At the top of the 21st century, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake were inescapable in the media. The two pop stars dated very publicly for a few years and gave us a few unforgettable moments in pop culture, namely when the duo donned a full-denim matching getup to the 2001 VMAs. Following the release of the Framing Britney Spears documentary on Hulu and FX on Friday (February 5), fans took to social media to slam Timberlake for staining her reputation in the media after their break up, but an insider revealed to Us Weekly that Britney has no hard feelings against her ex.
“Britney has been on the receiving end of so much hate through the years, particularly on social media. She would never want her fans to release the hounds on Justin,” the insider told the magazine. “Hate isn’t going to solve anything, regardless of what happened in the past.”
“Britney does not hold a grudge against Justin over anything he’s said or done,” the source added. “She feels that they were young and in love and both did stupid things when they were together. She was heartbroken when they separated, but it’s not something she dwells on now. She’s happy and happy for him.”
The pair split in 2002 after dating for four years leading the former boy bander to pen his hit "Cry Me a River," which pushed the narrative that Spears' had cheated on him. The documentary explores this, further mentioning how Timberlake openly spoke about his sexual relations with her in post-breakup interviews, staining her reputation in the process. Many fans compared the incident to Timberlake throwing Janet Jackson under the bus after her Super Bowl XXXVIII Halftime Show wardrobe malfunction.
The documentary also referenced back to Brit's 2003 interview with Diane Sawyer where she was asked if she was unfaithful to him during their relationship. “I think everyone has a side of their story, to make them feel a certain way,” Spears said. “I’m not technically saying he’s wrong, but I’m not technically saying he’s right either.” She went on to say her single "Everytime" would speak for itself.
The New York Times directed documentary Framing Britney Spears is available to stream on Hulu.
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