Nick Lachey: I Had a Crush on Alyssa Milano

NEW YORK – He had a crush on her, but Alyssa Milano (search) doesn't mind -- she thinks "he's hot."

Nick Lachey (search) told "Access Hollywood" in a recent interview that he had to tell his "Charmed" co-star about his former crush to avoid the humiliation of having her find out from someone else.

Lachey plays Milano's love interest in an upcoming six-episode arc on the WB show.

"The first day I came I said, 'I'm just going ... to tell you right now that your poster was hanging in my locker. Because you're going to hear about it and I don't want to be embarrassed later on."'

Milano says the feeling is mutual.

"His eyes are like lavender," the 31-year-old actress told the syndicated entertainment TV show. "I can't even look at him when I'm working with him ... Yeah, he's hot."

The new season of "Charmed" (search) premieres Sept. 12.

When Lachey was asked if his pop star wife, Jessica Simpson, would have a problem with his on-screen lip lock with Milano, the 30-year-old singer replied: "I'm in the clear here because when she did `That '70s Show,' she had to kiss Ashton (Kutcher). They did like five takes of the scene, so I got a free pass on the kiss thing!"