People tend to get stuck in their ways as life goes on, but there are certain events that are particular catalysts for change. Fame, wealth, and power often make the person act quite differently than they used to. And with the rich and famous, most of us only know them post-stardom. So internet users asked people to share their experiences with celebrities at school or before they became famous and how it changed them. 

So get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote the most interesting submissions, and comment if you have your own stories about celebrities before they became famous. If you want to explore more stories about the stars before they were stars, Bored Panda has got you covered, check out our other piece here. 

Read More: “She Was Actually Super Mean”: People Who Knew Celebrities Before Fame Reveal What They Were Like

#1

My Aunt and Uncle lived next door to Patrick Stewart. He had a terrible childhood. His dad was traumatised during the War like so many were. He changed so much it became untenable and his mum used to send him to relatives to keep him safe. Very sad . He is a lovely man and he keeps in touch with friends he made many years ago.

Image credits: paddyplaistow

#2

I didn’t go to high school with him by my girlfriend’s grandparents used to rent movies from a local blockbuster and this gentleman always suggested some strange movies to them. They said he was really nice but had a weird name. Turns out it was Quentin Tarantino. They watched one of his movies after he got big and they said “Well that explains a lot of the movie suggestions he gave us.”

Image credits: jcarlhays

#3

Went to primary school with Hugh Jackman, total class act and always had the makings of someone who would be successful.

Image credits: BoshasaurusChris

#4

Was a freshman when Chris Pratt was a senior. We didn’t interact much, but he was in a lot of the assemblies and I did tech theater for a play he was in.

He was a goofball. Lots of charisma, laid back, class clown. Bout what you’d expect seeing him now.

Image credits: swingkatd

#5

My mom went on a few dates with Nicholas Cage! I’m not sure exactly what year it was but my mom was a professional ballet dancer in New York. Nic Cage’s dad owned the ballet company my mom danced for. So apparently Nic Cage saw my mom and thought she was cute so they went on a few dates. I asked my mom what he was like and she thought for a second and then said “weird”.

Image credits: need-chicky-nuggs

#6

I went to college with Lin Manuel Miranda. I was more of an acquaintance, but we share a lot of the same friends. He is one of the funniest, craziest, most genuine people I’ve ever met. He seems like he hasn’t changed much and is still the same awesome person.

Image credits: freshpicked12

#7

Not me, a classmate’s son my age went to school with Tom Holland. Apparently he’s super sweet and goofy, little scatterbrained and forgetful.

Image credits: Iximaz

#8

I’m cousins with Cardi B and have known her since we were kids. She’s honestly been the same person, kept to herself and is crazy and funny when she’s comfortable. We still see each other at family parties regularly so it’s nice.

Image credits: TheUglyBarnaclee

#9

My grandmother had a milkshake with Elvis Presley. She loved him and the day he died she kicked my father out of the house because he was being a brat. Around Christmas time she would always get so sad when “Blue Christmas” played on the radio.

Image credits: fish_the_fred

#10

Obligatory not me, but my mom went to high school with Dave Grohl, knew him pretty casually. Said he was a total stoner, VP of the class, and would play music over the loudspeakers on occasion and was really good. Super nice, super laid back guy, really humble about how talented he was/is.

#11

My old neighbor grew up with John Mayer and was really close with him. While I never got to meet him, my roommate did on a few occasions. Apparently Mayer was fairly laid back and just wanted to hang out.

The thing that really sticks with me is when my neighbor’s wife took her own life Mayer let my neighbor move into his house for several months. It was sad, but said neighbor couldn’t stand being in his own home anymore knowing his wife lived her last moments there. From what I understand she intentionally OD’d on medication while he was home and came to him saying “I don’t feel well” and then collapsed.

Image credits: ScottishGigolo

#12

Post Malone and I graduated from high school together! I even have a picture from when our art class recreated the Last Supper with McDonald’s for someone’s art project. He posed as Jesus and I was basically Judas. We weren’t friends, but he was always friendly when we did speak. He had a very chill demeanor and always cracked jokes in our history class. I liked the dude!

Image credits: Ryankw777

#13

My best friend’s mom went to college with Wes Anderson and yes, he was a total hipster, but he’s this super humble dude. They run into each other in Dallas every once in a while and he says hi and buys her coffee as if he’s not this huge director. Same for Owen Wilson.

Image credits: SunnyCarol

#14

I went to middle school with Drake. He was a year older with my older bro and He cried one time in the boys gym change room bc another boy had some designer sweater or something and he didn’t lol…..I don’t remember him being awful or anything just a little whiney…….I actually got invited to his house last summer and met him and told him we went to middle school together etc. and he was really nice.

mrdannyg21 added:

He went to my high school, though in different grades so I didn’t know him. He was already famous from Degrassi High, and he was hilariously pompous. This school had quite a few rich families, and the rich kids loved him of course.

I mean, he was a very rich kid named Aubrey, living in a rich white/Jewish area. His ‘started from the bottom’ stuff in songs and ‘street’ accent is hilariously fake.

Image credits: arcanceel

#15

Not me, but a good friend of mine was classmates with Anna Kendrick. They weren’t close friends but they hung out a few times and had a bunch of classes together. Apparently she was super shy, not the type of person to demand attention or anything. She’s kind of amazed that Anna went on to be a celebrity just because she seemed too timid to want to do that. She said she was always really nice though, the type of person who got along with everyone.

#16

My mom went to school with Marilyn Manson. Apparently, in middle school, he went around with a lunchbox of doll heads and his dad affectionately referred to him as Lucifer and the Antichrist.

Image credits: WestTadpole

#17

I went to high school with Nancy Cartwright (Bart Simpson). We hung out as we were both in the marching band. She was nice and had an outlandish personality way back then (late 70’s) but wasn’t snobby or anything like that.

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#18

You know how they say bullies will end up working in McDonalds and you’ll end up doing bigger and better things? Mine’s a professional NASCAR driver (Noah Gragson) and I just have depression. So that’s sick.

#19

Went to HS with Kesha. She was in marching band, and was mostly quiet.

#20

I had a friend who went to church with Ken Jeong. Apparently he comes back to his hometown regularly to see his parents and such. Was told he was a real nice guy and the only thing that changed after the fame was people haranguing him.

#21

Went to school with Khalid, he was one of those kids that always pretended to be stoned but never smoked, he acted very flamboyant and used that to always be around girls, never made a move on them though, strange fellow.

Image credits: dinggerdawg

#22

Went to Jr High and High School with Taylor Lautner. Played football together my Freshmen year.

Dude was really nice, and a bit awkward. This was before the whole twilight thing, and he was most famous for Sharkboy and Lavagirl. He seemed pretty much what you expect a theater kid to be like. But really nice dude over all, pretty quiet, played pokemon leaf green together a few times.

#23

Several. I worked on Robot Chicken with Ben Schwartz before he became known to the world as Jean Ralphio. We still run into each other every now and then randomly. He was funny and cool then. He’s funny and cool now.

Image credits: ConvenienceStoreDiet

#24

My brother went to high school with Taylor Swift. She was actually super mean to people and got booed off the stage at her junior year talent show.

Image credits: cwistopherr69