Why Noreen From Sweet Magnolias Looks So Familiar

Spears' own pregnancy stalled her acting career in real life. According to The Hollywood Reporter, her run on Nickelodeon's popular tween sitcom Zoey 101, in which the actress played the titular character, came to an abrupt halt in 2008 when she became pregnant with daughter Maddie. Her highly-publicized teen pregnancy (Spears was just 17 at the time) provoked a media maelstrom, leading the actress to flee Los Angeles for her small hometown in Louisiana.

Luckily, that harsh experience feeds into Spears's performance as Noreen. The still young actress can understand the character on a deeper level. As she explained, "I remember being 16 years old, being pregnant in a small town. And then on top of it, the whole world was watching. Don't get me wrong, I didn't view myself as a victim. And with Noreen, it was important to not play the victim either."