26th October 2023, Mumbai: The Notebook, adapted from Nicholas Sparks’ 1996 novel, remains one of the most iconic romantic dramas ever. Starring Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling, the film achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success. Interestingly, Britney Spears was a strong contender for the role of Allison Hamilton, surprising many.
In 2002, Britney Spears auditioned for the 2004 film, leaving a strong impression on casting director Matthew Barry. Against the backdrop of ongoing controversy related to her recent memoir, “The Woman in Me,” he shared details about how she came close to securing the iconic role in the movie.
BRITNEY SPEARS audition for THE NOTEBOOK has been released, she was one of the final 3 girls considered to get the role pic.twitter.com/KPpSOU4GBv
— Pop Culture Posts (@notgwendalupe) October 23, 2023
The Notebook Casting Director Praises Britney Spears’ Audition
During a conversation with Entertainment Tonight, Barry stated, “Britney Spears was unbelievable. She was absolutely unbelievable. Britney came in and blew us all away.” Recently, Daily Mail released footage of Britney Spears’ audition, where the 21-year-old artist passionately portrayed a scene, displaying her emotions through the monologue. The casting director expressed his satisfaction that fans could witness it after over two decades.
Barry also suggested that Spears should consider returning to acting, “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,” he added, referring to the Criminal hitmaker’s breakup. “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,” he expressed.
Ryan Gosling as Noah Calhoun in 'The Notebook' (2004) pic.twitter.com/yWVfZXjw44
— dailygvsling (@dailygvsling) October 17, 2023
The notebook || 2004 pic.twitter.com/v85ODUuIyc
— Aziz is Gone šØš»āš¦Æ (@Chezor12) October 25, 2023
Britney Spears Nearly Landed The Notebook Role Alongside Ryan Gosling
Discussing Spears and her relationship with Gosling, Barry went on to say, “Ryan and Britney were very professional. If you’ve ever met Nick Cassavetes [director of The Notebook], he can be very intimidating at 6 foot 5.”
He remembered how Gosling was incredibly understanding, giving Spears the opportunity to meet Cassavetes and delve into the role and character. Despite coming close, McAdams’ audition astounded everyone and clinched the role.
Barry then disclosed that after Spears, she came in and “completely overshadowed” everyone with her performance. “It was a very, very hard toss-up between the two of them. There was lots of arguing as there is in any film that ever gets made. I think the studio probably wanted Britney for obvious reasons. But Rachel, it was her role,” the casting director adds on to the portal.
rachel mcadams really gave us āthe notebookā and āmean girlsā in the same year. her RANGE pic.twitter.com/5bbUpysLN8
— 2000s (@PopCulture2000s) October 24, 2023
By Vaishnavi Rastogi