I received a text from a friend with a video attached. “Is this Stanley Tucci in Trader Joe’s?” The text read, referring to the famous Hollywood actor and filmmaker. The video showed a bald man in sunglasses pushing a cart at 400 South Trader Joe’s in his navy T-shirt. It wasn’t Stanley Tucci. I squinted and it looked like Stanley Tucci, but it wasn’t Stanley Tucci.
Of course it wasn’t.
Why is Stanley Tucci at Trader Joe’s in Salt Lake City? Why is he wearing an Old Navy t-shirt? And transition lenses?
But to be honest, I wanted to believe it was “Tootch”. He desperately wanted to believe. Because few things are more thrilling than finding celebrities in the wild, especially in the wilderness I call home.
In 1998, a classmate found Ryan Gosling at the Provo Missionary Training Center. Legend has it that a mutual friend left on his mission.
Jamie Robinson poses next to Ryan Gosling outside the Provo Missionary Training Center.
Arguably, there’s one celebrity who lives here full-time — Post Malone — and given that very few people pop up at the MTC, for most of the year, these encounters keep us Utah away. Tragically rare for state people.
But two weeks a year, Sundance comes to town and fills the celebrity sighting cup.
Every winter, stars descend on the state for the world-famous film festival. Hollywood’s elite are, first and foremost, easily recognizable by their indescribable clothing choices.
People walk down Main Street during the opening day of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on Thursday, January 19, 2023.
Spencer Heaps, Deseret News
Most of us here have been wearing the same ski jackets for the past decade. If we’re feeling fancy or heading to a funeral, wear a three-year-old dry-cleaned peacoat pulled from the back of the hall closet, mismatched cotton gloves and a threadless beanie maybe.
But rich and famous visitors strolling down Main Street pull out all their outerwear stops, ensuring a sophisticated après-ski vibe. If you do, don’t worry. Park City has a number of upscale stores selling $6,000 hoodies and his $1,500 fedoras.
While it may be tempting to try to replicate a celebrity’s appearance, this is unwise. When a normal person tries to be Western Chic, it ends up being “Beverly Hillbillies take over Antarctica” at best.
Once a celebrity has been identified, spotters have several options. They can observe and mark sightings in their minds, much like a birdwatcher marks Whooping Cranes in a field guide, and later pass them on to friends and family. This option is the most respectful of celebrities, but choosing it risks disbelief. Without proof, who would buy that you saw Nicole Kidman outside a Patagonia store? ?
The second option is to ask for a photo. This can be annoying for celebrities, both based on their time pressure and their level of fame (Ryan Gosling in 1998 was still not an A-lister and photographed at the MTC). It seems like he was excited to be picked up, Ryan Gosling in 2023, but there’s always a good chance he’ll be asked for a photo, and he’s not too enthusiastic when that happens). You run the risk of becoming a vermin, but you get conclusive proof that the meeting took place.
Here’s the evidence a friend provided after meeting Paris Hilton:
David Kader has a photo of him with actress Paris Hilton.
A third option is to make new friends with the celebrity. After foolishly taking this path in my own past, I cannot give a strong enough warning against this path.
I had met Joseph Gordon Leavitt, the star of “Inception” and several “Batman” movies many years ago. At that point, JGL had never starred in a blockbuster, and had a supporting role on the comedy show Third Rock From the Sun, achieving Ryan-Gosling at the MTC level of fame. We had a pleasant conversation around the dinner table with many of the other guests, and he seemed grateful when I mentioned his work on “Third Rock.”
After that, his stardom increased exponentially and his film 500 Days of Summer broke out at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. A friend recommended me tickets to the screening and his Q&A with the cast.
As Leavitt answered questions from the audience, I thought he and I were making eye contact for a while. “He must remember me,” I said to myself with blind confidence. After the question-and-answer session, attendees were removed from the screening room while the performers and director remained on stage. I told my friend
So I lingered until the filmmakers walked off the stage, and my heart raced when Levitt walked up to me. I stepped in front of him and said, We dined together a few years ago! Remember? “He rolled his eyes, confused his head, took a step to the side, and quickened his steps toward the exit.
My face turned a crimson hue and I turned around to see my friend crouching hysterically, tears of laughter rolling down her face.
Some have had more success than me and become lifelong celebrity friends. But for me and mine, we shoot celebrities and celebrity doppelgangers from a safe distance across the aisle at Trader Joe’s.
