Jamie Lynn Spears
Encyclopedia
Jamie Lynn Marie Spears (born April 4, 1991) is an American actress and singer. The younger sister of pop star Britney Spears
, she rose to prominence for her appearances on Nickelodeon
shows All That
and for playing Zoey Brooks on Zoey 101
.
to Jame and Lynne Spears
. She attended Parklane Academy
, where she was a cheerleader and a member of the basketball team. She finished her education there via online correspondence and received her GED
in February 2008 from Kentwood High School in Kentwood, Louisiana.
Spears made her acting debut in the 2002 Paramount
film Crossroads
, which starred older sister Britney, in a cameo
role as young Lucy Wagner.
Spears then signed on as a regular performer on the Nickelodeon sketch series All That
. Her performance was positively received by critics and she stayed on for Seasons 8 & 9 of the series from 2002 through 2004. She left after Season 9 to work on her then, new series, Zoey 101
.
. The series premiered in 2005 and ran four seasons, earning Spears awards from Young Hollywood Award, Young Artist Award
and Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards. Spears also recorded the theme song for the show, which was co-written by her sister, Britney Spears
. Other roles include a cameo as Mandy Ferner in the ABC
comedy sitcom series Miss Guided
(in the episode "Hot Sub") and the voice of Goldilocks in the straight to DVD film Unstable Fables: Goldilocks & 3 Bears Show.
On December 20, 2007, in an interview with OK!
magazine, Spears announced that she was pregnant by her boyfriend, Casey Aldridge. Nickelodeon
issued a statement shortly after the announcement stating that the network respected Spears's decision to take responsibility and noting that its primary concern was for her well-being. Spears confirmed the couple's engagement in March 2008 after it was reported she was seen with a wedding ring. In May 2008, Spears and Aldridge moved back to Liberty, Mississippi
, and purchased a house, with Spears stating they would raise their child there.
The announcement of Spears's pregnancy generated controversy, as the media was accused of using the story to "glamorize" teenage pregnancy
. Some teens were disappointed with the contrast between Spears's on screen personal as a "good girl" and her real life pregnancy. Additional controversy surfaced because Spears was two years below the California age of consent
, raising questions about her and Aldridge's age difference, and whether Aldridge could or would be charged with statutory rape
(although Spears was neither from California nor living there). It was later confirmed that Aldridge was just under two years older than Spears, which meant that he could be charged only with a misdemeanor under California
law, since the crime is only charged as a felony if the two people having sex are at least three years apart in age.
On June 4, 2008, while in Amite County, Mississippi
, the Spears family filed a complaint against Edwin Merrino, a paparazzo
who they believed was following and stalking the couple. Merrino denied the allegation. He was released later in the day after posting a $1096 bond.
Spears gave birth to their daughter, Maddie Briann Aldridge, on June 19, 2008, at Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center in McComb
. OK! magazine reportedly paid one million dollars for the first baby pictures for their July 10, 2008 issue. In September 2008, following the announcement that Bristol Palin
was pregnant, it was reported that Spears had sent her burp clothes as a gift. Comparisons between the two cases were made.
On November 7th, 2011 Jamie Lynn Spears held a concert at The Rutledge in Nashville. She performed a set of original songs.
In April 2010, Spears moved from Liberty, Mississippi to Nashville in order to pursue a music career.
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
, she rose to prominence for her appearances on Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
shows All That
All That
All That is an American live-action, sketch comedy-variety show that aired on the Nickelodeon cable television network featuring short comedic sketches and weekly musical guests. The theme song for All That was performed by TLC...
and for playing Zoey Brooks on Zoey 101
Zoey 101
Zoey 101 is an American television series that ran from January 9, 2005 to May 2, 2008 starring Jamie Lynn Spears as teenager Zoey Brooks, produced for Nickelodeon and syndicated worldwide. The show was initially filmed at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, then at stages in Valencia,...
.
Early life and career
Spears was born in McComb, MississippiMcComb, Mississippi
McComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 13,644. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area...
to Jame and Lynne Spears
Lynne Spears
Lynne Irene Spears is an American author and the mother of pop singer Britney Spears and teen actress Jamie Lynn Spears.-Early life and family:...
. She attended Parklane Academy
Parklane Academy
Parklane Academy is a private Christian school from grades K4 through 12th grade located in McComb, Mississippi. Parklane is a member of the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools .-History:...
, where she was a cheerleader and a member of the basketball team. She finished her education there via online correspondence and received her GED
GED
General Educational Development tests are a group of five subject tests which, when passed, certify that the taker has American or Canadian high school-level academic skills...
in February 2008 from Kentwood High School in Kentwood, Louisiana.
Spears made her acting debut in the 2002 Paramount
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
film Crossroads
Crossroads (2002 film)
Crossroads is a 2002 comedy-drama road film directed by Tamra Davis and starring American recording artist Britney Spears, Zoe Saldana and Taryn Manning...
, which starred older sister Britney, in a cameo
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
role as young Lucy Wagner.
Spears then signed on as a regular performer on the Nickelodeon sketch series All That
All That
All That is an American live-action, sketch comedy-variety show that aired on the Nickelodeon cable television network featuring short comedic sketches and weekly musical guests. The theme song for All That was performed by TLC...
. Her performance was positively received by critics and she stayed on for Seasons 8 & 9 of the series from 2002 through 2004. She left after Season 9 to work on her then, new series, Zoey 101
Zoey 101
Zoey 101 is an American television series that ran from January 9, 2005 to May 2, 2008 starring Jamie Lynn Spears as teenager Zoey Brooks, produced for Nickelodeon and syndicated worldwide. The show was initially filmed at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, then at stages in Valencia,...
.
2005–08: Zoey 101 and pregnancy
In 2005, Spears played the protagonist Zoey Brooks of the Nickelodeon situation comedy series Zoey 101Zoey 101
Zoey 101 is an American television series that ran from January 9, 2005 to May 2, 2008 starring Jamie Lynn Spears as teenager Zoey Brooks, produced for Nickelodeon and syndicated worldwide. The show was initially filmed at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, then at stages in Valencia,...
. The series premiered in 2005 and ran four seasons, earning Spears awards from Young Hollywood Award, Young Artist Award
Young Artist Award
The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist...
and Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards. Spears also recorded the theme song for the show, which was co-written by her sister, Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
. Other roles include a cameo as Mandy Ferner in the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
comedy sitcom series Miss Guided
Miss Guided
Miss Guided is an American situation comedy that premiered on March 18, 2008 as a mid-season replacement on ABC. The series follows the life of Becky Freeley, a guidance counselor at a high school that she attended when she was a teenager...
(in the episode "Hot Sub") and the voice of Goldilocks in the straight to DVD film Unstable Fables: Goldilocks & 3 Bears Show.
On December 20, 2007, in an interview with OK!
OK!
OK! is a British weekly magazine specializing in celebrity news. Originally launched as a monthly, its first issue was published in April 1993. In September 2004, OK! publishers Northern and Shell launched in Australia as a monthly title – the magazine went weekly in October 2006...
magazine, Spears announced that she was pregnant by her boyfriend, Casey Aldridge. Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
issued a statement shortly after the announcement stating that the network respected Spears's decision to take responsibility and noting that its primary concern was for her well-being. Spears confirmed the couple's engagement in March 2008 after it was reported she was seen with a wedding ring. In May 2008, Spears and Aldridge moved back to Liberty, Mississippi
Liberty, Mississippi
Liberty is a town in Amite County, Mississippi, United States. It is part of the McComb, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 633 at the 2000 census...
, and purchased a house, with Spears stating they would raise their child there.
The announcement of Spears's pregnancy generated controversy, as the media was accused of using the story to "glamorize" teenage pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy is a pregnancy of a female under the age of 20 when the pregnancy ends. It generally refers to a female who is unmarried and usually refers to an unplanned pregnancy...
. Some teens were disappointed with the contrast between Spears's on screen personal as a "good girl" and her real life pregnancy. Additional controversy surfaced because Spears was two years below the California age of consent
Age of consent
While the phrase age of consent typically does not appear in legal statutes, when used in relation to sexual activity, the age of consent is the minimum age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to sexual acts. The European Union calls it the legal age for sexual...
, raising questions about her and Aldridge's age difference, and whether Aldridge could or would be charged with statutory rape
Statutory rape
The phrase statutory rape is a term used in some legal jurisdictions to describe sexual activities where one participant is below the age required to legally consent to the behavior...
(although Spears was neither from California nor living there). It was later confirmed that Aldridge was just under two years older than Spears, which meant that he could be charged only with a misdemeanor under California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
law, since the crime is only charged as a felony if the two people having sex are at least three years apart in age.
On June 4, 2008, while in Amite County, Mississippi
Amite County, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 13,599 people, 5,271 households, and 3,879 families residing in the county. The population density was 19 people per square mile . There were 6,446 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile...
, the Spears family filed a complaint against Edwin Merrino, a paparazzo
Paparazzi
Paparazzi is an Italian term used to refer to photojournalists who specialize in candid photography of celebrities, politicians, and other prominent people...
who they believed was following and stalking the couple. Merrino denied the allegation. He was released later in the day after posting a $1096 bond.
Spears gave birth to their daughter, Maddie Briann Aldridge, on June 19, 2008, at Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center in McComb
McComb, Mississippi
McComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 13,644. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area...
. OK! magazine reportedly paid one million dollars for the first baby pictures for their July 10, 2008 issue. In September 2008, following the announcement that Bristol Palin
Bristol Palin
Bristol Sheeran Marie Palin is the second child and oldest daughter of former Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin and her husband, Todd....
was pregnant, it was reported that Spears had sent her burp clothes as a gift. Comparisons between the two cases were made.
2009–present
Spears and Aldridge called off their engagement in March 2009, and Spears ended the relationship and moved out in February 2010. Spears and Aldridge reconciled in August 2010, but ended their relationship a second time in November 2010.On November 7th, 2011 Jamie Lynn Spears held a concert at The Rutledge in Nashville. She performed a set of original songs.
In April 2010, Spears moved from Liberty, Mississippi to Nashville in order to pursue a music career.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Crossroads Crossroads (2002 film) Crossroads is a 2002 comedy-drama road film directed by Tamra Davis and starring American recording artist Britney Spears, Zoe Saldana and Taryn Manning... |
Young Lucy Wagner | Cameo role |
| 2002–04 | All That All That All That is an American live-action, sketch comedy-variety show that aired on the Nickelodeon cable television network featuring short comedic sketches and weekly musical guests. The theme song for All That was performed by TLC... |
Herself | Series regular |
| 2005–08 | Zoey 101 Zoey 101 Zoey 101 is an American television series that ran from January 9, 2005 to May 2, 2008 starring Jamie Lynn Spears as teenager Zoey Brooks, produced for Nickelodeon and syndicated worldwide. The show was initially filmed at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, then at stages in Valencia,... |
Zoey Brooks | Lead role |
| 2008 | Unstable Fables: Goldilocks and the 3 Bears | Goldilocks | Voice role |
| Miss Guided Miss Guided Miss Guided is an American situation comedy that premiered on March 18, 2008 as a mid-season replacement on ABC. The series follows the life of Becky Freeley, a guidance counselor at a high school that she attended when she was a teenager... |
Mandy Ferner | Episode: "Hot Sub" |
Songs
- 2002: "Hey Now (Girls Just Wanna Have Fun)" with Triple ImageTriple ImageTriple Image is a pop group from Orlando, Florida.It consists of identical twins Bridgett Lynn and Brittney Lee, born , and their younger sister Brianna Lauren, born , of the Livingston family. They signed with Wire Records under Johnny Wright and recorded their first album, Celebrate, in 2002...
- 2005: "Follow Me" (Zoey 101Zoey 101Zoey 101 is an American television series that ran from January 9, 2005 to May 2, 2008 starring Jamie Lynn Spears as teenager Zoey Brooks, produced for Nickelodeon and syndicated worldwide. The show was initially filmed at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, then at stages in Valencia,...
theme song) - 2008: "We Are Family" with the cast of Unstable Fables: Goldilocks and the 3 Bears
Album appearances
| Year | Song | Album | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | "Hey Now (Girls Just Wanna Have Fun)" | Celebrate Celebrate (album) Celebrate is an album released in 2002 by Triple Image. It is their first and only album.-Track listing:#"Celebrate " – 3:20#"Last One Standing" – 3:29#"Boy Next Door" – 4:09#"It's a Wake Up Call" – 3:23... |
Triple Image Triple Image Triple Image is a pop group from Orlando, Florida.It consists of identical twins Bridgett Lynn and Brittney Lee, born , and their younger sister Brianna Lauren, born , of the Livingston family. They signed with Wire Records under Johnny Wright and recorded their first album, Celebrate, in 2002... |
External links
- Jamie Lynn Spears at PeoplePeople (magazine)In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...