Liam McEwan at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party Photo: Liam McEwan
Liam McEwan has interviewed Elton, Ringo, Miley, Ed and Ariana, working as an entertainment journalist in Los Angeles.
But the ex-Rangitoto College student hasn't forgotten his humble beginnings working at Flea FM in Devonport.
McEwan told Sunday Morning his first job in the US was working for J14, a magazine with a teenage audience.
"That was my intro to the world of entertainment journalism."
It was a cold email that got him the job.
The magazine, at the time, lacked in video content and celebrity features. McEwan said he could help them.
"Within a week I was flying over to the Billboard Awards," he said.
As an entertainment journalist, McEwan has to be both a reporter and an entertainer.
"It kind of comes hand in hand...But it wasn't something that I intended to go out and be 'like okay, I'm going to be the star of these interviews'," he said.
"Rather, I just wanna give an interesting interview, show my personality and hopefully the star I'm talking to and the person listening or watching can find some sort of connection there."
One of McEwan's secret tricks of the trade that helps him to stand out from other reporters is his kiwi accent.
"When these stars are walking down the red carpet or wherever it may be, they just hear the same voice over and over," he said.
"Then all of the sudden, there's this guy with this outlandish accent and long curly hair jumping out trying to have a chat."
McEwan has had a fruitful career so far interviewing A-listers since his move to LA in 2017.
He even interviewed Elton John during one of his Oscars awards after-party,
"I just remember looking at him and seeing those big glasses and thinking, 'how did I end up here?' this is just so cool."
Interactions like that stand as some of the main reasons why McEwan loves his job.
"Connecting with these people who have shifted pop culture or made a stamp on entertainment as we know it," he said.
But he wouldn't wish fame on anyone.
"As soon as you lose that sense of being anonymous, life gets very very interesting."
McEwan said Ariana Grande and Ed Sheeran have been two of the loveliest celebrities he has met.
Sheeran prioritised meeting his fans despite his publicity team hurrying him along to the next event. McEwan helped out.
"That extra ten minutes that he (Ed) took out of his day made those hundreds of fans' lives," he said.
A full-circle moment happened when Adam Lambert painted McEwan's nails at the promo event for his new nail polish line.
The pair had first interacted when McEwan was just 13, working in community radio in Auckland and was part of a Lambert fanbase.
"I want great stories. I want to be retired one day and look back and be able to tell my kids and great-grandkids, fascinating things that their Dad or Grandad has done," he said.
