An Australian actress has been tapped to play Britney Spears in an unauthorised Lifetime biopic on the Louisiana-raised singer's life.
Sydney-born and New York-based Natasha Bassett will take on the part after her breakout role in this year's Coen brothers' film, Hail, Caesar! and appearances on Seven's Wild Boys and ABC's Rake.
The two-hour TV movie titled Britney was announced on Thursday and is set to trace the 34-year-old icon's rise to fame and subsequent personal struggles.
Expect Bassett to bring levity to the role. In an interview with Vogue magazine in May the actress said she was looking forward to playing "complex" characters.
"When you create something that truly affects people – whether it makes them laugh, cry or get really ticked off, whatever it may be – there's nothing better than trying to make some sense of the human condition through different complex characters and being able to share that with other people," she said.
Britney will explore the singer's upbringing in Louisiana, her unparalleled career, her high-profile relationship with Justin Timberlake and subsequent two marriages.
It will also bring Spears' public breakdown in 2007 to the small screen, which included stints in rehab, losing custody of her two sons and being placed under the guardianship of her father.
A New York Times piece in May found Spears' guardianship remained to this day, meaning the singer has no control over her fortune and must get her father's approval for all personal and financial decisions, down to buying a drink at Starbucks.
Obviously the Grammy winner's camp isn't impressed with the Lifetime movie, which comes at the same time as Spears' ninth studio album, Glory.
The pop doyen is in the middle of a publicity drive for the record, which was released on Friday. She will also perform at Sunday's MTV Video Music Awards ceremony.
A statement from Spears' reps said the singer would not be contributing to the project "in any way, shape or form… nor does it have her blessing."
The film is due sometime in 2017 and will be directed by Leslie Libman who has worked on other TV projects including The Wire, NCIS and Entourage.
Britney will air on the US cable network Lifetime with no word on whether it will reach Australian shores.
Spears has sold more than 100 million albums and singles worldwide. Rolling Stone magazine called Spears "one of the most controversial and successful female vocalists of the 21st century."
Her latest single Make Me... peaked at just 39 on the Australian ARIA chart and 17 on the US Billboard Hot 100 when it was released in July.
