Ed O’Neill has quite a few celebrity encounters in which he could not recognize these big stars. The Modern Family alum, who plays Jay Pritchett on the ABC comedy, said he did not know he randomly met Taylor Swift at a birthday party.
Who would not recognize America’s biggest pop star? Swift has gained international recognition for her music, but fans could not blame O’Neill – he admitted being old and not-so-updated with the trends in Hollywood today.
Ed O’Neill Took A Selfie With Taylor Swift And He Didn’t Know Her
Speaking on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, actor and comedian Ed O’Neill shared he went to Sarah Hyland’s birthday party and a woman suddenly approached him.
When I go to these things, I don’t look at people closely. It’s a bit overwhelming if there’s a lot of people there you don’t know, some celebrities. And so this woman came up to me and said, ‘Hi again. Nice to meet you.’
At 78 years old, O’Neill is still heavily devoted to television. He previously appeared in the 2024 series Finding Your Roots and Clipped. In the interview, he admitted to knowing the woman is very famous, but he couldn’t remember her name. She asked for a selfie and the actor agreed.
Later on, he texted his daughter Sophia. “I said, ‘I desperately need to know a name so that when I leave and say the name: ‘Wonderful to meet you,’ ” said O’Neill. The large screen at the back showed his selfie with Taylor Swift, prompting the audience to laugh. His daughter said, “I’m having you committed.”
The former professional football player asserted “I only see them when they’re performing. So when you see them in a backyard, I thought it’s a pretty girl. Again, I’m getting old.” In the end, he said he was able to say, “Nice to meet you, Taylor” before he left the party.
Perhaps it’s quite a surprise for many that O’Neill failed to recognize Swift in an instant, but this is not his first time failing to recognize famous stars who would randomly meet him. Britney Spears once ran into him in an airport and asked for a photo. He agreed and moved on.
The next day, his manager asked him about the viral image and mentioned who it was. O’Neill joked, “I mean, look at my face: Do I look like I’m sitting with Britney Spears?” referring to his clueless facial expression in the photo.
Ed O’Neill Knew Modern Family Would Be A Mega Hit
O’Neill achieved global fame for his role in ABC’s Modern Family. The actor revealed in an interview that he knew it was going to be a successful one. Speaking with Collider, he said:
I thought it was going to be a hit from the moment I read it. It’s a hit show. And that was before I knew anyone involved.
It ran for 11 seasons from 2009 to 2020, and that’s why O’Neill is very much known and beloved in the industry.
Modern Family is available to watch on Hulu.
