Why NCIS: Los Angeles' Chris O'Donnell Had Dinner With Princess Diana
"NCIS: Los Angeles" star Chris O'Donnell isn't known for being a glamorous celebrity. But O'Donnell did have dinner with Princess Diana in 1997! In the late '90s, the Chicago Tribune reported Chicagoland native O'Donnell earned nicknames such as "Mr. Squeaky Clean" and "The Safe-Sex Symbol of the '90s" because he was so wholesome. O'Donnell grew up in Chicago as the youngest of seven kids in a Catholic family. In an interview with Rolling Stone, the "NCIS: Los Angeles" star claims he learned "altar-boy values" from his family.
LL Cool J might be his partner on television, but O'Donnell has been married to his real-life partner, Caroline Fentress, since 1997 — and the couple shares five children! O'Donnell told Redbook in 2010 that he chose a slower track for his acting career to prioritize family life. "I was being offered these huge films that would have taken my career to a different level, and I decided to put on the brakes," O'Donnell said. "I knew if I continued on that track, I probably wouldn't have gotten married." Much like "NCIS" star Mark Harmon, his family is at the center of O'Donnell's life. But, despite his "boring" image, the "NCIS: Los Angeles" star got invited to dine with Princess Di! Here's why.
Chris O'Donnell was invited to dinner with Princess Diana before a royal screening of his movie
In 1997, Chris O'Donnell was invited to have dinner with Princess Diana before a royal screening of his movie "In Love and War," according to Showbiz CheatSheet. O'Donnell asked his parents and his sister Sally to join him as he dined with the People's Princess — and it sounds like the O'Donnell clan had a blast. O'Donnell talked about his dinner with Diana during a 2018 appearance on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert."
O'Donnell told Colbert, "It was funny because she got up to leave and everyone stands and leaves and as soon as she left, my sister grabbed [Princess Diana's] teaspoon and put it in her purse. [My sister] still has it. [Princess Diana] was amazing." He continued, "We first met her at the film, and she sat next to me and I was pretty nervous. And when we sat down at dinner, she couldn't have been more friendly. She was letting my mom try on her jewelry. She was unbelievable. [My mom] had [Princess Diana's] rings on, she had her earrings on." Clearly the O'Donnell family had themselves a night to remember!
Chris O'Donnell and Princess Diana have this one trait in common
Chris O'Donnell and Princess Diana were from completely different worlds, but both were dedicated to parenting. Insider reported that Diana broke royal tradition in many ways, big and small. For example, the royal tradition was that the royal heirs were educated by a governess at home, but Diana mandated that her sons go through the public school system. The Princess of Wales further shocked people by taking her boys to school every morning. In a documentary about Diana (via Insider), William said that his mother "understood that there was a real-life outside of Palace walls."
In an interview with Redbook from 2010, O'Donnell talked about his role on "NCIS: Los Angeles," which allowed him to work close to home as he also values the traditional family dynamic. "I knew when I got into this business I couldn't have it both ways: I could live the playboy lifestyle, which is not a bad thing to do, or have a traditional family life, which is how I grew up," O'Donnell explained. "And that was more important to me.