Here’s an important question I’ve wanted to discuss here for a while: who is your imaginary celebrity BFF? Do you enjoy him or her for their style sense, their wit, their activism? Do you look to them for imaginary guidance (what would J.Law wear to this event?) or do you just have a funny sense that if you were to somehow meet in real life you’d just get along smashingly? Who was your imaginary celebrity BFF at various points in your life — let’s say at 15, 25, and your current age?
For my own $.02: at 15 my imaginary celebrity BFF was probably Sandra Bullock — she seemed smart and funny in Speed, one of my favorite movies around then (although that probably had more to do with my imaginary celebrity boyfriend, Keanu, ha.) I also really liked Drew Barrymore, although she seemed a little crazy but in a good way.
At 25, I was in law school and binge-watched a lot of silly reality TV shows between classes so I’m going to go with either Tyra Banks or Tim Gunn. Ah, Genevieve Gorder from Trading Spaces also seemed very cool. I also remember being ridiculously happy when Queer Eye came on, probably with Ted Allen as my favorite.
These days my imaginary celebrity BFF is probably back to Drew Barrymore — love Santa Clarita Diet — or possibly Cate Blanchett or (wow do I feel lame saying this) Meghan Markle, who I’ve been a fan of ever since I read this piece in Elle about her college admission essay (also, Go Cats!).
OK ladies, over to you — who’s your imaginary celebrity BFF now? Who was it at ages 15 and 25? Have you ever broken up with an imaginary celebrity BFF?
Looking for other fun, lightweight fantasy open threads? Here’s our last discussion on celebrity crushes, what we’d do if we won the lottery, as well as (on CorporetteMoms) our last discussion of what we’d do if we had a weekend all to ourselves.
Picture credit: JStone / Shutterstock.com.
inAustin
Mindy Kaling!!
AIMS
YES! My rule for these things is “who would I want to be stuck in the elevator with” and it’s definitely Mindy.
Potentially also Amy Poehler or Chrissy Tiegen. I basically just want to be surrounded by funny women in any broken elevator situation.
Anonymous
+1. My second is Shonda Rhimes
Marillenbaum
Now: Gina Rodriguez! I love her character on Jane the Virgin, and she seems so bubbly and smart in her interviews, I totally imagine that we would meet while volunteering somewhere and then become pedicure buddies.
Age 15: Anne Hathaway–I found her hair aspirational, and I LOVED the Princess Diaries.
Age 25: it was only two years ago, but probably Christine Baranski: I was obsessed with her character on The Good Wife, and I loved how her outfits were both undeniably feminine and powerful (also, all those chunky chain necklaces!)
Anonymous
I loved Christine Baranski’s character in Sybil. It was like an American Patsy Stone.
In-House in Houston
Mine has always been, and still is, Jennifer Anniston. As a huge Friends fan, I probably watch at least 1 episode every single day because it’s on so many channels, I’ve always loved her. She loves her friends and seems like she’d just be so fun to grab a drink or get our nails done. And the fact that her love-life has been so public, I just want to give her a hug and tell her that her prince is still out there….
Anonymous
Natalie Portman. Shes such a smart well rounded individual.
Violette
Mine as well! I’ve been convinced we’d be BFFs since I saw her play Queen Amidala when I was in my young teens, and nothing I’ve read/heard about her since then has shaken that belief.
Pretty Primadonna
Kerry Washington. We have similar styles (feminine and “girly” but still sophisticated), and she’s classy, chic, and politically engaged.
S in Chicago
Kelly Clarkson. I don’t listen to her music or anything like that–it’s not my style. And I don’t even have much in common (I’m older, no kids, fan of city life.) But somehow every time I see her interviewed I’m always struck by just how nice she seems.
Never too many shoes...
She really does seem lovely. The bit where she gets day drunk with Seth Myers is hilarious.
anon
Sandra Oh
Marillenbaum
Love her! I’ve been so in love with her performance in Killing Eve!
Anon
Mindy Kaling or Seth Meyers.
Dwayne Johnson if it was a ‘friend with benefits’ situation.
Anonymous
Wanda Sykes would be such a hoot. Also really like Ellen Degeneres – I must really like friends who are super funny.
Ellen
My BFF has got to be Gwenneth Paltrow. In school, so many people thought I looked just like her, and then I did b/c I did not yet have the tuchus I have now. If people look at me now, Dad says they will say that I still look like Gwenneth Paltow, but now, AFTER the bakery truck came by! Dad is such a nice guy, at least for acknowedging that I am still cute.
Anon
Kristen Bell, Reese Witherspoon or Sandra Bullock
Brass rat
Def Kristen Bell. Her Instagram rocks and she sounds politically savvy in a way I agree with.
Anonymous
Oh yes Kristen Bell. I forgot about her, love her!
Anonymous
Mila Kunis.
Never too many shoes...
Kat, I second your choice of Drew Barrymore. She seems hilarious.
Anon
Tracy Ellis Ross !
Pretty Primadonna
She was a very close second for me! Spunky, fun, stylish, and so, so goofy.
Cookbooks
Martha Plimpton. or Catherine Tate.
Leah
Dave Grohl.
Most of my closest friend are the way he seems–their minds never stop moving and creating, and they have an unstoppable energy for experiencing life.
Leah
*friends
Kate
I always think that Jennifer Garner seems so down-to-earth for a celebrity (but who knows).
Lobbyist
Anna Kendrick. Her tweets are awesome.
Senior Attorney
I was watching 2 Dope Queens on a plane yesterday and now I totally want to hang out with Phoebe Robinson and Jessica Williams. Even though I am not in any way cool enough to do so.
jumpingjack
Co-signing for myself on all points.
If you haven’t yet listened to Phoebe’s Sooo Many White Guys podcast, it’s fantastic.
Anonymous
Michelle Obama. No one else comes close for me.
jumpingjack
Sigh, yes. I’m so in awe of her I don’t think I’d be able to formulate a full coherent sentence. But she seems like she’d be really good at drawing out people are who totally starstruck.
Anon
I was totally fangirling at her interview with Carla Hayden last Friday at the opening session for the American Library Association conference. She was so down to earth and she talked about parenting and her career before the White House and struggles with childcare. She also talked about being overwhelmed by all of the seemingly once in a lifetime opportunities she had as First Lady. It was amazing!
jumpingjack
Kristen Bell, Tracy Ellis Ross, and Tiffany Haddish.
lsw
Katy Perry and Kristen Bell.
Anonymous
Helen Hunt
CountC
Female: Tina Fey and Taraji P. Jensen
Male: Jimmy Fallon
Housecounsel
Roxane Gay. We’d watch bad reality TV together, without shame, and compose Twitter clapbacks (not that she needs my help).
Anonymous
Now: Samira Wiley, Kristen Bell, Rashida Jones
At 25: Leighton Meester, Anna Kendrick, Felicia Day
At 15: Natalie Portman, Alexis Bledel, Avril Lavigne
S
Reese Witherspoon or Kirsten Bell.
Ameline
Reese Witherspoon because we have similar taste in clothing and we’re both kind of awful.