Video: Selena Gomez Meets Shia LaBeouf, Is Adorable

I know that we just spent yesterday saying what a tool Shia LaBeouf has become, but he’s surprisingly pleasant in this video. Anyway, he’s not the focus: It’s Selena Gomez, who seems to have bounced back from her malnutrition scare and is adorably bubbly when her entourage springs Shia on her while backstage at Live with Regis and Kelly. She thinks she’s going to sign autographs for a fan and instead finds herself starstruck, then retreats — only to meet Shia’s publicist while she’s all giggly and embarrassed.

Last weekend I was chatting with a friend about how awkward it is as a reporter to meet celebrities, because they’re all, “I’m John [C. Reilly]” and all you can say is, “I know.” It’s comforting, then, to see that celebs have that same inelegant dance-around: Obviously Selena knows who Shia is, but she still goes through the motions of “Nice to meet you.” The fact that they hug — we get handshakes, natch — shows that they acknowledge existing in the same business even though their paths have never crossed before. It’s really fascinating to watch.

This Selena is nearly the opposite of the star at the MMVAs (one of her first post-hospital appearances), where she refused to hug boyfriend Justin Bieber. Here she’s excited and grinning over how “handsome” Shia is, while ragging on her staff for ambushing her with the surprise. This is the first time in a while that she’s acted like an 18-year-old girl.