Ahead of Halloween, public attention traditionally turns to themes of mysticism and the supernatural. However, not all ghost stories are mere evening chat fabrications. A number of famous actors and musicians have described in public interviews their own experiences, which they link to the presence of spirits. Wave RBC.UA has compiled a selection of ten such accounts, and below are the most detailed episodes voiced on television shows and in conversations with journalists.
Keanu Reeves: A jacket without a body in a New York apartment
Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live in 2014, the actor recalled an incident from his early childhood. According to him, when he was around six or seven years old in a New York apartment, he saw a jacket in the doorway moving all by itself. There was no head, no body, and no legs inside it. A moment later, the jacket vanished. Reeves admitted that at the time he viewed what he saw with childish curiosity, but noted the frightened reaction of the nanny nearby. Retelling the story as an adult, the actor retained an element of doubt: was it a ghost or just a strange flying jacket?
Miley Cyrus: A boy on the sink and scorching hot water
In a 2013 interview with ELLE UK, the singer spoke about an apartment her family rented in London during their 2009 European tour. The building, she said, had been converted from a former bakery. Cyrus recalled that in the bathroom, she felt as though a little boy was sitting on the sink dangling his legs. A separate incident involved her younger sister Noah: during a shower, the faucet handle turned by itself, according to the singer, and the water became scalding hot. Consequently, the family moved to a hotel, and Miley emphasized that she had no intention of returning to that apartment. Her account was later cited by Us Weekly.
Kate Hudson: «I saw ghosts all the time»
Speaking with Howard Stern in May 2024, the actress returned to the theme of the paranormal, stating that she regularly saw ghosts as a child and comparing the experience to the plot of the thriller The Sixth Sense. «When I was a little girl, it was pretty wild because I saw ghosts all the time», Hudson said. Nowadays, she describes her sensations more as receiving certain messages rather than visual contacts. The star also shared her own view of the afterlife: in her opinion, it may be multidimensional and far more complex than humans can imagine.
Kristen Stewart and Vanessa Hudgens: From a «do not touch» plea to a spirit box
In a 2019 interview with Vanity Fair, Kristen Stewart answered a question about believing in ghosts very directly: if she finds herself in an unfamiliar apartment in a strange small town during filming, she might out loud ask invisible interlocutors not to touch her. At the same time, Stewart did not explain the nature of this experience, limiting herself to mentioning a «sensitivity to energy» — both towards people and towards what she herself connects with ghosts. In April 2022 on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Vanessa Hudgens stated that she had accepted her ability to see and hear what she considers manifestations of the paranormal. The actress shared how she and a friend went to a cemetery and used a spirit box device, commonly used in ghost hunting. Near one of the graves, they addressed a spirit named Sam and asked it to say their names. Hudgens claimed that amidst the static she heard answers and interpreted the device's sounds as a conversation with a ghost.
Helena Bonham Carter: Princess Margaret's approval through a medium
Preparing to play Princess Margaret in the series The Crown, Helena Bonham Carter did not limit herself to studying biographies. On The Graham Norton Show in 2019, the actress spoke about a female psychic friend who, she said, helped her contact the late sister of Elizabeth II. Bonham Carter said she asked whether the princess would object to an actress portraying her and received an affirmative response. There was also a specific piece of advice for the role: how to correctly replicate the manner of smoking. The actress noted that Margaret pointed out the expressiveness of gestures with a cigarette holder. According to Bonham Carter, this conversation took place specifically through a medium rather than during a personal vision.
Matthew McConaughey: «You can move around, but I'm not going anywhere»
In a video interview with ScreenSlam, the actor spoke about a ghost named Madame Blue who, according to him, had taken up residence in his home. At first, this presence did not seem particularly friendly, but instead of running away, McConaughey decided to assert his rights to the home. «You can move around as much as you want, but I'm not going anywhere», he recounted telling the ghost. According to him, house guests also mentioned feeling someone in the hallway. Eventually, the strange occurrences stopped, and a room previously avoided became a favorite among visitors. The actor jokingly described this as peaceful coexistence with Madame Blue.
All the listed episodes are personal memories and beliefs of the celebrities themselves, voiced in public formats: talk shows, magazine interviews, and video interviews. None of the stories were backed by independent verification, and each of the figures left room for alternative interpretation. Nevertheless, it is precisely the publicity and concreteness of the details — from the city's name to the spirit's name — that make these stories prominent in the media space and turn them into a persistent part of mystical pop culture.
