Robert Downey Jr, Brad Pitt, Shania Twain, Leonardo DiCaprio, Scarlett Johansson and other stars who were flustered by meeting their favorite celebrities
Robert Downey Jr. honors Jon Favreau at Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony
Robert Downey Jr. praised Jon Favreau for being ambitious in his filmmaking, shouting out many films he has directed, including "The Lion King" and "The Jungle Book."
Kaley Cuoco recently admitted that she was "shaking" after being starstruck by Garth Brooks.
During an appearance on "The Jennifer Hudson Show," the 38-year-old actress recalled meeting the 61-year-old country music star for the first time with her boyfriend Tom Pelphrey a "few weeks ago" at Brooks' Plus One residency in Las Vegas.
"I've been a fan of his since I was, like 5-years-old. And so is Tom. This was a big deal," Cuoco said on Monday.
Kaley Cuoco admitted that she was "shaking" when she met Garth Brooks. (Getty)
She continued, "We got to go, and they set us up to meet him. And no phones were allowed. No one. And we got to spend like 15 minutes with him."
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"I was like, shaking," "The Big Bang Theory" alum remembered. "I don't normally get like that. Tom was too. It was just — we've been such a fan of his our whole lives."
"And actually Tom and I, when we met, we kind of bonded over his music," Cuoco added.
"So it was extra special for you guys," Hudson, 42, noted.
"Yes," "The Flight Attendant" actress replied. "I was starstruck."
Cuoco is not the first A-lister to become starstruck by another celebrity. Here is a look at nine other stars who struggled to keep their cool upon meeting their idols.
Robert Downey Jr.
Robert Downey Jr., left, said he was "fanboying out" when he realized he was sitting next to Paul McCartney. (Getty)
Robert Downey Jr. recently recalled how he was unable to focus on watching his own movie after realizing that he was sitting next to Beatles icon Paul McCartney.
The 58-year-old actor detailed his encounter with the 81-year-old singer during an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" last week.
Downey told Kimmel, 56, that he hosted a screening of his hit movie "Oppenheimer" in Sag Harbor, New York, because he was not able to attend the film's premiere last July due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
"I invited pretty much everyone who was in the Hamptons, and for the first time in my whole career, strangely, everyone RSVP’d," Downey said.
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"And they show up, and I'm like, ‘There’s Michael J. Fox, there's Spielberg,'" he continued. "And then I sit down, and the movie starts, and I realize I’m sitting next to Paul McCartney. And I was like, dude, Paul McCartney RSVP’d, and he’s sitting next to me."
"And then I was just like, smelling his cologne, and I started like, breathing in the same rhythm as him," the "Iron Man" star added. "I didn’t even watch the movie."
"I still find myself getting starstruck and fanboying out all the time," Downey admitted.
Jake Gyllenhaal
Jake Gyllenhaal, left, revealed that he was "definitely starstruck" when he met Brad Pitt. (Getty)
Jake Gyllenhaal revealed that he made a gaffe during his first time meeting Brad Pitt after becoming flustered by the "Fight Club" star.
In a 2022 interview with W magazine, the 43-year-old actor remembered meeting Pitt, 60, on the set of the movie "The Good Girl." Gyllenhaal and Pitt's then-wife Jennifer Aniston, 53, played love interests in the 2002 romantic comedy.
"I was definitely starstruck when I first met Brad Pitt on the set of 'The Good Girl,'" Gyllenhaal told the outlet.
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He continued, "I was working with Jennifer Aniston, who was his wife at the time, and there were a lot of very racy scenes. I remember putting my hand out to shake his, and accidentally hitting the door."
However, the "Nightcrawler" star recalled that Pitt quickly brushed off the awkward moment.
"He said, so confidently and kindly, ‘Well, you have another one. It's all right,'" Gyllenhaal said of Pitt. "He was very, very, very sweet to me, and it was actually a really lovely exchange. But, yeah — I was starstruck."
Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio
Brad Pitt, left, said he and Leonardo DiCaprio "were like kids in a candy shop" when they met the late Luke Perry, center. (Getty)
Pitt shared his own experience of becoming starstruck along with Leonardo DiCaprio when they met Luke Perry on the set of their 2019 film "Once Upon A Time in Hollywood."
In a 2019 interview with Esquire magazine, Pitt and DiCaprio, 49, remembered their first meeting with the late "Beverly Hills, 90210" star, who died of a stroke at the age of 52 in March 2019, a few months before "Once Upon A Time in Hollywood" was released.
"I remember my friend Vinny, who is in the film as well, we walked in and we both had this butterfly moment of like, ‘Oh, my God, that’s Luke Perry over there!’"DiCaprio recalled.
"‘That’s Luke f------ Perry!’" Pitt added. "We were like kids in the candy shop because I remember going to the studios and [Beverly Hills, 90210] was going on and he was that icon of coolness for us as teenagers. It was this strange burst of excitement that I had, to be able to act with him."
The two-time Academy Award winner continued, "Man, he was so incredibly humble and amazing and absolutely committed. He couldn’t have been a more friendly, wonderful guy to spend time with. I got to sit down and have some wonderful conversations with him. It was really special."
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Brad Pitt, right, Luke Perry and Leonardo DiCaprio, left, starred in the 2019 movie "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood." (PG/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
During a July 2019 cast roundtable with Entertainment Weekly, DiCaprio reflected on meeting and working with Perry prior to his death.
"I was immediately struck by his kindness," "The Revenant" star said. "And talking about being a native of Los Angeles, being around this industry my entire life, and really having it in a lot of ways shape who I am, there was this immediate excitement in seeing Luke Perry on set."
"I remember being in my teens and he was the manifestation of the new [James] Dean on television and everyone was crazy about him," DiCaprio continued. "And I felt this overwhelming feeling of being star-struck."
"Then he and I got to sit down and talk about Los Angeles, the '90s, his life, where his career had gone, where my career had gone, where his life had gone, where my life…and I was just so, how do I say this, the kindness of his character, I don't know, it really affected me. When I heard that news it was really heartbreaking."
Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson, left, admitted that she "geeked out" when she met Judge Judy. (Getty)
Scarlett Johansson revealed in 2021 that she "geeked out" when she met Judge Judy Sheindlen.
During an appearance on"The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon," the 39-year-old actress was asked if she had ever become nervous while meeting another celebrity.
"I met Judge Judy once," the "Black Widow" star shared. "I was in a restaurant and I saw Judge Judy at a table with her family and I, oh my God, I was so starstruck. I couldn't believe it."
"Were you afraid a little bit that she might judge you?" Fallon asked.
"I was a little nervous," Johansson admitted with a laugh. "I mean, she's like an icon, obviously. I didn't know if she was gonna look at me and be like, 'Get away from my table, I'm here with my family,' and like, 'I'm Judge Judy, leave me alone!' But she wasn't like that."
The two-time Oscar nominee went on to gush over Scheindlen, 81, who she described as "wonderful."
"I was so relieved that she was a very nice person," Johansson said. "She probably was, I think she was surprised that I was there, and I was very geeked out. I mean, I grew up with Judge Judy. She's amazing. She was very, very nice."
Jennifer Garner
Jennifer Garner received a birthday surprise when she met her "biggest crush" Donny Osmond. (Getty)
Jennifer Garner was overwhelmed when her "number one biggest crush of all time" Donny Osmond surprised her with a cake ahead of her 50th birthday.
The actress shared a video of her encounter with the 66-year-old singer a few days before her milestone birthday in 2022.
In the beginning of the clip, Garner is seen sitting in a restaurant with her hand over her mouth as she watched a video of Osmond singing a personalized birthday song to her.
Osmond was then seen standing behind her while holding a cake box and singing, "Jennifer! It’s your birthday!" the "Alias" alum covered her face with her hands and nearly keeled over the table in shock before standing up and hugging the "Puppy Love" singer.
Garner, whose face was flushed, then removed her sweater after saying she was "so hot." Osmond presented her with a birthday cake decorated with icing that read "13 Going on 50! Love Donny!," referencing her 2004 film "13 Going On 30."
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The two were then seen sitting side by side at the table as they sang Donny and Marie Osmond’s 1975 hit "Make the World Go Away."
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During their duet, Osmond wrapped his arm around Garner, who beamed and covered her face with a towel.
"My first (pre)birthday surprise was a doozy — the one and only, legend in his own time, object of my childhood adoration and devotion— @donnyosmond showed up to knock my purple socks off," Garner wrote in the caption, referring to Osmond's signature clothing item.
"He took an hour and a half of his day to sit with me, sing my favorites, and to give me a master class on how to be a class act. Thank you, Donny," she wrote, adding a purple heart emoji.
Osmond shared the video on his own Instagram page, writing, "Surprising fans is one of my favorite things to do, so when I had the opportunity to surprise the lovely @jennifer.garner for her 50th birthday, I was overjoyed."
"Thanks for letting me celebrate with you! Next time you’re in Vegas, come see me at @harrahsvegas so you can be my special guest on stage," he added.
Shania Twain
Shania Twain, left, admitted that she was starstruck by Harry Styles and Madonna. (Getty)
Shania Twain admitted in 2019 that she frequently gets starstruck despite her decadeslong career in the entertainment industry.
During an appearance on "Today," the 58-year-old singer told host Savannah Guthrie that she was "awkward" when she met Madonna for the first time.
"I'm not very good with stars," Twain said. "I get really uncomfortable, I don't know what to say. I am very shy actually. I just feel like I'm invading their space by being with them."
She continued, "I was awkward with Madonna when I first met Madonna."
The "You're Still The One" singer explained that she can empathize with fans who become starstruck around her because of her own experiences.
"I understand why it happens. I'm sympathetic and empathetic about how they're feeling in that moment because I do the same thing," she said.
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Shania Twain joined Harry Styles for a surprise performance at Coachella in 2022. (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for ABA)
The Canada native also opened up about being starstruck when she joined Harry Styles onstage for a surprise performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2022.
"In the car, with my mother as a child, this lady taught me to sing," the former One Direction member told the crowd of Twain, according to multiple outlets.
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"She also taught me that men are trash," Styles added. "To you, for the memories you gave me with my mother, I will be forever grateful."
"I am so honored and thrilled to be here," Twain replied. "I’m kind of lost for words. I’m a bit star-struck, what can I say?"
Adele
Adele, left, said she would have "self-conbusted" if she knew that Shania Twain had attended one of her concerts. She also admitted to being a longtime fan of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. (Getty)
Adele revealed that it was Shania Twain who left her starstruck when the country singer attended her residency in Las Vegas.
In 2022, the 35-year-old hitmaker shared a photo in which she was seen walking down an aisle past Twain, who was seated in the front row and wearing a hat.
"Thank God you had a hat on @shaniatwain I would have self-combusted had I seen it was you," Adele wrote on her Instagram Story. "I adore you, I can't believe you came to my show."
Twain later posted the snap on her own Instagram Story, joking, "Thank goodness we didn't make eye contact, all I can think of is the reaction of all those fans to Adele combusting halfway through the show."
Twain also shared an image in which she was seen watching the "Rolling in the Deep" singer perform, writing, "POV you're having a magical time at Adele's Vegas show."
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Adele finally had the chance to meet another one of her favorite stars at the 2023 Grammy Awards.
During a 2021 appearance on the YouTube channel NikkieTutorials, the U.K. native revealed that she was a longtime fan of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
"Someone that I've never met that I think I would actually cry is The Rock," Adele admitted. "I was the biggest wrestling fan when I was younger."
"He sent me flowers the other day because he and his wife couldn’t make my show," she added. "Literally, I nearly fell off my chair!"
Adele, who is a longtime fan of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, finally met the former wrestling star at the 2023 Grammy Awards. (Francis Specker/CBS via Getty Images)
At the awards show last February, Johnson surprised Adele by appearing at her table during host Trevor Noah's opening monologue.
"This is one of the strangest things I found out," Noah told the audience. "The person that Adele has always wanted to meet, but never has, is Dwayne Johnson."
The comedian continued, "I found out he’s a huge fan of yours, too."
"I don't have someone named Dwayne Johnson here, but I do have someone called The Rock," Noah joked.
At that point, the "Fast X" star walked over to Adele and the pair hugged with the singer laughing in shock.
"Adele meet The Rock, The Rock meet Adele! For the first time ever!" Noah exclaimed. "All right, you two get acquainted, we gotta keep the show moving!"
"We wanted to do something special for Adele," Johnson later told Variety. "I know that she is a very big fan of mine and has made that clear publicly many times."
He continued, "But I’ve got to tell you, I am a huge fan of hers, as well — her music, her journey, her openness and directness in how she speaks. I’ve always admired that about her."
Ashley Hume is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to
