A few years ago a friend of mine went to Australia for a holiday. On the way back she had a night stopover in LA, so decided to treat herself to a night in the Chateaux Marmont hotel. She got there, dropped her bags and decided to go and explore. Upon getting in the lift she found it was occupied, and began to chat to the man about her trip. He was Australian, and they passed the time until the lift reached the ground floor. When it stopped, he said his goodbyes and said “if you need anything while you are here, just ask for me at reception”.
She says she remembers thinking what a kind man he was, but that she wouldn’t have a clue what his name was or how she would find him. The doors opened, and outside were paparazzi and bouncers, and he was whisked away. Turns out (or we are ninety percent sure, after inundating her with pictures) that it was Hugh Jackman.
My friend doesn’t watch TV or see films that often, and she doesn’t read gossip magazines, so doesn’t really recognise celebrities. I thought this was brilliant, and was over the moon on her behalf. She was bemused. What made me laugh all the more was that she then went out on a bus tour of celebrities houses in LA, because she thought “that’s what everyone did” despite not having a clue who half the people were!
I told this story when on holiday, and my friend KP had another. The mother of a friend of hers went to New York for a few days on her own, and got in the lift (seems like the elevator is the best place to go celebrity spotting!) I can’t remember how it happened or what was said, but there were two big guys in the lift, and one smaller man. Something was said, and it resulted in her dropping to the floor and pushing her mobile phone towards them, thinking she was being mugged. The men picked her up and apologised, embarrassed that she had mistaken them for criminals. She went on her way but on the day she went to check out she was informed that ‘Mr Smith’ had paid her bill. Apparently it was Will Smith, and he was so embarrassed that he had settled her hotel bill. Brilliant!!
These stories make me smile so much. When I was about nine my dad insisted that me and my sister went to drop his friend Nick at work with him, in the evening (there were holes in this story right from the beginning, but we were unaware). We sat in the car listening to the top forty and singing along, and the Spice Girls came on. We sang along and Nick asked us if we liked them. “No” we replied “they’re rubbish”. Turns out Nick was a friend of theirs and we were on the way to their concert. Where we went backstage. We ‘hated’ them so much that my sister got so excited she threw up.
Has anyone else had any celebrity run ins?
Apparently, No. Our place is far away. I doubt a single celebrity will bother plus we don’t have a lift. . . so you see where I’m going.
I had fun reading the stories especially the Hugh Jackman. It would be nice to know their conversation
I spent a week with Daniel Bedingfield. His family are family friends of a friend. And such. Good times chilling and swimming at a simple yet satisfying kiwi retreat.
rue thats a great one!!
great post!
urm… I bumped into andrew marr on charing cross road in london about 5 years ago…? (i think!)
and yeah meeting natalie cassidy from 2 pints of lager fame in bluewater mall.
and that was that.
unfortunately.
xx
dont know who he is!
he’s on bbc1 – he does the andrew marr show (duh!) ever sunday! he used to be on bbc news.
you know, the journalist with the big ears. heh.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Marr
Brilliant! The story with Will Smith made me laugh. I wish I had so much luck
I once almost had a car crash with a celebrity. I thought he looks familiar, but I didn’t know who he was, it took me few days to figure it out.
I seem to run into Richard Belzar (Munch from Law and Order: SVU). I was eating dinner in Baltimore when he was doing that show in Baltimore before SVU and ran into him in the restaurant. The other time I was flying to Barcelona, Spain business class and he and his wife and 2 other people were the only people in business class. Guess not many important people had business in Barcelona that day. Funny to run into him twice. I’ve run into all sorts of people on the street in New York but these were close encounters.
ps… i dont think hugh jackman had dribbled on himself (like in the pic) in the lift!!!
I’m so jealous of you and the Spice Girls! I mer Piers Morgan once
wouldnt shout about it
Oh and I forgot: I said hi to Amanda Holden, Michael McIntyre and Louis Walsh at the BGT auditions. I think amanda waved at me….!
eeek, BGT starts on Saturday!!
xx
are you auditioning?
no, just spectating…
You picked a very good pic of our main man!
i know right… hottie!!
Nice..said to say no celebrity encounters
Your post brought a smile to face. I have a condition known as prosopagnosia…..I have no ability to recognize faces – even my own!
We moved to an area popular with famous people. I knew a lady that was so excited to hear I may frequently now see celebrities!!! I laughed and reminded her I would never even know if I sat across from one having coffee. She laughed and quickly agreed I would make a miserable celebrity stalker!
Tara
My mother saw Michael Landon in an airport once, and he smiled at her. It has been decades, and she still talks about it. She practically blushes.
You are young Tinkerbelle, so I will tell you, in case you don’t know, that he was a handsome and beloved television actor and director, best known as the father on “Little House On The Prairie”, and as an angel on “Highway To Heaven”.
MMMMMmmmmmm! Yummy picture girl! I’d fall over if I ran into Mr. Jackman.
I met Jon Knight from the New Kids on the Block when I was in 6th grade… Ahhh, the crush I had on him. Going to see them in concert this summer! Cheesy, I know, but it will be fun!
I’ve had a few. They range from cool (singer Lights) to bizarre (O.J Simpson on a few occasions), but one thing is for sure, celebrities are never boring!
I’m debating whether or not I should document my celebrity encounters on You’ve Been Hooked!, what do you think? Drop me a line.