The Backstreet Boys responded to the rumor that Ryan Gosling was almost a member of the band when they stopped by Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen on Tuesday.
“It got so blown out of proportion,” AJ McLean said of the rumor.
McLean explained that the bandmembers lived in the same apartment complex as Gosling when he was on The Mickey Mouse Club. He added that Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera also lived in the complex.
“We were playing basketball, like every other day, and the group had just started. I told him that Backstreet Boys is gonna be huge and he’s like, ‘It’s not gonna happen, bro,”‘ McLean recalled of his conversation with Gosling, who implied that New Kids on the Block had already successfully done the boy band thing. “Cut to, he was wrong.”
“He never auditioned,” continued McLean. “Somehow the press misconstrued it and it became a thing.”
Cohen later asked the band how they felt about Justin Timberlake’s lack of interest to reunite with ‘N Sync. The host noted that the boy band seemed to want to tour and Howie Dorough said, “I think they should do it.”
“Obviously it would be massive if they all were together,” Kevin Richardson said of ‘N Sync potentially reuniting for a tour.
Richardson added that he wasn’t sure if Timberlake had time to rejoin the band. “I think he has things as far as an acting career and things that he wants to do,” he said. “He’s accomplished pretty much everything you can as a solo artist, so I think someday it’s gonna happen.”
Nick Carter shared that the Backstreet Boys went on tour with New Kids on the Block without Richardson, so he suggested that the remaining ‘N Sync members consider going on tour without Timberlake.
“Maybe in the future, after we’re done with our world tour, maybe we could do a tour with Backstreet and the four of them. Maybe like a package tour together,” said Carter.
Brian Littrell added that he thought Timberlake, or any aspiring musician, should remain a solo act. “Being in a group is tough,” he said.
