Victoria Justice On ‘Naomi & Ely’s No Kiss List,’ Her Gaydar & Playing Opposite Her Boyfriend Pierson Fode [EXCLUSIVE]

Victoria Justice, best known for her starring roles on Nickelodeon series Victorious and Fun Size, stars in Kristin Hanggi‘s new romantic comedy-drama Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List.

Victoria Justice On Boyfriend Pierson Fode

In No Kiss List, Justice plays NYU freshman Naomi, who is living with her lifelong best pal Ely. The friends and roommates, who tend to have a similar taste in men, decide that in order to avoid any tension fighting over the same guy they should come up with a “no kiss list” – which is bound to be compromised. Confusing matters even further is that Naomi is in love with Ely.

“I’ve never been in love with a gay guy. I can’t say that I have,” Justice told uInterview, adding that she didn’t have any personal experience to draw on for the role. The 22-year-old actress credits fine-tuning her gaydar at an early age for helping her avoid the romantic mishap.

“My mom was a hairdresser, and I grew up… When I was eight I started modeling and doing commercials, so I was constantly around gay men, and so I feel like my gaydar was very tuned in from a young age,” Justice said. “So, I’m very quick to pick up on vibes like that.”

Fortunately for Justice, the actor who plays Ely and who would eventually become her boyfriend – Pierson Fode – is straight. Though it could have been tough for the two to assume the opposite ends of the platonic relationship at the center of No Kiss List, Justice says Fode did an admirable job as Ely.

“I think he did a really great job playing a gay character,” said Justice. “I think he did a very good job of not making him a stereotypical kind of gay character. He definitely has a lot of layers and he definitely did like, the background work that he needed to do to, to like really get into Ely.”

Justice admits that while the two ended up falling for one another while making the movie, it wasn’t the most romantic courtship, as it centered first and foremost around their work.

“I had no idea who [Pierson] was and he didn’t really have any idea who I was. So, we just like, you know, we found out that we had both gotten the part and we met for sushi a couple times, and hung out,” Justice revealed. “And it was just not anything romantic at all. We were just forming a friendship, and focusing on the characters.”

Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List is slated for release Sept. 18.