Gloria Gaynor Recalls Mistaking Mark Wahlberg for His Brother Donnie

Gloria Gaynor once was left starstruck by Mark Wahlberg — although she thought she was talking to his brother Donnie Wahlberg at first.

“My most starstruck moment was meeting Mark Wahlberg,” Gaynor, 81, reveals exclusively in her 25 Things You Don’t Know About Me feature in the latest issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now. “He was personable and friendly, especially after he realized I mistakenly thought he was his brother Donnie Wahlberg.”

The legendary singer — whose biopic Robin Roberts Presents I Will Survive: The Gloria Gaynor Story premieres on Lifetime Saturday, February 8, at 8 p.m. ET — has rubbed elbows with more than one movie star in her decades-long career.

“Gerard Butler is the most famous person in my phone book,” she revealed to Us.

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No one gets to avoid embarrassment, not even celebrities like JoAnna Garcia Swisher. “I embarrassed myself brutally during two starstruck moments,” the Sweet Magnolias star, 44, exclusively tells Us Weekly‘s 25 Things You Don’t Know About Me. “One is when I met Donnie Wahlberg for the first time. I kissed his poster every night back […]

For more fun stories from Gaynor, including her proudest career moment, keep scrolling:

1. Listening to Gospel music is my favorite way to get myself in a good mood because it reminds me of the goodness, mercy and grace of God.

2. My go-to fast food order is two [chicken] thighs, French fries, coleslaw and a biscuit from Popeyes.

3. One thing I’m excited for people to learn from my biopic is that I’m not a one-hit wonder and have recorded 20 albums.

4. My favorite song that I’ve recorded is “I Will Survive” because it blesses my audience.

5. David [Nelson] from The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet was my celebrity crush growing up.

6. My favorite workout is CrossFit, which entails different muscle strengthening.

7. My favorite book is More Than a Carpenter.

8. To decompress after a long day, I study the Bible. Proverbs Chapter 3, Verses 5 and 6 are my favorite passages.

9. The three singers I looked up to when I was [young] were Nancy Wilson, Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra.

10. The proudest moment of my career was having “I Will Survive” recognized in the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress in 2016.

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Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Throughout her decades in the spotlight, Loni Anderson has had quite a few wild celebrity encounters. When I was married to Burt [Reynolds], I had never met Fred Astaire and loved him,” Anderson exclusively tells Us Weekly‘s 25 Things You Don’t Know About Me. She was married to Reynolds from 1988 to […]

11. My first job was as a sales auditor at Bamberger’s Department Store.

12. The Long Kiss Goodnight is my favorite movie.

13. I collect teapots that don’t look like teapots and I have one that looks like Santa Claus.

14. Scrabble is the app I use the most. My highest score is 420.

15. My secret talent is sewing. I used to sew all of my stage clothes, and my favorite one that I made is a fuchsia, sequin crepe-backed satin gown.

16. Myrtle Beach is my favorite place to vacation. When I’m there, I love going to Aquino’s Japanese Steakhouse.

17. “Willow Weep for Me” brings back the best memories because my mom asked me to sing it at a time I didn’t even realize she knew I could sing.

18. My favorite way to spend the weekend is by ordering food and binge-watching my favorite series. Right now, I’m watching The Equalizer.

19. My most starstruck moment was meeting Mark Wahlberg. He was personable and friendly, especially after he realized I mistakenly thought he was his brother Donnie Wahlberg.

20. My first car was a Chevrolet Monza. My favorite memory is driving to my inspection and telling my husband that my car doesn’t have a stereo, boom box speakers [or] a CD player — it’s [just] a car, and takes me where I need to go!

21. Gerard Butler is the most famous person in my phone book.

22. My favorite comfort meal is fried chicken wings, cornbread and Brussels sprouts.

23. Kissing is my favorite Valentine’s Day activity.

24. Math was my best subject in school, and my alternate profession would be a teacher.

25. The one item left on my bucket list is seeing the northern lights.