Britney Spears’ audition tape for the leading role of Allie in the film The Notebook has recently surfaced online, revealing that she was considered for the role opposite Ryan Gosling. According to the casting director for the movie, Spears outshined many of the top young actresses of that time.
Matthew Berry, the casting director, stated, “Britney beat out several of the top female actresses at the time. Scarlett Johansson, Claire Danes, Kate Bosworth, Amy Adams, Jamie King, and Mandy Moore auditioned for this role. Britney beat out all of them. Everybody who was anybody that year wanted this part,” as reported by the Daily Mail.
Berry further praised Spears, saying that she wasn’t just good, but she was phenomenal in the role. In the audition tape, Spears impressively portrayed the emotional range and acting abilities required for the character of Allie, particularly during a pivotal scene where Allie reveals her plans to marry another man. As Spears delivered her lines, she tearfully conveyed the character’s emotions, leaving a lasting impact.
Nonetheless, the role eventually went to newcomer Rachel McAdams, a decision that Spears was ultimately grateful for due to concerns about the costumes she would have had to wear.
“The Notebook” casting came down to a choice between Spears and McAdams. Despite the temptation to reunite with Ryan Gosling, with whom she had previously worked on The Mickey Mouse Club, Spears expressed her contentment with not getting the role in her memoir, The Woman in Me.
“If I had been cast in The Notebook, instead of working on my album ‘In the Zone,’ I would have been acting like a 1940s heiress day and night,” Spears wrote, reflecting on her decision.
Following her experience filming Crossroads, Spears decided to abandon pursuing acting. In her memoir, she discussed her struggles with Method acting, mentioning that she found it difficult “to break out of [her] character” when she wasn’t filming.
“I really became this other person. Some people do Method acting, but they’re usually aware of the fact that they’re doing it. But I didn’t have any separation at all,” Spears shared.
Reflecting on her past, Spears expressed her hope to never encounter that occupational hazard again, emphasizing the negative effects of living as a hybrid of oneself and a fictional character.
