Justin Long: Britney Spears Was ‘Really Sweet’ While Filming ‘Crossroads’

A trip down memory lane! Justin Long recalled his first meeting with Crossroads costar Britney Spears, 18 years after the movie hit theaters.

Long, 41, told Us Weekly exclusively that he hasn’t seen the 2002 film “in a long time” but admitted it “might be fun” to rewatch it amid his coronavirus quarantine.

While promoting his “Life Is Short With Justin Long” podcast, the Jeepers Creepers actor reflected on his time on set with Spears, 38, and how “normal” she was.

“I just remember her being so nice,” the Connecticut native told Us. “She just seemed, like, such a down-to-earth [person].”

Taryn Manning, Zoe Saldana, Britney Spears Crossroads
Zoe Saldana, Taryn Manning and Britney Spears in ‘Crossroads’ Richard Foreman/Paramount/Zomba/Mtv/Kobal/Shutterstock

The He’s Just Not That Into You star continued: “I remember being so disarmed by how normal she seemed. It was at the height of her fame, and, like, everyone else, I was inundated by images of her. She was so popular, so famous.”

The F Is for Family alum — who starred alongside Spears, Zoe Saldana and Taryn Manning in the 2002 rom-com — remembered the popstar being just like everyone else while working.

“You always just sort of assume that [fame] changes people, or they act, I don’t know, larger than life. They act in a grandiose way — and she really didn’t,” Long added. “She was just really, really sweet and kind of normal. That’s what I remember.”

After the movie, Spears focused on her music once again — and her family — while Long continued his film and TV career, voicing Alvin in the Alvin and the Chipmunks films and starring in Dodgeball, Accepted and more.

Over the past year, the Idiocracy star, however, has been busy hosting Wondery’s “Life Is Short” podcast, which celebrated its one-year anniversary on Tuesday, May 12.

“We’re excited. We can’t believe we lasted a whole year,” Long told Us ahead of the landmark episode, which featured Dax Shepard as its guest.

“I was such a fan of his show before doing all this, and so, it meant a lot that he was our one-year guest,” the Dreamland actor said, noting many fans discovered his podcast after he appeared on Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast. “It was significant to us to have him have him as our guest on this time.”

Long gushed about the Parenthood alum, 45, and revealed that the two are similar in their podcast styles.

“I think what makes him such a great conversationalist is that he is just such a naturally curious person,” Long said of Shepard. “And I like to think that I am as well, which is why my brother [Christian] and I love doing the podcast.”

Check out the first year of episodes of the “Life is Short” podcast now on Wondery.com.

With reporting by Marc Lupo

Listen on Spotify to Us Weekly’s Hot Hollywood as each week the editors of Us break down the hottest entertainment news stories!

source: usmagazine.com