Shep Rose Had the "Coolest" Celebrity Encounter During His Travels Abroad

Shep Rose reminded us that an unexpected travel event can sometimes be a “great” thing — especially when it involves an Oscar-nominated actor.

The Southern Charm cast member returned to Instagram on Saturday (May 13) to share a quick update on his Scandinavian adventure and the “crazy” encounter he had the night before.

“So, this is an improbable story, but I swear it’s true,” he said in a video while sitting on a train. “The other night I was at the hotel bar, chatting with the bartender, and this guy sits down next to me and orders a scotch. And I look over and it’s Viggo Mortensen, and I was like, ‘Oh my goodness.’"

Though he didn’t go so far as to say he was starstruck, Shep described himself as an admirer of the “fantastic” actor, who is best known for his roles in The Lord of the Rings, Green Book, and Hidalgo.

“I just think he’s an interesting guy,” Shep continued. “So [Viggo] chimes in, we start talking. We talk about his house out west, and we talk about Argentina, which he spent his childhood in, and I spent some time there, as well. And we talk about the U.S. and Denmark, and all this stuff. We buy each other glasses of scotch and we’re just kickin’ it. He couldn’t be more gracious and nice and interesting.”

The conversation ultimately led Shep to change his itinerary, as Viggo suggested he visit the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art just outside of Copenhagen.

“So I am on a train right now,” the Southern Charm-er said, “because, by god, when he tells you something’s a good idea, it probably is, because he’s just that cool.”

Shep made sure to share photographic evidence of the celebrity run-in. The next slide showed him and Viggo sitting at a bar while raising their glasses. The following photos were taken at the Louisiana Museum, which exhibited the work of Russian artist Pirosmani and American artist Dana Schutz. 

“So in the most recent and maybe coolest installment of the crazy/great things that happen when i travel….I’d like to thank Mr. Mortensen for insisting I go to the [Louisiana Museum] because I know very little about art ... Look I’m an art critic now,” Shep captioned the Instagram carousel. “And to top it all off the museum has a giant lawn with a beautiful view of the ocean. So I had a glass of wine and took a seat. Feeling very lucky to be here. Just a 5 star day.”