Using our recently proposed Bethe-Salpeter ${G}_{0}{W}_{0}$ formulation, we explore the optical absorption spectra of fullerene (${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$) near coinage metal surfaces (Cu, Ag, and Au). We pay special attention to how the surface plasmon ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{S}$ influences the optical activity of fullerene. We find that the lower-energy fullerene excitons at $3.77$ and $4.8$ eV only weakly interact with the surface plasmon. However, we find that the surface plasmon strongly interacts with the most intense fullerene $\ensuremath{\pi}$ exciton, i.e., the dipolar mode at $\ensuremath{\hbar}{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{+}\ensuremath{\approx}6.5$ eV, and the quadrupolar mode at $\ensuremath{\hbar}{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\approx}6.8$ eV. When fullerene is close to a copper surface (${z}_{0}\ensuremath{\approx}5.3$ \AA{}), the dipolar mode ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{+}$ and ``localized'' surface plasmons in the molecule/surface interface hybridize to form two coupled modes which both absorb light. As a result, the molecule gains an additional optically active mode. Moreover, in resonance, when ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{S}\ensuremath{\approx}{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$, the strong interaction with the surface plasmon destroys the ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{\ensuremath{-}}$ quadrupolar character and it becomes an optically active mode. In this case, the molecule gains two additional very intense optically active modes. Further, we find that this resonance condition, ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{S}\ensuremath{\approx}{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$, is satisfied by silver and gold metal surfaces.