Shonda Rhimes Recalls Meeting ‘Spectacular’ Britney Spears Before Filming ‘Crossroads’

Shonda Rhimes‘ talent knows no end, as she’s the mind behind classic TV shows including Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, Scandal and more. In the film world, she wrote many hits including 2002’s Crossroads starring Britney Spears.

The Television Hall of Famer recalled meeting the pop star before filming to Jennifer Hudson on the Thursday (May 23) episode of the latter’s talk show. “It was crazy. I was a serious nerd, so I did not know, like, who she was in terms of what her music was,” Rhimes revealed. “I just knew she was a pop star, but I didn’t know anything about her music or anything.”

She continued, “So, our first meeting was when I went to her concert and I met her backstage. That was the first time I saw that kind of power. She would move her eyebrow and the audience would lose their minds. It was amazing to watch that kind of command at that age. It was spectacular.”

In October, the coming-of-age film returned to screens around the world for two days to celebrate Spears’ memoir, The Woman in Me. Crossroads – based on a story idea from Spears — also co-stars stars Zoe Saldaña, Taryn Manning, Kim Cattrall and Dan Aykroyd in a tale of three estranged childhood friends (Spears, Manning, Saldaña) who reunite on the night of their high school graduation to dig up their “wish box” and set off on an adventure-filled, cross-country road trip that rekindles their friendship.

Watch Rhimes’ interview with Hudson below.