If you've been paying any attention to the world of TV and film, you'll notice that nostalgia is ruling the day. From rebooted shows like Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, to movie remakes of classic properties likePower Rangers, it appears that going back to a simpler time is one surefire way to make money. Even smaller networks like Lifetime have been utilizing nostalgia, mostly through their made for TV movies like The Unauthorized Full House Story and The Unauthorized Saved By The Bell Story. The latest of these movies is Britney, based on the life and career of Britney Spears. But there's a big problem: the actress playing Brit doesn't look like her. Like at all. Just take a look at the below image to see all the traits she's missing- perhaps the most obvious being her lack of abdominal muscles.
Honestly, if I didn't already know that Australian actress Natasha Bessett was playing Britney Spears, I wouldn't have been able to identify who the above character was. Essentially none of Britney's physical characteristics are there, including her signature abs. Let's break down what we've learned from the first images from Britney.
To start, the above image might be purposeful in how they're showing Natasha Bessett's body. The outfit pictured most closely resembles Britney's 2007 "Piece of Me" music video. 2007 was Britney was at the height of her public downfall, and the pop sensation had shaved her head and also gained a few pounds. Of course, her body was still thin and healthy by anyone's standards, but it wasn't the Britney Spears that audiences were used to seeing. So if this image from Britney was from when the character was filming "Piece of Me", it could be their attempts to make Bessett look more like the singer.
Among the images recently released for Britney includes "Britney" and the actor playing Kevin Federline during the former couple's happier times. This still looks like an entirely different body altogether, as Natasha Bessett is decidedly thinner. However, this body isn't really correct either. Because Britney Spears comes from a dancing background, she's always had a fair amount of musculature to her body. That's part of why her midriff was always her signature body part- she's usually ripped.
Natasha Bessett's juxtaposition to the real Britney Spears is only more obvious when compared to Britney's current look. The 35 year old singer (whose birthday just happens to be today) is in the best shape of her life, due to her intense fitness regimen, intense schedule, and residency in Las Vegas. And her new album Glory is one of her best yet.
Although Spears did not give her blessing for this new movie, Lifetime has been doing well producing these unauthorized biography sort of stories and we don't expect them to stop anytime soon. If you are interested, Britney will air on Lifetime in January 2017.
