Paltrow’s role in ‘Country Strong’ based on Spears, MJ

LONDON - Actress Gwyneth Paltrow’s character in the just released movie Country Strong is based on Britney Spears and Michael Jackson.

Paltrow plays a singer struggling with drinking problems while trying to make a comeback in the film. According to the film’s writer and director Shana Feste, the character was based on modern stars who have struggled with their fame.

“I wanted to present these characters as messy, complicated and conflicted. Everybody is flawed. We build these artists and celebrate them, then at the first sign of weakness, we rally around their downfal, contactmusic.com quoted Feste as saying.

“Then we want to build them back up for a comeback. How difficult to live life like that in public.”

Feste added she took inspiration from Britney who had a public breakdown in 2008 - and Michael, the King Of Pop who was attempting to stage possibly the biggest comeback of all time, with 50 sold out live stadium dates, when he tragically died in 2009 due to acute intoxication with powerful anaesthetic Propofol.