LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Britney Spears' 2002 audition tape for the classic romance film 'The Notebook', was recently released by the Daily Mail after years of requests by the pop star's fans.
The emotional two-and-a-half-minute screen test was given to the outlet by Hollywood casting director Matthew Barry and it showed Spears presenting a heartwrenching display while auditioning for the lead female role of Allie.
In the footage, the then-21-year-old Spears could be seen dressed in a white lace top and wearing her hair down, before breaking down in tears while reading through an iconic emotional scene from the movie alongside Ryan Gosling, who played Noah.
The audition clip, which was kept under the wraps by Hollywood for nearly two decades, was so in-demand by fans that a 2021 eBay listing allegedly offered up to $1 million for it.
Casting director Barry largely praised Spears' audition and revealed that the singer edged out several popular actress' in the battle for the role before it ended up going to Rachel McAdams.
Internet reacts to Britney Spears' 'The Notebook' audition
While Spears' much-awaited audition tape for 'The Notebook' went immediately viral upon its release, several social media users said that the 'Princess of Pop' failed to match the brilliance of McAdams, who catapulted to fame after playing the role of Allie in the romance drama.
"Sorry Britney, but nobody can hold a candle to Rachel McAdams in 'The Notebook,'" one wrote.
"Love Brittany (sic) but let's be real, without the magnetic chemistry of Rachel and Ryan, the Notebook would just be a collection of empty pages," one shared.
"She honestly did well here but no one could have played Allie like Rachel McAdams," a third commented.
"This is cute but no one could have played that role other than Rachel Mcadams… she was just made for it..," one said.
"Love Britney, but no way. She would've ruined one of my favorite movies. Rachel McAdams was perfection," another added.
One user mentioned, "love britney down she looked adorable but rachel mcadams was just born for the role"
Another added, "i really can’t imagine anyone else other than Rachel."
One commented, "Umm she’s acting here ok! No one beats Rachel though. No one"
While another remarked, "She ate, I’m afraid, but Rachel McAdams still did it better."
Which scene did Britney Spears audition for 'The Notebook?'
As part of her 2002 audition, Spears was seen acting out the emotional scene from 'The Notebook', where Allie's character is moving forward to marry another man instead of her love interest, Noah.
Every individual, including Spears, who eyed the role of Allie in 'The Notebook,' was reportedly presented the same monologue, a twist from the scene which showed Noah berating Allie into deciding which man she should marry.
Spears' audition clip began with her saying, "I'm not staying. I tried to call you to tell you that I wasn’t going to stay - but nobody answered the phone."
"Noah, you can’t marry two people. And I’m marrying Lon, so I should go, okay?" the pop star could be heard saying as Allie.
She is then seen slowly breaking down in tears while telling Gosling, who stood off-camera to read his lines with Spears, "I prayed for you to die in the war, really. Well not die. I would have felt completely horrible if you would die."
"'But I kinda didn’t want you to be alive anymore because I couldn’t bear the thought of you being with somebody else, or of us never seeing each other again. So I gotta go, okay?" Spears could be heard saying in the audition video.
Matthew Barry said Britney Spears outshone several actress with her audition
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Barry revealed that Spears "blew away" producers of 'The Notebook' with her display of emotions during her audition for the role of Allie.
"Britney wasn't just good - she was phenomenal!" the casting director said, adding, "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 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," Barry shared.
He also said that the final call for the role of the leading lady of the film came down between Spears and McAdams before the latter was finalized to play Allie.
Spears' audition also earned her a praise from Gosling, who reunited with the pop star years after first meeting her on Disney's The Mickey Mouse Club in the 1990s, when they were both still kids.
"We met with a lot of actresses, and they were all very good," the 'Barbie' actor told Entertainment Tonight in 2013.
"I hadn’t seen her really since she was about 12 — we were both 12 — so she’s grown up, but she was really good, actually," Gosling said of Spears.
"She did a really nice job. We were 12. I don’t remember much from when I was 12, but yeah, no, she did an excellent job, actually. That was cool," he added at the time.
More than a decade later, Barry, who also takes acting classes, still believes that Spears should not give up on her passion for acting.
"I hope she goes and gets back to it. She has the talent to do this," he said. "Come back to us. You are and was an inspiration to so many young women," Barry added.
"Britney, come work with me again. I will whip you into shape in a month and I would absolutely cast you in my next movie. Talent like yours does not go away," the casting director said.
What did Britney Spears say about her 'The Notebook' audition?
Spears wrote about her audition in her upcoming memoir, 'The Woman in Me,' and said she was "glad" she didn't play Allie.
"'The Notebook' casting came down to me and Rachel McAdams, and even though it would have been fun to reconnect with Ryan Gosling after our time on The Mickey Mouse Club,' I'm glad I didn't do it," the 'Baby One More Time' hitmaker said.
"If I had, instead of working on my album 'In the Zone', I'd have been acting like a 1940s heiress day and night," she stated.
Spears also shared that she was left overwhelmed by the acting process after playing Lucy Wagner in 'Crossroads'.
"I hope I never get close to that occupational hazard again," the musician said, adding, "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."
