The Surprising Connection Between Natalie Portman And Britney Spears

Britney Spears and Natalie Portman are arguably two of the most successful women in their respective industries. Spears, dubbed the Princess of Pop, has five singles that topped the Billboard Hot 100 to her name. Furthermore, six of her nine albums debuted at the top spot on the Billboard 200 album's chart, while the others bowed out within the top four (via Billboard). Portman, meanwhile, received critical acclaim as an actor in the likes of "Black Swan" and "Jackie." Her work on the former won her an Academy Award in 2011 (via Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences).

While they've since dominated their respective fields, you may be surprised to know that these two forged a friendship before either became a household name. Both women can trace their entertainment roots back to 1992 when they auditioned for the lead in an off-Broadway musical called "Ruthless." The role ultimately went to Laura Bell-Bundy who famously went on to star as Elle Woods in "Legally Blonde: The Musical." While neither woman won the lead, they were both cast as understudies (via Daily Mail).

Their trajectory changed when Spears landed a role on "The All New Mickey Mouse Club" alongside the likes of Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, and Ryan Gosling. After that, Portman took over as full-time understudy, but their bond was cemented. "We both had the same first job," Portman reflected in an interview with Lilly Singh on "A Little Late With Lilly Singh" (via YouTube). Their friendship later reignited, too.

The duo met well before becoming famous, and that could have been the end of their time together. But according to Natalie Portman, she and Britney Spears rekindled their friendship in the '00s. They were so close that in 2002, they co-hosted a New Year's Eve party together, which Portman also addressed in her interview with Lilly Singh (via MTV). It appears that wasn't the only time the famous friends hung out in the early aughts. Recently, Spears lit Instagram afire when she shared a curious throwback photo celebrating her sister Jamie Lynn Spears' birthday. In it, the younger Spears is surrounded by Britney, Portman and Justin Timberlake (via Instagram).

Interestingly, that wasn't even the only time Spears shared photos of Portman on social media in 2021. Taking to Twitter, the "Toxic" siren included the actor in a roundup of "the women that have truly inspired [her] life." Others mentioned include the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker, Sharon Stone, and Miley and Noah Cyrus. "These cool ladies always add a spark to my day," she added. Billboard noted that the hitmaker told fans she'd love to see the "No Strings Attached" actor play her in a biopic as well. We're here for it.

It seems as though Portman could be down for the casting as well. After all, she told Singh that Spears was "really great."