In 1985, young actor Michael J. Fox was sat next to none other than Princess Diana at the London premiere of his movie Back to the Future. Sounds like a dream come true, doesn't it? Well, according to Fox, an uncomfortable situation made it hardly that. In an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the author of the new memoir No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality looked back on the embarrassing moment, which still seems to be pretty fresh in his mind. Read on to hear what happened between Michael J. Fox and Princess Diana, and for more on the actor today, check out Michael J. Fox Says This Is the Secret to His 32-Year Marriage.
The first thing that occurred to Fox at the time was just how surreal it was to be seated next to the People's Princess, who had married Prince Charles four years prior.
"I didn't realize I was going to be sitting next to her until the movie started. The seat was empty and we were all standing because the royals were coming, and it was either her or Charles. I don't think Charles wanted to sit next to me for the movie," the actor joked. "The lights go down and the movie starts, and I realize I am one fake yawn and an arm stretch away from being on a date with her, which is hilarious."
But the humorous situation soon turned dire when Fox realized that he had to use the bathroom—and that Diana stood (well, sat) between him and the restroom.
"So, for the rest of the movie, I’m sitting there, like, dying," the star told Fallon. "I can’t say anything to her and I can’t walk away from her, because I can’t turn my back on her." (Technically, it's the queen you can't turn your back on, but we can see why he'd want to show the princess the same respect.)
Fortunately, Diana at least seemed to be a fan of the film. Fox recalled her laughing "a couple times," though "she wasn't ebullient." The Spin City star didn't elaborate on any conversation they may have shared, but he does remember the princess being "really sweet."
Unfortunately, because of his delicate condition, he couldn't really enjoy the moment. "It was just agony," Fox said. "It could have been the greatest night of my life, but it was just a nightmare. A pee-holding nightmare.”
Keep reading for more celebrity encounters with the late Princess Diana, and for more on what she was really like, check out 23 Facts About Princess Diana Only Her Closest Friends Knew.
Read the original article on Best Life.
1 | Drew Barrymore
DFree/ShutterstockDrew Barrymore was only seven years old when she was introduced to Princess Diana at the London premiere of E.T., but the memory is still fresh in her mind. She even got to gift the royal with a stuffed E.T. to take home with her.
“I remember it like it was yesterday," she said during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2018. "It was the most exciting moment for me to meet a real-life princess, the real-life princess, the People’s Princess. Diana was and is and will always be the epitome of a woman that all little girls look up to."
For more celeb news sent right to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
2 | Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks
Tinseltown/ShutterstockOn the 20th anniversary of Princess Diana's passing, Rita Wilson shared a memory of when she and husband Tom Hanks met the royal at an Apollo 13 screening.
"She could not have been more gracious, charming, funny and kind," the actor captioned her Instagram. "I was expecting our second son at the time and she kept asking me if I was comfortable, and if I needed anything. She was a gregarious dinner partner, laughing and engaged. I think she felt like a 'normal' person. It was when she got up from the table it became so noticeable that she wasn't 'normal.' The entire restaurant went silent and watched her as she made her way through the tables to go to the ladies room."
For vintage shots of Hanks and Wilson, plus more Hollywood pairs, check out 13 Photos of Celebrity Couples When They First Got Together.
3 | George Michael
David Parker/Alamy Stock PhotoPrincess Diana and the late pop star George Michael became friends after meeting backstage at a World AIDS Day concert in 1989. The singer said in an interview (per The Sun) that he and Diana "clicked in way that was a little bit intangible, and it probably had more to do with our upbringing than anything else." The royal also reportedly confided in Michael about her painful split from Prince Charles.
And for more on that, go Inside the "Secret Pact" Between Princess Diana and Prince Philip.
4 | Cindy Crawford
s_bukley/ShutterstockEven supermodel Cindy Crawford was intimidated at the prospect of meeting Diana, but, as she explained in a 2020 episode of Naomi Campbell's web show, No Filter With Naomi, the princess made her visit to Kensington Palace feel like she "was going over to a friend's house."
“I feel like she was in jeans and like a cashmere sweater and almost that vibe of being super laid back,” Crawford explained. "...I mean it was uncomfortable, but it was sweet. It was a very sweet day and a great memory."
And for more on the legacy of the People's Princess, check out 13 Amazing Ways Princess Diana Changed the Royal Family Forever.
