Biography

Britney was born December 2, 1981 in Kentwood, Louisiana. Her mother Lynne is an elementary school teacher and her father, Jamie is a construction contractor. She was only eight when she joined an audition of Disney Channel's Mickey Mouse Club. She was too young to join the show, but the producers spotted her potential talent and found her a professional music agent in New York. Accompanied with her mother and younger sister, she moved to Manhattan for several summers to study at the Professional Performing Arts School and Off-Broadway Dance Center.

In 1991, she landed a part as a demonic child in ruthless, an off-Broadway production based on the 1956 horror film, The Bad Seed. And again, at the age of 11, she auditioned again for Disney Channel's MMC, and this times, she earned her mouse ears and became a full-fledged member of MMC for both the 1993 and 1994 seasons. She stayed on the show for 2 years before going back to Lousiana to attend high school. It was only a year before she headed back to New York at age 15 to audition for executives at Jive Records.

In 1997, she signed a development deal with Jive record. By early 1998, her first album with Jive was complete but not released until the first of 1999. Spears set out on a promotional tour to shopping malls throughout America, prompting inevitable comparisons with ‘80s teen pop stars such as Tiffany and Debbie Gibson. Its success got Spears a gig opening for ‘N
Sync, by then a popular teen band and featured on Teen People and Rolling Stone. When the album was released on January 12, 1999, her first very successful single 'Baby, One More Time' made its debut at number 17 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. The single spurred along by a racy video featuring Britney dressed as a bare-midriffed Catholic schoolgirl, also shot up to number one. By September, Baby One More Time had sold over 6 million copies.

Some controversy surrounded a Rolling Stone cover story in March 1999, picturing the 17-year-old Britney in a seductive, Lolita-esque pose. She has vigorously denied the widespread rumor that she has breast implants, as well as the rumor that she is actually in her 20s. In 1999 alone she was nominated for two Grammys (including the coveted Best New Artist), swept the 1999 MTV Europe Awards (where she nabbed Best Female, Best Pop, Best Breakthrough Artist and Best song). Before the
Grammy Awards, held in February 2000, she had emerged as one of the leading contenders for Best New Artist. She eventually lost the award, to fellow ex-Mickey Mouse Clubber and teen pop sensation Christina Aguilera.

Filmography

Music Mania 2002 (2002) (TV) .... Performer
Summer Music Mania 2002 (2002) (TV) .... Performer
Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) .... Herself
"Total Access 24/7" (2002) TV Series .... Herself
Britney's Dance Beat (2002) (VG) .... Herself
Crossroads (2002) .... Lucy Wagner
Britney: The Videos (2001) (V) .... Herself
Total Britney Live (2001) (TV) .... Herself
Britney Spears Live from Las Vegas (2001) (TV) .... Herself
Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration (2001) (TV) .... Herself
Longshot (2001) .... Flight attendant
MTV Video Music Awards 2001 (2001) (TV) .... Performer
There's Only One Madonna (2001) (TV) .... Herself
Britney Spears Live and More! (2001) (V) .... Herself
MTV Icon: Janet Jackson (2001) (TV) .... Herself
28th Annual American Music Awards (2001) (TV) .... Host
'N Sync & Britney Spears: Your #1 Video Requests... And More! (2000) (V) .... Herself
2000 Billboard Music Awards (2000) (TV) .... Herself
2000 MTV Movie Awards (2000) (TV) .... Herself
Britney in Hawaii (2000) (TV) .... Herself
MTV Video Music Awards 2000 (2000) (TV) .... Herself
Smash Hits 2000 (2000) (TV)
Britney Spears: There's No Place Like Home (2000) (TV) .... Herself
Britney Spears In Concert (1999) (TV) .... Herself
Britney Spears: 'Star Baby' Scrapbook (1999) (V) .... Herself
L'Oreal Summer Music Mania (1999) (TV)
Time Out with Britney Spears (1999) (V) .... Herself
TV Hits Awards 1999 (1999) (TV) .... Herself
MMC In Concert (1993) (TV) .... Herself
"MMC" (1989) TV Series .... Herself (Seasons 6-7)