When it was confirmed by Britney Spears herself that she was working with Jon M. Chu on a biopic about her life, casting rumors started swirling immediately. It’s a major project, sure to catapult whoever takes on the role into superstardom. Playing the iconic pop princess would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and the lead would have to sing, dance, and truly capture the essence of the megastar. One big name actress is already gunning hard for the lead role, and believes her love for Spears and her story makes her perfect for the role.
In a recent interview with Cosmopolitan, American Horror Story star Emma Roberts talked about producing the upcoming second season of Tell Me Lies and professed her love for Britney Spears. Earlier this month, the “Circus” singer’s former assistant threw out Roberts’ name as a potential actress to star as the singer, and the Scream Queens alum couldn’t agree more. She loved that her name was mentioned in the same breath as the project, and said the part would be a dream for her. Roberts explained her reaction, saying:
I was like, I love her assistant. I mean, it’s my true dream to play Britney Spears. It’s a rumor, but I hope maybe it’ll come true. I mean, I remember I locked myself in my room and listened to In the Zone and said, ‘I cannot leave this room until I memorize every word.’
In the Zone was Spears’s fourth studio album released in 2003, and arguably her most iconic. It contained hits like “Toxic,” “Me Against the Music,” and “Everytime.” It was essential listening for every millennial girl in the 2000s and was a critical and commercial mega-success. Roberts was the target audience for this album when it came out, so it’s no wonder that it stuck with her all these years. The Nerve actress admitted to still singing Britney around the house all the time, saying:
Oh yeah! I mean, I sing Britney to my son in the bath all the time. I’m always like, ‘God, he must think I’m so weird.’ That’s some millennial parenting.
Roberts’ love for the singer is very real, so if she was cast in the role, she’d likely treat the opportunity with all the respect and love in the world. The movie is based off of Spears’s tell-all memoir, The Woman in Me, which chronicles her life during the peaks and valleys of her career, her relationship to fame, romantic life (specifically with pop star Justin Timberlake), and infamous conservatorship. Spears is very involved in the project, which is fitting considering the amount of career moves that have been taken from her over the years. The “3” singer has lived a complicated and nuanced life, and a lead actress who respects her and treats Spears’s story with care will be essential.
But even if Roberts is a wonderful actress and a Britney stan, we’ll have to see if the casting directors believe she has the other skills needed to play the pop icon. Spears is famously an incredible dancer and is known for her unique singing voice. The actress cast will have to emulate this while also giving a terrific acting performance. Names that have also been thrown out in regards to casting are Sabrina Carpenter, Millie Bobby Brown, and Sydney Sweeney, so Roberts doesn’t have the part in the bag quite yet. We have also yet to see the We’re the Millers star sing and dance, but with this much love and admiration Roberts clearly has for the star, I definitely believe she would put in the work for this role.
We will be anxiously awaiting casting news for Britney Spears, but in the meantime, fans of the singer can read her memoir The Woman in Me now by purchasing it on Amazon. Fans of Emma Roberts can also see the actress in the latest season of American Horror Story, which is titled Delicate and can be streamed now with a Hulu subscription.
