With the release of her new memoir, The Woman in Me, Britney Spears has offered an honest and often unflinching look into some of the most unforgettable moments from her life. And fans have learned some shocking and sometimes heartbreaking new facts from Spears’ book, including details about her breakup with Justin Timberlake in 2002 – and the fact that she was very close to nabbing a leading role in the blockbuster romantic drama The Notebook opposite Ryan Gosling. While those two events may not seem to be directly related, the film’s casting director has offered up some insights into how he thinks the “Toxic” singer’s real-life heartbreak may have influenced how she approached her audition.
Fans of the pop icon have admired her undeniable talent and star power for years. And the world has been captivated by her emotional honesty as she’s discussed “playing it strong” in the wake of major obstacles. Two decades ago, when The Notebook was in the early stages of casting, most of the world hadn’t seen the more vulnerable side of the “Stronger” singer yet – but casting director Matthew Barry did, when she filmed her audition for the role of Allie. When ET asked Barry about his experience working with the singer, he had nothing but good things to say – and he made sure to emphasize just how unforgettable her audition was:
Britney Spears was unbelievable. She was absolutely unbelievable. Britney came in and blew us all away.
The footage of the audition, which can be seen in part in this clip from Access Hollywood, illustrates exactly how the singer and then-aspiring actress managed to impress the Notebook team. It shows the “…Baby One More Time” singer delivering a vulnerable monologue in which she agonizes over the difficult choice she’s making by leaving Noah behind and marrying Lon. Britney Spears auditioned for The Notebook in 2002, right around the time that Justin Timberlake broke up with her (while she was filming a music video). Barry now thinks that her real-life heartbreak may have played a role in how raw her audition was:
We didn’t know what was going on at the time with her and Justin Timberlake. So I think that she absolutely tapped into what was going on at the time. Again we didn’t know. I think she definitely tapped into her emotional depth and brought it out. She showed us she was raw, she was emotional, she was fantastic. She laid it all out on the line.
While we’re still gathering details surrounding the breakup between the two music stars, the information that’s recently been divulged suggests it was a tumultuous time. We, of course, can’t say for sure whether actual heartbreak actually played into the singer’s audition. However, as it’s been said, some actors tap into personal experiences to mine emotion for their roles.
While the Grammy winner’s audition was undeniably powerful, the role of Allie eventually went to then-relatively unknown actress Rachel McAdams. Barry told ET that the struggle to choose who to cast was extremely real:
Rachel blew us away. Britney came in, and then Rachel came in, I think, shortly afterwards, and just destroyed us. It was a very, very hard toss-up between the two of them. There was lots of arguing as there are in any film that ever gets made. I think the studio probably wanted Britney for obvious reasons. But Rachel, it was her role.
Few would deny that the Mean Girls star was ultimately the perfect choice to play Allie. But it’s still interesting to know just how close Britney Spears got to starring in one of the most beloved romance films of all time. She did star in Crossroads in 2002, though that movie more or less marked both the beginning and the ending of her Hollywood aspirations.
Britney Spears herself has made it pretty clear, though, that she’s glad she didn’t end up starring in the Nick Cassavetes-directed film. In her memoir, she admitted that while she would have enjoyed working with her fellow Mickey Mouse Club alum, she also would have been overworking herself by splitting her time between a movie set and a recording studio. She even said she’s happy that she lost the Notebook role – and if she’s at peace with it, then I am, too.
The Woman in Me is on bookshelves everywhere now.