Britney Spears Says She ‘Cried For Two Weeks’ And Felt 'Embarrassed' After Seeing Documentary About Herself
“Framing Britney Spears” was released in February but Spears has said that she hasn’t watched all of it.
Britney Spears has finally spoken out about “Framing Britney Spears,” a recent documentary chronicling Spears’ tumultuous time in the media spotlight and the controversy surrounding her conservatorship.
In an Instagram post published on Tuesday, the 39-year-old singer shared a video of herself dancing, reflecting on her life in the caption and commenting on the documentary in question. Although she didn’t watch it, what she did see made her feel “embarrassed by the light they put [her] in,” she wrote.
“I cried for two weeks and well .... I still cry sometimes !!!!” she continued. “I do what I can in my own spirituality with myself to try and keep my own joy ... love ... and happiness !!!! Every day dancing brings me joy !!! I'm not here to be perfect ... perfect is boring ... I'm here to pass on kindness.”
It's not immediately clear if the post was referencing the documentary itself or the media coverage about Spears, which often fed into a hyper-sexualized narrative around the pop star, that the film explores.
“Framing Britney Spears,” produced by The New York Times and released via Hulu and FX in February, delves deeply into the Britney Spears story, examining her decades-long career, her relationship with the media and the public, and the complicated conservatorship that has made the future of her estate unclear. Following a very public struggle with her mental health in 2007, a judge named Spears’ father, Jamie Spears, as her conservator in 2008, giving him control over her finances and career; in the years that followed, Spears’ conservatorship has been hotly debated by fans, with many uniting to demand the singer’s independence as part of the #FreeBritney movement.
A legal battle between Spears and her father has persisted over the years. At a conservatorship hearing last year, Spears' lawyer stated that she is afraid of Jamie and has refused to perform again if he remains in charge of her career and multi-million-dollar estate, according to a CNN report.
Following the release of the documentary – and renewed scrutiny of the conservatorship – Vivian Lee Thoreen, a lawyer for Jamie Spears, released a statement claiming that he is also in favor of the conservatorship ending, but says the decision is out of his control, CNN reports.
"[Jamie] would love nothing more than to see Britney not need a conservatorship. Whether or not there is an end to the conservatorship really depends on Britney. If she wants to end her conservatorship, she can file a petition to end it," Thoreen said, adding, "Jamie is not suggesting that he is the perfect dad or that he would receive any 'Father of the Year' award. Like any parent, he doesn't always see eye-to-eye on what Britney may want. But Jamie believes every single decision he has made has been in her best interest.”
An attorney for Britney Spears filed a formal request last week asking that Jamie be permanently replaced as his daughter’s conservator by Jodi Pais Montgomery, who served as temporary conservator after health issues forced Jamie to step down for a time in 2019.
Spears has been largely tight-lipped about her conservatorship battle and, following the release of “Framing Britney Spears” in February, did not seem to directly comment on the film at all beyond a series of tweets in which she stated that she was enjoying “the basics of everyday life.” She added in a later post, “Remember, no matter what we think we know about a person's life it is nothing compared to the actual person living behind the lens.”
In Tuesday’s post, Spears again reflected on living her life in the public eye.
“My life has always been very speculated ...watched ... and judged really my whole life !!! For my sanity I need to dance to [Aerosmith] every night of my … to feel wild and human and alive !!!” she wrote. “I have been exposed my whole life performing in front of people !!! It takes a lot of strength to TRUST the universe with your real vulnerability cause I've always been so judged... insulted... and embarrassed by the media... and I still am till this day !!!! As the world keeps on turning and life goes on we still remain so fragile and sensitive as people !!!”
Spears’ boyfriend, 27-year-old Sam Asghari, spoke out following the release of the documentary in February, calling Jamie Spears a “total d-ck” in his Instagram Story, Rolling Stone reports.
“Now it’s important for people to understand that I have zero respect for someone trying to control our relationship and constantly throwing obstacles our way,” he wrote.