Britney Spears Finally Speaks Out about Controversial Documentary
Framing Britney Spears explored the singer's relationship with the media as a young star, as well as her father's conservatorship over her.
Almost two months after the premiere of Framing Britney Spears, the singer is opening up about her reaction to the News York Times-backed documentary. On Instagram, the "Toxic" artist shared her thoughts with fans, who were highly supportive of the project exposé on her unjust treatment by the media and others. "I didn’t watch the documentary but from what I did see of it I was embarrassed by the light they put me in," explained Spears in the caption under a video of her dancing. "I cried for two weeks and well …. I still cry sometimes !!!!"
The documentary delved into Spears' extensive career and tumultuous personal life, anchored by the #FreeBritney movement, a social media initiative was started by fans who believe that she should be unbound by her father Jamie's legal conservatorship over her person and estate. However, in building up to Spear's current predicament, the Hulu documentary retrospectively analyzed her rise to fame.
The film recalls the media's over-sexualization of the singer as a teenager, as well as misogynistic comments and coverage from media personalities like Matt Lauer, Diane Sawyer, and several late-night talk show hosts. Fans were also outraged over her ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake's treatment of her after their breakup, including his insinuations that she cheated on him in his music video for "Cry Me a River," as well as announcing on a radio show that he took her virginity. The documentary highlights how this saga impacted Spears' music career and media coverage, which ultimately weighed on her mental health.
Following the backlash, Timberlake apologized to both Spears and Janet Jackson, who fans say took significantly more heat from audiences and the music industry after her wardrobe malfunction on stage at the 2004 Super Bowl Halftime Show during her performance with Timberlake.
"I specifically want to apologize to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson both individually, because I care for and respect these women and I know I failed," the "SexyBack" singer wrote in an Instagram post. "The industry is flawed. It sets men, especially white men, up for success. It’s designed this way. As a man in a privileged position I have to be vocal about this."
As the project documents Spears' mental health decline which ultimately led to her iconic shaved head look, viewers understand how and why she was placed under a legal conservatorship, something legal experts say is uncommon for someone so young.
Over the past few years, the 39-year-old has made attempts in court to end her father's control over her and her finances. While she was successfully able to appoint the endowment firm Bessemer Trust as a co-conservator of her estate, she has stated that she would prefer Jodi Montgomery to take over as the conservator of her person. Montgomery served as her temporary care manager in 2019 while Spears' father was recovering from a medical issue. A hearing for this issue is set for late April.
