It’s been 20 years since Britney Spears’ film Crossroads got here out and star Justin Long is reflecting on what it was wish to work with the star in her heyday!
While chatting with Entertainment Tonight at an occasion for his upcoming movie, Barbarian, this week, Justin opened up about how “easygoing” and “normal” the pop star was again within the day — and the way her persona compares to right now.
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The performers starred in Crossroads collectively in 2002. The movie adopted three women, Lucy, Kit, and Mimi — performed by Britney, Taryn Manning, and Zoe Saldana, respectively — as they launched into a cross-country street journey to LA. Justin performed Lucy’s previous pal and brief fling, Henry.
Ahh, the nostalgia!
You can even take a look at considered one of their scenes (under)!
LOLz! They go means again, so what does Justin should say about Britney then vs. now?!
Reflecting on the time spent filming the romantic dramedy, the F is Family alum gushed about essentially the most vital a part of the singer’s persona he shortly picked up on, saying:
“I remember her being so down-to-earth, like disarmingly down-to-earth.”
This was on the peak of the Oops… I Did It Again vocalist’s profession, too, so the truth that she was so down-to-earth is sort of telling! No diva habits right here! The 44-year-old insisted Britney was a “normal” woman regardless of the brilliant highlight she was below — and even blamed the paparazzi for affecting her psychological well being and inflicting her downfall, including:
“I remember being struck by how normal and easygoing she seemed for all the hoopla surrounding her, and then a couple years later seeing what the paparazzi did to her, it was really sad that we live in that kind of culture that can do that to a human being. She was so nice to everyone.”
It is so unhappy. It should have been arduous to see a co-star undergo all the pieces from a distance…
Interestingly, this isn’t the primary time Justin has gotten candid about his expertise with the Princess of Pop. Back in 2020, he wrote a prolonged Instagram publish stuffed with “memories” from the set of the flick, focusing primarily on the mom of two’s kindness in the direction of him and others on set, together with once they first met:
“I remember being slightly nervous to work with Britney Spears – she was such a massive star in 2002 (as she still is). When she introduced herself to me in the makeup trailer, I was disarmed by how sweet and NOT famous she seemed – just a nice girl (not yet a woman) from Louisiana. She immediately made me feel comfortable.”
Aw, so candy!
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Unfortunately, Justin additionally had a front-row seat to Brit’s battle with the media. During their time collectively, he grew to know her so nicely he seen bodily and persona variations the now-40-year-old would exhibit when her surroundings modified, noting:
“Britney seemed to get exponentially more tense (totally understandably) whenever we walked off set with her bodyguard ‘Big something’ (my memory is so bad but I remember really liking him – a massive, warm, friendly, terrifying guy). People would clamor to get to her and paparazzi were constantly lurking behind trees, in bushes, etc.”
Ugh. Nobody deserves such a scarcity of privateness, particularly a 19 or 20-year-old (the age the famous person was when filming). The New Girl alum saved tabs on the Grammy winner through the years, discovering it significantly painful to observe as she battled with paps and was positioned right into a conservatorship at her lowest of lows in 2008, including:
“Years later, when the tabloid frenzy surrounding Britney reached a fever pitch, I remember feeling so sorry for her. Nobody deserves to be hounded and harassed like that – least of all a very sweet person – one who behaved kindly towards a young nervous actor who occupied a much lower rung on the hierarchical ladder of that film set.”
Sounds like she actually left a optimistic impression! Sad trying again understanding how powerful issues have gotten for her! Thoughts?
[Image via Movieclips/TODAY/The Late Late Show/YouTube]
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