CT’s celebrity sightings and news in September

September was a big month for celebrities in the Nutmeg State, with Adam Sandler receiving a shiny new Walk of Fame star outside the Mohegan Sun and the Foo Fighters rocking out a surprise show.

Here are some of the celebrity sightings in or around Connecticut in September:

Foo Fighters pack Toad’s Place for surprise 2½-hour show in CT

New Haven

In September, Foo Fighters performed to a sold-out audience packed inside of Toad’s Place in New Haven. The band, which is used to selling out stadiums, announced the club performance just a day in advance, with $30 tickets only being available to be purchase from the venue’s box office on York Street.

The show was also the group’s first time performing at the historic club, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. It was also the band’s first appearance in Connecticut since headlining the Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater in Bridgeport in 2021.

Throughout the evening, lead singer Dave Grohl remarked how he was surprised that the Foo Fighters had never performed at Toad’s Place, saying that it was “kind of the perfect place to play.” Grohl even dedicated the song “My Hero” to the club during the performance. – Andrew DaRosa

Adam Sandler gets Mohegan Sun Walk of Fame star

Uncasville

Adam Sandler did not only leave Connecticut selling out his two consecutive shows at the Mohegan Sun Arena, but he also left with a shiny new Walk of Fame star outside the Mohegan Sun Box Office forecourt.

Sandler brought his “You’re My Best Friend Tour,” featuring new material and songs, to the Mohegan Sun Arena in September. Originally only scheduled for one show, which sold out quickly, the second show was added by popular demand, according to the Mohegan Sun website. – Ciara Hooks

David Letterman joins Ryan Reynolds at documentary screening in CT

Ridgefield

To kick off the “John Candy: I Like Me” screening tour, Ryan Reynolds traveled to Ridgefield in September to show off the new documentary alongside a notable special guest.

The documentary, which is directed by Colin Hanks and produced by Reynolds, covers the life of the esteemed comedian Candy, who was made famous with roles in “Stripes,” “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” “Spaceballs,” “Uncle Buck” and “The Great Outdoors.” Candy died in 1994 at the age of 43 from a heart attack.

Joining Reynolds for the sold-out screening and Q&A were Dan Pasternack and legendary late-night host David Letterman. – Andrew DaRosa

TV host visits Mohegan Sun, attends Sebastian Maniscalco show

Uncasville

AfterBuzz TV creator and former host of “Extra” and “E! News” Maria Menounos was spotted at Mohegan Sun attending a show by comedian Sebastian Maniscalco.

“You know you’re gonna have a good night if you’re laughing before you even get to the comedy show,” Menounos wrote in an Instagram post.

The Massachusetts-born celebrity has a family home in Connecticut, which was spotlighted in Home + Style in 2023. In her Instagram post, Menounos said she had friends coming to visit so she had to “take them over to Mohegan Sun for a girl’s night.” – Andrew DaRosa

Sarah Jessica Parker honored at CT library gala

Westport

It’s not every day that Carrie Bradshaw steps out of New York City to hang out in Connecticut.

And while Bradshaw is a fictional character, Sarah Jessica Parker – who played the ambitious newspaper columnist and fashion expert in the “Sex and the City” franchise – stepped out in September at the Westport Library to a sea of fans who hung on every word from the veteran actor and producer.

Parker was the latest honoree of the Westport Library’s “BOOKED for the evening” gala, which has run since 1999 and honors individuals “whose work reflects the purpose of the library: to nurture a love of learning and to enhance our understanding of the world,” according to the library’s website. – Andrew DaRosa

Jane Fonda recalls working with Katharine Hepburn during CT talk

Old Saybrook

Actress Jane Fonda got emotional recently as she recalled working with film icon Katharine Hepburn as she received an award honoring the late actress’s legacy.

Fonda received the 10th annual Spirit of Katharine Hepburn Award on Sept. 14 during a gala at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center (The Kate). After receiving the award, she was interviewed at the venue by Cynthia McFadden, a former reporter for outlets like NBC and ABC. The Kate’s Director of Development and Community Relations, Robin Andreoli, said that Fonda was chosen to receive the award because of her diverse film career as well as her activism. In the ’60s and ’70s, she spoke out against U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War and even visited North Vietnam in 1972, according to Time. Fonda has been arrested multiple times for her activism, including five times in 2019 during a recurring climate protest in Washington, D.C., according to People.

As Fonda received the award, she reflected on working on the 1981 film, “On Golden Pond,” with Hepburn. In the drama, Fonda starred as Chelsea Thayer Wayne, the daughter of Hepburn’s character, Ethel Thayer. Fonda said that she and Hepburn connected emotionally as they worked on the film together. Fonda has also appeared in films such as “Klute,” “Julia,” “Coming Home,” “Barbarella” and “The Dollmaker.” – Joseph Tucci

CT content creator among contestants in newest Jimmy Fallon show

A Connecticut native is among 10 competitors on Jimmy Fallon’s newest reality show.

Glastonbury native Lauren Karwoski appears on “On Brand with Jimmy Fallon,” which aired its first episode on NBC on Sept. 30.

In the show, Fallon creates his own marketing firm, On Brand Agency, and recruits 10 of the “most creative, clever and competitive go-getters he can find,” according to a news release. During each episode, the creatives will work with a major brand (such as Dunkin’ and KitchenAid) to create things like commercials, merchandise and jingles. Fallon and former Netflix Chief Marketing Officer Bozoma Saint John will host the show.

Karwoski started a career as a digital travel-based content creator after “leaving her job, breaking up with her partner and selling all of her belongings,” according to a news release. She has over 97,000 followers on TikTok, as well as over 27,900 followers on Instagram as of Oct. 1. – Joseph Tucci

‘Scandal’ star attends new CT restaurant Massi Co. opening celebration

Westport

Actors Scott Foley (known for “Scandal”) and Marika Domińczyk (known for “Grey’s Anatomy”) joined the owners of Massi Co. on Sept. 6 to celebrate ahead of the grand opening for the new Neapolitan-style pizzeria and southern Italian-American restaurant in Westport on Sept. 9.

Massi Co. co-owners Massimo Tullio, Mark Shapiro, Charlie Collier, Matt Leon and Ron Tarsy banded together to offer “a fresh chapter to the heart of the Westport dining scene,” according to a news release.

Each team member brings different knowledge and perspective including hospitality, media and real estate to the overall execution of the eatery. Tullio with years of restaurant experience is the former owner of Don Memo and Kawa Ni and was a part of The Whelk, according to the release. Tarsy brings a host of hospitality entrepreneurship experience, Shapiro is the president and COO of TKO Group Holdings and president and managing partner of WME Group, Collier is the president of Roku Media and Leon, an executive at Newmark bring additional business experience. – Ciara Hooks

Christopher Briney set to star in ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ movie

Team Conrad fans will not have to say goodbye to their floppy-haired heartthrob, because Conrad Fisher, played by Connecticut native Christopher Briney, soon will be coming to the big screen.

The hit Prime Video show “The Summer I Turned Pretty” aired its series finale on Sept. 17, with Briney’s Conrad and Belly Conklin (Lola Tung) ending up together after three seasons defined by a love triangle that also featured Conrad’s younger brother Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno) – and fans of the show now can look forward to more of the couple in the form of a newly announced movie.

The movie is the next step in what has become a breakthrough role for Briney, who was born in Danbury, studied theater at Waterbury Arts Magnet School and participated in an intensive theater program at Wesleyan University before going to college at Pace University in New York. – Nathaniel Rosenberg

CT native, rapper performs in ‘America’s Got Talent’ finale

Connecticut native and rapper Micah Palace delivered his last performance on season 20 of “America’s Got Talent” in September.

Palace was among 10 finalists to compete in the final episode of the season. Throughout the show, he rapped and sang original songs in both English and Spanish.

During his audition in the first episode of the season, Palace performed an original song called “No Sabo,” which the Connecticut native described as “a term to make fun of kids who came from Latin descent but don’t speak a lot of Spanish,” according to NBC. Palace speaks Spanish and grew up in an Argentine household, but told NBC that he “never felt like (he) belonged in either culture.”

Palace performed “No Sabo” and another original song, “Spanglish,” for his final performance on the show. He was joined by Colombian singer Manuel Turizo for the performance. – Jayden Nguyen

CT’s James Van Der Beek surprises at ‘Dawson’s Creek’ reunion

Connecticut native James Van Der Beek made a surprise virtual appearance at a “Dawson’s Creek” reunion in September after announcing that he would skip the event due to an illness.

Van Der Beek said in a post on Instagram that he would have to cancel his appearance at the reunion due to “two stomach viruses.” The 48-year-old actor announced in November 2024 that he was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer.

The “Dawson’s Creek” reunion event, which was held at the Richard Rodgers Theater, raised money for the non-profit organization F Cancer and Van Der Beek. Original cast members from the show Michelle Williams, Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, Mary Beth Peil, John Wesley Shipp, Mary-Margaret Humes, Nina Repeta, Kerr Smith, Meredith Monroe and Busy Philipps attended the event to read the 1998 pilot episode of “Dawson’s Creek.” – Jayden Nguyen

‘Gilmore Girls’ fan festival takes over CT

New Milford

New Milford has transformed into Stars Hollow yet again in September for the second edition of “Gilmore Girls” fan festival “A Weekend in the Life.”

The Connecticut town served as one of the main inspirations for the setting of the 25-year-old “Gilmore Girls,” which takes place in the fictional town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut. Organization Decade Days held its first “Gilmore Girls” festival in New Milford in April and announced shortly after the spring event that it would host a “A Weekend in the Life: Fall Edition” festival that was “smoother and more magical than before” in September.

In addition to Patterson, Matt Czuchry, who played Logan Huntzberger on the show, also returned to the festival. Czuchry said in a video posted to Decade Days’ Instagram that he had the “best time” meeting fans at April’s convention event and wanted “to do it all over again.” – Jayden Nguyen

‘The Bear’ screenwriter claims he was kicked off CT-bound train

Alex O’Keefe, an award-winning writer of the FX series “The Bear,” was detained by police and handcuffed on board a Connecticut-bound train after another passenger complained to conductors.

In an Instagram post in September, O’Keefe, who is a Black man, wrote that an older woman told him to correct how he was sitting on the train. The woman, who is white, complained to the conductor, who called the police, O’Keefe said.

“The police told me to leave the train, I refused and asked what was I doing illegally. They said I was disturbing the peace by not leaving the train,” O’Keefe wrote in the post.

– Peter Yankowski and Declan Walsh

Lara Spencer seen at CT thrift shop

Greenwich

Greenwich resident and “Good Morning America” TV personality Lara Spencer was seen at the Greenwich Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Shop on Hamilton Avenue in September. – Susie Costaregni

Rapper 50 Cent’s new crime series examines CT’s ‘Fitbit murder’

Curtis Jackson, better known as 50 Cent, explores a Connecticut murder mystery in one of the newest episode of his new series.

“50 Ways to Catch a Killer with 50 Cent” is a true-crime series, produced and hosted by Jackson, that takes viewers through a “deep journey inside investigative units as they unravel real-life murder mysteries,” according to a news release.

The series premiered on the Fox Nation streaming platform on  Sept. 16. Episode three of the series, titled “Step Back,” follows the story of former Ellington resident Connie Dabate, whose death became known as the “Fitbit murder.” The episode premiered on Sept. 23 and is still available to stream on Fox Nation.

Connie Dabate was found dead in her and her husband’s Ellington home two days before Christmas in 2015. Almost 16 months later, her husband, Richard Dabate, was arrested for her murder. – Joseph Tucci

Gordon Ramsay kicks off new CT-filmed season of ‘Hell’s Kitchen’

Season 24 of “Hell’s Kitchen” kicked off in September as Gordon Ramsay returned to Foxwoods Resort Casino for a second time at the recently opened restaurant.

This season is called “Hell’s Kitchen: Battle of the States,” which each chef competing from a different state. At the beginning of the episode, Ramsay told the audience inside of Foxwoods’ Great Cedar Showroom that they had scoured the country to find chefs to compete from each state. However, only the top 20 chefs would be chosen to compete for a chance at being the head chef of Hell’s Kitchen at Foxwoods and a cash prize of $250,000. – Andrew DaRosa

Many NY Yankees appear at Rodón Foundation gala

Greenwich

The Carlos Rodón Foundation’s annual Willow Gala took place in September at the Delamar Greenwich Harbor. The milestone event, established by New York Yankees pitcher and Greenwich resident Carlos Rodón and his wife Ashley raises awareness and funds for families facing fertility challenges.

The event was attended by  Rodón’s fellow Yankees teammates, including Aaron Judge, Anthony Volpe, Luke Weaver, Ben Rice, Cody Bellinger, Max Fried, Paul Goldschmidt, Trent Grisham, and Austin Wells and featured entertainment from Gary LeVox, lead singer of the Grammy Award-winning country music band Rascal Flatts. – Susie Costaregni

Ron Howard seen playinh golf in CT

Greenwich

Actor and director Ron Howard was seen playing golf at Burning Tree Country Club in Greenwich in September, as well as MLB All-Star great Ken Griffey, Jr. – Susie Costaregni

Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager have dinner together in CT

Cos Cob

Former “Today” co-host and author Hoda Kotb and Greenwich resident and author Jenna Bush Hager, host of “Today with Jenna and Friends,” were seen having dinner at La Bistro on East Putnam Avenue in Cos Cob in September. The duo appeared at Christ Church afterward to a packed house for an author talk and reception featuring Kotb’s book “Jump and Find Joy: Embracing Change in Every Season of Life.” – Susie Costaregni

This article originally published at Ryan Reynolds and Adam Sandler: CT’s celebrity sightings and news in September.