Watch Britney Spears’ Audition for ‘The Notebook’

The Notebook almost looked very different with Britney Spears in the leading role.

Nineteen years after the hit romantic drama premiered in theaters in 2004, Spears’ audition for the film has finally leaked online.

The Daily Mail obtained footage from Spears’ surprisingly emotional audition, which sees the Crossroads‘ star read for the part of Allie opposite Ryan Gosling‘s Noah.

Spears shows off her impressive acting range in the audition clip, welling up with tears at one point as she recites the script.

Watch Britney Spears’ The Notebook audition, below:

While Spears didn’t ultimately get the part — Allie was famously played by Rachel McAdams, who also starred in Mean Girls the same year — her audition “blew away” the film’s producers.

Her audition also reportedly beat out auditions from other stars such as Claire Danes, Scarlett Johansson, Amy Adams and Jessica Biel.

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The Daily Mail reports that in her upcoming memoir, The Woman in Me, Spears harbors no ill will toward McAdams for getting the role over her.

“The Notebook casting came down to me and Rachel McAdams, and even though it would have been fun to reconnect with Ryan Gosling after our time on The Mickey Mouse Club, I’m glad I didn’t do it,” Spears reportedly writes in her book.

The Woman in Me is out Tuesday (Oct. 24).

Based on Nicholas Sparks’ 1996 novel of the same name, The Notebook was a huge box office success, grossing $117.8 million against a $29 million budget.