Emma Roberts Breaks Silence On Britney Spears Biopic Casting Rumors
By Kristin Myers on August 30, 2024 at 10:30 PM EDT
Is actress Emma Roberts ready to portray pop star Britney Spears in her upcoming biopic?
The "American Horror Story" alum recently opened up about the possibility that she could play the "Toxic" singer on the big screen.
Will Emma Roberts Play Britney Spears In Her Upcoming Biopic?
It looks like Emma Roberts is a fan favorite to play the Princess of Pop. Britney Spears' longtime assistant Felicia Culotta told TMZ that she thought the 33-year-old actress would be a good choice to play the 42-year-old "Lucky" singer. It seems that Roberts is in agreement.
"I was, like, I love her assistant," Roberts responded in a new interview with Cosmopolitan. "I mean, it’s my true dream to play Britney Spears. It’s a rumor, but I hope maybe it’ll come true."
Emma Roberts Is A Big Fan Of Britney Spears
Like many in the industry, the "Scream Queens" actress is a big fan of Britney Spears and often listened to her music growing up.
"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,'" Roberts said of Spears' 2003 album.
Roberts went on to say that she plays Britney Spears' music when she bathes her 3-year-old son Rhodes. "I'm always like, 'God, he must think I'm so weird,'" she told the publication. "That's some millennial parenting."
Emma Roberts Once Hung Up On Britney Spears!
During an appearance on Live With Mark and Kelly, Emma Roberts recalled the time when she accidentally hung up on Britney Spears during a surprise birthday phone call, as per People magazine.
Her mother, Kelly Cunningham, and her aunt, Julia Roberts, had Britney Spears call the young actress to wish her a happy birthday, but she had a hard time believing that she was actually speaking to her pop idol and hung up the phone.
Roberts recalled the "Girl In The Mirror" singer saying, "Happy birthday, Emma. It's Britney Spears." However, the young Roberts thought it was a prank and hung up the phone saying, "'Mmhmm. Nice.' And they were like, 'No. That was her.'"
“I was — still am — the biggest Britney Spears fan,” Roberts explained. “And I literally started crumbling and I was like, ‘Can we get her back on the phone?’ They got her back on the phone.”
"Star 69 or whatever," host Kelly Ripa joked.
“I was like click right [away],” Roberts added. “I’m so sorry, Britney.”
Who Will Direct The Britney Spears Biopic?
Although the cast for the Britney Spears biopic has yet to be announced, the "Crossroads" actress did let some details slip about her big project on August 1.
On August 1, Spears tweeted, "Excited to share with my fans that I've been working on a secret project with #MarcPlatt. He’s always made my favorite movies ... stay tuned."
That same day, Universal Pictures announced that they had secured the rights to Britney Spears' memoir "The Woman In Me" after a "highly competitive auction," according to a press release. "Wicked" director Jon M. Chu is set to direct, while Marc Platt will produce the project.
Who Will Play Sam Asghari In The Film?
In addition to her high-profile relationship with singer Justin Timberlake, fans are also eager to see how the biopic will explore her relationship with her ex-husband, actor Sam Asghari.
The former couple met on the set of her "Slumber Party" music video in 2016 and started dating shortly after. The two became engaged in September 2021, less than two months before a judge struck down her controversial 13-year conservatorship.
Although they tied the knot in June 2022, rumors of trouble in paradise hit swiftly when the former couple was photographed separately without their wedding rings. In August 2023, the "Special Ops: Lioness" actor filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the split.
Although it has not been announced who will play Sam Asghari in her biopic, the former personal trainer has had nothing but kind words for his ex-wife. When asked about the upcoming project, Asghari said that he hopes it does justice to her "legacy."
As for Spears, she has continued to post dancing videos on Instagram, even though Ozzy Osbourne and his family called out her "sad" videos on their podcast.