Britney Spears Regrets Turning Down CHICAGO Movie Musical Role: 'I Had Power Back Then'

Spears' new memoir, The Woman In Me, is out today.

By: Oct. 24, 2023
Britney Spears Regrets Turning Down CHICAGO Movie Musical Role: 'I Had Power Back Then'
Get Access To Every Broadway Story

Unlock access to every one of the hundreds of articles published daily on BroadwayWorld by logging in with one click.




Existing user? Just click login.

Britney Spears revealed that she turned down a role in the Chicago movie musical in her new memoir.

The Woman In Me, out today, reveals that Spears regrets turning down the role of a murderous villain in the film after starring in Crossroads. Spears said that she became so engrossed with her character of Lucy that she "couldn't tell the difference between when the camera was on and when it wasn't."

"I was asked if I would like to be in a movie musical. I wasn't sure I wanted to act again after Crossroads, but I was tempted by this one. It was Chicago," the "Toxic" singer writes in the new memoir.

Executives involved with the film came to a venue that Spears was performing at to discuss being featured in the film. After turning down other film projects, she "didn't want to be distracted" from music.

"When it came to Chicago, I should've done it. I had power back then; I wish I'd used it more thoughtfully," she continues. "Chicago would have been fun. It's all dance pieces – my favorite kind: prissy, girly follies, Pussycat Doll-like, serve-off your-corset moves. I wish I'd taken that offer."

While she does not reveal what role she was offered, she shared that she "would have gotten to play a villain who kills a man, and sings and dances while doing it, too."

"I probably could have found ways, gotten training, to keep from becoming a Chicago character the way I had with Lucy in Crossroads. I wish I'd tried something different."

It was also revealed recently that Spears had turned down the role of Lucy in The Notebook. 

Spears is one of the most successful and celebrated entertainers in pop history with nearly 150 million records worldwide. In the U.S. alone, she has sold more than 70 million albums, singles, and songs, according to Nielsen Music.

CHICAGO ended up being nominated for 13 Academy Awards and won not only Best Picture, but also Best Supporting Actress for Catherine Zeta-Jones, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, and Best Sound.

The film featured performances from Zeta-Jones, Renée Zellweger, Richard GereQueen LatifahJohn C. ReillyChristine Baranski, and more. Filled with electrifying musical numbers, wildly entertaining satire, and plenty of razzle dazzle, CHICAGO remains a must-see cinematic spectacle.

Goldie Hawn has also opened up about her audition process for the film, stating that she and Madonna nearly starred in a different version of the film in the 1980s, before disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein decided to go in a different direction with the project.

 



Play Broadway Games

The Broadway Match-UpTest and expand your Broadway knowledge with our new game - The Broadway Match-Up! How well do you know your Broadway casting trivia? The Broadway ScramblePlay the Daily Game, explore current shows, and delve into past decades like the 2000s, 80s, and the Golden Age. Challenge your friends and see where you rank!
Tony Awards TriviaHow well do you know your Tony Awards history? Take our never-ending quiz of nominations and winner history and challenge your friends. Broadway World GameCan you beat your friends? Play today’s daily Broadway word game, featuring a new theatrically inspired word or phrase every day!

 



Videos