Emma Roberts Once Hung Up on Britney Spears After Thinking Her Surprise 8th Birthday Phone Call Was a Prank

Mar. 15, 2025

In honor ofApril Fools’ Day,Emma Robertsis looking back on a moment when she mistakenly thought she was being pranked with a phone call fromBritney Spears.On Monday’sLive with Mark and Kellyepisode, theAmerican Horror Story: Delicatestar admitted that she is “always nervous” about being pranked.“I’m on guard year-round, especially with my family and friends, but I’ve gotten it wrong before,” Roberts, 33, said. “Very wrong.”The actress then shared a memory of a childhood birthday, when her mother,Kelly Cunningham, and aunt,Julia Roberts, surprised her with a call from Spears, 42.“It was my birthday and I think I was 8 or 9, and this was back in the day of landlines,” she shared. “My mom and my aunt handed me the landline and said, ‘Someone’s on the phone for you.’ And I was like, ‘Who?'”TheUnfabulousalum remembered the pop star saying, “Happy birthday, Emma. It’s Britney Spears.” But she mistakenly thought it was a prank, adding, “And I looked at them and hung up and was like, ‘Mm-hmm, nice.’ And they were like, ‘No, that was her.'”(L-R) Emma Roberts and Britney Spears.Kevin Mazur/Getty; Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic“I was — still am — the biggest Britney Spears fan,” Roberts explained. “And I literally started crumbling and I was like, ‘Can we get her back on the phone?’ They got her back on the phone.”Kelly Ripajoked, “Star 69 or whatever.”“I was like click right [away],” Roberts added as she indicated hanging up the phone. “I’m so sorry, Britney.”Mark Consuelosasked what the two had talked about, but theScream Queensalum admitted she was too shocked to have a conversation.“I was so mortified and nervous and I was 8, so I just was like, ‘Thank you so much,’” she said. “I’m shaking thinking about it.”Roberts admitted that she “probably” cried after the experience but “in that moment, I thought I got them. I was like, ‘Nice try, everybody. Good prank.’”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.American Horror Story: Delicate Part 2premieres April 3 on FX.

In honor ofApril Fools’ Day,Emma Robertsis looking back on a moment when she mistakenly thought she was being pranked with a phone call fromBritney Spears.

On Monday’sLive with Mark and Kellyepisode, theAmerican Horror Story: Delicatestar admitted that she is “always nervous” about being pranked.

“I’m on guard year-round, especially with my family and friends, but I’ve gotten it wrong before,” Roberts, 33, said. “Very wrong.”

The actress then shared a memory of a childhood birthday, when her mother,Kelly Cunningham, and aunt,Julia Roberts, surprised her with a call from Spears, 42.

“It was my birthday and I think I was 8 or 9, and this was back in the day of landlines,” she shared. “My mom and my aunt handed me the landline and said, ‘Someone’s on the phone for you.’ And I was like, ‘Who?'”

TheUnfabulousalum remembered the pop star saying, “Happy birthday, Emma. It’s Britney Spears.” But she mistakenly thought it was a prank, adding, “And I looked at them and hung up and was like, ‘Mm-hmm, nice.’ And they were like, ‘No, that was her.'”

(L-R) Emma Roberts and Britney Spears.Kevin Mazur/Getty; Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

Kevin Mazur/Getty; Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic

“I was — still am — the biggest Britney Spears fan,” Roberts explained. “And I literally started crumbling and I was like, ‘Can we get her back on the phone?’ They got her back on the phone.”

Kelly Ripajoked, “Star 69 or whatever.”

“I was like click right [away],” Roberts added as she indicated hanging up the phone. “I’m so sorry, Britney.”

Mark Consuelosasked what the two had talked about, but theScream Queensalum admitted she was too shocked to have a conversation.

“I was so mortified and nervous and I was 8, so I just was like, ‘Thank you so much,’” she said. “I’m shaking thinking about it.”

Roberts admitted that she “probably” cried after the experience but “in that moment, I thought I got them. I was like, ‘Nice try, everybody. Good prank.’”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

American Horror Story: Delicate Part 2premieres April 3 on FX.

source: people.com