Britney Spears biopic director Jon M. Chu shuts down Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter casting rumors

Director Jon M. Chu has officially refuted online rumors that Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, or Millie Bobby Brown will land the Britney Spears biopic lead part. During his March 23 confirmational appearance, Chu made it clear that casting discussions have not occurred because the biopic remains early in its development phase.

Online discussions about potential Britney Spears biopic actresses focused on Ariana Grande alongside Millie Bobby Brown and Sabrina Carpenter as possible contenders for the lead role. However, Jon M. Chu took to X (formerly Twitter) to put an end to the rumors.

"None of this is true," Chu tweeted on March 23. "Sounds exciting but have not had one conversation about casting this movie yet. We are way too early in development. Sorry."

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Jon M. Chu's vision for the Britney Spears biopic and past casting speculations

Although casting has yet to be discussed, Jon M. Chu has previously expressed enthusiasm about directing the biopic, which is based on Spears' memoir, The Woman in Me. In an interview with E! News in November 2024, he spoke about the significance of the project.

"I'm very excited about it," Jon M. Chu said. "I think there's huge potential about telling a great story, one that she deserves."

This is not the first time casting rumors for the biopic have surfaced. In August 2023, Britney Spears' former assistant, Felicia Culotta, suggested that actress Emma Roberts would be a great choice to portray Spears.

Emma Roberts, known for her roles in American Horror Story and Scream Queens, responded to the speculation in an interview with Cosmopolitan, saying she was honored by the suggestion and would love to take on the role, as stated by E! News on March 24, 2025.

"I was like, 'I love her assistant,'" Roberts said. "I mean, it's my true dream to play Britney Spears."

She also recalled her admiration for Spears, stating,

"I remember I locked myself in my room and listened to In the Zone and said, 'I cannot leave this room until I memorize every word.'"

Although there has been speculation about the film's casting, Spears has confirmed that she is involved in the project's development. In a post on X, she expressed her excitement about working with producer Marc Platt.

"Excited to share with my fans that I've been working on a secret project with #MarcPlatt," Spears wrote. "He's always made my favorite movies … stay tuned."

Britney Spears has been one of the most influential figures in pop music since the late 1990s. Her debut album, ...Baby One More Time, released in 1999, became a cultural phenomenon, selling over 25 million copies worldwide. She continued her success with multiple chart-topping albums, including Oops!... I Did It Again and Blackout.

Her memoir, The Woman in Me, published in October 2023, became a bestseller, shedding light on her career and personal experiences.

Fans must wait for official news about the actor who will play Spears in the upcoming biopic. Jon M. Chu has confirmed in his statement that the production teams have not chosen any actors for the role of Spears at their current stage.