The Notebook almost had a different leading lady. A pop princess, to be exact. Long before Rachel McAdams cemented her place in rom-com royalty, Britney Spears came shockingly close to playing Allie Hamilton—and her long-lost audition tape just resurfaced with a jaw-dropping price tag: $1 million.
The never-before-seen clip hit eBay with the title (via Cheatsheet): “RARE: Britney Spears Audition For ‘The Notebook’ – One of a kind – original.” According to the seller, the tape was recorded in 2002 on a Sony Hi8mm camera and featured Spears reading opposite Ryan Gosling. Clocking in at just under 10 minutes, it was described as being in “brand new condition.” But here’s the catch—it was strictly for personal use only and not up for public distribution.
In the listing, the seller teased: “The Notebook made Rachel McAdams a star. Little does anyone know, Britney Spears also auditioned for the role! It’s never before seen, until now.” They added, “Own a piece of HISTORY! PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY! NOT TO BE SOLD OR DISTRIBUTED. For those who have asked: There will be a future IN-PERSON showing (for serious bidders only).”
Spears’ name may sound surprising now, but she was riding high in the early 2000s. Post-Crossroads and peaking in pop superstardom, she was actively testing the Hollywood waters. Alongside her, big names like Jessica Biel and Reese Witherspoon also gunned for the Allie role.
But McAdams walked away with the part—and for good reason. According to Gosling, she skipped all the small talk and delivered. “Every girl wanted to talk about the scene and the character and all these things and we talked about it like just endlessly,” Gosling told Fandango. “But Rachel came in, and we said ‘You want to talk about it?’ she’s like ‘No.’ we’re like ‘Nothing? You don’t want to…’ she’s ‘No no no just let’s do it.’”
That instant command won over director Nick Cassavetes and locked McAdams into one of the most iconic love stories of the 2000s. Her chemistry with Gosling? Off the charts. The result? The Notebook became a cultural obsession and a career launcher.
Still, fans couldn’t help but wonder—what if Spears had landed the role? What would The Notebook have looked like with her Southern charm and early-2000s screen presence? Unfortunately, unless someone ponied up a million bucks, the answer remained locked away in a collector’s vault.
So yes, The Notebook nearly rewrote rom-com history. Spears got close. McAdams won the day. And now, years later, a 10-minute tape nearly sold a what-could-have-been moment to the highest bidder.
