The only 1990s actor who left Kristen Stewart starstruck: “You should just go say hi”
Most people experience that moment of disbelief when they spot their favourite celebrity in real life, but even famous actors can find themselves completely starstruck, as Kristen Stewart found out when she ran into the star of one of her favourite franchises.
One of the most recognisable names in Hollywood, Stewart has gone from teenage sensation in the Twilight saga to an acclaimed performer known for taking on challenging roles, such as playing Princess Diana in Spencer, for which she earned an Academy Award nomination for ‘Best Actress, and yet she still finds herself looking up to other actors.
In an interview with W Magazine, the actor admitted that she had her own fan moment when she unexpectedly spotted Canadian actor Neve Campbell, who became a household name after playing Sidney Prescott in the original Scream films and helped define the modern slasher genre with her portrayal of one of horror cinema’s most memorable final girls.
Stewart has often spoken about her love for the franchise, and meeting Campbell was a rare moment where admiration took over, as she recalled, “I saw Neve Campbell in a restaurant the other day, and I looked over my shoulder and did this thing that I hate when people do to me, where they look and then snap back and pretend they didn’t see or something.”
However, rather than approaching Campbell immediately, Stewart found herself hesitating, knowing exactly what it feels like to have fans recognise her: “I’m like, ‘Just come say hi’,” she said, pointing out the irony of suddenly being on the other side of that experience. Her friend encouraged her to walk over and introduce herself, saying, “You should just go say hi”, but Stewart’s reaction was a simple, “No way”.
She eventually bit the bullet, though, and introduced herself, which led to Campbell inviting them over for a short chat, and the encounter reminded Stewart that genuine admiration goes beyond simply recognising someone’s fame, and that sometimes, the people who leave you speechless are not necessarily the ones you expect.
“It’s funny who actually starstrikes you. It’s never who you expect,” she explained, “It’s a physical thing; maybe you love a musician, maybe you love an actor so much, but you see them, and you’re like, ‘Yeah, cool. That’s them. They’re a person’.”
But occasionally, someone’s work leaves such an impression that seeing them in person creates an entirely different reaction, including Campbell for Stewart.
For an actor who has spent much of her life in the spotlight, her reaction to seeing Campbell in the wild proves that even Hollywood stars can still have those unforgettable fan moments, where, no matter how famous they become, there will always be someone else who makes them feel like a fan again.
