Actress-turned-talk show host Drew Barrymore held a cast reunion for one of her best-loved films during the latest episode of her show, and one co-star’s racy confession left her speechless.
Barrymore played 25-year-old journalist Josie Geller in the 1999 hit comedy Never Been Kissed, sent undercover reporting at a local high school. High school’s no easier second time around, but (spoiler alert) by the end of the film, she’s found love in the arms of hunky young teacher Sam (Michael Vartan).
Michael Vartan has confessed to developing some “feelings” for co-star Drew Barrymore when they filmed that iconic end scene in Never Been Kissed.
Appearing as a guest on the actress’ self-titled talk show, The Drew Barrymore Show, Vartan, 52, revealed his thought processes as the duo kissed on the baseball mound in what is arguably one of the most romantic movie scenes of all time.
“I gotta say I haven’t seen that clip in years and standing there I got emotional,” he said after the scene was played on screen. “This movie’s been a huge part of my life, every time I’m stopped it’s always Never Been Kissed, so it’s a pretty amazing thing to be a part of and this reunion is just wonderful.”
When Barrymore, 46, asked him if he had any particular memories from the hit 1999 movie, he shared behind-the-scenes details she didn’t even know about. Vartan then confessed to Barrymore that the kiss got him more excited than he had anticipated.
“There’s a story about the famous scene that very few people know about and I’m not sure I should …,” he began, warning Barrymore that not even she knew what he was about to say.
“So we embrace and we start kissing, and you really kissed me. I mean, you really kissed me. I was not ready for it in the least and I’m a man, I was a very young man back then, and I had, uh, feelings.”
As Vartan continued, Barrymore was left in no doubt as to what exactly he meant by “feelings”.
“The feelings … they just happened, and I very quickly realised I was in a very bad spot because I was wearing very loose slacks and I thought, ‘This is going to be a disaster when they cut, I must pre-emptively end this,’ ” he continued.
“So what I did, in a panic, I just yelled cut, and bent over and said, ‘Oh guys, sorry, I put my back out playing ball.’ … Anyway, I went off into my corner and … finally I was able to compose myself, and luckily the subsequent scenes went on without a hitch, but that was, uh … You’re a very good kisser.”
Barrymore took the confession in good humour, revealing that she did indeed remember “going for it” with the kiss because she knew Vartan was single at the time “so I wasn’t going to offend anybody”.
Earlier in the segment, Vartan was overcome with emotion when he spoke about the impact the film had on his life.
“This movie has been a huge part of my life. Every time I’m stopped, it’s always Never Been Kissed. That’s a pretty amazing thing to be a part of, and this reunion is just wonderful,” he said.
