These are moments when I met actors and filmmakers. Part of my own movie-loving experience is I love meeting famous people.
Penn and Teller - famed magicians who did a magic show in Las Vegas. I enjoyed it because I first discovered Penn and Teller when I watched the Disney movie, Fantasia 2000, when they hosted the classic Fantasia segment, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. After the show, I met them. (Feb. 2018)
Chris Cooper - Chris Cooper (left) is an Academy Award-winning actor known in Adaptation. (which he won 2002’s Best Supporting Actor Oscar), Lone Star, The Patriot, and American Beauty. He was screening his documentary feature, Intelligent Lives, at Plimoth Patuxet in Plymouth, MA. I was thrilled to attend and have the chance to meet and talk to Chris Cooper. Marianne Leone (right), Cooper’s wife, is an author and a character actress known in the HBO series The Sopranos. (Dec. 2018)
Richard Dreyfuss - 1977’s Best Actor Oscar winner for The Goodbye Girl, is best known in Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, What About Bob?, and Mr. Holland’s Opus. He was the 2019 Rhode Island Comic-Con. Also at the 2019 RI Comic-Con, I met Carroll Spinney, the original puppeteer of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch, and Keith Coogan who starred in Adventures in Babysitting and voiced Tod as a fox cub in the Disney movie The Fox and the Hound. (Nov. 2019)
Jim Coleman - he was a background painter who worked for the Walt Disney Studios. His credits for background painting include The Rescuers, The Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast. I met Jim Coleman at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL in Epcot at the Morocco Pavillion. (Jan. 2022)
That’s me showing Jim Coleman my animations and puzzles. Look at his reaction. His jaws were open while feeling very impressed and amazed. Coleman was such a nice man. He was also amazed that I told him particular details on the Disney animated feature films he worked on.
Jeffrey Voorhees - he played Alex Kitner, the little boy who got eaten by the shark, in Jaws when he was a kid. Voorhees was the manager of the restaurant in Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard called The Wharf. (Jul. 2022)
Chris Sarandon - he was an actor who starred in Dog Day Afternooon and Child’s Play. He was more known as the voice of “Jack Skellington” in Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Ken Page - he was best known as the voice of “Oogie Boogie” from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. I also met Anthony Daniels who was best known for voicing C-3PO in the Star Wars franchise.
I met Chris Sarandon, Ken Page, and Anthony Daniels at Fan Expo Boston 2022. (Aug. 2022)
Jodi Benson - she was the voice of “Ariel” from Disney’s animated classic The Little Mermaid. I gave a printed paper picture of me and the 40,320 piece Disney puzzle. Benson was amazed and loved it.
Paige O’Hara - she was the voice of “Belle” from Disney’s animated classic Beauty and the Beast. I gave a printed paper picture of me and the 40,320 piece Disney puzzle. O’Hara was amazed and loved it.
Linda Larkin - she was the voice of “Jasmine” from Disney’s animated classic Aladdin. I gave her a printed paper picture of me and the 40,320 piece Disney puzzle. Larkin was amazed. Jodi Benson, Paige O’Hara, and Linda Larkin are the friendliest and most fun celebrities to be around with because being around Disney people behind the most beloved Disney animated characters of all time is always fun.
Scott Weinger - he was “Steve” from Full House and the voice of the Disney character Aladdin himself.
Jonathan Freeman - he was the voice of Jafar from the Disney animated classic, Aladdin.
Jason Marsden - he was the voice of Max Goof, Goofy’s son. He was one of the friendliest celebrities I’ve ever met.
Bill Framer - he was the voice of Goofy. I gave him a printed paper picture of me and the 40,320 piece Mickey Mouse puzzle. He was impressed and happy.
Bruce Reitherman - when he was a little kid, he voiced Mowgli from Walt Disney’s The Jungle Book. It is my favorite Disney movie. I was thrilled to meet him. Did you know that his dad Wolfgang “Woolie” Reitherman not only directed The Jungle Book and Disney animated projects between 1960 and 1977, he was one of Disney’s Nine Old Men animators. I also met Danny Lloyd, who played Danny in The Shining.
I met Jodi Benson, Paige O’Hara, Linda Larkin, Scott Weinger, Jonathan Freeman, Bill Farmer, Jason Marsden, Bruce Reitherman, and Danny Lloyd all at the 2022 Rhode Island Comic-Con. (Nov. 2022)
Hayden Christensen - he was known as Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars Episodes II and III: Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. At the same time at Fan Expo Boston 2023, I met Jason Lee who is known for the live-action Alvin and the Chipmunks movies as Dave Seville and the voice of Syndrome from Disney/Pixar’s The Incredibles.
I met Hayden Christensen and Jason Lee both at Fan Expo Boston 2023. (Aug. 2023)
David Newman - he a movie composer, son of classic movie composer Alfred Newman, and brother of movie composer Thomas Newman, scored movies such as Critters, The Brave Little Toaster, Throw Momma from the Train, Heathers, War of the Roses, DuckTales the Movie, Hoffa, The Sandlot, the live-action Flintstones movie, The Phantom, Matilda, Anastasia, Ice Age, and the live-action Scooby-Doo movies. This was taken at Tanglewood in Lenox, MA, where the Boston Symphony Orchestra perform in the summer. (Aug. 2023)
Bryce Dallas Howard - daughter of actor/filmmaker Ron Howard. She was known for Jurassic World. Like Ron Howard, she is a filmmaker and actress together. She is one of the nicest, friendliest famous people I have ever met.
I showed her pictures of the world’s largest puzzles I’ve done. Look at her reaction. She is shocked and amazed. She is also amazed with my knowledge of cinema as well.
Shameik Moore - he was known for the voice of Myles Morales in the Spider-Man Spiderverse movies. I also met Marisa Tomei, who won 1992’s Best Supporting Actress Oscar for My Cousin Vinny.
Chevy Chase and Randy Quaid - these guys played Clark Griswold (Chase) and Cousin Eddie (Quaid) in the National Lampoon’s Vacation franchise. Chevy Chase was in Foul Play, Fletch, Spies Like Us, Three Amigos, Funny Farm, and Nothing But Trouble.
I met Bryce Dallas Howard, Shameik Moore, Marisa Tomei, Chevy Chase, and Randy Quaid all at Fan Expo Boston 2024. (Jun. 2024)
Juliet Mills and Hayley Mills - they’re classic actresses who are sisters together. Juliet Mills (left) appeared in 1946’s Great Expectations by David Lean with her father, John Mills. Hayley Mills (right), of course was known for live-action Disney classics Pollyanna and The Parent Trap.
That’s me asking Hayley Mills a question.
Rita Moreno - she was best known for West Side Story, both the original 1961 and the 2021 remake. The original 1961 is which Moreno won 1961’s Best Supporting Actress Oscar. This EGOT winner appeared in the 1956 film adaptation of The King and I, and the tv series The Electric Company.
Joe Dante - he was the director of Gremlins, Gremlins 2 The New Batch, Explorers, Innerspace, The ‘burbs, Small Soldiers, and Looney Tunes: Back in Action. As you see the 1998 card, I showed him my movie knowledge and he was amazed.
Shaun Cassidy - he was a singer and son of classic Hollywood actress Shirley Jones. Cassidy’s mother was in classics films such as Oklahoma!, Elmer Gantry (which she won 1960’s Best Supporting Actress Oscar) The Music Man, and the classic television sitcom, The Partridge Family, along with Shaun Cassidy’s brother David Cassidy.
I met Juliet and Hayley Mills, Rita Moreno, Joe Dante, and Shaun Cassidy all at the 2024 TCM Classic Cruise. (Oct. 2024)
Christopher Lloyd and Michael J. Fox - these two legendary actors are the guys from Back to the Future. Christopher Lloyd (left) played Dr. Emmett Brown and Michael J. Fox (middle) played without a doubt, Marty McFly. This was a very big deal for me to meet them as a movie lover because Back to the Future is one of the most iconic movie franchises in cinema history.
Steve Burns - he is best known as “Steve” from Blue’s Clues.
Donovan Patton - he is best known as “Joe” from Blue’s Clues. He was so friendly to me. I loved Blue’s Clues so much when I was really little. I was excited to meet Steve Burns and Donovan Patton.
William Shatner - he is best known as Captain James T. Kirk in the Star Trek franchise. This is a big deal because Kirk is the original main character of the franchise and Shatner is the guy who launched one of Paramount’s biggest franchises started it all in 1966. The celebrity next to Shatner was John Cleese. I met him as well. He was a really nice and funny man. He couldn’t believe his eyes when I showed him a paper printed gallery of the world’s largest puzzles I’ve done. Cleese was known for A Fish Called Wanda and the Monty Python franchise.
I met Christopher Lloyd, Michelle J. Fox, Steve Burns, Donovan Patton, William Shatner, and John Cleese all at the 2024 Rhode Island Comic Com. (Nov. 2024)
Laurent Bouzereau - he is an author and documentary filmmaker. He is Steven Spielberg’s documentarian and historian. He was so nice to be around with. He recommended me to watch one of his documentaries, Five Came Back. I watched all the three episodes and I loved it.
That’s me and Laurent Bouzereau when Bouzereau was doing book singings and poster signings at Edgartown Books in Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard, MA.
Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank - these two men are the presidents of Amblin Television. I met them at Martha’s Vineyard at the after party of Laurent Bouzereau’s documentary feature, Jaws @50.
Wendy Benchley - she is the wife of the late Peter Benchley, who wrote the book Jaws. Peter Benchley also wrote the screenplay for the movie Jaws with Carl Gottlieb, who played Meadows in the movie.
Jeffrey Kramer - he (middle) is known for paying Deputy Hendricks, who works for Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) in Jaws, and its first sequel, Jaws 2.
I met Laurent Bouzereau, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Wendy Benchley, and Jeffrey Kramer at Martha’s Vineyard during the Jaws 50th anniversary event. (Jun. 2025)
Helen Hunt - she won 1997’s Best Actress Oscar for her performance in As Good as it Gets. She also starred in the disaster hit, Twister with Bill Paxton.
Ewan McGregor - a big A-List actor knows as “Obi-Wan” in the Star Wars Episodes II and III: Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. His other movies include Trainspotting, Moulin Rouge, and Christopher Robin. Speaking of that, I met Jim Cummings, a childhood voice actor who voiced Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, and Peter Pete.
I met Helen Hunt, Jim Cummings, and Ewan McGregor all at Fan Expo Boston 2025. (Aug. 2025)
Stephen Tobolowsky - a character actor who appeared in Groundhog Day, Thelma and Louise, Freaky Friday, and its sequel, Freakier Friday. It was at the 2025 TCM Classic Cruise. (Oct. 2025)
Kurt Fuller - another character actor, who appeared in Ghostbusters II, Wayne’s World, Scary Movie, and Midnight in Paris. He was such a very friendly guy when I met him.
Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis - these legendary actresses are “Thelma and Louise” themselves! Susan Sarandon (left) starred in Dead Man Walking, which she won 1995’s Best Actress Oscar, and Geena Davis (middle) starred in Beetlejuice, A League of Their Own, Stuart Little, and An Accidental Tourist, which she won 1988’s Best Supporting Actress. Geena Davis was such a nice lady when talked to her at her booth at the 2025 Rhode Island Comic-Con, which is where I also met Susan Sarandon, and Kurt Fuller. Geena Davis didn’t use selfies at her Comic-Con booth. (Nov. 2025)
Danny Glover - he was known in the Lethal Weapon movies, Angels in the Outfield, and The Color Purple.
Mel Gibson - he’s not just an actor, he’s a filmmaker. He won’s 1995’s Best Picture and Best Director Oscar winners for Braveheart. This cinematic legend was known for the first three Mad Max movies, The Patriot, and the Lethal Weapon movies.
Sean Astin - he’s the president of SAG-AFTRA. As an actor, he’s known for The Goonies, Encino Man, Rudy, and The Lord of the Rings trilogy as “Sam”.
I met Danny Glover, Mel Gibson, and Sean Astin all at Fan Expo Boston 2026 (Aug. 2026)
James B. Jones - he is one of the reality stars of Netflix’s tv series, Love on the Spectrum. I met him and his girlfriend (who is also on the show) at King Richard’s Faire. (Sep. 2026)
Finally… here are stories about a couple of my favorite famous people I’ve ever met:
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola is one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time. He directed the greatest American movie ever of all time, The Godfather. Not only that, Coppola also directed the Godfather Part II (which he won 1974’s Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay Oscars), The Conversation, Apocalypse Now, The Outsiders, Tucker: The Man and his Dream and The Godfather Part III. Coppola was doing a QandA show after a screening of his 2024 movie Megalopolis at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY. I was sitting in the front row seat. When Coppola saw my Godfather shirt when he was talking, he said to me that he loved my shirt. My question to him was is it okay if I could (briefly) show my movie knowledge to him in front of the audience. Then, I did. The best part was at the very end of the event, just right as the QandA show ends, a few remaining audience members asked only a few different autographs from Coppola. I joined these few people, I raised my hand, and Francis Ford Coppola shook my hand, which was nice of him to do after he was amazed with my movie knowledge. I will never forget that memory for the rest of my life. That was a very huge deal for a movie lover because The Godfather, along with Citizen Kane, is the greatest and most influential American film of all time.
Francis Ford Coppola on the stage.
That’s me showing Francis Ford Coppola my movie knowledge.
That’s me before or after I shook Francis Ford Coppola’s hand as a few audience members asked Coppola to do a few different autographs at the very end of the event.
Steven Spielberg
This was my biggest dream as a big-time movie lover, meeting Steven Spielberg. How did this happen?
On June 8th, 2026, me, my mom, and my mentor were invited to the New York City premiere of Disclosure Day the last minute. My parents and my mentor bought three extremely expensive tickets there, which led us to be there. I was very excited to hear the news the day before we went. When we were at the premiere, an event staff member showed us the whole venue. One spot is where I can take a picture in front of the step-and-repeat poster wall of the movie, although there wasn’t an actual red carpet. The carpet had a darker color. Another spot our helper showed me, my mom and mentor is inside the venue, a group of photographers take tons of pictures of the cast and crew in front of the poster. At one point, when my mom and I told our premiere event helper that I love meeting famous people, it made her understood that me quickly meeting Steven Spielberg would mean so much to me in the whole world. Another premiere staff member, who works with our helper called her that Steven Spielberg was walking his way to the venue. So me, my mom, and mentor followed our event helper back to outside the venue entrance and there, Steven Spielberg was approaching. When I saw him in person, I gasped and had a huge feeling to jump for joy. But, the event helper who followed our helper followed me to Steven Spielberg with his wife Kate Capeshaw. He introduced Spielberg to me by saying “Steven, this is Jack.” Then Steven Spielberg said to me “Hi Jack, nice to see you.” while shaking my hand. I replied “very nice to meet you, too.” I asked politely to take a picture together and we did. As Steven Spielberg goes in the venue getting ready for the introduction to his movie, I jumped for joy and hugged my mom, my mentor, and the guy who introduced me to Steven Spielberg, thanking him making my biggest dream come true. I hugged our helper three times after my calm 30-second interaction with Steven Spielberg to thank for helping me follow my biggest dream. I was calm and appropriate, behaving like a random kind gentleman throughout the whole interaction. When we sat down in our seats in the theatre, Steven Spielberg did the introduction to Disclosure Day onstage with the cast and crew, including Emily Blunt. There goes the movie. Disclosure Day was really good. It was similar to Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Steven Spielberg was such a nice and friendly guy and it was such a very exciting day for me. It’s one of the moments I will never ever forget in my whole life.
Here’s the video of the whole interaction.
That’s me shaking Steven Spielberg’s hand.
That’s me and Spielberg standing together posing a picture together after asking his permission.
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“If you can dream it, you can do it.”
— Walt Disney