5 of Sinéad O'Connor's Most Surprising Celebrity Friendships and Connections
The legendary Irish singer-songwriter died Wednesday, sparking tributes from many big names that knew her personally.
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Sinéad O'Connor's influence goes far beyond her hit song “Nothing Compares 2 U” and the rest of her musical catalog. For some, the singer-songwriter’s outspoken nature and willingness to stand up for her beliefs made her an inspiration and—in some cases—even a valued friend.
Many celebrities have offered their tributes to O’Connor, who died Wednesday at age 56. While pretty much all of them are familiar with her music, some had the opportunity to get to know her personally and shared their touching stories.
Here are some of the actors, and even an athlete, who shared unique connections with O’Connor.
Toni Collette
United States of Tara star Collette, 50, revealed Wednesday that she had regular hangouts with O’Connor in her 20s and that the musician once invited her to sing on stage in Wicklow, Ireland.
“I sang a Jane Siberry song, and Sinead then asked/encouraged me to sing one of my own. Can you imagine the terror? The intimidation? The thrill?!” Collette wrote on Instagram. "What a voice. What a force. My heart breaks.”
Conor McGregor
The former UFC champion—like O’Connor, from Ireland—asked the singer for help ahead of one of his bouts in the octagon.
O’Connor sang “The Foggy Dew” to pump up McGregor and the crowd in July 2015 as he prepared to face Chad Mendes at UFC 189 in an interim featherweight title match. Before the contest, McGregor explained that O’Connor had a voice “eerily symbolic of war” and he was a big fan.
McGregor, 35, was one of the many celebrities to pay tribute to O’Connor following her death, calling her a friend and posting a photograph of the two together.
Daniel Day-Lewis
O’Connor was once very close to 66-year-old actor Lewis, known for his Academy Award-winning roles in There Will Be Blood and Lincoln. In her 2021 memoir Rememberings, she revealed that her song “A Perfect Indian” was inspired by his performance in The Last of the Mohicans.
“It’s not that I was in love with him (I wasn’t), but I was very fond of him as a friend,” O’Connor wrote of Lewis, according to The Irish Sun. “The song is as much about my upbringing as it is about Daniel.”
However, she also admitted that she ruined their friendship by losing her temper with him and that they had seen each other only once in 25 years.
Russell Crowe
Australian actor Crowe, 59, shared details of a chance encounter with O’Connor while working in Ireland in 2022.
While drinking at a pub in Dalkey, Crowe and some friends noticed a woman strolling past with her head covered in a scarf. “There under streetlights with mist on my breath, I met Sinéad,” Crowe wrote on Twitter. “She looked in my eyes and uttered with disarming softness, ‘Oh, it’s you, Russell.’”
Once O’Connor joined them, Crowe said the group talked about everything from movies to politics, including the fight to recognize indigenous peoples. The Gladiator star cherished the opportunity to tell her she was “a hero of mine.”
Jamie Lee Curtis
Actor Curtis, 64, called O’Connor a “warrior” and a “rebel” and shared details of their meeting in Ireland when the singer performed a capella in an empty chapel. "It was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever heard in my life,” Curtis wrote in an Instagram post.
Afterward, according to the Halloween and Everything Everywhere All at Once star, the two went to a festival to watch rap icon Eminem perform. Talk about a memorable trip.
Tyler Piccotti joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor and is now the News and Culture Editor. He previously worked as a reporter and copy editor for a daily newspaper recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors. In his current role, he shares the true stories behind your favorite movies and TV shows and profiles rising musicians, actors, and athletes. When he's not working, you can find him at the nearest amusement park or movie theater and cheering on his favorite teams.
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