Justin Timberlake sat down for an interview with Vanity Fair magazine and among the topics discussed, JT opened up about his ex-girlfriend Britney Spears. Back in the day, Britney and Justin were THE young celebrity couple that ruled the pop music scene and now, all these years after their time together, Justin is opening up a wee bit about that time of his life. Read on to hear what JT has to say about our dear Britney Spears.
Of his arguably most famous ex-girlfriend, Britney Spears, Timberlake tells Grigoriadis, “I wish her the best—that goes without saying. We haven’t spoken in 9 or 10 years.” The former child star says that most of his and Spears’s relationship was based on circumstance, but had no chance for the long term. “We were two birds of the same feather—small-town kids, doing the same thing. But then you become adults, and the way you were as kids doesn’t make any sense. I won’t speak on her, but at least for me, I was a totally different person,” he says. “I just don’t think we were normal; there was nothing normal about our existence. We spent way too much time being the biggest thing for teenyboppers.” “It was exciting that we were having so much success and we could do whatever we wanted. And I mean that about everybody: Backstreet Boys, ’NSync, Britney, Christina,” Timberlake says of his early years as a pop idol. “At that time, we could literally go, ‘Oh, man, let’s go to Bali,’ and we’d be on a plane to Bali. We were little kids with big toys. You do the math—that’s not going to last.” Some very big toys, indeed, as Timberlake recalls that on the set of The All-New Mickey Mouse Club, “Ryan [Gosling] and I used to steal golf carts and go driving in the middle of the park to get milk shakes, and we never got in trouble for it. We thought we were big shit.”
Man … those were the days. I used to think it was so odd that these pop celebrities of the late 90s/early 00s didn’t’ keep in touch over the years but I imagine it’s very much like a high school thing for them. I surely don’t keep in touch with many of the people I went to high school with even tho we spent all those years together and were very much friends back then. It is a bit sad to think that JT and Britney haven’t spoken in about 10 years. They were the perfect couple but, alas, it wasn’t meant to be. I do love Justin for staying classy and for finally having Britney‘s back. That group of young celebs really went thru a lot. It’s nice to see them all grown up as fairly reasonable adults.
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Um what??? he has not always had a back he has taken so many digs at her over the years it’s fucking disgusting.
@Jadedkitten — Er, yes I suppose … I meant has her back now. He’s laid off the attacks in recent years. To be fair, their relationship did not end on great terms so … at least it all seems to be water under the bridge.
yeah exactly!!! he wrote so many songs about her not to mention the look-alike in music videos and now he has her back!! after he juiced all the hype of their break up now he has her back!! what a jerk ;s
Sometimes I feel like Justin Timberlake is a bit sleazy. Obviously not in this interview, but he just gives me a sleaze-ball kind of feel. I’m not trying to hate, it’s just an inkling I have. Does anyone else feel the same?
I totally agree. It always bothered me that everyone gave Britney such a hard time when it came out she wasn’t a virgin, and Janet totally took the fall for the “wardrobe malfunction.” It just seems he is involved with scandals that make women look bad, and he gets away with it. Not that I think he’s a terrible person, just a little sleazy.
wow i totally agree with you! he made britney look like a whore and bailed on janet.
I can’t belive they haven’t spoken in 10 years! For some reason, that blows my mind because of the work they are in.
It’s really easy having someone back when the person is Okay, but I never saw that when Brintey was in problems, I just talked trash about her :S
*HE just talked trash about her :S
i still hope one day theyll get together and live happily ever after…..but thats just my 13year old self still dreaming…..brit&jt forever
@Marcella– yes, I agree! hahahaha
JT is a phony. He totally lost me when he let Janet take the fall for the Superbowl performance. A real man would have been by her side, and he ran & hid. Pathetic.
And come on — you really don’t go 9 or 10 years without speaking to someone — especially when that person could have used your support — and then make it all good because you “wish them the best.” Gross me out.
He was the one cheated on, so i guess he was on his right to do whatever helped him feel better at the time. Considering he was so young it obviously was not gonna be a very mature behavior, lots of people take shots at their x’s, it’s just that he had it easier to make it massive… But now he’s all grown, he’s also grown pass that.
Yup, I agree with this. The way we react to rough break-ups in our late teens/early twenties shouldn’t define who we are as people! Now he’s an adult and he wishes her the best. TBH, I can’t believe mags still ask him to discuss Britney. It was SO LONG AGO and they are both completely different than they were then in every single way.
I do agree with a lot of the other commenters that he seems like a douche, but not for this- or his reaction to the breakup so so long ago.
Oh the drama! Brit fans are so hard on him, lol! I don’t think he could say anything that would make some stans happy, but I guess this is their entertainment, right? He makes a good point about the difference between an adult and a childhood relationship.
Don’t forget Janet fans, Krissy. He totally bailed on her. He’s a wimp.
I never liked Justin.. but it sure wasn’t because of britney! it’s funny though, he has been plagued by cheating rumors on all his girlfriends since……. britney! I guess she really did break that heart. LOL
NEVER liked him. Also, I have a hard time believing they haven’t spoke in 9 or 10 years! Um, they broke up in 2002 which was almost 9 years or was 9 years ago. There were a lot of rumors after that that they were talking after the breakup, etc. before giving up on the relationship entirely. It doesn’t make sense. Plus didn’t they talk when Madonna have that concert in LA during 2008? I feel like he was always jealous of Britney’s career because she was so huge back then… In a way, Britney made Justin’s career what it is today in terms of pop culture. JT has always been overly arrogant and I still think he’s bitter and never got over Britney.
Why hate JT so much? She cheated on him..
I think that interview is quite honest, when he talks it seems to come from his own brain. Yet when you listen to Britney she sounds like she’s been told what to say like it’s totally emotionless.
NO you’re wrong, Brit has always been true to herself, even though she has problems she’s an open book, remember she has shown what she’s been through on For the Record.
I never hate Justin, but he’s blatantly bitter over Brit, I mean hello!! He has done so many songs related with his past relationship with Brit, like Cry Me a River, Never Again, What Comes Around Goes Around.. and he’s been hooking up with girls that looks like Britney since their massive break-up, and now, he’s wishing her the best after “the bitch in not a virgin” he has been spreading to the whole world, WTF!
NO you’re wrong, Brit has always been true to herself, even though she has problems she’s an open book, remember she has shown what she’s been through on For the Record.
I never hate Justin, but he’s blatantly bitter over Brit, I mean hello!! He has done so many songs related with his past relationship with Brit, like Cry Me a River, Never Again, What Comes Around Goes Around.. and he’s been hooking up with girls that looks like Britney since their massive break-up, and now, he’s wishing her the best after “that bitch is not a virgin” he has been spreading to the whole world, WTF!
He’s such a douche. As everyone has already stated, thankgod, he had no trouble in going after her when she was her lowest point. There were a few celebs that did, but they were the ones you needed the attention. The thing is, he didn’t need to yet still felt the need to do it.
Britney has so much respect from me personally, cause she has never really let the fame go to head in that way. The only ego she has had, is through her music. Other artists walk around the paps, in interviews,red carpets flashing their ego at everyone.
Britney is probably the most smartest to actually stay so humble and well, normal and human. Then again, the media have made her have no choice.
JT needs to really STFU with the Britney crap.
Can he have an interview where is doesnt have to bring up Britney ? LOL! He seems like a creep to me, like he is smug..But I was always more a BSB fan than an Nsync so haha! I find it funny where in the extended article he says that he doesn’t want to talk too much or discuss anything with Jessica Biel because he doesn’t want to go there and spoil anything private between them because she was sooooo special to him yet he has a long history about talking about britney…remember when he talked about there sex life? hmmkay
*their
I love both Justin and Britney. Britney had her faults and I honestly believe that there was nothing Justin could have done. I don’t blame him or her for anything. So sad that they haven’t talk in years though. I love my teens… I miss the whole pop era.
I like JT. I didn’t think his statements were anything but genuine. Yeah he did talk trash at the time, but they were in a relationship and we’d all be liars if we said we didn’t talk trash about an ex. Yes, he’s was on a larger scale (to the media) but as Trent said, it must have been like high school to them growing up like they did in the spotlight.
Sometimes it takes time to get over things, and maybe JT as tough and confident as he seems had his little heart broken.
JT annoys me. cant stand his acting either…ugh…stop acting JT….actually stop singing too…haha…
I love Britney. I love Justin. They literally were the cutest couple ever. I wish them the most happiness in the world.
He Liiie’n! He was too hurt. She did his boy! The tall dude in the trucker hat in the “Cry Me A River” video was totaly supposed to be Wade Robeson and the fact that Wade was never ever photo’d with Justin or did any choreo or writing for him after that… The sad thing is That indescretion was probably an early sign of her impending mental issues. Acting out irrationally and sexually are a warning sign of bi-polar disorder.
Cannot stand Justin and every interview he does just reaffirms that. Wishes Britney the best? Oh please – I don’t buy that for a second. I got dragged to his concert during this Future Sex/Love Sounds tour and during Cry Me A River, he talked some trash about “his ex” and vehemently held up two middle fingers towards the end of the song and we all knew exactly who that was about. His ego will forever be bruised that Britney cheated on him. I don’t condone cheating of course but not only did she apologize sincerely in her Everytime song, she has never said a bad word about him and he needs to get the hell over it already!
He wouldn’t even have half the career he has now without Britney in my opinion. He can wax philosophical about it now but that press he got back then when he was with her was what put him on the map as a solo artist. Cry Me A River was his big breakout hit and it was in large part to that video and everyone’s interest in his and Britney’s break up. He also was the one to benefit from the press of his and Janet’s SuperBowl performance, while her career went to hell after that. He has had no problem trash-talking Britney over the years and has never reached out to her when he has known she’s been having dark times. I even heard his mom encouraged him to contact her when she was struggling and he refused.
I not only think he’s a huge sleaze with no class and a monster ego, but I also think he’s a total misogynist – so I will never get the appeal he has. He’s an okay singer at best and he’s a terrible actor. He’s done okay with comedy on SNL but he’s not nearly as good as he seems to think he is. He has always come off like a spoiled child and arrogant bastard to me.
Team Britney for life! :)
YES YES YES
I’ve always thought Justin came across as arrogant as well. I am a die-hard Britney fan, but I do like his music. The movies and acting he should leave to the professionals though. I will say I found this article interesting especially the way he talked about how all of the teen pop stars were like “little kids with big toys.” There was an interview that he did with Oprah a few years ago when Britney was still going through her troubled days and I actually thought he was kind in saying that she had such a big heart. I can understand that they are both totally different people now, but they also shared such highs for their careers so how can you not look back more fondly at that? Plus it is sort of weird that they haven’t spoken in as long as he said considering they have had to be in the same place at the same time because of their careers.
Justin is releasing this comment now because Brit recently was reported as saying that she thought Justin ended his relationship for her!
I love how all of these people use Britney’s name and talk about her in interviews to gain publicity, yet Britney never mentions any of them when she speaks. Britney is one class act, you have to admit that.
Truth be told, Justin was no different than JC, or Nick/Aaron Carter, or any of the other acts at the time-many of those boys were as talented as he is. The fact that he dated Britney is what shot his star through the roof, whether he ever admits it or not, She made him the guy that was too good for N’Sync, and though he works hard, he owes her a debt a gratitutde.
Man, reading this about Justin and Brittany brings me back to my days of youth. I grew up on the new Mickey Mouse club, the boy band craze, Brittany Spears and TRL. Ahh, to be so young again. If only I could do it over again, knowing the things I know now. I was very, very, very shy and sheltered. I did not have a lot of friends. So I missed out on a lot of my youth. I mean a whole lot. If I could go back to those days, I’d tell myself to forget what everyone else says and just enjoy the moment. Stop waiting for the perfect time and just live. If you don’t, you will regret it. Now I am grown and my peers are getting married and settling down, with their memories of childhood and I well…………………….If only I knew then what I know now.