Even the stars need childcare.
Connie Simpson, also known as Nanny Connie, has worked for many A-list families throughout her 35-year career. She has nannied for celebrities such as George Clooney, Emily Blunt, and Justin Timberlake.
While many would be starstruck around such big names, Simpson told People that she looks at these notable families just like everyone else. Although this may be her preferred practice, it has led to some awkward interactions, including one with Matt Damon.
She started working for the actor and his wife, Luciana Barros, around 2008. Simpson realized that many people around her recognized Damon, even though she was unfamiliar with his work. He was working on the Bourne franchise at the time.
“I went and looked him up, and I can only remember The Talented Mr. Ripley because I thought it was a fascinating movie and had me in to the bitter end,” she recalled. “And I was like, ‘Damn, he was the one?’”
She didn’t pretend to recognize the Academy Award-winning star when they first met.
“When I walked into his house, I said, ‘Son, listen, don’t ask me nothing about your movies because I don’t know a damn thing about any of them, but I’m going to tell you, you killed that Talented Mr. Ripley. You was all of it, man,’” she told Damon.
Simpson views each family equally, regardless of their celebrity status. She aims to create a space for families to connect away from the spotlight. To her, fame does not change someone’s perspective or past experiences.
“They were human beings who swung from the chandeliers at their mom’s house, who got in trouble because they wrecked the car, did all of those things,” she explained. “That’s a blessing. That’s a real blessing,” she shared. “And not to step on their toes, that helps them even be more comfortable.”
After over three decades of working with VIPs, she sees them like everybody else.
“I’ve never been [starstruck] because…everyone in this industry, 1% or even in the entertainment industry, it’s their calling,” she shared. “They were someone else and they really want to still be that someone else, but it’s their profession that they have to show up and be professional.”