The Wicked: For Good press tour is in full swing, and the concept of director Jon M. Chu’s potential next project has music and movie fans alike looking up and ahead.
When Britney Spears released her memoir, The Woman in Me, in 2023, it quickly became a New York Times #1 bestseller. She cuts past the behemoth storm of rumors that have unjustly obfuscated her story for years, from her development as a child star to the princess of pop, as well as her experience of trials like prying paparazzi and her conservatorship. Her honesty touched both intrigued gossips and longtime fans.
By 2024, Universal Pictures had announced rights to a biopic based on Spears’ writings, and Chu was set to direct. With two Justin Bieber documentaries and the aforementioned franchise under his belt, it’s undeniable that he has a knack for balancing sensation with emotion. He mentioned in an interview with Esquire that it was most important for him to work closely with Spears and portray her story with integrity, and really, we can’t ask for more than that.
Still, we’re left to wonder who will portray The Holy Spearit on the silver screen. Naturally, upon the film's announcement, speculation surrounding actresses being in talks for the role swirled. In March of this year, Chu took to X to rebuke any existing casting rumors: “None of this is true. Sounds exciting but have not had one conversation about casting this movie yet. We are way too early in development. Sorry 🤷🏻”
However, a lot can happen in eight months, and the nebulous nature of the biopic thus far makes it exciting for fans online to guess. Who knows if the biopic will star a singular Britney or differently aged counterparts? Here are some blondes and potential blondes-to-be whose names have been thrown into the center of the ring.
Margot Robbie
Robbie initially denied her involvement as an actress within the production – as well as the involvement of her production company, LuckyChap Entertainment – in the wake of casting rumors. Once again, likely unfounded whispers about her casting have made their rounds about the ‘net, but I’d hardly complain if the tides truly have shifted. Robbie’s showing in I, Tonya is equal parts heartwrenching and entrancing, and I’d argue she has the chops to tastefully bring Spears’ story to life.
Addison Rae
We all know Addison loves Britney. Some may say she pays homage to the star in how she stylizes her fashion and music, and we’ve all seen that photo of her soaking in Spears’ memoir. However, in the wake of the biopic announcement, she expressed in an interview with IHeart Radio’s The New Hit List that she has no desire to play her idol. In fact, she proposed that perhaps there’s no correct casting choice on the table: “I honestly don’t think anyone deserves to play her. She’s such an enigma and such an icon.”
However, when asked if she’d consider the role if Spears gave her blessing, Rae said that she’d be “very, very honored.” Pop star power might be best suited for those who want it least, or whatever the saying is. Only time will tell.
Millie Bobbie Brown
In a 2022 appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, Brown told Barrymore that for her, the opportunity to play Spears would be a dream role. The women’s shared parallels of child stardom and enduring public scrutiny bring a degree of understanding to Brown's prospective casting. Her expression of interest preceded the announcement of Chu’s upcoming biopic, so we’re left to wonder if she’s been tuned into the discourse since. But given the upcoming ending of her decade-long involvement in the Stranger Things franchise, recent marriage and adoption of a baby girl this past summer, it’s more than likely that Brown has an upcoming break in the books.
Olivia Holt
Holt has been a name thrown around by fans since the biopic’s initial announcement, and one of the most enduring. In an interview with Variety in February that addressed this fan endorsement, Holt expressed enthusiasm at the prospect of taking on the role, naming “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman” as one of her favorite Spears songs. She has the Disney Kid origin story, several EPs under her belt, and, in my opinion, a look right out of Spears’ “Oops! I Did it Again” era. To that point, it definitely feels like a visuals-based casting to me, but let’s see Holt throw her hat in.
Emma Roberts
Spears’ longtime former assistant, Felicia Culotta, expressed excitement about the adaptation in an interview with TMZ last summer – and then dropped Robert’s name as a good choice for the role. Given her closeness to the star, it’s not an endorsement that should be cast aside. Roberts expressed her appreciation of Culotta’s kind words to Cosmopolitan in the aftermath, confessing that she often sings along to Spears to her young son. Her claim that she could rock out to the entire In the Zone album by memory feels a meaningful prerequisite to the part.
Eleanor Jacobs is PAPER's Spring 2025 Intern
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