EXCLUSIVEJoey Fatone Says '& Juliet' Costar Charli D'Amelio Is 'Ahead of Her Time': 'She's the Smartest'
Joey Fatone and Charli D'Amelio both star in '& Juliet' on Broadway.
Joey Fatone and *NSYNC might have reached icon-level status in the late '90s and early 2000s — but he's learning from a new generation of stars.
The My Big Fat Greek Wedding actor opens up about his experience starring alongside Charli D'Amelio in & Juliet on Broadway during an exclusive chat with OK!.
While Fatone is currently on Broadway, he was at the height of his fame in 1999 — which is why he's partnered with Red Lobster to promote the restaurant's new $19.99 3-Course Shrimp Sensation.
Joey Fatone Impressed by Charli D'Amelio's Talents
Joey Fatone is impressed by Charli D'Amelio's work ethic.
"She is probably one of the smartest ahead of her time with the things that she does... but not only that, she's more than what she does. She could be doing nothing. She could be like 'who cares,' yet she's a real, hardworking dancer at heart," he praises of D'Amelio — who rose to fame as one of TikTok's OG stars more than five years ago.
As for Fatone, the dad-of-two jokes he's probably "the oldest dancer" on set, noting his castmates call him "Uncle Joey."
Joey Fatone Reminisces About *NSYNC
Joey Fatone was one of the five members of the hit pop band *NSYNC.
In addition to discussing & Juliet, Fatone took a trip down memory lane while reflecting on his time in *NSYNC.
The 48-year-old admits he and fellow boy band members Justin Timberlake, Lance Bass, JC Chasez, and Chris Kirkpatrick didn't truly understand their level of fame in the late '90s and early 2000s until after the fact.
"We were so busy doing stuff that we didn't let it get to our heads, we didn't let it feed us," he recalls, detailing how it wasn't until *NSYNC came "back to the states" after touring in Europe that it really "caught up to them."
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Joey Fatone had a delayed reaction to *NSYNC fame.
After touring for almost two and a half years, Fatone says his pinch-me moment came during an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno around that time.
"You watch people do it and then you're on it. You're like, 'Oh my gosh, you actually made it.' Then we did [things like] Saturday Night Live or The Simpsons. You start going, 'They want us to do this?' It's crazy," he shares.
Joey Fatone Was a 'Big Deal' in 1999
Fatone finds it "hilarious" he was in a boy band, which is why partnering with Red Lobster was a no-brainer when they wanted to highlight him being a "big deal" in 1999.
"I love making fun of myself. I mean, come on. I was in a boy band," he quips. "One main reason why I do stuff like this — the greatest thing is, I don't have to do these things — I really do enjoy it. Some people like doing it for a quick paycheck. [For me], it's freaking hilarious," he declares.
"I have no problem making fun of myself in that sense," he emphasizes, highlighting how the partnership "made sense" to him due to the promotion's "good price point" and nostalgic theme.
Joey Fatone Is Just Your Average Girl Dad
Joey Fatone has two daughters, Kloey and Briahna.
While Fatone might be known best for his time in *NSYNC, he's able to spend most days as just a girl dad.
"I'm glad that I've been in the position that I have been in because in a way I've always been a bridesmaid, not the bride. I'm not the focal point," he acknowledges. "I am happy where I am because I can actually go under the radar sometimes. People recognize me, but it's not overly done to the point where I can't go anywhere. I can walk into a Red Lobster, I could walk into the store, [etc.]."
