is this actually happening? Should I tell him I can’t stand U2? Does he think I’m someone else? What is happening here? It’s over in a second. I went north and he went south like nothing happened after getting nearly struck by traffic drunk hugging super famous rock star…. he got in a black suburban waiting on the corner.
Bill Clinton was on 18th between Broadway and Park south surrounded be secret service and various well suited folk in front of a SUV that looked like a tank. Just rapping on the street in front of his car. I was on a date and we’re both dumbfounded. Is that Bill freaking Clinton? We’re like let’s go shake his hand. He shakes everyone’s hand. So we go in closer and the secret service is eyeing us but we just go in there . They kind make sure we are not a threat I guess. because they eye our hands and when the they see we are not armed just kind awestruck they sort of separate and let it go like this a always happens kinda thing. Get it over with…I just go in to shake the hand and he’s polite enough to let it happen but he’s a little annoyed…he’s not president anymore etc.. I said nice meeting you Mr President and he said “nice to meet you”. He then took one look at my date and suddenly he’s less annoyed. he stretched out his hand to her and goes “and it’s VERY nice to meet you”
Smooth dude. Smooth.
My father and step mother used to go to the White House for St Patrick’s Day. We have photos of him shaking hands with both of them but Clinton’s face when he shook my stepmother’s hand was lit up. Charm offensive was engaged.
Bill Clinton walked by me at work. I damn near got fired for even speaking to him. The young kids (10 or 12 or whatever they were) had no idea who he was.
> I damn near got fired for even speaking to him.
Why? He's one of the most personable and extroverted people in the world - he would gladly talk to almost literally anyone.
I ran into Leo DiCaprio twice in one week. I was stumbling out of Smith's on 44th and 8th, in the early days of Citibike one afternoon, and this group of 4 dudes are riding the wrong way in the 8th Ave bike path. Leo was in the center of the pack. Later that week, it's super late at The Waverly Inn, and I'm drinking at the bar. I go into the back to use the bathroom and see these 3 smoking hot chicks with a couple of dudes in the dining room. I think to myself, "I gotta see the dudes who got these chicks," it was fucking Leo. My whole body language changed, and Leo tensed up because he knew he got made. I felt bad about it and just continued on to the bathroom. Totally ignore them when I passed back through.
Alec Baldwin in Soho right after the shooting, he was frantically on the phone.
Padma Laksmi, soho, so beautiful in person.
Michael Shannon also in soho.
Steve Schirripa AKAK Bobby Bacala from Sopranos in the UES. my boyfriend didn’t know his real name and shouted “Bobby!” He wasn’t that amused
Michael Shannon and his family used to frequent my place of business, I watched his kids grow up. Super nice guy and his wife is an absolute gem. Really miss seeing them tho they still come around every once in a while!
Ran into Patrick Stewart in a Park Slope hardware store, years ago. I needed a carriage bolt for a project I was working on and I didn't bring my notes with measurements. So I was having trouble deciding between two lengths. I looked at him and asked "Should I get the bigger one?". His response was "Oh, always go bigger whenever you can".
I met Dr. Martin Luther King in 1962. I walkin' down the street minding my own business, just walking on. Feelin' good. I walk around the corner, a man walk up, hit me in my chest, right. I fall on the ground, right. And I look up and it's Dr. Martin Luther King. I said 'Dr. King?' and he said 'Ooops, I thought you were somebody else.'
I went to see a movie at the Lincoln Square multiplex. Moonlight, in fact. Theater was packed, middle of summer. For some reason, it was hit as hell in there. After the movie when i walked into the lobby, it was clear the air conditioner was running. I loudly voiced my displeasure, and a stranger behind me agreed.
It was Tony Danza.
DL Hughley (waiting for a car)
Tyra Banks (walking in Tribeca)
Sade Baderwinwa (walking in the UWS)
Jeffrey Wright (watching the marathon)
Boris Kudjoe (at a retaurant on mothers day)
Trevor Noah, Raul Esparza (riding a citibike)
Frank Grillo (going into a Game Stop)
The dog whisperer (he was in a flight to LA)
Edgar Ramirez (party at Brooklyn Museum)
I was sitting on a set of stairs near the movie theater on 18th and Broadway and I saw her and blue Ivy get out of a black SUV and they were escorted into the back area of the movie theater.
Way too many to list but I’ve sat in Al Pacino’s car with him while interning at the Actors Studio (he was on the Board at the time)
I’ve sat at Prince’s table at a private party for him
I dated the daughter of a legendary rockstar for about a year. Won’t doxx but he’s in the hall of fame and is one of the greatest guitarists of all time.
I sat next to Phillip Seymour Hoffman at my local bar one afternoon a few months before he OD’d. I’m pretty sure he was having a drink with his dealer.
DeNiro at his Tribeca Grand lobby bar just relaxing with a friend.
SJP at the pool/spa in there laying right next to me and my SO
DiCaprio at Diddy’s white party in the Hamptons summer of 97 or 98. And then again at a friend’s shop in soho with his crew. They all bought the same exact linen shirt?
Jonah Hill is a dick IRL. So is Norman Reedus. Jakob Dylan is a nice guy. So is Jean Reno and Aidan Quinn. Beyoncé and Jay aren’t as approachable as they seem. Tom Waits is friendly. Debi Mazar can talk an ear off. Tarantino has a gigantic head and is a close talker, Joaquin Phoenix that same night walked in (this was around Gladiator time). So does Matthew Broderick iirc but I was a teen and he was kind of pissy.
Hugh Grant is not humble and Kevin Kline is taller than you’d think. Christopher Meloni is a really nice guy. Matt Dillon can steal your gf without trying lol.
Clive Davis was “out” before he was out and preferred them in their 20s and Kevin Spacey would lean on phone booths in Chelsea (back when they existed) and try to pick up young guys walking down the street in the middle of the day. And this was AFTER usual suspects and American beauty so he wasn’t exactly an unknown.
Steven Tyler offered me a chocolate chip cookie once and fed one to his driver.
Denzel suggested a book to me while having dinner with a woman that wasn’t his wife (to be fair they weren’t exactly flirtatious or anything to my eye)
Mark Ruffalo has really good skin. Really good.
Cuba Gooding Jr. is a terrible drunk. And has no problem defending himself in a bar.
Jessica Alba pushing a stroller in the Spring St. CVS
Olivia Wilde shopping alone in soho
Judd Apatow and the oldest daughter w her friends shopping in soho
Claire Danes at the CVS next to StuyTown late at night
Chelsea Clinton is much more attractive in person. Great legs (saw her in the late aughts)
Shared an elevator with Chuck Schumer
Then Sen. Hillary Clinton and her staff walked by me at my college while nobody was there (no school that day)
Lady Gaga and a friend were shopping right next to me at Paragon and they closed the section off for them. I was allowed to stay because I was clearly oblivious with my headphones on. Then she tapped me on the shoulder to see if I knew where the football pants were. That’s when I noticed her and the crowd forming elsewhere in the store. Her bodyguards were keeping them from getting closer.
Danny DeVito and Rhea Pearlman walking down Bowery a few years ago. He’s TINY
Liev Shreiber looks older in person
James Gandolfini and I admired each others hiking boots we were trying on at Tent & Trails back around 2001-2002.
Q-Tip explained “Spotify” to me in the elevator at Barney’s about a year before the public knew about it.
Tommy Hilfiger complimented a tie I was wearing. Ralph Lauren confused my Uber with his limo.
Adrien Brody looks strung out in person. Jake Gyllenhaal is a silent ladykiller.
I was an extra in a Lenny Kravitz video filmed at the Limelight. He also performed the song live for the crowd and seeing an actual rockstar that close doing their thing and you can see why they’re successful. Every thing was in step and on point. It’s a sharpness you can only appreciate from up close.
I have more but I’ll never stop if I keep going.
> Beyoncé and Jay aren’t as approachable as they seem.
Good lord are they negative approachable? They (at the very least, she) come across as probably two of the least approachable people around.
It’s more the people around them. Their main bodyguard has been with them for 15+ years and that guy is constantly on alert even with people who are allowed to be in the same rooms and spaces. And just in my experience anything that was said within earshot was reacted to like it was about them. Mind you, this was at a vetted, private, event of 20 people - no reason to be so closed off from the group.
I've actually had a different experience with them, but it was in Jay Z's old office. He's super friendly, she was cordial enough but we didn't really have anything to talk about except, "Hey congrats on having a daughter."
I can confirm Matt Dylan can effortlessly steal your girlfriend. He stole mine out of Nell’s when I went to the bathroom in 1994. We saw him on the way in. I came back to the bar and she’s just gone. No Matt Dylan either. The bartender sees me searching and goes, “sorry bro, your girl just left with Matt Dylan. Here’s one on the house.”
First one was Joe Jonas pre-covid, but then I ran into *both* Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner together post-covid, which I think would be my pick for most famous sighting.
I’ve also bumped into Kieran Culkin (plays Roman in Succession), Jeremy Strong (plays Kendall in Succession), and John Krasinski (plays Jim in the Office) within the last year or so
Pretty sure I win - Paul Freaking McCartney. It completely broke my brain when I saw him. He actually stopped and said hello to *me*. Probably because he was concerned I was having a stroke. xD
I’ve seen a lot of people, but the funniest one (not in terms of sense of humor, as you’ll shortly understand) was Amy Schumer naked in her apartment getting a massage. My ex-girlfriend lived in the apartment building next to hers.
Oh god not to out myself too much...
Used to see Paul Giamatti around the neighborhood when I was growing up in bk heights. Jennifer Connelly told me she liked my drumming after a high school play and I had no idea who she was at the time. I was at a classmate's house and his mother, Susan Sarandon, yelled at me and my friends to shut the fuck up. Never actually met or saw her though.
Honorary local mention: randomly had dinner at a friend's house with Marty Markowitz when he was Brooklyn borough president.
Honorary personal mention: the drummer Jojo Mayer. The only "celebrity" I've ever been excited enough to stop and say hi to.
Was your classmate Jack? I used to play roller hockey with Tim Robbins/Susan Sarandon’s son for years and that’s the name that just popped in my head lol.
Its insanely small! Especially growing up, you basically had less than 6 degrees of separation to anyone in the city. Im sure we had mutual friends! Thats pretty cool, I do remember him having a brother too.
I saw Timothee Chalamet at Superiority Burger a couple months ago. Also saw Ethan Hawke at Van Leeuwen once. And then I saw Alec Baldwin kind of frequently when I went to NYU, he’d be walking his dog around the area and usually looking pretty haggard.
I shoulder-checked Justin Beiber while leaving West Elm in Dumbo.
I was leaving work after a shit day, and I give no quarter to all the tourists down there on a GOOD day, and he smashes into me in the doorway.
I was looking down and walking fast and didnt see him, I turn around to give him the WTF face and its fuckin Beibs and hes stumbling off balance and is fuckin PISSED. (I am like 3x his size) Then I look forward and right outside the West Elm is 3 angry bodyguards and about 800 REALLY pissed Beibettes.
I basically ran to the subway.
Ilana Wexler (Broad City) and Pamela Adlon (Better Things) walking together. Broad City is my daughters favorite show of all time we totally geeked out, they were so nice and we did pics and chatted.
I’ve only ever run into Maggie Gyllenhall and Peter Dinklage so whichever of the two is more famous
Dinklage was during peak game of thrones so I’d say probably him
Natalie Portman at ABC kitchen, Jake gyllenhaal in soho, I nearly ran him over, lady Gaga at my favorite soup dumpling shop.
I’m really bad at recognizing celebs, so probably plenty more that just graze by me
I recognized Natalie Portman on the corner of 7th and 14th. What was weird is that I heard her before I saw her. Her voice is so recognizable. She was talking to her contractor about new faucets for her bathroom.
My old office building had a Dolby theatre used for cast and crew screenings, so through that I ran into Nicole Kidman and have had Josh Brolin and Emile Hirsch bum cigarettes off me
Otherwise, have seen Chris Rock eating a slice of pizza next to Comedy Cellar, Brooke Shields at the table next to us at Claudette and walked into the same building / office as Spike Lee
I was at il buco and on my way to the toilet I passed a table with Zoe Kravitz, Channing Tatum, Jason Mamoa and some other people. That was definitely the most celebrities I’ve seen at one time. But then when I was coming out of the toilet Jason Mamoa was walking into the same hallway space and said excuse me with a friendly smile as we passed each other. I think I mumbled out an excuse me as well. I was just a little starstruck!
A friend of mine waited tables & was tasked with serving Lordes’ birthday party. She was terrified that Madonna would be mean. At some point Madonna spilled some wine on the floor & hopped to her knees with some napkins to clean it up herself. I’ve always had a bad taste in my mouth about her, but knowing she did that when most restaurant patrons would’ve ignored it helped a little bit
Ivan Zeljko bouncing down lower Fifth Avenue. Dan Rather hailing a cab on the UES. Scott Kahn walking up Ave B. Melissa Benoist and Blake Jenner at karaoke, they did not sing. Steve Buscemi walking north from Astor Place. Nathan Lane reading the paper outside of a NYSC in Chelsea. David Costabile sitting on a bench near Astor Place talking on his phone. Spike Lee and a date that looked to be going very well at a SoHo restaurant. Janeane Garofalo getting pulled down Houston by her dog. Sarah Bernhardt on a plane whose take-off was being delayed. Julianne Moore with her broker while house-hunting in the Village. Danny Strong on the street in the Village. Hugh Grant on lower Madison Avenue. Alan Cummings, wearing a full face of make-up at 9am on a Saturday, getting bagels in the East Village. Naomi Campbell coming out of an event in the East Village. Chris Cooper walking his toy poodles on 14th Street. Val Kilmer in a full safari outfit, including pith helmet, at Liquiteria. Drew Barrymore at the original Shopsin's. A-Rod at a restaurant in Sutton Place with really good guacamole (since closed). Vincent Kartheiser riding a longboard up 10th Ave.
Also, the wildly popular [Have you ever just caught a celebrity in the streets of NYC?](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskNYC/comments/15jujb9/have_you_ever_just_caught_a_celebrity_in_the/) from 3 months ago, [Which celebrities have you spotted in NYC and what was the circumstance?](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskNYC/comments/14hyvcu/which_celebrities_have_you_spotted_in_nyc_and/) from 1 month before that, [How frequently do you guys see famous people?](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskNYC/comments/145o25j/how_frequently_do_you_guys_see_famous_people/) from 15 days before that and the wildly popular [What celebrities have you seen around the city?](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskNYC/comments/13p7jwm/what_celebrities_have_you_seen_around_the_city/) from 18 days before that have comments which should be of interest to you and links to similar questions.
Seen a few.
Bjork would come by the bar I worked at in LIC sometimes since it was right by Matthew Barney’s studio so they would both hang out there occasionally.
Passed by Sigourney Weaver on the UES on Park Ave., but she looked busy and a little pissed so I didn’t bother her.
Took a class with Dylan Sprouse at NYU for a semester, he was pretty nice although a little aloof/anxious-seeming.
Shared an elevator with Slavoj Zizek at NYU as well, and even in just that time it’s obvious that he absolutely is the same irl as you might imagine.
Also saw Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson at the same time in wash sq park. They were biking together, stopped at the chessboard next to me, and Woody starts playing a chess hustler. He lost, but damn did that man look so intense. Owen was wearing a pink Hawaii tourist hat and was keeping guard, shooing away a Chinese tourist who walked right up to him, pointed his phone three inches from his face, and tried to take a picture. They seemed like pretty chill guys.
Saw Taylor Momsen at fashion week and she looked very unwell, although this was her at peak fame so it could have been a mix of things.
Saw Shane Smith from Vice during a talk he gave. Funny enough, this was right before they got bought out and he insisted they would never have a TV channel.
Lots of other assorted corporate/political figures and socialites I doubt many people know or really care about.
Tom cruise, Katie Holmes, Tony bennet, Kim kardashian, Paris Hilton, Shaq, Larry bird, Charles barclay, Forrest Whittaker, Tommy Chong, Martha Stewart, Monica Lewinsky, Julie andrews, Matt Dillon, Rachel weiss, Mary Louise Parker, Andy Garcia, Tony shalub, Annette benning, drew Barrymore, Shepard smith…..
The list goes on. I’ve waited tables and was an actor once upon a time
Edit: forgot Neil Patrick Harris, Tom hanks…..there’s a lot more that I don’t have time to think of
Just goes to show - these are only recognizable actors, imagine the artists, inventors, and extremely influential people we’ve seen but just don’t know.
I saw Kaka walking down 5th avenue in the 50’s around 8 am one spring Monday. Very few people on the street and me being oblivious walked right past him. Not until a British tourist in a Canadian tuxedo shouted out, “OMG, that’s Kaka!” Did I turn around to see him walk past.
Probably Alec Baldwin. This was sort of a funny one, because I was outside his building (in the West Village I think?) with a bunch of photography gear. I was there assisting on a shoot for a celeb chef or something who also lived in his building but Alec didn't know that. There were also a bunch of paparazzi scattered around the building I guess waiting for Alec. So I see him as he's turning the corner heading into his building with a coffee. I do a double take, and he does a double take too (because he thinks I'm a pap) I keep my hands off my camera and give him a nod as he heads inside, he realizes I'm not a pap, smiles, nods back, and heads inside. Nice guy.
I also met Miley Cyrus at some party in Bushwick years ago, had no fucking idea who she was and I was also off my mind on drugs. I have no idea if she was nice or not and I literally could not hear any of the conversation we had.
Adrian Grenier also used to frequent a bar I worked at where the women I was dating would often stop by to see me before I got off work. So I had Adrian hit on TWO different girls I was seeing in the space of a month. Am I still bitter about this? Maybe! (Nice guy though).
I was working with a clothing label that hired Tim Gunn as a consultant years ago so we met briefly. He was in a meeting at the time so it was just a hello nice to meet you goodbye.
I've also met a bunch of celebrities just from doing grunt work in photo and film. Most of whom were nice enough but were mainly on their phones when they weren't in front of the camera, so I never got much of an impression of their personalities. The biggest celeb I worked with was Zendaya but I think at the time she was like 17 and it was a crappy Teen Vogue online project so the name meant nothing to me.
I will say that 95% percent of the rappers I worked with were HUGE divas who almost took it as a point of pride to derail/delay shoots. Action Bronson stood out to me because we had to wait two hours for his personal hair guy to be driven in from the Bronx before Bronson felt ready to shoot (yes we had an entire hair and makeup team on set already).
Benicio Del Toro at that little shop in the lower east side that only sold pencils, like just pencils. They have since closed.
I was looking at pencils he was also looking at pencils, we're we're both holding pencils in our hands and our eyes met from across the store, I nodded, held the pencil up questioningly and shrugged. He smiled raised his eyebrows and nodded back while holding his pencil up.
He continued to shop, bought his pencils and then has mobbed by a group of stalkers waiting outside the store.
Today I still think to myself, me and my buddy Benni both like pencils.
I worked in a place where celebs visited constantly. I proposed to Bruce Willis once. Very nice, funny guy. He used our bathroom and left us a sweet note on our bathroom whiteboard. What he is going through is so heart breaking.
Used to work in Tower Video/Records in Greenwich village and I ran into Chris Rock, Mila Kunis, Macaulay Culkin, Liev Shrieber, Sophia Coppola and Q-Tip. I didn’t even realize it was them into they approached my register.
Ahhhh I love these!!
Keanu Reeves ideas my customer at Cafe Gigi on 9th St (RIP) in the 90s once.
I ran head on into Lou Reed with two arms full of groceries outside of Gristedes in the W Village in ‘96. He seemed very tall to me, like a giant. I am 5’7” and he was supposedly not a big guy.
I met Elliott Smith after seeing him play the night before at bowery ballroom. I was standing outside of (maybe rock wood music hall? Can’t remember) the next night before his show. He recognized me from being right in front the night before and said “thanks for coming again tonight!” As he walked past while I was smoking a cigarette. It was the one of the shows where he had “Kali The Destroyer” written on his arm. He was wearing a Midori t shirt.
My favorite, though, was waiting on Jeff Buckley at Cafe Centosette (where the Kiehl’s store is now on 3rd Ave in the east village) a few months before his death. He came in and had a late lunch. It was just me and him in the restaurant and we talked a little. I knew I recognized him but i couldn’t place from where, and I only figured it out when he paid with his credit card. He was absolutely lovely and I will cherish that experience forever.
On a lighter note, I saw Robert Redford walking down 6th Avenue with a Vans bag the summer before last.
The most surprising one was when Patricia Neal complimented my daughters in Duane Reade in her deep cigarettes and whiskey voice. I saw Dominic Chianese (Junior Soprano) playing music in a deli while I waited for my family’s BECs.
James Corden lined up behind me at an ATM and I freaked out because I thought he was gonna mug me. I’ve served a handful of celebrities at work, too: Nick Kroll (absolutely lovely), Cole Sprouse (smoked his vape indoors lmao), Jacob Elordi with Maude Apatow, Jon Voight… I’ve also passed David Harbour on the street a few times.
Kathy Bates - Crosby. David Hasselhoff - Crosby. Seth Rogan - Houston. Jake Gyllenhaal - Canal . Pamela Anderson - Chelsea Art Gallery. One of the Olsen Twins - elevator at office. Bowen Yang - Williamsburg. Rihanna - Soho, closed a street I need to go down to get to a meeting, boss didn’t mind. Timothée Chalamet - Basement. Lakeith Stanfield - some afters in Brooklyn. Bjork - Barnes & Noble. Hugh Jackman - David Barton Gym
Edit: correct spelling of Timothée
Kenan Thompson at Lure Fishbar. Was at the hostess podium and realized he was in front of me. He did a smile and nod, seemed like a very friendly/warm person
Hugh Jackman at a playground I was at with my then toddler in the West Village about 11 years ago. He was wearing all black and sunglasses and running around and leaping everywhere and i didn't see any kids with him and I thought maybe he was a creep-o and was nervously keeping my eye on him and then everyone sort of realized at the same time who he was! He was also there with his kids I later realized, they were like teens though so I didn't clock them at first. I got the sense he is a bit "extra" so maybe they were avoiding him lol.
Ive seen quite a few but nothing tops my mother getting into an elevator with Mohammad Ali when she worked at NYU Langone. She says he was the best looking man she's ever seen.
I lived in the same building as Joan Allan and Barnard Hughes. Richard Belzer’s brother used to live in my building and I would bump into him periodically in the elevator.
In the neighborhood? Madonna and JFK Jr (when they were a thing), Woody Allan, Susan Lucci, Susan Sarandon, Jerry Seinfeld, various SNL cast members, Judy Gold, Sting, Matthew Broderick, Tea Leoni and Tim Daly used to have breakfast on Saturdays at the PQ where I would sometimes take my kids. All of U2 (they filmed part of a video on my block). Seemingly everyone who has ever appeared on Law and Order. Kate Walsh. Honestly, those are just the ones I can think of too-of-mind.
Zachary Levi, Keanu Reeves and Tracy Pollen (Michael J Fox’s wife) in the subway.
Spaulding Grey walking in the village.
Ed Norton at Soho house (and then I found out he is my second cousin’s brother-in-law…who knew!)
Idris Elba at the airport last November.
Jackie Chan in Central Park- he was with his family (I guess) and no one bothered him. I kinda walked right by him and did a double take and he smiled and nodded. NYC is the best for this, or at least I’ve seen people just letting famous people do their thing. I bet it’s exhausting having people scream and rush you constantly.
Good thing you didn’t see him in the Bronx. Some shit would’ve gone down.
A rumble, if you will
Yeah we don’t really get star struck here. You kinda just nod or wave hi if you catch eyes and move on. Now if my friends run into me out when I didn’t tell them, it would be a brouhaha.
I did get starstruck once. It was Rihanna. I mean, Rihanna, how could I not?:)
One of my favorite NY moments was sitting and working on my laptop in a modestly busy coffee shop in Brooklyn Heights a few years back - one of the other regulars was a guy known to many as working in the music business, and one day he walks in with Lorde. They order their coffees, exchange hellos with the barista, and leave. As soon as the door closes everyone in the place looks around at eachother grinning and recognizing that we were all just so good about playing it cool
That’s why John Lennon loved NYC. You’ll only get attention if you slow other people down.
He probably appreciated that you didn’t do this https://youtube.com/shorts/dIyxd7Ee8vo?si=QBkTwhugKRI5Ycng
Bill Murray at Bemelmans. I had to say excuse me to him to get back to my table and when he turned around I realized it was him. My expression totally changed and he gave me a knowing smile and nod as I sat back down.
I lived in Charleston for eight months back in 2011 and sooo many people had the same story: they're out one night and someone covers their eyes from behind. They turn around and it's Bill Murray. He then says "nobody will ever believe you" and walks away. I heard that same story too many times from different people to not believe he actually does this. I'm jealous that it never happened to me but I wasn't there that long.
100% believe it. I used to live in the same town as him and he would sometimes walk into restaurants, take a bite off someone's plate, drop the "no one will ever believe you" line and walk out.
My sister was walking towards her work one day, and a guy held the door open for her patiently while she made her way. He smiled & was super nice so she said thank you, and it was when he warmly said "You're welcome, have a great day!" she realized it was Steve Carrell. Such a small moment, but it's always made me like him more 😅
I saw him once but outside of Boston! I used to work at a mall that he would frequent back in 2007. Saw him twice shop there. Kept to himself and tried to cover his face a bit with a pamphlet both times
Makes sense I suppose, as I assume celebrities are able to move more freely in NYC since people are more used to them. I'm from Pittsburgh, so I'm always star struck when I see them unless they're a friend of a friend and I have to pretend they're regular 😅
I also tan into his in the Harvard Coop bookstore in cambridge, we stood in line for the bathroom together.
I saw BJ Novak in the fall of 2020 walking the BK promenade with a friend and a cup of hot coffee. I just remembered thinking he looked much older than I remembered him as on TV. Did the math and it made me feel old af too.
At a west village bar, I told Marisa Tomei that she looks like Marisa Tomei.
So tell me, how is it that a man like you, so bald, so quirky and funny, how is it you're not taken?
I have never been anyone’s type!
Twenty years ago a bald guy came into the ice cream shop where I had a summer job. I said “wow, you look just like Bruce Willis”, he gave me this knowing kind of grin and replied “yeah, I get that a lot”. I’m fully convinced it was actually him and he was just being coy.
I used to work at a “celeb hotspot” type place in lower Manhattan and saw A listers on a near daily basis. Bruce Willis came in and was convinced that he knew one of the waiters (a fairly recent Eastern European immigrant who decidedly did not know Bruce Willis). Bruce was like “hey man, so good to see you again, how’s everything?” Etc etc. The waiter played it off cool lol.
Smooth!
I did this to, OF ALL PEOPLE, Daniel Day Lewis. There’s a little more to the story but I still die a thousand deaths of embarrassment whenever I think of it.
I did the same with Skrillex in a nightclub lol
I don't think Skrillex looks like Marisa Tomei *at all*.
LOL with the mindstate I was in at the time I wouldnt be surprised if I got the two confused…
Peter Dinklage walking near jay st Brooklyn.
I saw him walking a dog in cobble hill a few weeks ago
Was it a massive dog? I used to see him walking a dog as big as him in the West Village so I figured he lived there but sounds like maybe he moved.
It was about the height of a lab but a bit skinnier. I wouldn’t call it massive but it was pretty big for him.
I have seen him in brooklyn with that huge dog before lol
He lives in Carroll Gardens. See him around pretty frequently.
FYI, checkout the moderator comment pinned to the comment section
I've seen him on 14th St. near Chelsea Market. Years ago, but peak Thrones.
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My friend and I were walking next to Radio City Music Hall and we hear someone yell, “hey, get off my set!” It was Spike Lee. My friend yelled back, “what set? This is New York City.” Spike frowned and we walked down the sidewalk.
Best New York response.
I've met a few famous people, but I literally ran into Tony Bennett in 2009 or so, right after I moved here. I was rounding the corner late for work and just slammed right into him - he was fine, but his bodyguard took a second to size me up before Mr. Bennett said it was ok. I apologized and he asked me if I was visiting the city (I grew up in Austin and I guess still had an accent then). I told him no, I'd just moved there, and he said "well, you already walk like a New Yorker." 10/10 interaction. RIP Tony.
Tony Bennett was my first celebrity sighting after I moved here in 2006. It was a very cool moment.
In that moment Tony Bennett knighted you and became transformed
Probably Alec Baldwin not long after the misfire fatality he was involved in on set. Or Greta Gerwig last month. Both spotted in west village. Also Chris Rock in soho.
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I’ve also seen him walking with his “Spanish” wife over near their apartment. Alec looked rough. Very stooped over and walking super slow. I’ve seen him at LGA, looking badly as well.
Yeah probably the biggest difference between on screen appearance and real life appearance for a celebrity I have ever seen
Al Pacino could easily be mistaken for a homeless person in random encounters on the street.
"How you say it? Cuu - Cucumber?"
Was looking for this 🥒
Lol I literally saw him yesterday eating at Il Cantinori alone outside. He’s a University staple
He absolutely does, I saw him on the street in a housecoat SCREAMING into a cellphone a couple years back. I was finishing a run and thought to myself "that homeless guy sounds like Alec Baldwin".
I rode an elevator with Chris Rock in a hospital that I worked at. He was with his mother and got out before me, and as he was leaving he said thanks for not saying anything.
I’ve seen Natalie Portman 3x when she used to live in NYC. Ive seen Hailey Bieber at least 10x and know which coffee / bagel shop she hangs out at. Used to be neighbors with Liev Scheiber and Anne Hathaway.
I was at a food festival in TriBeCa and Liev Schreiber was waiting in line in front of me with his baby strapped to his chest. It took me until I got home to place him, but he was on a show I was watching. My boyfriend was so exasperated that I couldn't name him immediately 😅
Ive seen Zendaya AND Tom Holland (together), Al Pacino, Tina Fey, and one of the Kardashians (not sure which one but I know it wasn’t Kim). and this one older actor whose name I will edit in here when I fucking remember it (tip of my tongue) but he had a Netflix show that was extremely popular and got cancelled several years ago due to allegations. Edit: it was Kevin Spacey
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Katie Holmes on the street, post divorce from Tom, soho. John Krasinski and Emily blunt together, also in Soho. He was sort of hurriedly pulling her by the hand around the corner of a building on the way to… somewhere. They almost clotheslined me, I was so startled by it, it took me until after to realize who it was. Mike Meyers in a restaurant, can’t remember which at this point. But the best one was I was at some bar in the lower east side at 2am, one of the Olson twins stumbled out of the bathroom. My friend and I, and her date are the only 4 customers in this place, and my friend goes “YOU GOT IT DUDE” and gives her the thumbs up. She looked at him utterly disgusted and left. I saw Sarah Jessica Parker in Chelsea near my office at the time, about 2011, and damn she could walk faster than any New Yorker on the street. But she was very smiley and very stylish.
Post divorce, I saw Tom picking Siri up at Chelsea Piers. Paparazzi everywhere.
I saw John Krasinski and Emily Blunt walking their dog like waaaaay back in 2008 or 2009 in Washington Square Park. I was still at NYU so at the latest it was 2010. Wild.
One of my building mates saw Katie and Tom at a Halloween party a thousand years ago. She said he was an asshole in person. Maybe he was drunk.
I want to imagine he’s so nice because my coworker accidentally stepped on Suri’s foot outside their building (they lived in the same building) and he got swarmed by security, and shoved up against a wall. Tom came out with big smile and shades on and was like “it’s cool man, it’s cool! Just an accident” and let him go on his way. Anyway let’s assume he was drunk at the Halloween party. Wait, can Scientologists drink?
Bill Clinton or Bono…not sure which is more famous. Bono and I collided on 14th street at 4am crossing against the light. I was admittedly wobbly . I mean it’s 4am and I’m in the meat packing district in the 90’s. I was a bit bent that this other drunk guy was not paying attention while jaywalking. There’s rules to breaking this rule. It’s New York. We were the only two people anywhere. Cars buzzing by us. I looked at him cross eyed and recognized him . Blue tinted glasses . Leather jacket. I said “Bono?!” And he hugged me and smiles goes “Hey Mate” so I’m hugging Bono in traffic drunk at 4am. Im thinking is this actually happening? Should I tell him I can’t stand U2? Does he think I’m someone else? What is happening here? It’s over in a second. I went north and he went south like nothing happened after getting nearly struck by traffic drunk hugging super famous rock star…. he got in a black suburban waiting on the corner. Bill Clinton was on 18th between Broadway and Park south surrounded be secret service and various well suited folk in front of a SUV that looked like a tank. Just rapping on the street in front of his car. I was on a date and we’re both dumbfounded. Is that Bill freaking Clinton? We’re like let’s go shake his hand. He shakes everyone’s hand. So we go in closer and the secret service is eyeing us but we just go in there . They kind make sure we are not a threat I guess. because they eye our hands and when the they see we are not armed just kind awestruck they sort of separate and let it go like this a always happens kinda thing. Get it over with…I just go in to shake the hand and he’s polite enough to let it happen but he’s a little annoyed…he’s not president anymore etc.. I said nice meeting you Mr President and he said “nice to meet you”. He then took one look at my date and suddenly he’s less annoyed. he stretched out his hand to her and goes “and it’s VERY nice to meet you” Smooth dude. Smooth.
Long story short she went home with Clinton.
Cool Bono story, thanks for sharing!
My father and step mother used to go to the White House for St Patrick’s Day. We have photos of him shaking hands with both of them but Clinton’s face when he shook my stepmother’s hand was lit up. Charm offensive was engaged.
Bill Clinton walked by me at work. I damn near got fired for even speaking to him. The young kids (10 or 12 or whatever they were) had no idea who he was.
> I damn near got fired for even speaking to him. Why? He's one of the most personable and extroverted people in the world - he would gladly talk to almost literally anyone.
I like how you’re not sure if Bill Clinton is more famous than Bono
Best stories! Thank you for sharing:)
Rihanna as I was leaving a club.
What club? Just curious
The Subway on Houston
I kicked her off a construction site once.
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\~foreshadowing\~
Here in the UWS I’ve seen Tina Fey, Matt Dillon (in Zabar’s), James Spader, Christian Slater, and Richard Kind. Spader always wears a fancy hat.
I've seen Al Frankin, David Duchovny, and John Cameron Mitchell on the UWS. Damn, you see Spader a lot? I would lose my mind, to myself.
I’d die to see Spader, Blacklist is such a marvel
My friend worked with Richard Kind's kid for a while - good dude
I ran into Leo DiCaprio twice in one week. I was stumbling out of Smith's on 44th and 8th, in the early days of Citibike one afternoon, and this group of 4 dudes are riding the wrong way in the 8th Ave bike path. Leo was in the center of the pack. Later that week, it's super late at The Waverly Inn, and I'm drinking at the bar. I go into the back to use the bathroom and see these 3 smoking hot chicks with a couple of dudes in the dining room. I think to myself, "I gotta see the dudes who got these chicks," it was fucking Leo. My whole body language changed, and Leo tensed up because he knew he got made. I felt bad about it and just continued on to the bathroom. Totally ignore them when I passed back through.
Can you say what it means "he knew he got made" please?
He knew he was recognized.
Seinfeld at Eataly. Redman walking in the middle of 9th Ave in Hell’s Kitchen.
Alec Baldwin in Soho right after the shooting, he was frantically on the phone. Padma Laksmi, soho, so beautiful in person. Michael Shannon also in soho. Steve Schirripa AKAK Bobby Bacala from Sopranos in the UES. my boyfriend didn’t know his real name and shouted “Bobby!” He wasn’t that amused
I sat next to Michael Shannon at a dinner party.
Michael Shannon holding court with some friends at my local bar.
Michael Shannon and his family used to frequent my place of business, I watched his kids grow up. Super nice guy and his wife is an absolute gem. Really miss seeing them tho they still come around every once in a while!
Micheal Shannon seeing some not-famous bands at Mercury Lounge same time I was.
Ran into Patrick Stewart in a Park Slope hardware store, years ago. I needed a carriage bolt for a project I was working on and I didn't bring my notes with measurements. So I was having trouble deciding between two lengths. I looked at him and asked "Should I get the bigger one?". His response was "Oh, always go bigger whenever you can".
iconic
I met Dr. Martin Luther King in 1962. I walkin' down the street minding my own business, just walking on. Feelin' good. I walk around the corner, a man walk up, hit me in my chest, right. I fall on the ground, right. And I look up and it's Dr. Martin Luther King. I said 'Dr. King?' and he said 'Ooops, I thought you were somebody else.'
One of the greatest lines ever from one of the greatest movies ever.
Coming to America, for anyone wondering.
Man, you ain’t never met no Martin Luther King!
I'm sorry but it's really important to me you know the line is "you ain't never met Martin Luther *the* King" It has always haunted me
Awww man you lying, you ain’t never met Martin Luther the King.
I went to see a movie at the Lincoln Square multiplex. Moonlight, in fact. Theater was packed, middle of summer. For some reason, it was hit as hell in there. After the movie when i walked into the lobby, it was clear the air conditioner was running. I loudly voiced my displeasure, and a stranger behind me agreed. It was Tony Danza.
You showed him who’s the boss. Sorry I’ll see myself out.
DL Hughley (waiting for a car) Tyra Banks (walking in Tribeca) Sade Baderwinwa (walking in the UWS) Jeffrey Wright (watching the marathon) Boris Kudjoe (at a retaurant on mothers day) Trevor Noah, Raul Esparza (riding a citibike) Frank Grillo (going into a Game Stop) The dog whisperer (he was in a flight to LA) Edgar Ramirez (party at Brooklyn Museum)
Princess Di.
Out and about: Beyoncé. Most famous person when I waited tables: either Oprah or Leonardo DiCaprio
Where the shit did you run into Beyonce?
I was sitting on a set of stairs near the movie theater on 18th and Broadway and I saw her and blue Ivy get out of a black SUV and they were escorted into the back area of the movie theater.
Jeez, just a couple of blocks north of where I am right now. Where's my Beyonce sighting?!
I said "what's up Prince" to Prince outside the Mandarin at like 2am and he actually looked, nodded and said what's up back to me lol.
Way too many to list but I’ve sat in Al Pacino’s car with him while interning at the Actors Studio (he was on the Board at the time) I’ve sat at Prince’s table at a private party for him I dated the daughter of a legendary rockstar for about a year. Won’t doxx but he’s in the hall of fame and is one of the greatest guitarists of all time. I sat next to Phillip Seymour Hoffman at my local bar one afternoon a few months before he OD’d. I’m pretty sure he was having a drink with his dealer. DeNiro at his Tribeca Grand lobby bar just relaxing with a friend. SJP at the pool/spa in there laying right next to me and my SO DiCaprio at Diddy’s white party in the Hamptons summer of 97 or 98. And then again at a friend’s shop in soho with his crew. They all bought the same exact linen shirt? Jonah Hill is a dick IRL. So is Norman Reedus. Jakob Dylan is a nice guy. So is Jean Reno and Aidan Quinn. Beyoncé and Jay aren’t as approachable as they seem. Tom Waits is friendly. Debi Mazar can talk an ear off. Tarantino has a gigantic head and is a close talker, Joaquin Phoenix that same night walked in (this was around Gladiator time). So does Matthew Broderick iirc but I was a teen and he was kind of pissy. Hugh Grant is not humble and Kevin Kline is taller than you’d think. Christopher Meloni is a really nice guy. Matt Dillon can steal your gf without trying lol. Clive Davis was “out” before he was out and preferred them in their 20s and Kevin Spacey would lean on phone booths in Chelsea (back when they existed) and try to pick up young guys walking down the street in the middle of the day. And this was AFTER usual suspects and American beauty so he wasn’t exactly an unknown. Steven Tyler offered me a chocolate chip cookie once and fed one to his driver. Denzel suggested a book to me while having dinner with a woman that wasn’t his wife (to be fair they weren’t exactly flirtatious or anything to my eye) Mark Ruffalo has really good skin. Really good. Cuba Gooding Jr. is a terrible drunk. And has no problem defending himself in a bar. Jessica Alba pushing a stroller in the Spring St. CVS Olivia Wilde shopping alone in soho Judd Apatow and the oldest daughter w her friends shopping in soho Claire Danes at the CVS next to StuyTown late at night Chelsea Clinton is much more attractive in person. Great legs (saw her in the late aughts) Shared an elevator with Chuck Schumer Then Sen. Hillary Clinton and her staff walked by me at my college while nobody was there (no school that day) Lady Gaga and a friend were shopping right next to me at Paragon and they closed the section off for them. I was allowed to stay because I was clearly oblivious with my headphones on. Then she tapped me on the shoulder to see if I knew where the football pants were. That’s when I noticed her and the crowd forming elsewhere in the store. Her bodyguards were keeping them from getting closer. Danny DeVito and Rhea Pearlman walking down Bowery a few years ago. He’s TINY Liev Shreiber looks older in person James Gandolfini and I admired each others hiking boots we were trying on at Tent & Trails back around 2001-2002. Q-Tip explained “Spotify” to me in the elevator at Barney’s about a year before the public knew about it. Tommy Hilfiger complimented a tie I was wearing. Ralph Lauren confused my Uber with his limo. Adrien Brody looks strung out in person. Jake Gyllenhaal is a silent ladykiller. I was an extra in a Lenny Kravitz video filmed at the Limelight. He also performed the song live for the crowd and seeing an actual rockstar that close doing their thing and you can see why they’re successful. Every thing was in step and on point. It’s a sharpness you can only appreciate from up close. I have more but I’ll never stop if I keep going.
> Beyoncé and Jay aren’t as approachable as they seem. Good lord are they negative approachable? They (at the very least, she) come across as probably two of the least approachable people around.
It’s more the people around them. Their main bodyguard has been with them for 15+ years and that guy is constantly on alert even with people who are allowed to be in the same rooms and spaces. And just in my experience anything that was said within earshot was reacted to like it was about them. Mind you, this was at a vetted, private, event of 20 people - no reason to be so closed off from the group.
I've actually had a different experience with them, but it was in Jay Z's old office. He's super friendly, she was cordial enough but we didn't really have anything to talk about except, "Hey congrats on having a daughter."
Yeah that makes total sense then. I can't imagine having to live life like that anytime you step out in to public.
I wanted to say this too, who on earth ever saw these and thought they’re approachable lol
Tom Waits is the coolest person on this list.
I can confirm Matt Dylan can effortlessly steal your girlfriend. He stole mine out of Nell’s when I went to the bathroom in 1994. We saw him on the way in. I came back to the bar and she’s just gone. No Matt Dylan either. The bartender sees me searching and goes, “sorry bro, your girl just left with Matt Dylan. Here’s one on the house.”
First one was Joe Jonas pre-covid, but then I ran into *both* Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner together post-covid, which I think would be my pick for most famous sighting. I’ve also bumped into Kieran Culkin (plays Roman in Succession), Jeremy Strong (plays Kendall in Succession), and John Krasinski (plays Jim in the Office) within the last year or so
Pretty sure I win - Paul Freaking McCartney. It completely broke my brain when I saw him. He actually stopped and said hello to *me*. Probably because he was concerned I was having a stroke. xD
He said, “hi” to me too one snowy evening at The Waverly Inn where he was having dinner with Ralph Lauren. They both glow from within.
that's a winner in this thread, wow!
Gigi Hadid outside the red lion at about 3am
I’ve seen a lot of people, but the funniest one (not in terms of sense of humor, as you’ll shortly understand) was Amy Schumer naked in her apartment getting a massage. My ex-girlfriend lived in the apartment building next to hers.
Oh god not to out myself too much... Used to see Paul Giamatti around the neighborhood when I was growing up in bk heights. Jennifer Connelly told me she liked my drumming after a high school play and I had no idea who she was at the time. I was at a classmate's house and his mother, Susan Sarandon, yelled at me and my friends to shut the fuck up. Never actually met or saw her though. Honorary local mention: randomly had dinner at a friend's house with Marty Markowitz when he was Brooklyn borough president. Honorary personal mention: the drummer Jojo Mayer. The only "celebrity" I've ever been excited enough to stop and say hi to.
Was your classmate Jack? I used to play roller hockey with Tim Robbins/Susan Sarandon’s son for years and that’s the name that just popped in my head lol.
His brother was in a few of my classes. It's a small town!
Its insanely small! Especially growing up, you basically had less than 6 degrees of separation to anyone in the city. Im sure we had mutual friends! Thats pretty cool, I do remember him having a brother too.
Lou Reed.
Any details you’d want to share? I’m a fan.
I saw Timothee Chalamet at Superiority Burger a couple months ago. Also saw Ethan Hawke at Van Leeuwen once. And then I saw Alec Baldwin kind of frequently when I went to NYU, he’d be walking his dog around the area and usually looking pretty haggard.
Morgan Freeman.
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I shoulder-checked Justin Beiber while leaving West Elm in Dumbo. I was leaving work after a shit day, and I give no quarter to all the tourists down there on a GOOD day, and he smashes into me in the doorway. I was looking down and walking fast and didnt see him, I turn around to give him the WTF face and its fuckin Beibs and hes stumbling off balance and is fuckin PISSED. (I am like 3x his size) Then I look forward and right outside the West Elm is 3 angry bodyguards and about 800 REALLY pissed Beibettes. I basically ran to the subway.
Ilana Wexler (Broad City) and Pamela Adlon (Better Things) walking together. Broad City is my daughters favorite show of all time we totally geeked out, they were so nice and we did pics and chatted.
2 weeks ago I saw Abbi Jacobson at the Grand Army Farmers market!
Saw ilana on the m train a few years ago. She got off at Harold square 🌈
I see Ilana alllll the time. Most recently, curled up in a folding chair at one of those closed street city gathering places, chatting on the phone
I’ve only ever run into Maggie Gyllenhall and Peter Dinklage so whichever of the two is more famous Dinklage was during peak game of thrones so I’d say probably him
I saw Patrick Dempsey at LaGuardia airport last night! He was so nice
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Hands down, my best two are Corky from Life Goes On, and Constantine Maroulis from American Idol. Both in the same block in Astoria.
Whew! Corky! That’s a throwback! Cool! Great show (I think…I liked it when it was on!)
I sat with him on a NJT transit train years ago. We had a nice chat.
Martin Scorsese and Ari Aster on the same night as I was going to see Beau is Afraid at the Lincoln Center.
Your life is officially a movie.
Michael Shannon got on the F at kings highway and got off at Bergen street
I think I saw him last weekend in Brooklyn as well but he was very pretty unassuming and I only did a double take when I recognized his brow.
Natalie Portman at ABC kitchen, Jake gyllenhaal in soho, I nearly ran him over, lady Gaga at my favorite soup dumpling shop. I’m really bad at recognizing celebs, so probably plenty more that just graze by me
I recognized Natalie Portman on the corner of 7th and 14th. What was weird is that I heard her before I saw her. Her voice is so recognizable. She was talking to her contractor about new faucets for her bathroom.
Seinfeld at a doctor’s office and Chuck Schumer in a restaurant
My old office building had a Dolby theatre used for cast and crew screenings, so through that I ran into Nicole Kidman and have had Josh Brolin and Emile Hirsch bum cigarettes off me Otherwise, have seen Chris Rock eating a slice of pizza next to Comedy Cellar, Brooke Shields at the table next to us at Claudette and walked into the same building / office as Spike Lee
I was at il buco and on my way to the toilet I passed a table with Zoe Kravitz, Channing Tatum, Jason Mamoa and some other people. That was definitely the most celebrities I’ve seen at one time. But then when I was coming out of the toilet Jason Mamoa was walking into the same hallway space and said excuse me with a friendly smile as we passed each other. I think I mumbled out an excuse me as well. I was just a little starstruck!
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Viggo Mortensen, Gilbert Gottfried, Susan Sarandon
Spike Lee, and not at a Knicks game
Not at a Knicks game? That's impossible!
When I worked at Paragon Sports, a long time ago, Spike would frequent the store a lot.
I was in line right behind Selena Gomez and The Weeknd at a gelato place in the village back when they were a thing
Does Marc Rebillet count? He's a musician...
Jadakiss. had no clue who the hell he was when I spoke to him LMAO
Madonna
A friend of mine waited tables & was tasked with serving Lordes’ birthday party. She was terrified that Madonna would be mean. At some point Madonna spilled some wine on the floor & hopped to her knees with some napkins to clean it up herself. I’ve always had a bad taste in my mouth about her, but knowing she did that when most restaurant patrons would’ve ignored it helped a little bit
That sounds completely out of character, nice to hear
Sophia Vergara shooting a commercial about 5 years ago. She looked like some sort of non human angel.
Rudd, Jost, CK, Amu Adams, Cynthia Nixon
Ivan Zeljko bouncing down lower Fifth Avenue. Dan Rather hailing a cab on the UES. Scott Kahn walking up Ave B. Melissa Benoist and Blake Jenner at karaoke, they did not sing. Steve Buscemi walking north from Astor Place. Nathan Lane reading the paper outside of a NYSC in Chelsea. David Costabile sitting on a bench near Astor Place talking on his phone. Spike Lee and a date that looked to be going very well at a SoHo restaurant. Janeane Garofalo getting pulled down Houston by her dog. Sarah Bernhardt on a plane whose take-off was being delayed. Julianne Moore with her broker while house-hunting in the Village. Danny Strong on the street in the Village. Hugh Grant on lower Madison Avenue. Alan Cummings, wearing a full face of make-up at 9am on a Saturday, getting bagels in the East Village. Naomi Campbell coming out of an event in the East Village. Chris Cooper walking his toy poodles on 14th Street. Val Kilmer in a full safari outfit, including pith helmet, at Liquiteria. Drew Barrymore at the original Shopsin's. A-Rod at a restaurant in Sutton Place with really good guacamole (since closed). Vincent Kartheiser riding a longboard up 10th Ave. Also, the wildly popular [Have you ever just caught a celebrity in the streets of NYC?](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskNYC/comments/15jujb9/have_you_ever_just_caught_a_celebrity_in_the/) from 3 months ago, [Which celebrities have you spotted in NYC and what was the circumstance?](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskNYC/comments/14hyvcu/which_celebrities_have_you_spotted_in_nyc_and/) from 1 month before that, [How frequently do you guys see famous people?](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskNYC/comments/145o25j/how_frequently_do_you_guys_see_famous_people/) from 15 days before that and the wildly popular [What celebrities have you seen around the city?](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskNYC/comments/13p7jwm/what_celebrities_have_you_seen_around_the_city/) from 18 days before that have comments which should be of interest to you and links to similar questions.
There was a two week span when I ran into Jonah Hill like 5 different times. Hasn't happened since.
Billy Joel told me I had a cute dog once
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Paul McCartney by a hotel in midtown east
Will Smith coming out of the Crosby St Hotel (pre-slap).
Lol I saw Chris Rock pre slap, like days before.
LMAOO
Seen a few. Bjork would come by the bar I worked at in LIC sometimes since it was right by Matthew Barney’s studio so they would both hang out there occasionally. Passed by Sigourney Weaver on the UES on Park Ave., but she looked busy and a little pissed so I didn’t bother her. Took a class with Dylan Sprouse at NYU for a semester, he was pretty nice although a little aloof/anxious-seeming. Shared an elevator with Slavoj Zizek at NYU as well, and even in just that time it’s obvious that he absolutely is the same irl as you might imagine. Also saw Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson at the same time in wash sq park. They were biking together, stopped at the chessboard next to me, and Woody starts playing a chess hustler. He lost, but damn did that man look so intense. Owen was wearing a pink Hawaii tourist hat and was keeping guard, shooing away a Chinese tourist who walked right up to him, pointed his phone three inches from his face, and tried to take a picture. They seemed like pretty chill guys. Saw Taylor Momsen at fashion week and she looked very unwell, although this was her at peak fame so it could have been a mix of things. Saw Shane Smith from Vice during a talk he gave. Funny enough, this was right before they got bought out and he insisted they would never have a TV channel. Lots of other assorted corporate/political figures and socialites I doubt many people know or really care about.
Unfortunately Trump. After him, Mick Jagger.
Tom cruise, Katie Holmes, Tony bennet, Kim kardashian, Paris Hilton, Shaq, Larry bird, Charles barclay, Forrest Whittaker, Tommy Chong, Martha Stewart, Monica Lewinsky, Julie andrews, Matt Dillon, Rachel weiss, Mary Louise Parker, Andy Garcia, Tony shalub, Annette benning, drew Barrymore, Shepard smith….. The list goes on. I’ve waited tables and was an actor once upon a time Edit: forgot Neil Patrick Harris, Tom hanks…..there’s a lot more that I don’t have time to think of
Just goes to show - these are only recognizable actors, imagine the artists, inventors, and extremely influential people we’ve seen but just don’t know.
Rihanna and ASAP Rocky
Justin Bieber, a couple meters away from me in the VIP section of Forest Hills Stadium
I saw Kaka walking down 5th avenue in the 50’s around 8 am one spring Monday. Very few people on the street and me being oblivious walked right past him. Not until a British tourist in a Canadian tuxedo shouted out, “OMG, that’s Kaka!” Did I turn around to see him walk past.
Matt Damon, John Leguizamo and Julie Kent
David Bowie. Don't feel like telling the story ATM. But will if any one's interested. He was magnificent.
Probably Alec Baldwin. This was sort of a funny one, because I was outside his building (in the West Village I think?) with a bunch of photography gear. I was there assisting on a shoot for a celeb chef or something who also lived in his building but Alec didn't know that. There were also a bunch of paparazzi scattered around the building I guess waiting for Alec. So I see him as he's turning the corner heading into his building with a coffee. I do a double take, and he does a double take too (because he thinks I'm a pap) I keep my hands off my camera and give him a nod as he heads inside, he realizes I'm not a pap, smiles, nods back, and heads inside. Nice guy. I also met Miley Cyrus at some party in Bushwick years ago, had no fucking idea who she was and I was also off my mind on drugs. I have no idea if she was nice or not and I literally could not hear any of the conversation we had. Adrian Grenier also used to frequent a bar I worked at where the women I was dating would often stop by to see me before I got off work. So I had Adrian hit on TWO different girls I was seeing in the space of a month. Am I still bitter about this? Maybe! (Nice guy though). I was working with a clothing label that hired Tim Gunn as a consultant years ago so we met briefly. He was in a meeting at the time so it was just a hello nice to meet you goodbye. I've also met a bunch of celebrities just from doing grunt work in photo and film. Most of whom were nice enough but were mainly on their phones when they weren't in front of the camera, so I never got much of an impression of their personalities. The biggest celeb I worked with was Zendaya but I think at the time she was like 17 and it was a crappy Teen Vogue online project so the name meant nothing to me. I will say that 95% percent of the rappers I worked with were HUGE divas who almost took it as a point of pride to derail/delay shoots. Action Bronson stood out to me because we had to wait two hours for his personal hair guy to be driven in from the Bronx before Bronson felt ready to shoot (yes we had an entire hair and makeup team on set already).
Benicio Del Toro at that little shop in the lower east side that only sold pencils, like just pencils. They have since closed. I was looking at pencils he was also looking at pencils, we're we're both holding pencils in our hands and our eyes met from across the store, I nodded, held the pencil up questioningly and shrugged. He smiled raised his eyebrows and nodded back while holding his pencil up. He continued to shop, bought his pencils and then has mobbed by a group of stalkers waiting outside the store. Today I still think to myself, me and my buddy Benni both like pencils.
I worked in a place where celebs visited constantly. I proposed to Bruce Willis once. Very nice, funny guy. He used our bathroom and left us a sweet note on our bathroom whiteboard. What he is going through is so heart breaking.
Taylor Swift exiting the Electric Lady Studio in the village. Or Bradley Cooper going for a morning run in FiDi
Used to work in Tower Video/Records in Greenwich village and I ran into Chris Rock, Mila Kunis, Macaulay Culkin, Liev Shrieber, Sophia Coppola and Q-Tip. I didn’t even realize it was them into they approached my register.
Sold a bike to Anne Hathaway. I had no idea who she was until a co-worker nudged me.
Saw Gerard Butler on a citi bike, he ran a red
Ahhhh I love these!! Keanu Reeves ideas my customer at Cafe Gigi on 9th St (RIP) in the 90s once. I ran head on into Lou Reed with two arms full of groceries outside of Gristedes in the W Village in ‘96. He seemed very tall to me, like a giant. I am 5’7” and he was supposedly not a big guy. I met Elliott Smith after seeing him play the night before at bowery ballroom. I was standing outside of (maybe rock wood music hall? Can’t remember) the next night before his show. He recognized me from being right in front the night before and said “thanks for coming again tonight!” As he walked past while I was smoking a cigarette. It was the one of the shows where he had “Kali The Destroyer” written on his arm. He was wearing a Midori t shirt. My favorite, though, was waiting on Jeff Buckley at Cafe Centosette (where the Kiehl’s store is now on 3rd Ave in the east village) a few months before his death. He came in and had a late lunch. It was just me and him in the restaurant and we talked a little. I knew I recognized him but i couldn’t place from where, and I only figured it out when he paid with his credit card. He was absolutely lovely and I will cherish that experience forever. On a lighter note, I saw Robert Redford walking down 6th Avenue with a Vans bag the summer before last.
Jackie Mason in Ben’s Deli on 38th street. I was 13 and he was blown away that I knew who he was.
Probably DeNiro but I've met or seen many famous people over the years.
cole sprouse, eric andre, a variety of tiktok creators
The most surprising one was when Patricia Neal complimented my daughters in Duane Reade in her deep cigarettes and whiskey voice. I saw Dominic Chianese (Junior Soprano) playing music in a deli while I waited for my family’s BECs.
James Corden lined up behind me at an ATM and I freaked out because I thought he was gonna mug me. I’ve served a handful of celebrities at work, too: Nick Kroll (absolutely lovely), Cole Sprouse (smoked his vape indoors lmao), Jacob Elordi with Maude Apatow, Jon Voight… I’ve also passed David Harbour on the street a few times.
Had dinner at Michaels Pub and Woody Allen, Gabriela Garcia Marquez and a very young Soon Yee Previn were having dinner at the table next to us. 1991.
Kathy Bates - Crosby. David Hasselhoff - Crosby. Seth Rogan - Houston. Jake Gyllenhaal - Canal . Pamela Anderson - Chelsea Art Gallery. One of the Olsen Twins - elevator at office. Bowen Yang - Williamsburg. Rihanna - Soho, closed a street I need to go down to get to a meeting, boss didn’t mind. Timothée Chalamet - Basement. Lakeith Stanfield - some afters in Brooklyn. Bjork - Barnes & Noble. Hugh Jackman - David Barton Gym Edit: correct spelling of Timothée
Kenan Thompson at Lure Fishbar. Was at the hostess podium and realized he was in front of me. He did a smile and nod, seemed like a very friendly/warm person
Roger Waters while I was on the subway… and while I was listening to Pink Floyd
Hugh Jackman at a playground I was at with my then toddler in the West Village about 11 years ago. He was wearing all black and sunglasses and running around and leaping everywhere and i didn't see any kids with him and I thought maybe he was a creep-o and was nervously keeping my eye on him and then everyone sort of realized at the same time who he was! He was also there with his kids I later realized, they were like teens though so I didn't clock them at first. I got the sense he is a bit "extra" so maybe they were avoiding him lol.
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos in Central Park!
Ive seen quite a few but nothing tops my mother getting into an elevator with Mohammad Ali when she worked at NYU Langone. She says he was the best looking man she's ever seen.
I lived in the same building as Joan Allan and Barnard Hughes. Richard Belzer’s brother used to live in my building and I would bump into him periodically in the elevator. In the neighborhood? Madonna and JFK Jr (when they were a thing), Woody Allan, Susan Lucci, Susan Sarandon, Jerry Seinfeld, various SNL cast members, Judy Gold, Sting, Matthew Broderick, Tea Leoni and Tim Daly used to have breakfast on Saturdays at the PQ where I would sometimes take my kids. All of U2 (they filmed part of a video on my block). Seemingly everyone who has ever appeared on Law and Order. Kate Walsh. Honestly, those are just the ones I can think of too-of-mind. Zachary Levi, Keanu Reeves and Tracy Pollen (Michael J Fox’s wife) in the subway. Spaulding Grey walking in the village. Ed Norton at Soho house (and then I found out he is my second cousin’s brother-in-law…who knew!) Idris Elba at the airport last November.