It’s gonna be Keyes! The cast for Lifetime’s Britney Spears movie was announced on Thursday, September 28, with Nathan Keyes in the role of the singer’s ex Justin Timberlake, who dated Spears from 1999 to 2002.
Keyes, who was born in Washington, D.C., has had smaller roles throughout his decadelong career, including guest spots on Brothers & Sisters, The Kings of Summer and even Glee. He also had a recurring role on Crackle’s 2013 series Cleaners, about two women who were highly trained contract killers.
Australian actress Natasha Bassett was previously announced for the part of the pop princess, and Canadian heartthrob Clayton Chitty will play Spears’ ex-husband Kevin Federline.
In August, Lifetime announced that it had plans to air a two-hour biopic, Britney, which will focus on the “… Baby One More Time” singer’s relationship with Timberlake, 35, and how their high-profile breakup led to her headline-making meltdown.
Shortly thereafter, the 34-year-old singer’s rep released a statement clarifying that Spears has, and will have, nothing to do with the Lifetime project.
“Britney Spears will not be contributing in any way, shape or form to the Lifetime biopic,” the rep said in a statement to Us Weekly, “nor does it have her blessing.”
Other actors portraying key figures in Spears’ life include Kelly McCabe as Spears’ childhood friend Jason Alexander (who she marred in Las Vegas in 2004), Peter Benson as manager Larry Rudolph, Tamara Thorsen as Jenna Dewan Tatum (who was a backup dancer for ‘NSync at the time), Markian Tarasiuk as choreographer Wade Robson, Nicole Oliver as Spears’ mom, Lynn, and Matthew Harrison as Spears’ dad, Jamie.
The movie is expected to debut in 2017.