Britney Spears’ The Notebook audition tape
On October 23, 2023, Daily Mail published Britney’s audition tape more than two decades since it was recorded. The tape was unreleased before this, with some eBay listings claiming to publish the tape going for almost a million dollars.
Casting director Matthew Berry said of Britney’s audition at the time, “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.”
He also shared that he was in awe of her performance. “Britney wasn’t just good – she was phenomenal,” Barry said. “It was a tough decision. Britney blew us all away. Our jaws were on the floor. I was blown away. Absolutely blown away. She brought her A-game that day.’
Britney also disclosed that she had been Method acting in Crossroads and couldn’t distinguish between her own persona and her character— leading her to be relieved that she didn’t get the role. “I imagine there are people in the acting field who have dealt with something like that, where they had trouble separating themselves from a character. I hope I never get close to that occupational hazard again. Living that way, being half yourself and half a fictional character, is messed up. After a while you don’t know what’s real anymore.”
The Notebook might have been a good reconnecting moment with Britney and Ryan. In an episode of Carpool Karaoke with James Corden, Christina Aguilera confessed about all the crushes when everyone was on The Mickey Mouse Club. She revealed that Britney may “be regretting” dating Justin because “I know Ryan [Gosling] pretty much…he did have a crush on Britney.”
