Fan Sees Steven Spielberg, Gives Him One Message-Can't Believe His Response
An 18-year-old Steven Spielberg fan has gone viral after freezing up during a chance encounter with the legendary director-and blurting out the only thing that came to mind: “I love Jaws!”
Hudson Menzel, of New York, told Newsweek he was leaving 30 Rockefeller Plaza after a taping of Saturday Night Live when somebody told him that Steven Spielberg was about to walk out of the building. He added: “They were right, and when he walked by, I was starstruck and freaked out and couldn't think of what to say.”
But what Menzel did manage to say while completely awed at seeing the Oscar-winning filmmaker has now been seen by hundreds of thousands of people.
In a video posted to Menzel’s Instagram account, @hudsonmenzel, the teenager can be heard nervously telling viewers that Spielberg “is about to walk by.”
When the director appears, Menzel calls out in a shaky voice: “I love Jaws!”
Spielberg’s reaction is instant-he turns, grins, and gives Menzel two thumbs up, with the teenager later joking he “nailed it.”
Newsweek has contacted representatives for Steven Spielberg for comment on this story.
Spielberg’s Reaction Strikes a Chord Online
“When he gave me the thumbs up, I was thrilled, cause I wasn't sure if I'd get any reaction out of him in the first place,” Menzel said.
He described the video’s popularity as both “exciting and shocking,” adding that he “never would’ve expected this video to blow up.”
“I realized it was really going viral when people were telling me they saw it on their For You pages, and these are people that don't even follow me.”
Menzel and Spielberg’s interaction has racked up close to 150,000 likes, with one commenter posting : “Love how scared you sound.”
Another wrote, “That’s a great interaction. Well done. He loved it,” as a third commented: “That’s how celeb interactions are supposed to be. 10/10 no notes!”
The Film Behind the Viral Moment
Spielberg’s hit movie Jaws held the title for the highest-grossing film of all time when it was released in 1975, winning three Academy Awards and being nominated for Best Picture
Spielberg was just 27 years old when he directed the blockbuster, which helped redefine the modern summer movie season.
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This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 7:22 AM.