Photo gallery: Delaware's celebrity encounters

Wilmington's Jamie Campbell (left) with actor Denzel Washington at the former Sydney's Blues & Jazz Restaurant in Rehoboth Beach.

Robert Kirk of Landenberg, Pennsylvania (center) with Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump during rehearsals for the finale of "The Apprentice" in 2012. Kirk was a stand-in for Donald Trump during the rehearsals for the live telecast in New York.

Wilmington's Brian Finn (second from left) and Rob Kalesse (right) with actors Rob McElhenney and Charlie Day of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" earlier this year in California.

Bellefonte's Douglas Jumps and his family with singer James Brown in Myrtle Beach, North Carolina in 1999. "'The Godfather of Soul' resplendent in red leather head to foot," Jumps writes. "He was such a gentleman and took time to stop and talk to our kids about getting a good education, then pulled out his CDs to give them. One of the best concerts I ever saw."

57. University of Delaware professor and former CNN world affairs correspondent Ralph Begleiter with former Cuban president Fidel Castro in Havana, Cuba in 2002.

Georgetown's Danielle Furst with hip hop artist Jay Z.

Writes Jessica Moodus Myers: "Me and a friend just hanging out with [actor] Hugh Jackman, no big deal. We met him before seeing him on Broadway. Couldn't have been any kinder or more down to earth."

Wilmington's Soufiane Lailani with comedian Ricky Gervais on Election Day in New York's Central Park in 2008.

News Journal entertainment reporter Ryan Cormier interviewing the cast of "Reno 911" in Philadelphia in 2007.

Spaceboy Clothing co-owner David Sanchez (right) and Wilmington's Brad Wallace (left) with actor and Delaware native Ryan Phillippe at the Market Street retail shop.

Newark's Chris Greenwell with comedian Dave Chappelle at Prince's final Baltimore concert in 2015.

Newark's Steve and Tammy Ketterer with wrestler The Undertaker.

Dominick "King Dom" Draper of Allhiphop.com and The News Journal interviews Cardi B.

Wilmington's Drew Davis with comedian Bill Cosby in Philadelphia. "Sat behind this awful person at a 76ers playoff game," he writes.

Wilmington's Donna Smits with musician Bruce Springsteen.

Newark's Ed Ziegler with actor Michael J. Fox in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1985.

Archmere Academy art teacher Terry Newitt with artist Andrew Wyeth at a 1974 "Great Gatsby"-themed party in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. "We were on the roof of a porch I had so Andy could escape the crowd," Newitt writes.

Delaware's Heidi Batulis with former Vice President Joe Biden. "Best day of my life. What an awesome man," she writes.

Middletown's Rod Garrison (left) with former NFL quarterback and "The Biggest Loser" runner-up Scott Mitchell in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2015.

Wilmington's John Holton (left) with actor James Tolkan in Lake Placid, New York. Tolkan played the high school principal in "Back to the Future"and Tom Cruise's commanding officer in "Top Gun."

Dallas Cowboys fan and Wilmington resident Wayne Ostafy with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones in 2002. "I was lucky enough to work for the Eagles for six years," he writes.

Dover area resident Robin Coventry and family in New Mexico with actor John Wayne on the set of "The Cowboys," released in 1972. "We were in awe. We all walked up to him he was so kind and personable," Coventry writes. "John Wayne was taller kneeling than most of us kids. He signed many autographs and posed for photos with us. This was a day our family will never forget."

Bear's Mike Jeandell with actor Ernest Borgnine in 2011 at Total Wine & More in Claymont. "He was actually checking out after buying some wine and I approached him and asked if I could bother him for a pic. His classic response was, 'Kid, I didn't work in this business all these years to NOT get recognized!' What a nice guy and a true gentleman. Sadly, he passed the next year.'"

Wilmington's Frank Levy with musician Buddy Guy at The Grand in 2012.

Wilmington native Stuart Wilkie with MSNBC's Rachel Maddow earlier this year, his "celebrity crush." He writes: "I met her through my dad Curtis Wilkie, former News Journal journalist. It was a Make-A-Wish kind of, I have stage IV colon cancer, now in my liver and several other places. It was amazing to sit in on Rachel's show off camera, seeing the show live as it happens. After the show, I got to meet and talk to her for a good bit. Very nice, and helped me forget about my disease for a few days."

Lewes' Tracey Thompson Tillman with musician Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath.

Delaware native Jess Tweed with musician Dave Matthews at Seattle's Northwest Folklife Festival.

Delaware's Nicole Alvarez with musician/actor Tyler Hilton at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia earlier this year.

Wilmington's Ray Saccomandi with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Wilmington's Ryan Joseph with comedian Jim Breuer.

Newark's Ken Grant with actor Harry Shearer at Wilmington's The Grand.

Arden's Ron Ozer with musician Bruce Springsteen in Philadelphia in 2016.

Delaware filmmaker JJ Garvine with actor Robert Redford at Sundance Film Festival.

Newark's Shea Wesley with musician DJ Kool Herc.

Rehoboth Beach's Dale Teat with Styx singer/keyboardist Dennis DeYoung in Chicago.

Rehoboth's Heather Keegan Kenton with former stock car driver Michael Waltrip.

Wilmington's Kevin and Ashley McCabe with musician Joe Walsh.

Wilmington's Walter Ferris with Wilmington-born actress Aubrey Plaza.

Wilmington's Andy Jenks, 2016 Paralympic goalball silver medalist, with Presdient Barack Obama.

Wilmington's Ben Dunphy-Linnartz with former New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera.

Wilmington musician Gérard Theiler with bluegrass great Bill Monroe.

Wilmington's Jeremy Hebbel (left) with musician Michael Franti (center) at the debut of the Firefly Music Festival in Dover in 2012.

Wilmington's Andrew Rigney with President Bill Clinton.

Wilmington's Kristyn Clarke interviews musician Garth Brooks.

Bear's Braeden Mannering of Brae's Brown Bags with celebrity cook Rachael Ray.

Wilmington's Shamma Maria with actor Lou Ferrigno.

Wilmington's Robin Onizuk with television host Hoda Kotb during a break from her morning run in Rehoboth Beach.

Middletown's Nakishia Bailey with former Secretary of State and U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton.

Wilmington native Richard Fell II with former NBA player Darryl Dawkins.

Delaware's Heather Anderson (left) and her friend Namita with rock band Dawes.

Wilmington's Theresa Querey Conaty with actor Bryan Cranston.

Wilmington's Evangelina Guajardo with actor Norman Reedus.

Bear native Chelsea Sunshine with actor Shia LaBeouf.

Wilmington's Jenna Montgomery does The Twist with Chubby Checker in Rodney Square in 2000, photographed by former News Journal photographer Fred Comegys.

"Harmonica" Pete Cogan of Claymont with pop star Kesha at Wilmington's Oddity Bar.

Rehoboth Beach blues band Lower Case Blues backstage with John Popper and Blues Traveler at the Delaware State Fair in Harrington in 2016.

Wilmington's John Medkeff Jr. with musician Jon Langford at Dogfish Head in Rehoboth Beach.

Wilmington's Beverly Zimmermann with comedian Brian Regan.

New Castle's Abby Berman with astrophysicist Neil Degrasse Tyson.

Landenberg, Pennsylvania-based musician and filmmaker Chris Malinowski with musician Dave Grohl.

Wilmington City Councilman Bob Williams with actor Terrence Howard.

Hockessin native Richard L'Abbée with, er, actor Ron Jeremy.

Wilmington's Michael Phouts with former UFC fighter Mike "The Hulk" Easton.

Wilmington's Charles Ebbie Alfree III with actor Jim Parsons in New York after "The Normal Heart" on Broadway in 2011.

Mary Catherine Gazze and her mother with music group Hanson.

Rob Waters and Erin Tanner with their son Graham and former Vice President Joe Biden in Lewes.

Wilmington native Paul Parmelee with Delaware native and musician George Thorogood at The Grand in 2011.

Townsend's Erik Raser-Schramm with musician Reba McEntire.

Fellow University of Delaware graduates: author Matt Manochio and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

Arden's Diane Brocklesby with actor Will Shatner.

Wilmington's Ali Pigliacampi with actor and musician Dan Aykroyd in Washington, D.C. in 2005.

Wilmington actor Lyman Chen (center) in a scene from "The Comedian" with Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal.

Newark's Porsha Green Hargrove with actress Vivica A. Fox.

Wilmington's Matt Rohner and Anita Neubauer with musician Chris Stapleton in 2015 at The Queen in Wilmington.