It's a small world we live in. Still, you can consider yourself lucky if you happen to stumble upon a major celebrity at the airport. That's precisely what happened to an excited fan of Ed O'Neill, the actor who gives life to Modern Family's super relatable patriarch Jay Pritchett.
To Ed, it seemed like just another day in the life. But guess what? Without even knowing it, he was posing for a photo with a "fan" who was actually way more famous than him! But who was she? And how is it possible that Ed was unable to recognize her? Brace yourself, because that's what this story is all about, plus we'll give you an update on said "fan."
The Iconic Photo
It was just another day for Ed O'Neill, who was comfortably sitting at the airport lounge while waiting for his flight. Wearing a beanie and shorts, he was probably trying to go unnoticed. But it's not that easy when you're a celebrity of Ed's status. And in no time, the actor's peace and quiet was disturbed by an eager fan.
The woman asked for a picture, and he politely agreed. The fan sat beside him and took a picture for the ages. But then, this mysterious fan uploaded the photo to social media, and Ed's phone was suddenly buzzing with messages.
Not Just a Fan
Ed O'Neill has got to be one of TV's most accomplished actors. After making a name for himself with another sitcom, he was given one of the leading roles in Modern Family. This critically-acclaimed comedy series got him two Golden Globes, as well as the attention of the fans.
Still, the mysterious fan that asked Ed for a photo at the airport is even more famous than he is! She is known all over the world, and she's considered to be one of the most recognizable celebrities of the last 20 to 30 years. So, who is she?
A Sitcom Superstar
We'll get back to the identity of Ed O'Neill's mysterious fan real soon. But first, it's essential to get to know a little bit more about the man that the fan was so excited about. With a show business career spanning over five decades, Ed is one of TV's most accomplished actors.
After getting his start on Broadway, he went on to appear in a couple of movies and the TV series Another World. But his heyday started in 1987, back when he was cast as Al Bundy in the hit sitcom Married... With Children.
A Late Bloomer
By the time Ed O'Neill started making some headlines in Hollywood, he was already over 40. A late bloomer, he counted with many years of experience, but it wasn't until Married... With Children that the actor started getting some real recognition from the fans.
This may help to explain why he wasn't familiar with our mysterious airport celebrity fan. Unlike Ed, she got her start when she was very young. Additionally, she's mainly known by a younger generation, being particularly famous amongst people who were brought up during the '90s.
Back To The Top
Married... With Children was canceled in 1997, but Ed O'Neill continued to appear in a lot of movies and TV series, including the Denzel Washington/Angelina Jolie's flick The Bone Collector and the crime/drama series Big Apple. But back then, it seemed like his days of TV glory were over...
However, Ed's career got a significant revamp when he was cast to play Jay Pritchett in a new sitcom called Modern Family. The series premiered in 2009 and became one of TV's biggest series, with Ed being thrown back to the very top of the entertainment industry.
There's One Ed O'Neill For Every Generation
This said, there's no doubt there's one Ed O'Neill for each generation of fans. Older sitcom devotees will always remember him as Al Bundy, while younger generations see him as the unmistakable Jay Pritchett. Either way, Ed is one of those celebrities who cannot escape the overwhelming attention of the fans.
But that day, back at the airport lounge, he was posing right next to a woman who was way more than just another fan. And he missed it completely! How is it possible? Well, let's just say Ed seems to be the kind of guy who doesn't like being in the spotlight.
An Old Fashioned Kind of Guy
While Ed O'Neill is pretty aware of his celebrity status, he doesn't strike us as the kind of guy who tunes in to watch the celebrity news and follow the latest trends online. For one, he doesn't seem to have any social media presence, and he's probably as good with technology as his on-screen character Jay Pritchett.
For all purposes, Ed is an old-fashioned kind of guy who tries to avoid taking pictures with the fans whenever he gets the opportunity. For all we know, you and I understand a lot more about celebrities and current Hollywood news than Ed does!
Fan Photos? No Chance!
Yes, this is a story about the time Ed O'Neill took a photo with a "fan" who was even more famous than he is! And yet, the American actor isn't the kind of guy who normally likes to smile next to an excited fan for a picture. In fact, he even has a reputation for being a notorious paparazzi-avoider.
Just visit YouTube, and you'll have a chance to see Ed getting away from a bunch of fan photos. In a hilariously-titled video called "Ed O'Neill Does Not Like Taking Photos With Fans," the Modern Family superstar proves to be a real master in the art of politely avoiding his followers.
Making an Exception
Given Ed's notorious lack of patience for fan pics, how has our mysterious fan been able to get a photo with him? Well, let's just say she knew exactly how to talk to a celebrity! Unlike most overly excited fans, she was able to keep her cool and ask for a picture in the most respectful way possible.
She complimented Ed's work on Married... With Children and Modern Family and referred to him as 'Mr. O'Neill', which is always a plus! That's probably why Ed decided to make an exception and smile for the camera next to the "stranger." Little did he know the moment would end up making headlines all over the Internet.
That Explains Their Faces!
There are thousands of celebrity photos out there. But how many of those show one celebrity smiling her face off and another one looking utterly bored? Not many! That's what makes Ed O'Neill's picture with his mysterious "fan" so special.
Whether you're a bonafide superstar or a commoner, there's no way you'll not put your best smile on when you're posing next to a guy like Ed. But being the way he is, Ed is probably so tired of taking fan photos that he's hardpressed to make an effort. This time, however, he was completely unaware he was posing to the camera of a celebrity of worldwide recognition.
Blowing Up On Social Media
Minutes after being taken, Ed O'Neill's photo with the mysterious fan was uploaded to social media. The woman who was sitting next to him has a vast social media presence, and her followers couldn't get enough of the picture. Needless to say, some of them noticed immediately, but Ed wasn't at all aware of what was going on!
The picture blew up on the Internet, much due to the massive fanbase of our mysterious woman. This said, allow us to provide you with the first clue regarding her identity: she's an Instagram superstar, counting with a whopping 26.4 million followers!
The Caption
Even though our mysterious woman is huge on Instagram, her photo with Ed O'Neill was uploaded on Twitter. Counting with over 55 thousand followers on her Twitter profile, our anonymous celebrity decided to caption her picture with the Modern Family superstar just like this.
She was visibly excited about meeting him, and she even called him a sweetheart! It wouldn't be the first word we'd use to describe him, especially considering how gloomy he is looking at that airport lounge. But we all know that, deep down, Ed is nothing but a sweet and earnest kind of guy.
After a Million Photos, You Stop Paying Attention
We're kind of happy that Ed O'Neill hasn't been able to recognize the famous woman he was taking a photo with. Otherwise, we wouldn't have this great story to share with you! But when it comes to fan pics, there's a good chance Ed doesn't even pay attention anymore.
Think about it: he's been one of TV's strongest and most recognizable actors for the last three to four decades. So yeah, celebrity life must be getting pretty tiring for Ed, who's still forced to deal with a lot of attention at the age of 74.
The Mysterious Woman
We've told you she's an Instagram superstar, but that's hardly what she's best known for. In fact, our mysterious woman is mostly recognized for being a former child celebrity, as well as a former teen idol. With a decades-long career, she's basically been super-famous since she was a little girl!
How is it possible that Ed doesn't know about her? Well, she's much younger than him, and she started by being popular amongst a mostly juvenile fanbase. Have you made your best guess yet? Good, because we're getting close to finding out the whole truth about her.
The Photo Came Up On Ellen
Ed O'Neill and Ellen DeGeneres: these two great superstars have worked together in the movie Finding Dory, and Ed even visited Ellen's talk-show to promote the popular animation flick. It was a Finding Dory-themed episode, with custom-made cue cards included, but there was some time left to tackle a different subject.
When he sat down for his on-screen chat, Ellen decided to mention the now-viral picture in which a clueless Ed O'Neill was posing next to his most famous fan. The picture got a lot of attention online, but this was the first time Ed was given a chance to talk about it.
Ed Often Gets Distracted
We don't know what's keeping Ed's mind so busy, but his airport fail wasn't at all the first time he wasn't sure about what was going on. We guess it's only natural you get confused sometimes, especially if you've worked for so long in so many different projects.
In Finding Dory, Ed plays Hank the Octopus, which is one of the movie's most important characters. Initially, though, Ed believed he was just going to the studio to say a few lines as a less-important character. He only realized how significant his role in the movie was during the actual recording session!
A Good Friend of Ellen's
But let's go back to our main story! Since our mysterious woman is a great friend and former collaborator of Ellen, the TV host was keen on knowing everything there is to know about her airport encounter with Ed. That's why she mentioned the viral photo and asked the Modern Family star for a detailed explanation of the events that took place that day.
It all started when Ed was alone, waiting for a plane to Hawaii. At the airport lounge, he immediately saw a fan trying to approach him. He tried to leave and avoid any unwanted attention, but the woman quickly got to him.
He Accepted the Woman's Request
Wearing an uncharacteristic beanie and some shorts, Ed wasn't keen on taking any sort of photos with fans that day. But this woman was different; she seemed to know exactly how to convince him. She was polite and even mentioned the fact that no other fans were around.
Eventually, she convinced Ed by telling him she was a huge Modern Family fan and that Jay was her favorite character. It's undoubtedly an ego booster when we're talking about a show that also features the likes of the characters Phil Dunphy, Claire, and Cameron. So Ed said "OK," took the picture, and quickly left to catch his flight.
History Repeats Itself
After hearing Ed's story, Ellen still couldn't believe he didn't know who the mysterious woman was. But as it turns out, not recognizing other celebrities is kind of an Ed O'Neill's thing. Two years after his Finding Dory interview with Ellen, the Modern Family actor went back to the talk-show.
This time, he talked about a different occasion in which he met a superstar who he didn't recognize at first. It was the singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, who he mistook for just another "pretty young girl." Not recognizing Taylor Swift is pretty rare. But the mysterious celebrity in our story is perhaps even more famous!
Everybody Was Talking About It
While Ed was unaware of what happened right before he entered his plane to Hawaii, the whole world was paying attention to his instantly viral "fan" photo. While on the flight, Ed received a text message from his manager, which said, "What is this? It's 53,000 likes!".
Quite naturally, his manager knew precisely who the strange woman was, and he wanted some answers! Meeting with a celebrity of worldwide recognition is a rare opportunity, and every good celebrity manager out there knows exactly how to make the most out of the situation. Too bad about this time!
Even Ed's Daughter Complained About It!
While Ed's manager was frustrated for having missed an opportunity to get some recognition for his client, Ed's daughter was also not happy about her father's lack of awareness. She was a big fan of the mysterious celebrity his father had met, and she went as far as calling him a "moron" (jokingly, of course).
The beautiful Sophia O'Neill is a 21-years-old student and actress, who's appeared briefly in an episode of Modern Family and who starred in the 2017 thriller An American Funeral. And unlike her way-too-distracted dad, she knew precisely who our mysterious celebrity was.
That Face When You Realize You've Made a Big Mistake
Apologies were made to his manager and daughter, and Ed was finally aware of who the strange woman was. And he couldn't believe it! She was not only as famous as him; she was even more widely recognized than he is!
Are you ready to meet her? Allow us to give you some final clues: she's a pop star, who's been getting on the top of the charts ever since the '90s, and who's inspired a whole generation of kids and future pop singers. And even though she was involved in many controversies throughout her life, we all still love and respect her. Do you know who she is now?
Drum Roll, Please... And It's Britney!
It's about time we cut the suspense. Some of you have probably guessed it by now, but in case you haven't, there she is—the one and only Britney Spears! You must be thinking you have to live under a rock not to recognize this famous pop singer!
Now you probably understand why Ellen, Sophia O'Neill, and Ed's manager were so stoked about his viral photo, as well as every Britney follower on social media. Throughout her music career, Britney has managed to sell over 33 million records and draw 25 billion in cumulative radio airplay!
The Nicest Possible Fan
Traveling with a small group of friends and assistants, Britney was able to go relatively unnoticed at the airport. But, most importantly, she knew exactly how to ask a fellow celebrity for a pic. As we all know, nobody understands how toxic fame can be better than Britney Spears.
If you think Ed O'Neill's life is hard, with all the fans and paparazzi following him around, imagine what it must feel like to be Britney! In 2007, her undisputed fame even got her into some trouble and took a heavy toll on her mental health. Fortunately, she's much better now.
Here's The Full Picture!
Now that you know the identity of Ed O'Neill's mysterious fan, we can show you the full, uncropped picture. And it's a wonder! In all our life, we never thought we would ever catch a glimpse of Britney Spears looking this normal and relatable.
Contrary to Ed, she looks like an excited kid who just got a chance to take a picture with Spider-Man or Mickey Mouse. And the most impressive thing is that the other people at the airport didn't even notice two major superstars were sharing a pic right there and then.
A Generational Crossover
With 53,000 likes on Twitter and after making a lot of headlines, the picture Ed and Britney shared ended up introducing a lot of younger fans to the Modern Family actor. Just like Ed knew nothing about Britney, fans of the singer weren't quite aware of who Ed O'Neill was at the time.
Even though he's incredibly popular in the U.S., Ed's international reputation is nothing compared to Britney's. While the pop singer is known everywhere from Europe to Asia, Ed is still mainly recognized for his two high-profile sitcom roles, first in Married... With Children and Modern Family.
The Great Cameo That Never Happened
Following the viral success of Ed and Britney's airport photo, many fans asked the pop singer to join the Modern Family cast for a special appearance. Sadly, it never happened, and the critically-acclaimed sitcom has now ended after 11 brilliant seasons.
But while Britney has never made it to Modern Family, there's no question she's a great fan of the show. A groundbreaking sitcom filmed in a unique style and fueled by some memorable characters, Modern Family is undoubtedly one of the best comedy series of the last decade. So, it's fair to say Britney has a great taste when it comes to TV series!
A Sitcom Regular
You may wonder, "what's a pop star going to do in a sitcom"? But make no mistake: Britney does have some excellent acting skills, and she's proved more than once to be a great guest to have on a comedy show! She appeared shortly—but memorably—in How I Met Your Mother, Will & Grace, Glee, and even The Simpsons.
Additionally, she starred in the 2002 road trip movie Crossroads, next to the bonafide acting talents of Anson Mount and Zoe Saldana. Not to mention her video clips, in which she always shows some great acting capabilities.
How Different Are They?
If there's something we've learned from Ed and Britney's viral airport photo, is that fame, like most things, is a relative matter. These two are huge superstars in their own right, but while he was unable to recognize Britney, the pop singer felt like she was just another overly excited fan next to the Modern Family actor.
But in the end, these two are not that different. While they have a very disparate fanbase, as well as a 36-year age gap, both are hardworking professionals with a decades-spanning career in show business. And what do they also have in common? The unique ability to stay relevant, year after year.
Famous Since the Mickey Mouse Club Days
Even though Ed and Britney have both been famous for a long, long time, Britney's start was nothing like Ed's. He worked hard for his big break and was kind of a late bloomer. Britney, on the other hand, has been making headlines basically ever since she was a toddler.
Alongside other future superstars, such as Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, and Ryan Gosling, Britney Spears featured in the Mickey Mouse Club. She got her big break when she was only ten years old, in 1992. And it took her only seven years to make it as a bonafide, world-class pop singer.
Britney's Songs Are Ever-Lasting
We all remember that video clip and that impossibly catchy tune. Britney Spears's first major music hit was "...Baby One More Time", a song that topped the charts like no other, and that turned the young artist into an immediate female symbol, particularly amongst teens.
It's a two-time platinum hit, which sold over 10 million copies and became the highest-selling song by a teen, ever! But most importantly, it's a song that resisted the test of time. Even today, we cannot resist whenever we hear the start of this catchy tune at a party.
The World's Greatest Female Artist
With the turn of the century, Britney Spears's success continued. Like many former Disney child stars, Britney reinvented herself as a steamy and confident woman with some daring videos and seductive songs. In 2000, she released "Oops!... I Did It Again," which turned her into the world's new favorite pop star.
Rendered as the new Madonna, Britney went on to sell over 20 million album copies, making her debut record one of the most successful ever. There was no question about it: Britney Spears was the new pop queen the world was waiting for, and she was delivering hits like a money-making machine.
But It Was All Too Much
You know the saying: the higher you go, the harder you fall. It isn't easy being a young woman at the top of the world. Eventually, the pressure can catch up to you and turn your life into a nightmare. It doesn't help, of course, if you happen to be followed around by the paparazzi and also struggle with drug addiction.
But that was Britney's life. And in 2007, the teen icon ended up having a series of rather public breakdowns following her break-up with rapper Kevin Federline. She went from the very top to the very bottom in less than a year.
Everybody Loves a Comeback Story
If it happens in Vegas, it stays in Vegas. But Britney's comeback was highly debated in and outside of Sin City. Reborn after a series of trouble and controversies, Britney Spears released two new records between 2013 and 2016 (Britney Jean and Glory) and became Las Vegas's best-paid artist in 2017.
During her residency years at Las Vegas, Britney reportedly earned at least $400K per show, which may help to explain her current $115 million net worth. But more than making money, Britney was back at she does best: entertaining a crowd with a set of contagious and unforgettable pop songs.
Making History
The success of Britney's Las Vegas shows was impressive enough to make everybody forget about her series of public fallouts. To make her comeback even stronger, Britney's new records were a hit both amongst audiences and critics. But nobody expected her to make history.
Still, Britney went to the very top of the world back when she signed a two-year deal with Monte Carlo's resort Park Theater, in 2017. At the time, she topped Celine Dion to become Vegas's best-paid resident. Her nightly income? A whopping $507K. Sin City was getting too small for all of Britney's success.
From Las Vegas To The World
Britney Spears's music has always been widely known, even outside of the U.S. So, it wasn't right that Britney's comeback should be limited to the best casinos and venues in Vegas. In the summer of 2018, she decided to travel all across North America, Asia, and Europe to present her songs to a broader audience.
The tour was called The Piece of Me Tour, and it was sold out almost instantly. It was Britney's tenth concert tour, and it featured a lot of remixes, visual stunts, and setlist modifications. In the end, it grossed over $54 million and counted with over 260,000 attendants.
Unstoppable?
By 2018, there was no doubt: Britney's second wave of success was more than a happy comeback story. She wasn't just making waves amongst nostalgic former fans; she was getting back to being one of the world's most accomplished female musicians. And she was loving it!
Applauded in and outside of the stage, Britney was also getting her life back together after years of struggling with drug addiction and personal issues. Back to being at the top of the world, she started focusing more on social media, personal improvement, and on her two young children. But then, she was once again hit by tragedy.
"Indefinite Work Hiatus"
At the beginning of 2019, Britney decided to cancel all of her upcoming Las Vegas show to spend more time with her sick father. After a near-fatal medical accident, Jamie Spears's health was cause for concern. There was no way Britney was going to play live in Vegas while her father recovered.
She announced an "indefinite work hiatus" and hasn't come back to her Las Vegas residency ever since. Fans of the singer understood the situation completely. Family is above everything else, and to be fair, Britney kind of deserved a break after working so hard for so many years.
A Promising Future For Our Two Superstars
Ed O'Neill and Britney Spears's odd airport encounter makes for a great story. And we cannot wait to see what the future holds for these two. Britney is back at being an internationally recognized pop queen, but she's been away from the stage for a while now. As for Ed, he has recently filmed Modern Family's very last episode.
Right now, Britney's third stage comeback will depend a lot on the current health crisis we're living. As for Ed, is he finally going to make it on the big screen? In 2020, you can catch the sitcom superstar in Andrew Cohn's comedy-drama flick The Last Shift.