Britney Spears has long been the subject of fan and media fascination and speculation, from her infamous head-shaving incident in 2007 to her ongoing battle over her conservatorship. However, it’s her recent social media posts that have fans talking for another reason: They don’t think the photos and videos are actually of the beloved pop star at all, but of a body double. Read on for more on Spears, and if you love celebrity gossip, here are 50 Totally Absurd Celeb Rumors That Some People Really Believe.
In a video from Oct. 2, Spears, wearing a face mask and sunglasses, is seen walking onto a jet with boyfriend Sam Asghari, turning and waving to the camera before boarding the plane. “A little trip @samasghari and I took !!!!!! I love traveling .... when it’s safe to of course,” she captioned the video.
Fans weren’t so convinced by the clip, though. “Cover up entire body and wear a mask.....who else thinks this is NOT BRITNEY!???” wrote one follower. Another commented, “This is just for show..to make it look like she’s not imprisoned.”
A subsequent video from the couple’s vacation, in which Britney is exclusively shot either from behind or from far away while wearing the same mask and sunglasses, didn’t do much to assuage fans.
“I am sorry and I hate to say it but that does not look like Britney Spears,” wrote one follower.
A photo posted to Spears’ Instagram on Oct. 15 did little to quell speculation, either. In the picture, Spears sits atop Asghari’s shoulders on a beach, her face obscured by her long blonde hair.
“Love how the face is covered cause it ain’t Britney but, go off,” commented one Instagram user. “That’s not Britney! She’s been hiding her face a lot when she’s with Sam!” wrote another.
This isn’t the first time fans have been reluctant to believe the woman in photos of Spears are actually her. In an August photo of Spears and Asghari wearing masks on a beach bike ride, followers said they believed that Britney was being portrayed by someone else during public appearances.
"I am NOT falling for this zoomed out, masked up picture of Britney. Y'all need to let that woman go!" wrote one of Asghari’s followers.
The battle over Spears’ conservatorship, which is maintained by her father, Jamie Spears, seems to be the primary reason for the current concern over the star’s well-being. Members of the #FreeBritney movement claim that the singer is being held prisoner in her own home, and that these photos and videos outside of the star out and about are being taken using a body double to keep the rumors to a minimum. While there’s little evidence to support their case, Spears is in an ongoing legal battle to remove her father as her conservator, a role he’s filled for 12 years. According to an Oct. 13 report from Variety, she’s already gaining traction in her fight, having recently won the right to expand her legal team in the ongoing case.
Britney is far from the only star who’s been subject to outlandish rumors, however. Read on to discover the wackiest conspiracy theories about your favorite celebs. And for more on your favorite musicians, This Was the Hottest Pop Star the Year You Graduated.
1 | Avril Lavigne died and was replaced by a double.
ShutterstockBritney Spears isn’t the only celebrity who’s been plagued by body double rumors. Conspiracy theorists claim that the real Avril Lavigne died in 2003 and was subsequently replaced by lookalike actress Melissa Vandella. While there’s no proof to support this bizarre theory, there is a good reason why fans haven’t seen Lavigne on stage as frequently as they once did: In 2018, the singer revealed to Billboard that she had been bedridden for the better part of two years due to Lyme disease. And for a real Britney surprise, check out these 50 Iconic Movie Roles That Almost Went to Someone Else.
2 | Paul McCartney died and was replaced by a lookalike.
ShutterstockSome Beatles fans are staunch adherents to the theory that the Paul McCartney who played in the Fab Four and the one we see today are two different people. As the story goes, the original Paul McCartney died in a car crash on Nov. 9, 1966 after an argument with the band, only to be replaced by lookalike Billy Campbell for the following 53 years. Their proof? In the final section of “Strawberry Fields Forever,” fans claim that John Lennon can be heard saying, “I buried Paul,” when, in fact, the late musician confirmed in interviews that he was saying “cranberry sauce.”
Though McCartney has insisted on multiple occasions that he’s alive and well, some still have their doubts.
3 | Keanu Reeves is immortal.
DFree/ShutterstockThere’s no doubt about it: Keanu Reeves is aging really well. In fact, some say he’s aging so well that it’s clear that he must be some kind of immortal being. According to KeanuIsImmortal.com, there have been men bearing a striking resemblance to the star for centuries, from Charlemagne over a century ago to 19th-century French actor Paul Mounet. While there’s no definitive proof that Reeves has the gift of immortality, he probably does have a really good skincare routine. And for more celebrity news delivered to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
4 | Solange is Beyoncé’s daughter.
Featureflash Photo Agency/ShutterstockIf Solange and Beyoncé bear a striking similarity to one another, it’s probably because they have the same parents, and not because Beyoncé is secretly Solange’s mother, as some fans claim. According to the rumor, 39-year-old Beyoncé is actually several years older than she claims to be and gave birth to Solange as a young teen, leaving her mother and father to raise the baby as her sister. The only “proof” that this is true? An anonymous blog post reportedly from a former Columbia Records employee that claims one of Beyoncé’s cousins told others this tall tale. And for more on your favorite stars, check out The Biggest '90s TV Teen Idols, Then and Now.
5 | Khloe Kardashian is O.J. Simpson’s daughter.
ShutterstockIt’s long been rumored that Khloe Kardashian isn’t one of Robert Kardashian’s biological daughters, with reports claiming that everyone from Kris Jenner’s former hairdresser to O.J. Simpson is her biological dad. However, on an episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, the family discovered that Khloe, like her biological sister Kourtney, is of both European and Middle Eastern descent.
