Justin Timberlake apologizes to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson for failing to 'speak up for what was right'
After facing heavy criticism in light of a new documentary about Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake has issued an apology and promised to "do better."
In an Instagram post on Friday, Timberlake said he's "deeply sorry for the times in my life where my actions contributed to the problem, where I spoke out of turn, or did not speak up for what was right." In particular, he apologized to both Britney Spears and Janet Jackson "because I care for and respect these women and I know I failed."
Timberlake came under renewed scrutiny in the wake of Framing Britney Spears, a new documentary from The New York Times that highlights tabloid coverage of his relationship with Spears and how they each handled their breakup. The Times' Wesley Morris, for instance, describes how Timberlake "essentially weaponizes the video for one of his singles to incriminate her in the demise of the relationship," referring to the pop star's "Cry Me a River" video.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
This section of the documentary also prompted additional backlash focused on the career repercussions Jackson faced after her 2004 Super Bowl halftime show performance with Timberlake, in which he briefly exposed her breast.
"I understand that I fell short in these moments and in many others and benefited from a system that condones misogyny and racism," Timberlake said Friday.
Timberlake wrote that "the industry" is "designed" to set "men, especially white men, up for success," and "I have to be vocal about this" as a "man in a privileged position." He describes his apology as a "first step" that "doesn't absolve the past." He concludes, "I can do better and I will do better." Brendan Morrow
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Justin Timberlake (@justintimberlake)
-
Film reviews: ‘Send Help’ and ‘Private Life’Feature An office doormat is stranded alone with her awful boss and a frazzled therapist turns amateur murder investigator
-
Movies to watch in Februarythe week recommends Time travelers, multiverse hoppers and an Iraqi parable highlight this month’s offerings during the depths of winter
-
ICE’s facial scanning is the tip of the surveillance icebergIN THE SPOTLIGHT Federal troops are increasingly turning to high-tech tracking tools that push the boundaries of personal privacy
-
‘One Battle After Another’ wins Critics Choice honorsSpeed Read Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest film, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, won best picture at the 31st Critics Choice Awards
-
Son arrested over killing of Rob and Michele ReinerSpeed Read Nick, the 32-year-old son of Hollywood director Rob Reiner, has been booked for the murder of his parents
-
Rob Reiner, wife dead in ‘apparent homicide’speed read The Reiners, found in their Los Angeles home, ‘had injuries consistent with being stabbed’
-
Hungary’s Krasznahorkai wins Nobel for literatureSpeed Read László Krasznahorkai is the author of acclaimed novels like ‘The Melancholy of Resistance’ and ‘Satantango’
-
Primatologist Jane Goodall dies at 91Speed Read She rose to fame following her groundbreaking field research with chimpanzees
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclubSpeed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's illsSpeed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, StalloneSpeed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
