Anyone over 30 knows Christina Milian as a pop star, known for her early aughts hits like “AM to PM,” “When You Look at Me,” and, for the Disney Channel kids, the catchy Kim Possible theme song, “Call Me, Beep Me.” But younger audiences have come to know Milian as the warm, bubbly romantic lead in Netflix original romantic comedies, like Falling Inn Love, Resort to Love, and, most recently, Meet Me Next Christmas, which began streaming last Wednesday.

“Netflix has been a great home for me,” Milian told Decider in a recent Zoom interview. “It’s like they say: ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!'”

Directed by Rusty Cundieff, with a screenplay by Molly Haldeman and Camilla Rubis, Meet Me Next Christmas stars Milian as Layla, a woman who agrees to meet a handsome stranger in one year’s time, at the Pentatonix Christmas show—if she’s single. When Layla and her boyfriend break-up right before the concert, she figures it’s meant to be. The only problem? The concert’s sold out!

Layla hires a concierge named Teddy (played by former NFL player Devale Ellis) to find a ticket, and the wild goose chase is on. Layla is determined to make her Christmas meet-cute come true—even if it means lip-syncing for her life in a room full of drag queens. Milian may be a seasoned performer, but says she “was still nervous” when it came time to dance to “Santa Baby,” in the movie’s stand-out scene. “Drag queens really bring it. We’re not only just dancing, no, no, no, no. They’re going to give us a show!”

Milian—who is also an executive producer on the movie—spoke to Decider about working with Netflix, casting Devale Ellis, and the Meet Me Next Christmas scene that had her laughing during takes.

DECIDER: You’re not just the star of this movie, you’re also an executive producer. I’d love to hear a little bit about your work behind the scenes.

CHRISTINA MILIAN: It was a lot of fun to come in as an executive producer so early in the film. The initial script that came in to the executives at Netflix—they presented it to me because they felt it was a good fit. I was able to read it, fell in love with it, give my notes on it and my take on what can make it great and different. We worked really well together from that point on. Casting is a big deal, especially for this. The casting just works—the connections, the chemistry, all around, really did matter. It wasn’t like people were just thrown together. There’s so much inclusiveness in the film—there’s something that everyone can fall in love with. So from the styling to the casting—to subtle changes to making sure there’s Christmas in a Christmas rom-com!—to the very end when we were editing… I so appreciate how much they valued my opinion. It’s not just a title, it was the real thing, which was nice.

Speaking of casting, you and Devale Ellis have a wonderful, playful chemistry. What made him the right fit for the role of Teddy?

I had a chemistry read with a couple of guys. I was familiar with who Devale was—my mom and actually told me about him and his family. I had some great reads. Everybody was just so different. But something about Devale—he felt very humble, but at the same time, he was New York. I like that he was like taller, but he wasn’t afraid to be goofy. Something about him just felt like there was a different connection. It wasn’t about names, or anything like that. It really was what was happening at that moment. When you read what’s on the script, he matched the character. He really did. He was such a good fit. I felt like my character would find her way through him.

One of my favorite scenes of you two in the movie is the sequence where Kalen Allen, who plays Devale’s on-screen cousin, is teaching the two of you choreography. Can you tell me about filming that?

That scene with Kalen and Devale—I don’t even know if you should call it a scene. They just put the camera up. It’s very improvised. We didn’t have any choreography at that moment. JJ [Moore], who was our choreographer, she was there. There’s the moment where I had to do a stunt, where I accidentally kick him, and then I roll into the tree. That’s the only reason we had anybody there to actually choreograph anything. But the rest of it—Kalen is just life. He is a ball of energy and life. When he pops up on the screen, and you hear his voice—he has a presence about him that makes that part of the movie so present. It comes at the right time. I’m probably laughing most of the time. I might have covered my mouth a few times. They had to edit out most of that.

You’re no stranger to performing, of course, but talk to me about performing that “Santa Baby” lip sync, which feels a little different from what you do in your career as a singer.

It is, it’s different than my real performance life, as other characters, or as myself. I was still nervous about it because, I mean—if you don’t dance every day, you still got to get your rhythm back. It’s such a cute scene. I love the wig, I love the sequins, and the outfit. And they really did have to bring it! Drag queens really bring it. We’re not only just dancing, no, no, no, no. They’re going to give us a show. We can’t play around with this. And believe me, you had the most amazing, beautiful drag queens all around the room that were from RuPaul’s Drag Race. Queen Priyanka—like these people are winners. I didn’t want to look bad in front of them. I was like, “OK, I’m going to do a decent job. But don’t forget, I’m Layla. OK? I’m not me!”

This is the third Netflix movie that you’ve done in the last five years. What keeps you coming back? Why does this feel like a good fit for you?

It’s like they say: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” [Laughs.] But it has been the projects that they brought to me. I have received other projects, even through Netflix, that though I would love to say yes to everything, if it just doesn’t feel right, or doesn’t feel like it’s going to match my footprint, then it’s okay to let it go and wait for the right one. It’s a good friendship that I have with them. I feel happy with the quality of the work that we’ve done so far, and that really matters. Quality over quantity.

Do you see any more Netflix films in your future, that you’re considering either starring in or producing, or both?

I definitely hope so. I hope to produce more with them in the future, as well as star. Who knows where life will take me? I might end up directing, who knows? But Netflix has been a great home for me, and I’m happy to keep working with them.

Chad Michael Murray, who was your costar in another Christmas movie, Christmas Cupid, is at this junket for his Netflix movie, The Merry Gentlemen. Did you get a chance to say hi?

I haven’t seen him, no. You know, he’s in New York, and I’m in Los Angeles right now. I want to see his movie! The second I saw, like, gigolo guys and Christmas, I was like, “Oh, yeah, me and my girls are definitely going to sit down and watch this!” It’s happening. Not with my husband! But with my friends. [Laughs.]

Do you have a favorite holiday movie that you like to watch around Christmastime?

There’s a movie called Four Christmases—that’s one of my favorite movies. That’s Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon. So good. I love that movie! Actually, I missed that movie last Christmas, now I think about it, so I’m going to have to keep up the tradition and go back to that. That one is hilarious.