Dream Cast: Actors Who Should Star as Britney Spears in ‘The Woman in Me’ Biopic

Our loneliness is officially over—Britney Spears is the next star getting the Hollywood biopic treatment. Following Universal Pictures’ major announcement that “Wicked” director Jon M. Chu and writer Liz Meriwether (“New Girl,” “Dying for Sex”) are adapting the pop icon’s bestselling memoir, “The Woman in Me,” the ultimate casting question is now on the table: Who is going to play Britney? 

Whoever lands the role will certainly have to work hard to match the “I’m a Slave 4 U” singer’s stage presence (there are few pop performances more iconic than Britney dancing with a live albino python wrapped around her body). Still, the entertainment industry is already buzzing with potential leads.  

Right now, the biopic is still in early development, which means we will have to wait a little longer to find out who will be sporting Spears’ legendary MTV VMAs snake look. But that doesn’t mean we can’t start brainstorming our own ideas. From fan castings to actors we think have the vocals and stamina to play the Princess of Pop, here are our top picks.  

Olivia Holt 

Much like Spears, Olivia Holt launched her career as a Disney Channel favorite, starring in “Kickin’ It” from 2011 to 2015 before releasing her debut EP in 2016. She then proved her dramatic acting chops by starring in the hit thriller series “Cruel Summer,” and she flexed her musical theater muscles on Broadway as Connie Francis in the biomusical “Just in Time.” Holt hasn’t hidden her ambitions for the role, telling Variety that “it would be a dream” to portray the pop icon.  

Credit: DFree/Shutterstock

Millie Bobby Brown 

Following her brief stint as a blonde, it’s easy to imagine Millie Bobby Brown transforming into the Grammy-winning singer. Now that “Stranger Things” has wrapped, we’d love to see the young powerhouse tackle another era-defining role. Brown has openly expressed her desire to portray the “...Baby One More Time” singer in a future biopic. She told Access Hollywood that she’d “love nothing more than to be a part of her story,” and she supports “bringing [Spears’] story to life how she wants to.” 

Credit: Joe Seer/Shutterstock

Sabrina Carpenter 

We all know that Sabrina Carpenter has the undeniable stage presence required to play our beloved Princess of Pop. So, we’d love nothing more than to see the “Espresso” singer return to acting—she, too, got her start thanks to Disney. Before becoming a Grammy-winning artist, Carpenter starred in the “Boy Meets World” spinoff “Girl Meets World” from 2014 to 2017. And if she doesn’t fit the role of Britney, might we suggest she play Christina Aguilera? She certainly has the pipes to play Spears’ so-called frenemy (and probably her blessing, too). 

Credit: Fred Duval/Shutterstock

Ella Bright 

Ella Bright proved in “Off Campus” that she has the charm and musical talent to play the “Stronger” singer. Her standout performance as a student musician navigating the trauma and pressures of adulthood showcased the raw authenticity she can bring to a character. We’d love to see her transform into the ultimate pop princess and bring that same fierce vulnerability (à la what we saw in the “Bitch Is Back” scene) to the big screen.  

Credit: Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Prime Video

Tate McRae 

Sure, the internet has thoughts on those Tate McRae–Britney Spears comparisons. But there’s no denying that McRae’s nostalgic, 2000s-era choreography screams “Toxic” in the best way possible. While the “Sports Car” singer has humbly called the chatter “flattering and scary,” she already has the ultimate stamp of approval: Spears told McRae in an interview together that she’s “an incredible performer.”  

McRae has downplayed her casting chances to Rolling Stone, saying, “I feel like I look nothing like her or sound nothing like her, so I don’t know if I’d be a great fit.” She also says she’d need to “take an acting lesson before even considering” it. But Hollywood history is packed with vocalists, including Cher and Lady Gaga, who successfully conquered the charts before dominating the silver screen.

Credit: Fred Duval/Shutterstock

Kiernan Shipka 

Kiernan Shipka has the perfect mix of youthful innocence and professional acting maturity to cover Britney’s transition from teen idol to global superstar. Growing up in the public eye after her breakout role in “Mad Men” at just 6 years old, Shipka has evolved from dark teen dramas like “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” to gritty adult series like “Industry.” Her range shows she’s ready to handle the darker, more complicated sides of the pop star’s life. Plus, Shipka’s personal fandom runs deep. She previously told W Magazine that “Toxic” was one of her go-to karaoke songs.  

Credit: Liv Oeian / Shutterstock.com

Addison Rae 

Addison Rae initially rose to fame thanks to TikTok, where she showed off the kind of dancing skills that a Britney biopic demands. She has since parlayed her internet notoriety into a singing and acting career, earning a Grammy nomination for best new artist and scoring a lead role in “He’s All That.” Beyond her striking physical resemblance to early-2000s Britney, she is also a proud Louisiana native, meaning she can naturally bring the “Lucky” singer’s Southern charm to the role.  

Credit: DFree/Shutterstock

Emma Roberts 

Emma Roberts has been a top fan-casting choice since the project was announced. The speculation caught serious fire in 2024 after Spears’ former assistant, Felicia Culotta, publicly vouched for Roberts, noting that the actor’s Nickelodeon roots parallel Britney’s Disney beginnings. The “American Horror Story” star addressed the buzz, telling Cosmo that playing Spears would be her “true dream. It’s a rumor, but I hope maybe it’ll come true,” she said, adding that she remembers locking herself in her childhood bedroom and listening to Spears’ music. “I listened to ‘In the Zone’ and said, ‘I cannot leave this room until I memorize every word.’ ” Given her seasoned acting background playing complex characters, Roberts definitely has what it takes to bring Britney to life.

Credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

Hailee Steinfeld 

Hailee Steinfeld makes our list because she combines Oscar-nominated acting depth with genuine pop-star experience. As an Academy Award nominee, she has the skill set to capture the emotional highs and lows of Spears’ life, while her successful music career gives her the voice control and dance ability to pull off the role of the “Oops!...I Did It Again” performer.  

Credit: Fred Duval/Shutterstock

Dove Cameron 

Yet another Disney alum, Dove Cameron knows just what it’s like to transition from “Descendants” darling to independent artist. The “Liv and Maddie” actor proved she can lead at a young age with her dual starring role, and she can certainly sing—she won MTV’s Video Music Award for Best New Artist in 2022. We’re confident her experience (and talent!) would breathe new life into Spears’ story. 

Credit: DFree / Shutterstock