Spears Taking Movie Plunge

- LOS ANGELES (The Hollywood Reporter) --- After mulling numerous offers for movie roles, pop star Britney Spears will make her feature acting debut for director Tamra Davis in an untitled coming-of-age story that Spears' record company, Jive Records, will co-finance and produce with Filmco.













The "Untitled Britney Spears Project," budgeted at about $10 million, is scheduled to start shooting in March.













Written by Shaonda Rhimes, the story is described as "Boys on the Side" meets "Duets." It's about three childhood friends who, by the time they reach high school, are on different paths: One is a virtuous straight-A student (Spears), another is a cheerleader, and the third is a burnout. The trio get together and travel across the country, each for their own personal reasons, but along the way meet a young wannabe musician who persuades them to come to Los Angeles to compete in a musical contest. Spears is expected to sing in the project. Davis' sister, Kim, is casting the project.













Ann Carli ("I Like It Like That") will produce through her Fuzzy Bunny Prods.













Davis, repped by United Talent Agency, next directs the indie feature "Skipped Parts" starring Jennifer Jason Leigh. Spears, who has made numerous guest television appearances, is repped theatrically by Endeavor and manager Rob Lee.













Spears was recently nominated for two Grammys -- best female pop vocal performance and best pop vocal album for "Oops! ... I Did It Again," which has sold more than 7.8 million copies to date.