"He Gave Me $20": People Are Sharing The "Nicest" Celebrities They Ever Met

Buzz Feed

10-04-2025

Recently, redditor @ndndnsnej7373728 asked, "Who was the nicest celebrity you have ever met?" The responses were incredibly heartwarming and uplifting. Here are 19 that stood out:
These responses have been edited for length, clarity, and sensitivity.
1. "Mr. Rogers: I met him once when I was about four at a meet-and-greet, and then again when he handed me my college diploma. Both times, he made me feel like I was the only person in the room."
— MenudoFan316
"I legit believe Fred Rogers is one of the greatest people of the 20th century. Kind, honest, not cynical, but not full of bullcrap, either. Great at his job, etc. He's my hero."
— TriTri14
"I can't picture him any other way."
— Loreo1964
2. "Cyndi Lauper: I worked for over a decade hosting some of the world's most famous people, from politicians to celebrities. Honestly, I met lots of really nice people over the years, but Cyndi Lauper stood out as someone who really had a beautiful soul."
— zep2floyd
"Back in the late-'80s, Cyndi was performing in my hometown. My dad worked a 3-11 shift in the area at the time and happened to run into her at a local spot after the show. They chatted for a while. He said she was super nice and down to earth. Before he left, he got her autograph on a cocktail napkin made out to me (I was just a baby at the time) and my mom. I still have that napkin 37 years later!"
— fouxdefafa
3. "Tony Hawk: I met him because he generously donated a bunch of money to build a sick skate park in my small town and brought a whole team of professional skaters to break it in as a spectacle for the whole community. So cool!"
— hoffsta
"Dude, same. He came to the restaurant where I work last year, and I didn't even recognize him even though I thought I had seen this tall dude somewhere. He asked how my night was going, apologized for coming a few minutes before we closed, and we had a good conversation as he was my only guest. Then, he tells me he was here to open a skate park, and that's when I recognized him. Dude is a freaking gem.
I told the hostess who he was, and she told me her dad used to skate with him back in the day. He let her take a picture with him to send to her dad, and he was genuinely listening to the story her dad told her.
I have taken care of a few celebs, but he is definitely the best. It felt so natural even after I knew who he was."
— tothemoon05
4. "Weird Al Yankovic: He is awesome. A true gem."
— OldRelic
"Can confirm, nicest guy ever.
Interviewed Al for my podcast years ago. Was told I had 10 minutes for the interview. We wrapped up, and he said it was cool to hang out! Felt like it was straight out of Wayne's World. And that's how I spent 45 minutes chilling with Weird Al, talking about Star Wars and music."
— Lazer310
"I met Weird Al at an aftershow as a guest of his record label. I wasn't then, nor am I now, really a fan of parody music. However, how great Al and his band were blew my mind. Just fantastic musicians. I had no idea.
At the aftershow, Al made it a point to greet everyone in attendance. He thanked us for attending the show and chit-chatted for a moments before moving on to the next person/group.
Yea, he's a super nice and down-to-earth guy."
— KzooRichie
5. "Ethan Hawke: I met him back in the '90s outside of a small theater in NYC. He was asking me more questions about me than I could ask about him. He seemed like an old friend."
— jonnyredshorts
"I grew up in NYC and lived close to where his kids went to school. My dad was taking me to my school one day, and we saw a gorgeous grey '60s Shelby Mustang pull up to a light. We sprinted over to check out the car, and we saw the driver put his hand up over his face and over his kid's face.
It was Ethan Hawke. After much apologizing and explaining we weren't paparazzi, he was very kind and seemed excited (if a little caught off guard) to talk about his car."
— acerni
6. "Little Richard was kind, genuine, and extremely nice."
— FinnbarMcBride
"I flew on a commercial flight with Little Richard and his band back in the late-'90s. He was in full makeup and had a beaming smile as we all boarded the plane. After we landed, my mom wanted to get his autograph, but he had a circle of people around him. He noticed my mom standing there, grabbed her hand, and pulled her into the inner circle. He signed her notebook and chatted for a while. Super nice guy."
— leelouislinden
7. "Giancarlo Esposito was a blast to meet. He spoke at my college years ago, and he told us about his life and working on Breaking Bad. He even spoke briefly about his time on Community as well."
— Beginning-Wing-333
"I met him at a convention one time. His line was empty, which was wild. So my friend and I got to chat with him for a bit. Very lovely."
— someotherbetty
8. "Dan Aykroyd: I ran into him years ago at the Met in NYC. Told him my son was a big Ghostbusters fan and asked for his autograph. He grabbed me by the arm and pulled me behind a statue. I thought he was going to kick my ass. He's much bigger than me. He said he didn't want to create a scene, hence the statue hideout. Then he wrote a nice personalized note to my son (including 'Take good care of your pop') and signed it with the A in Aykroyd in the shape of a Conehead. So cool. Nice guy."
— gsp137
"I was a 15-year-old kid playing harmonica by busking outside 30 Rock, and he was coming in to do a quick guest spot on SNL. He gave me $20. He's a gem."
— ElvisGrizzly
9. "Bryan Cranston and his wife: We happened to be sitting next to him and his wife at dinner and ended up talking the whole time. They spent so much time talking to my daughter, who was visiting Barnard College, about colleges and all the schools their daughter considered. Seemed like really normal sweet people."
— whoneedskollege
"Bryan Cranston was very friendly and normal and was one of my favorite interactions I've ever had."
— theMIKIMIKIMIKImomo
10. "Post Malone: Everyone on his team during pre-production said he's just the greatest person ever. I thought, 'How great can he be?' Post Malone is one of the nicest and most truly genuine people I've ever met. Dude brought his parents on set and was just so excited to share what we were doing with them. He deserves all the success in the world."
11. "Robin Williams: A literal delight and the personification of humility and appreciation for his fans."
— ITSBRITNEYsBrITCHES
"My father has a story about first working with Robin, then meeting him randomly on the streets of NYC years later. It was a cold, crappy day. As my father was waiting to cross the street, he made a wisecrack about the situation. The guy next to him started chuckling, and sure enough, it was Robin. He recognized my dad and shot the stuff with him for a few blocks before they had to go their separate ways.
Robin is a national treasure and one of the greatest human beings to ever walk this earth."
— drfunkenstien014
12. "Sissy Spacek lives in the same city I do, and she is always so, so kind. I had her as a customer at my store five or six times. Recently, my wife and I were behind her in line somewhere where she was returning an item, and she was extremely patient with the young cashier who was struggling (and had no idea who she was). She turned to me and apologized for making me wait with a smile."
— Traditional_Entry183
"She came up to my parents in a cafe and said I was a beautiful baby!"
— AsFlowersTear
13. "Shaq: He was insanely sweet. I saw him in line at Starbucks and got right behind him. I sheepishly asked, 'Hey man, can I get your autograph?' Shaq said, 'Bro, it's 2010...ask for a selfie.' He said, 'Get your camera ready. As soon as I come to you, get the picture. Then there will be 50 people here, so get out quickly, and I will too.' He wasn't wrong. Everyone... EVERYONE was lining up for selfies. He and I both hauled ass out of the Starbucks."
14. "That's easy…Conan O'Brien: He is a true gentleman. I've had the pleasure of meeting him a few times, and he was always genuinely kind, respectful, and gracious. You can also see it in the way he interacts with those who work with him. He's an incredibly nice guy through and through."
15. "Jamie Lee Curtis came into the record store I worked at in the '90s. I recommended the new Squirrel Nut Zippers album. She bought it and a few days later sent her driver in to buy up the rest of our stock to give as gifts to the film crew at the wrap party."
16. "Hugh Jackman: I've told this story before, but I am a photographer that used to do a lot of high-high- high- end events. There was one where Hugh was performing for a company. I was covering a VIP step and repeat where folks could meet him, and he showed up early, which is really surprising, especially for a celebrity. I know the drill to stay in my spot and wait for guests, but he came up to me, introduced himself, and we shot the stuff for like five minutes. Afterward, he came up to me and said, 'Thank you.' He said that I was good at my job. He didn't have to do that, but he really left a mark."
17. "Antony Starr, aka Homelander in The Boys. I think due to his character, I was expecting him to have some kind of superstar ego. However, when I go to conventions to meet someone, I always bring a small box of chocolates and a 'Thank you' card. It's just my way of saying to them, 'Thank you for taking time in your busy schedule to come and greet the fans such as myself.' When I gave it to him, he paused and looked up at me. Yes, in that moment, I was scared, haha. I thought I was about to get into trouble as he might be on a strict diet. He gave me a massive smile before saying, 'You trying to stop Homelander from getting into the suit?' I laughed nervously and said, 'I would be saving the world if I did.' He laughed again, and he asked me why I brought gifts. I said to him, 'If you didn't want to eat them, I understand' and to pass it to Comic-Con staff."
"He was honestly touched and asked me if I wanted a hug...I nearly fainted! A hug from a star who plays the deadliest villain in a TV show? Yes! Honestly, he is a boss to meet!"
— Mousey_Belle_1996
18. "Cameron Diaz was really nice when I met her. I was working at a ski shop, and she rented gear from us. At the end of the day, she was dropping her gear back off, and I was taking the trash out. My arms were full, and she even offered to help. I turned her offer down and joked, 'My bosses would kill me if they found out Cameron Diaz was taking out our trash,' which made her and her husband laugh pretty hard."
Dave Benett / Dave Benett/WireImage
— Justhitrestart
19. Finally, "Taylor Swift: I was invited to a behind-the-scenes of her songwriting/album release party back in 2017 for Reputation and have been a fan of hers since 2006. It was one of my biggest dreams to meet her, and it was sort of a surprise meet and greet. No one expected her to actually show up. She met 200 fans that night, and she's known for letting fans talk for a long time. She doesn't rush anyone out. I almost passed out waiting for my turn because I was so nervous. When I walked in, she greeted me with a hug and was so sweet! I practiced my speech for years on what I would say to her if I ever got the chance, and I got to say literally everything. She said she was proud of me for getting my music on a local radio station, and I told her how she inspired me to be a songwriter. After several minutes of talking, she says to me, 'Well, this will be our first picture, and our next will be at an awards show.' Then she hugged me for our photo."
Jon Kopaloff / WireImage
"I nearly sobbed my eyes out right then and there but waited till after the photo. She treated me like a friend and said such special words to me. I'll never forget them. I might never make it in music like I dream, and she could have just said, 'Awesome! Good luck,' to my musical ambitions. But she said the most encouraging words ever and was so genuine about it. Still the highlight of my life all these years later!"
— MHmusic44
Have a lovely celeb story of your own? We'd love to hear from you!