Britney Set to Make Movie Debut in 'Crossroads'

ByABC News
February 7, 2002, 1:41 PM

Feb. 8 -- Britney Spears puts her star power to the test next week, with the premiere of her first feature film Crossroads.

Many music stars have failed miserably when they've tried to make the jump to the big screen. Mariah Carey's Glitter was nothing short of a punch line for movie critics.

But Britney's so confident in her acting career, she's already looking at future projects, including an appearance in the next Austin Powers sequel.

"I can't give anything away," she tells online reporters in a phone press conference, "But I will say it's very entertaining."

As for a possible role with boyfriend Justin Timberlake, that's certainly not out of the question. "I would love to remake Love Story," she says. "You need chemistry to do those characters." Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman

After a year of unprecedented success, Crossroads is clearly the next big test for the 20-year-old superstar. Last fall, Spears became the first female artist to hit the No. 1 spot three times in a row with her first three albums.

But the young star with the pierced bellybutton and scintillating dance moves is clearly longing to change. She followed up "I'm a Slave 4 U" with the ballad "Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman," which she performed in a simple gown last month at the American Music Awards.

In Crossroads, Spears plays Lucy, who reunites with her childhood friends after graduating high school, and the group heads West to pursue their dreams. Lucy longs to reunite with her estranged mom played by Sex and the City's Kim Cattrall.

"When I had to do the crying scene all the cameras were on and I'm like, 'OK, I gotta cry now,'" Spears says. "It was just very hard and it wasn't fun at all trying to imagine a little girl going through that."

You have to imagine Spears felt a little more at home when she and her lady co-stars (Zoe Saldana and Taryn Manning) enter a karaoke contest with a hot version of Joan Jett's "I Love Rock 'n' Roll."

Britney's 11-year-old sister, Jamie Lynn, even makes an appearance, playing a young version of Lucy. "It was very, very cool," Spears says. "She is taking her friends to see it."