The only two people to make Action Bronson star-struck
Action Bronson, with a career as both a rapper and as a TV personality, lives a showbiz sort of lifestyle. He has met a lot of famous people during his time, but, even so, that doesn’t mean he’s immune from becoming star-struck from time to time.
During a conversation with GQ in 2021, Bronson was asked about the first time he was ever left shaken by the experience of encountering a celebrity. “Back in the day I saw Cam’ron in a sneaker store in Soho called Transit,” he replied, “and I didn’t know what to do with myself.”
For a rapper like Action Bronson, it’s understandable that meeting a figure of Cam’ron’s stature would throw him. But that wasn’t the only person that he mentioned in response to the question.
Bronson explained that he once attended the premiere of The Irishman, Martin Scorsese’s epic gangster movie from 2019. That film was stacked full of legendary figures, so, naturally, Bronson encountered plenty of them at the premiere. But there was one above all others that left him speechless.
“I went to the premiere,” he told GQ. “And, you know, I was backstage with everybody and Al Pacino gave me a big hug. I was like, ‘Whatever.’ It was cool, but I was looking for one specific person that I didn’t see.”
It’s wild that meeting, and being hugged by, Al Pacino, of all people, didn’t seem to remotely phase Bronson. But he was on the lookout for another of the film’s stars.
“Then,” he recalled, “just as my wife and I are about to leave, somebody just comes up to me, like, ‘Yo, just want to tell you we love Fuck, That’s Delicious.’” That’s Bronson’s food docuseries.
The Joe in question was, indeed, a legendary actor and longtime Scorsese collaborator. “I turn,” Bronson said, “and Joe Pesci [is] just standing by the wall. And I’m like, ‘Oh, my God.’ So I just went over and gave him one of those handshake hugs.”
Bronson was so shaken and taken aback by meeting Pesci that he literally couldn’t remain in his company for long. “I was like, ‘Yo, bro, I don’t even know what to do myself. I’m going to leave now because I love you. Take care.’ I just walked out. I kept it cool but I was losing my shit inside—that’s Pesci!”