Megyn Kelly has spoken candidly about several celebrities who, she says, left a negative impression on her during professional encounters, while also highlighting others she found warm and supportive.

In an interview with the Daily Mail Kell said Jane Fonda was the first person who “came to mind” when asked about unpleasant experiences. Kelly recalled interviewing Fonda, now 88, in 2017 during her time on Today. She said the actress criticised her for asking about plastic surgery, a topic Kelly claimed she raised to avoid discussing sex scenes from Our Souls at Night.

“What happened in that segment, Robert Redford was on, his PR person came up to me and said, ‘For the love of God, don’t talk about their sex scenes,’” Kelly said. She alleged the representative told her Redford was “uncomfortable” and asked her to steer the conversation elsewhere.

Kelly claimed that decision upset Fonda. “She was offended that I wasn’t steering her there,” she said. “She really wanted to talk about their sex scenes.”

Kelly also described an uncomfortable encounter with Bruce Willis during a 2006 Fox News interview. “He came on and was just so clearly unhappy to be there,” she said, adding that the actor was “so ungiving” and “so ungenerous.” She acknowledged feeling conflicted about sharing the story given Willis’ current health struggles, saying, “And I hate to say it because of how he’s struggling now. But he was just unpleasant.”

She further hinted at tension with Today presenter Al Roker, without providing details, using a humorous comparison involving her mother and an alleged social encounter.

Despite these experiences, Kelly also named celebrities she admired. She described Milo Yiannopoulos as “a total charmer” and said Russell Brand was “completely warm”. Of Jada Pinkett Smith, she said, “She was so sweet, so sincere, [and] so genuine,” adding, “I’m still her fan.”

Kelly also praised Kathie Lee Gifford, recalling that she “was nice to me during what was one of the most unpleasant years of my life.”