Carnie Wilson Shares Reclusive '70s Star Kristy McNichol's Sweet Reaction After Their Selfie Went Viral

It's always exciting when we're out and about and spot a celebrity, especially if it's a celebrity whose work we have always admired.

What we might not realize, however, is that even stars get starstruck from time to time.

Case in point, Wilson Phillips singer Carnie Wilson recently spotted Kristy McNichol, a big-screen regular of the 1970s and '80s, while enjoying a meal at a Bob’s Big Boy restaurant in California.

The "Hold On" singer later posted a picture to her Facebook page, sharing her admiration for the now-retired actress:

Accompanying the photo of Wilson and McNichol, both all smiles, Wilson expressed how much McNichol's filmography meant to her, especially 1980's Little Darlings, in which McNichol appeared opposite Tatum O'Neal and Matt Dillon, and which was also the film debut of a young Cynthia Nixon.

Wilson wrote:

"Totally fangirling!!!"

"Kris ( Kristy McNichol) was a part of my youth."

"I adored her in her movies..."

"Especially 'Little Darlings' and 'The End'."

"I told her how meaningful her movies are to me and my bestie @summercamp_ham and how we were JUST TALKING ABOUT HER ....and how special she is."

"What a gracious sweetie."

"She sure is loved."

Wilson would later admit to Jeff Lewis on his Jeff Lewis Live podcast that going up to the Little Darlings star took "a lot of courage," and she assumed that the actress probably wouldn't recognize her. But Wilson said that upon meeting her, McNichol said "Oh, I love you!"

Nostalgic fans of both women were equally excited by this unexpected '80s celebrity meet-up, with Wilson's post receiving almost 30 thousand likes and over a thousand comments.

Countless McNichol fans shared their favorites of her performances:

@Carnie Wilson/Facebook

@Carnie Wilson/Facebook

@Carnie Wilson/Facebook

@Carnie Wilson/Facebook

@Carnie Wilson/Facebook

@Carnie Wilson/Facebook

@Carnie Wilson/Facebook

@Carnie Wilson/Facebook

@Carnie Wilson/Facebook

@Carnie Wilson/Facebook

McNichol officially retired from acting in 2001, with her last major on-screen appearance being a series regular on the Golden Girls spinoff Empty Nest, from which she took an early departure after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, wanting to prioritize her health.

Since then, McNichol has been living a fairly reclusive life away from the spotlight, even though she did publicly come out in 2012, sharing that she had been in a relationship with her partner, Martie Allen, for over two decades, hoping to offer comfort and solace to LGBTQ youths who were being bullied.

Considering how much McNichol values her privacy, one might imagine she was less than thrilled with the newfound attention that Wilson's viral photo brought her.

Thankfully, that was not the case at all, as Wilson told Lewis that as the photo continued to get more and more attention, McNichol reached out to her personally with excitement:

"She sends me an email: ‘We’re going viral!'"

While McNichol's fans hoping for an Empty Nest revival might want to temper their excitement, they can at least find joy in the fact that she clearly appreciates her fans and how much she means to them.