Sue's Private Celebrity Goss: 'Never Say Never' Director Says Justin Bieber Haters Have Come Around

Friday, February 4, 2011

'Never Say Never' Director Says Justin Bieber Haters Have Come Around

'People will make fun of you, but now they truly have the fever,' Jon Chu tells MTV News.
By Kara Warner

Jon Chu
Photo: MTV News

Those who pay close attention to the trembling, always-excitable pulse of Justin Bieber fans (like we do) likely know that February 11 is a very special day: the release date of "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never."

But for the rest of the world, those who don't have young kids, particularly daughters, or who've yet to be stricken with Bieber fever, the idea that a full-length feature film has been made about a curiously coiffed 16-year-old pop star is a bit of a head-scratcher.

No one understands those confused sentiments more than Jon Chu, who directed the film (as well as "Step Up: 3D"). When MTV News caught up with him recently to talk about his filmmaking adventure with the Biebs, we asked him what kind of harassment he got from his friends when he signed onto the project.

"There's always people [giving me flak], whether it's the 'Step Up' movies, dance movies or the Justin Bieber movie," he said. "People will make fun of you, but now they truly have the fever, for sure," Chu said of his friends who've since come to understand the power of the teen phenom. "Since [I signed on], he's won four American Music Awards, including Artist of the Year, he's nominated for two Grammys he's on the cover of Vanity Fair, and I think they've fallen for him as well."

Chu also explained that Bieber's story is just plain inspirational, haters or no.

"Especially for this generation of kids, [it's important to show] that they could make it on their own without a big corporation," Chu added. "I thought it was an exciting way to tell it: through his music."

Check out everything we've got on "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

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