How to Talk to Celebrities

Meeting a Celebrity In-Person

Determine if this is the right time to approach them. Remember that celebrities are people, too. They will have times when they are busy, frustrated, or otherwise dealing with a major situation where it might not be appropriate to approach them. If you see a celebrity who seems like they’re in a big rush, or if they are dealing with a critical situation, leave them to their business. Some situations, such as escorting someone into an ambulance, will be obvious. Others, like if they are in a rush while getting coffee, will be less conspicuous. Use your best judgement and respect their time and space to the best of your abilities. Try to make eye contact and smile at them. Not only does this help give you confidence, it gives them a chance to acknowledge you. If they don’t acknowledge you, they may be too busy.

Casually approach them and say “Hi.” Try to stay composed. Don't panic or start screaming if they wave or smile back. Simply casually walk up to them and introduce yourself. Say hi, and let them know that you’re a fan of their work. You could say something like, “Mr. Johnson! I can’t believe I’m meeting you in person. I’ve been a fan of yours for a long time.” If you know they have just had a widely publicized life event, such as getting married or welcoming a new child, you can say something like, “Congratulations on your marriage!” Stick to widely publicized events. Do not drop personal or private information that you learned online or through gossip magazines.

Make a personal connection. If the celebrity’s body of work has had a major impact on your life, don’t be afraid to let them know. Otherwise, try to make a personal connection by talking about things you would talk about to any other person. Ask them about their work, and let them know why you’re a fan of them. Try something like, “Your second album was really important to me when I was applying to college. It helped get me through some very stressful moments.” Remember to keep the conversation brief. Let them know that their work helped you through a hard time, but don’t give them a long story about your life unless they specifically ask for it. Keep things short and sweet. End the conversation with something like, “I know you’re busy and I don’t want to keep you. Thank you for taking a few minutes to talk to me!”

Ask for an autograph or a picture if you want one. Celebrities know that things like autographs and taking pictures with fans are part of the deal. Don’t be afraid to ask for a quick autograph or picture if you want one. Just make sure to keep it quick, and always ask their permission before you take their picture. Don't get mad if they won't give your their autograph. If they refuse, say "That's okay. I still enjoyed meeting you. Have a nice day." A graceful ending is always best. Some celebrities may take a picture or sign an autograph, but may ask you not to do something like post the picture on a certain social media site or to not get their autograph tattooed on you. Respect their wishes in these cases.

Chatting with Celebrities on Social Media

Pick the right social media platform. While many celebs have profiles on many forms of social media, some platforms make it inherently easier to interact. Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and a few others allow for quick responses and replies to posts. Sites like Facebook, on the other hand, are generally better for simply following than for interacting. Take a look at what social media platforms your favorite celebs regularly use. They may have both a Twitter and Instagram, but if they post daily on one and once every few weeks on the other, you should try to connect with the platform they use the most. Some celebrities choose not to use social media. Respect their pursuit for privacy, and don’t try to hunt down personal details like their phone number or address if they don’t have an online presence.

Tag them in every relevant post. Celebrities aren’t going to just stumble across your social media posts. You need to tag or properly mention them in some way to get their attention. Tag them in relevant posts to increase their chance of seeing your statement. For example, you could tweet, “Chillin’ in my PJs, eating cereal and listening to @ArianaGrande newest album right now. Loving life!” The @ mention is a common feature in Twitter, but every social media site has its own means of tagging someone or referencing another person on the platform. Be sure to only mention or tag them in relevant posts. Tagging them in every single one of your posts is likely to lead to them ignoring you or blocking you. Focus on posts about the celeb’s work, life, or other public events.

Retweet them on Twitter. Just like an @ mention, retweeting a celeb is a quick and easy way to get a celebrity to see your handle. Retweet them when they say something funny, inspiring, or something to which you can relate. Be sure to check their account daily for potentially retweetable content. You do not need to retweet everything they post. Like all other social media interactions, retweets are more powerful when there is a personal connection to them.

Comment on YouTube and Instagram. YouTube and Instagram both have celebrities that started their careers on those platforms. These kinds of celebs are generally more likely to respond to some comments on their accounts. Even celebs who didn't start on the platform may still respond to fan comments. Write specific, meaningful comments on YouTube videos and Instagram pictures. This may help you get some attention. Remember to be specific. Saying, “You’re so great!” is a nice sentiment, but it doesn’t require a response. “You used a really stunning blend of direct and indirect lighting components. What tools do you recommend for someone starting out on Instagram?” is more personal, descriptive, and requests a response from your favorite Instagram artist.

Keep the conversation going. If a celeb responds to you on social media, don’t be afraid to keep the conversation going. Let them know, “I can’t believe you responded. This made my day! Any chance I can get a follow?” Give them something they can respond to, and ask them to connect with you so that you can keep the conversation rolling. Don’t be offended if they choose not to follow or friend you. Many celebrities do not follow their fans on social media. It’s not personal in most cases, it’s just them being firm in their policies.

Increasing the Odds of Communicating

Check fan sites and convention schedules for appearances. Many celebs do meet-and-greets as part of promotions for projects, conventions, and fan appreciation events. Check your favorite celebrities’ official website, their authorized fan sites, and schedules for conventions like Comic-Con and VidCon to see if they are scheduled to make an appearance near you any time soon. When you look for scheduled appearances, make sure you get all the facts before you go. Check to see if you need to buy a pass or a ticket, and verify that there will be a signing or meet-and-greet, not just an onstage appearance or panel discussion.

Attend small events at local venues. If possible, look for smaller events, and those with tickets or reservations. These increase your chance of getting some face-to-face time with your celeb. Concerts at local music venues, book readings, and lectures are great events to increase your odds of running into the feature celebrity.

Follow the rules at meet-and-greets. Many celebrities like getting to interact with their fans. Scheduled appearances often have some attached rules, though, that can’t be disregarded. Some celebs, for example, refuse to sign autographs, and showing up with a pen and autograph book could get you kicked out. Check the ticketing website or the ticket, itself, to see what is and is not allowed. Always follow directions for an event. You don’t want to miss an opportunity to see your favorite celeb just because you got caught trying to do something that wasn’t allowed.

Be persistent but polite. This is true of meeting in person, but it’s especially true if you want to talk to a celeb online. They get thousands of messages, posts, and other things directed at them a day, and they don’t have time to see all of them. Keep retweeting, tagging, and messaging, and be patient. You don’t want negative attention because you were too aggressive or rude in your communication. Remember to keep a personal connection in your online communication. The more of a personal touch your messages or comments have, the more likely they are to get a response. If you see a celebrity in person and they let you know they don’t have time to talk, respect that. They have busy lives and responsibilities of their own.