Lifetime’s proposed Britney Spears biopic ‘does not have her blessing’
Superstar singer Britney Spears is one unhappy pop princess this morning flying to New York for her first appearance Sunday in 10 years on MTV’s Video Music Awards. She slammed the proposed Lifetime biopic announced Wednesday night with this morning’s statement from her PR people: “Britney Spears will not be contributing in any way, shape or form to the Lifetime biopic, and it does not have her blessing.”
Australian actress Natasha Bassett, who recently starred with George Clooney in HAIL CAESAR, has been tapped to play the Axis at Planet Hollywood headliner. No word if Natasha has been to Las Vegas to see Britney in concert. In 2013, she wrote and directed a short film, KITE, and said: “I enjoy giving voice to somebody else’s creation of a character. I never want to be typecast for a certain look or a certain character.”
Production is set to start next month and will include filmed sequences in Las Vegas where Britney has had record-breaking success with her resident show, BRITNEY: PIECE OF ME, and led the new-look Strip entertainment scene with subsequent pop-star appearances by Jennifer Lopez, Lionel Richie and Pitbull at Axis.
Britney appears tonight on the “Carpool Karaoke” segment of James Corden’s LATE, LATE SHOW. Britney’s new album “Glory” drops Friday, and on Sunday she has the world-premiere live performance of her new single “Make Me” with rapper G-Eazy at the Madison Square Garden telecast.
Here’s the synopsis for Lifetime’s Britney biopic: “Britney Jean Spears was just a young girl from Louisiana trying to make a name for herself in the music scene when her talent became undeniable to all those around her. While handlers soon began planning her every move, Britney found solace with fellow pop singer Justin Timberlake.
“Tragically, as Britney’s star continued to shine, her private life crumbled after the divorce of her parents and her tabloid breakup with Justin. Her personal behavior soon eclipsed her pop icon success as a quickie marriage to a childhood friend and later, an ill-fated marriage to dancer Kevin Federline, became the talk of the world.
“With her life spiraling out of control, Britney hit rock bottom, lost custody of her sons and was placed under her father’s conservatorship. But despite her past troubles, Britney has battled back to rebuild her career to its former glory, proving to everyone that she’s a timeless force in entertainment.”