Britney Spears Calls Out Ex Justin Timberlake on Instagram
The two were a larger-than-life couple when they dated from 1999 to 2002.
It is no secret that Britney Spears has been more vocal on Instagram as of late. However, of all the controversies surrounding her conservatorship and career that the public has reanalyzed through a post-#MeToo lens, her relationship with Justin Timberlake is one that she has yet to touch on. That is, until now.
Although it seemed that she and her ex were on good terms (she posted videos dancing to his music back in 2020), it's clear that she still has some unspoken qualms with their relationship. In a now-deleted Instagram post, Spears discussed how during her daily prayers, moments from her past in which she had been wronged became elucidated. Along with various issues regarding her mother and sister, she discussed how Timberlake used her name on his debut album in an exploitative manner, and painted her as a villain. The video for Timberlake's heart-wrenching song "Cry Me a River" featured a body double of Spears along with an album filled with music about betrayal.
After the release of the 2021 documentary Framing Britney Spears, it became clear that the public reaction to the split was steeped in misogyny, as Spears faced intense backlash, not at all mitigated by Timberlake. The release of this documentary prompted an apology on Timberlake's behalf, and he has since spoken publicly in support of Spears.
In June of 2021, Timberlake took to Twitter to support Spears. "After what we saw today, we should all be supporting Britney at this time. Regardless of our past, good and bad, and no matter how long ago it was… what’s happening to her is just not right. No woman should ever be restricted from making decisions about her own body," he stated.
