What Celebs Really Think About Ringo Starr

Few names are more instantly recognizable than Ringo Starr, but what do celebs who know the real man think about him? As it turns out, he's a hit with more than just his fans, and many other familiar names have gushed over him being a stand-up guy who practices what he preaches. 

We'll kick things off with John Cleese, who worked with Starr in "The Magic Christian," both as a writer and actor. Though Cleese was already well-known by that point as a TV star, it was his film debut, and in one 1997 interview, he gushed, "Suddenly, the first time in movies and working, as I say, with Peter [Sellers] and Ringo Starr, it was a very exciting time" (via Take2MarkTV). 

Outside of the enormity of the experience itself, Cleese would also share more personal details about his time working with Starr in a 2026 appearance on Gold Radio. In that conversation, Cleese shared that he'd actually become fairly close with Starr's fellow Beatle George Harrison (who Starr has long said was his closest friend in the band) by that point. He also revealed that he ended up having a great time with the drummer during the production of "The Magic Christian." In particular, Cleese quipped that Starr's inflections had him in stitches. Recounting their morning greetings to one another, Cleese laughed, "Everything sounds like, 'I'm going to die any moment.'" He added, "He's so lovely, but he kept me in fits of laughter because of these wonderful inflections of his. And he's, he's just lovely."

Next up, the late David Lynch, who made no secret of his admiration for Ringo Starr. Particularly, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker lauded Starr for his passion for Transcendental Meditation and hinted at him using some of his net worth to support The David Lynch Foundation, which was established to help more people find the practice. 

Speaking about Starr's support at the drummer's "Peace and Love" public 74th birthday celebration in 2014, Lynch gushed, "One of the things Ringo does is support the David Lynch Foundation, so we can give this life-transforming technique of Transcendental Meditation to people anywhere in the world who want it" (via halbie71). That wasn't all, though. In the same speech, Lynch also shared, "Ringo Starr is Mr. Peace and Love, and he doesn't just talk the talk, he walks the walk. He exemplifies peace and love." 

Fast-forward to 2019, the director added another descriptor for his friend. While promoting Starr's photo book "Another Day in the Life," which Lynch had written a foreword for, the director appeared on stage with the drummer and photographer Henry Diltz with BackStory Events. Of the photos selected for the book, Lynch marveled, "The photos are exquisite, and a happiness comes through. Ringo is a very happy human being, one of the best vibes coming off a person ... so I thought, they can add peace and love, which already goes with Ringo, and add the word 'happiness.'" Talk about a bromance for the books!

Switching gears to a much younger star, as some will know, Barry Keoghan was cast to play Ringo Starr in the four-film biopic series about The Beatles. And, while some actors notably haven't met up with their famous subjects (like Lady Gaga, who achieved her "House of Gucci" transformation without meeting Patrizia Reggiani), the "Saltburn" star did get a chance to chat with the musician. Understandably, said meeting came with some nerves, but don't worry about any "Never meet your heroes" horror stories, because Starr cracked a joke to keep things calm. 

Speaking about the meeting on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," Keoghan shared, "When I was talking to him, I couldn't look at him. I was nervous ... but he's like, 'You know, you can look at me.'" The actor added that he calmed down enough to have an actual conversation, and pretty much mirrored what John Cleese had said about the drummer many years prior. "He was absolutely lovely and ... [we] just sat in the garden chatting away," Keoghan recalled. 

Keoghan also spoke about the meeting during an appearance on BBC Radio 1, revealing that he was able to make a playful request after overcoming his nerves. Reacting to Starr's video announcement that he would no longer be signing anything because he simply couldn't keep up with all the correspondence anymore, Keoghan shared that they'd spoken about all the autographs and how Starr was calling time on them. "I was cheeky enough to go, 'Will you sign this, though?'" he shared. Luckily for Keoghan, the musician obliged. "He said, 'This one time,'" the actor chuckled. Well, bringing someone to life on screen comes with some perks.

We mentioned earlier that Ringo Starr is one of the best-known names in music, but one person who has said that he would be friends with Starr even if he was a regular Joe is Toto guitarist Steve Lukather. 

Lukather spoke about his friendship with Starr in a 2018 interview with RockCellar TV. "I just adore this man. I really ... I'm not just saying this because he's Ringo. ... He's just got a heart, man," Lukather shared (via Alex Castino). He also gushed, "I feel like a long-lost brother, man. If his name was Bob Smith, he would be my best friend ... if he worked, did another job or something, you know?" Lukather also shared that he got on great with Starr's wife and former Bond girl Barbara Bach.

Lukather is even one of the members of Starr's "Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band," which is comprised of a number of famous musicians. While most members rotate, Lukather has always hung on, and speaking to Something Else in 2023, he shared that he had no plans to change that. "The hang is world class and Ringo treats us like kings. Who wouldn't want to do this gig? Ringo and I have become really good friends over the years. ... He's like a big brother to me, a great wise man who keeps my s*** together when I start going crazy," Lukather said. Without going into detail, he also lauded Starr for being there for him when he really needed a friend. "I've gone through my darkest bits and when I messed up he was there for me and supported me and loved me, in spite of myself," he said. That's a special friendship, for sure. 

Like we said, Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band has had several members over the years, and that's not even counting the one-off celebrity guests. A number of famous faces have made surprise appearances on stage with the Beatle, and in 2025, John Travolta was one of them. Those who follow the "Grease" star on Instagram may even recall the video the actor shared of the performance, where he provided vocals for "With a Little Help from My Friends." Travolta also shared a very sweet caption in Starr's honor. "Ringo Starr is part of the soundtrack of my life. It meant a lot to me to sing with him and his all star band tonight. Great song from The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's album," he penned.

Travolta also spoke about Starr during a 2026 interview on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon." Explaining that he hadn't initially been slated for a performance, he shared that after going backstage to meet Starr, the drummer invited him to join. Safe to say, Travolta was thrilled (and the adorable video of him beaming on stage will forever be one of our favorite moments from him). 

Though Travolta didn't say so himself, a source told the Globe that the actor and Starr had started hanging out more and that "Ringo is encouraging him to do more of it." They also claimed Travolta and Starr were having jam sessions, and that there was a chance of more performances in the future. Acknowledging Travolta's several losses over the years, the insiders added that they felt he was "finally coming out of his shell." Yeah — we're starting to see why so many celebrities have described Starr as "lovely."

The Beatles fans are no doubt overjoyed by the fact that Ringo Starr has always remained close with Paul McCartney. And, as McCartney once told The New York Times, their fellow bandmates' passings have only brought them closer. "With John and George not here, I think we realize nothing lasts forever. ... So we grasp onto what we have now because we realize that it's very special," the singer said. McCartney also pointed out that when it came to their specific experiences, there were certain things only they could really understand. "It's something no one else has. There's only me and Ringo, and we're the only people who can share those memories," he explained. 

Ringo and McCartney have worked together on a number of occasions since The Beatles split up, even performing together on stage in 2019. Speaking about that particular experience during an interview on "The Howard Stern Show," McCartney said that it had been incredibly special for him to be able to look over and see Ringo on the drums. "That is my brother. I love this guy!" he gushed. 

Well, McCartney may be the only person alive to have had all the same experiences as Starr did when they were in The Beatles, but it's clear he's not alone there. What does the A-list really think of Starr? Only good things, it would seem. In fact, we can't help but wonder if one of the reasons why Starr looks so young in his 80s is because he's getting back what he gives to the rest of the world: peace, love, and happiness.