With the release of Captain Marvel on Friday (March 8), Brie Larson goes from Oscar-winning actress to bona fide superhero.
As the behemoth studio’s first female-led standalone film — released, appropriately, on International Women’s Day — it’s a watershed moment for the Marvel Cinematic Universe that fans have been waiting for ever since Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow was introduced in 2010’s Iron Man 2. (The DC Universe beat its rival superhero franchise to the punch with the release of 2017’s Wonder Woman.)
However, fans of the actress may not realize that, long before she was winning an Oscar or stepping into the role of Carol Danvers, Larson launched a short-lived bid at teen pop stardom.
After a few minor roles in films like 13 Going on 30 and Sleepover, the young actress was signed in the mid-2000s to Casablanca Records by Mariah Carey’s star-making ex-husband Tommy Mottola. (Fun fact: At the time, Lindsay Lohan was Brie’s sole labelmate on the fledgling imprint.)
In 2005, Larson released her debut solo album, Finally Out of P.E., a pop-punk collection of brightly melodic songs that were equal parts Avril Lavigne and Michelle Branch. The video for lead single “She Said” portrayed the future A-lister as the quintessential girl next door. Stuck working at a fast-food joint, she could rock out on the electric guitar, get revenge on the vapid popular girls and trade her Converse kicks for heels at a moment’s notice.
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Despite collaborating with a heavy-hitting roster of songwriters like Pam Sheyne (Christina Aguilera‘s “Genie in a Bottle,” Dream‘s “He Loves U Not”) and Lindy Robbins (Demi Lovato’s “Skyscraper,” Fifth Harmony‘s “Miss Movin’ On”), sales for Larson’s solo album were underwhelming and after becoming disenchanted with the music industry, she moved on to acting full-time. The rest, as they say, is Academy Award-winning history.
While it’s safe to say that the Captain Marvel star graduated from P.E. to bigger and better things, revisit her charming video for “She Said” below.