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"Became Very Arrogant": 40 People Who Knew Celebrities Before They Were Famous Reveal What They Were Like
CelebritiesNOV 29, 2022

"Became Very Arrogant": 40 People Who Knew Celebrities Before They Were Famous Reveal What They Were Like

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Celebrities have and probably always will be a topic people talk about in their daily lives: What are they up to? Will I ever meet them? It seems that these idols are a great distraction and a way to escape everyday problems. Most of us have favorite celebrities and have wondered at one point or another what they are like and if they're really as great as we imagine them to be. Some of us are lucky enough to meet them in real life.
However, not all of us have had the rare chance to know them before they were famous. That's why the question this Reddit user asked has sparked a lot of interest online. People shared all kinds of stories of how they used to know someone way before they were famous. They gave some insights into how fame changed them or didn't affect them at all and if they're nice people or total jerks.
So if you're interested in learning some fun facts, personality traits, and interesting stories about celebrities, keep scrolling — but beware, you might read something you don't want to know about your favorite star.
And if you would like to read more celebrity-themed posts here on Bored Panda, click here and here.

#1

"Became Very Arrogant": 40 People Who Knew Celebrities Before They Were Famous Reveal What They Were Like
I live in the town where Dolly Parton grew up, and practically everyone above the age of 50 who grew up here claims to either be a distant relative of Dolly’s, or they claim to know her in some way. Everyone has their story of the time they met Dolly. It’s pretty obvious, but regardless of who you talk to, Dolly has always been sweet and generous, but everything has simply grown exponentially due to her fame. Examples are the millions of books she gives out for free to children around the globe each month, or how she gave out $10,000 cash to many of my close friends after their houses burned in a fire a couple years back. Thousands of people are employed here and work for one of the businesses she owns, and it’s a tad strange to see when you walk in, but the birthing center at the local hospital is funded by and named after her. I honestly can’t think of one person I know who doesn’t like her. Dolly’s heart has only gotten bigger because of fame.
437points

We managed to get an interview with the Redditor that asked the question. First of all, they answered how they came up with it: "I couldn't fall asleep one night and this was one of the questions that popped up in my head!" Then we asked if they expected some of the answers they got: "I wouldn't say I didn't expect it, but a lot of people are jerks and easily let fame go to their heads."

The Redditor shared their own celebrity experience: "I once went to a Baltimore Ravens training camp and met some players and they signed a football I had. Those were just very brief interactions though. I've never known a celebrity personally, but maybe I'll have a story in the future!"

They also shared why they think people change once they become famous: "Power. It's that simple, honestly. When you have power and money, it's even worse. They make you feel like you're above everybody else and are better than everyone. Which obviously isn't the case. Some people can handle fame and be humble about it, and others not so much."

#2

"Became Very Arrogant": 40 People Who Knew Celebrities Before They Were Famous Reveal What They Were Like
I went to school with Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley from Harry Potter). I was into acting too, so we had done a few school plays together. He was really nice, very chill, a good laugh.
I haven't seen him since school days, but he kept coming to classes whenever he wasn't filming, was always happy to chat about the movies.
Sometimes he'd need a little break from so many people wanting to talk, and would come and hang out in the library, and honestly, you'd never know he was in the biggest film series at the time.
Honestly, I think a lot of these answers boil down to if they want fame or not. Rupert loved what he was doing, but didn't care about being famous and having people kiss his a**e. Just a nice normal kid.
287points

#3

"Became Very Arrogant": 40 People Who Knew Celebrities Before They Were Famous Reveal What They Were Like
Friend of mine was friends with Tom Hanks in high school and went to prom with him. He still writes her personalized BDay cards on one of his typewriters.
250points

The Redditor opened up about how they felt after the question got so much attention: "I didn't expect it at all! Usually, posts don't get that much attention, so it was quite a surprise to open my phone in the morning with over 100 notifications. I tried to read and reply to all of them but there were SO MANY. I got exhausted trying to reply to everything. But it was fun to read them and see everyone's experiences."

We asked them who their favorite and least favorite celebrities are: "Starting with least favorite, I'd probably say Tom Cruise. He's a great actor but a very odd person and apparently isn't that great to work with. For my favorites, I would probably have to say, Keanu Reeves and Elizabeth Olsen. They both seem like very down-to-earth people and the stories I've heard of them corroborate that. Keanu Reeves is of course probably an internet favorite!"

#4

"Became Very Arrogant": 40 People Who Knew Celebrities Before They Were Famous Reveal What They Were Like
Jack Black is the same person he was as a teenager, funny, kind, caring, and spreading that joy of music.
244points

#5

"Became Very Arrogant": 40 People Who Knew Celebrities Before They Were Famous Reveal What They Were Like
A friend of mine is buddies with Paul Rudd. Says he's exactly the same and a great human.
233points

We also talked with Deborah S. Bowen, Ph.D., and she shared some interesting and helpful insights on this topic: "Any dramatic change to a person's status quo certainly has the potential to change the person, even at the most fundamental level. When someone goes from relative anonymity to a constant stream of fan adoration on any number of platforms, that person is bound to experience change. Perhaps they'll become introverted and try to avoid the public; perhaps they'll embrace the newfound admiration and really lean into it, offering closeness via parasocial relationships. Regardless of the catalyst, these watershed moments in a person's life must surely be marked by behavioral adjustments."

#6

"Became Very Arrogant": 40 People Who Knew Celebrities Before They Were Famous Reveal What They Were Like
My grandmother worked at Dollywood for many years and met Dolly a handful of times. When she died, Dolly sent two dozen or so roses to the funeral home. She’s a real gem
221points

#7

"Became Very Arrogant": 40 People Who Knew Celebrities Before They Were Famous Reveal What They Were Like
My Grandpa(RIP) owned a grocery store in Miami in the late 70s. Wesley Snipes and his friends once stole some candy from his store and when he caught them he let them have it. Since then Wesley and his friends were regulars. Once, Wesley left his bike in front of the store and it got stolen (was a pretty bad area). My grandpa gave him his old bike that he kept in the back of the store. My uncle took over in 2001 when my grandpa died. In 2007 he came back to the store while my uncle and cousin were there, to ask about my grandpa. My uncle said they talked for a little over an hour about how he my grandpa treated him like a son. When he found out my grandpa passed he felt guilty he didn’t visit sooner. He embraced my uncle and cousin and left. My uncle said he told him they plan on having the building repainted while they talked. About a week later a crew of painters arrived and told my uncle they were already paid to have the building repainted. Such a genuine dude.
Edit: Sorry I haven’t been able to reply to everyone, but thank you guys so much for love! Even tho he’s often portrayed negatively, glad to see that people still find try to find the best in us, even it’s a small gesture. ❤️
219points

We asked her what she thinks the main difference between celebrities at home and celebrities in public is: "I'd imagine that celebrities in private are just like you and me in private (except maybe in more luxurious surroundings!). Most of us want the same things: a safe place to call home, a kitchen stocked with nutritionally necessary items, and maybe a companion.

"There's no reason to believe that celebrities are any different when the cameras aren't rolling. Without the pressure of perfection or of brand ambassadorship, or of needing to hit a quota of likes or clicks, it makes sense that a celebrity can truly let their guard down and enjoy the relief of being their unobserved authentic self."

#8

"Became Very Arrogant": 40 People Who Knew Celebrities Before They Were Famous Reveal What They Were Like
My coworkers dad grew up with Queen Latifah in North Jersey. His whole family loves her because they were about to lose their house, so she paid it off for them. They’ve never said a bad thing about her.
(Queen Latifah, if this gets back to you, thanks for what you did for your friends in NJ. Phil’s a really cool guy.)
209points

#9

My aunt had dinner with Keanu Reeves and other people before he did Matrix when he came to Spain.
She said that Keanu was very handsome and incredibly polite.
Edit: I know that Keanu was famous before Matrix but my aunt met him before he filmed Matrix. Also Thx for the upvotes.
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190points

"Arguably, we all create public personas," Deborah S. Bowen said when asked if celebrities have public personalities. "I'm certainly a different type of person in the classroom than I am in the company of friends or when it's just my immediate family. It's likely that celebrities are encouraged or 'coached' into a persona that might meet with fan approval. That might be the only difference: celebrities receive media training while the rest of us have blunders around on our own!"

We also asked her about the strangest thing she's learned about celebrities and what the most fascinating thing about them is: "I learned that many celebrities who use their powers for good are often the quietest ones of all. Humility is a beautiful commodity in a culture that encourages everyone to reach out and grab their fifteen minutes of fame."

#10

"Became Very Arrogant": 40 People Who Knew Celebrities Before They Were Famous Reveal What They Were Like
Work in a restaurant about 15 years ago as a manager. Rachel McAdams walked in for an interview. She was still in acting school and serving table to pay for it. She worked at my restaurant over the course of the next 2 summers, serving on our patio. Still friends to this day. She hasnt changed a bit. Still bikes to get groceries.
190points

#11

"Became Very Arrogant": 40 People Who Knew Celebrities Before They Were Famous Reveal What They Were Like
Chris Hemsworth and his brother Liam, both really good blokes before and after they became famous
159points

"Perhaps the most fascinating thing about being a celebrity, in my opinion, is how influence can literally change lives — positively and negatively. Celebrities can wield an awful lot of power when it comes to doing good work. From raising awareness of issues to assisting in fundraising to lending a name to a cause, a superstar can have an immediate and lasting impact. And, of course, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the comfort that piles of money would bring!

"Being a celebrity would mean sacrifice, though. Your life is no longer your own and I'd imagine that the demands on your time become excessive to the point of overwhelming."

#12

"Became Very Arrogant": 40 People Who Knew Celebrities Before They Were Famous Reveal What They Were Like
My mom used to ride the bus to work in downtown Cleveland with Steve Harvey’s first wife. Apparently she supported him while he was trying to get his career started. And then basically as soon as he got successful he divorced her for a younger woman.
My mom always hated him because she felt that he treated his first wife like s**t and always yells “bastard!” at the TV when he pops up.
155points

#13

"Became Very Arrogant": 40 People Who Knew Celebrities Before They Were Famous Reveal What They Were Like
My dad was good friends with Johnny Depp back in the day. It was around when he was first filming 21 Jump Street (the show, not the movie lol). My dad says he was really humble and kind and always paid their bar tab. Apparently he was quite generous in giving out lots of free quality cocaine at partys too!
151points

#14

"Became Very Arrogant": 40 People Who Knew Celebrities Before They Were Famous Reveal What They Were Like
I went to college with Joe Keery aka Steve Harrington in Stranger Things. He was my college boyfriend’s suite mate and just the nicest guy. His hair has always been dreamy and amazing. Last time I saw him was at a viewing of the Hateful Eight after we graduated and he still made a point to come over and say hi!
149points

#15

"Became Very Arrogant": 40 People Who Knew Celebrities Before They Were Famous Reveal What They Were Like
I went to high school with Emma Chamberlain. She was a huge bully in high school and pretty much a brat who thought she could get away with whatever she wanted (before she got famous). Her parents were divorced which led to them both always trying to be her friend and never actually parenting her, so they basically let her do whatever she wanted.
When she said that people from her high school made fun of her because she was “poor” and that the parking lot was all bmws and range rovers I lost my mind because SHE was the bully in high school, and while the school definitely had some wealthy students it was mostly a middle class crowd.
141points

#16

I went to high school with Mark Hamill. He was in my 5th period Government class, and he absolutely loved to get into debates with our teacher, Mr. Henretty.
Mark was always active in many extracurricular activities, including a run for student council. He often wore a suit and tie to school which caused all the young ladies (and some young men as well!) to swoon. He was always upbeat and exuded an air of positivity. It is no surprise to.me that he has met with the level of success that he richly deserves!
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138points

#17

"Became Very Arrogant": 40 People Who Knew Celebrities Before They Were Famous Reveal What They Were Like
I sat next to Tom Holland while we did our History GCSE, and went to primary school with him so knew him quite well. He was quite often off filming in Thailand for The Impossible at the time. I didn't keep contact with him past GCSE but he was a great guy and very funny, as he seems to be now which is nice to hear.
One memory I do have is a bunch of us laughing at him when he was practising ballet in the school gym getting ready to be Billy Elliott. We weren't laughing for long.
138points

#18

"Became Very Arrogant": 40 People Who Knew Celebrities Before They Were Famous Reveal What They Were Like
My grandfather taught Jack Nicholson in High School math class. Said he was rebellious but wasn't too bad at math.
120points

#19

My aunt was best friends with madona in high school stayed friends until she got famous and she turned into a completely different person in the worst way possible.
116points

#20

Bruno Mars’s mom was a bartender at a local karaoke dive bar that I was a regular at.
At the time, his biggest hit was the hook for “Billionaire” by Travie McCoy.
Anyway, she was selling tickets for an upcoming concert he was having and she asked our table if we wanted to buy some. My friend declined and she exclaimed “WHY NOT! HE’s MY SON!!!”
I ended up getting a couple of tickets despite not knowing any of Bruno Mars’s songs. It turned out to be one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to. The guy knows how to put on a good live show.
The tickets were only $40 each I think. His opening act was a local group of large Polynesian men singing Motown who went by the name “Nesian 9”. They were pretty good too.
The next time he was in town for a concert, he had blown up and the tickets were going for $400. I would have loved to see him again, but not at that price...
His mom was really nice, down to earth, and a pretty good singer herself. RIP Bernie. At least she lived long enough to see her son’s success.
115points
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