'Framing Britney Spears': How People Are Reacting

"processing what happened to her with adult eyes is almost overwhelming. jesus."

britney spears
(Image credit: James Devaney)

She's been an icon, a punchline, and everything in between. But in The New York Times' documentary, "Framing Britney Spears," currently airing on FX and on Hulu, Britney is presented as a victim—of the people she trusted, particularly men; of the press that never left her alone to heal; of the forces that catapulted her to superstardom and then mocked her misery. By Sunday, less than 48 hours after the documentary dropped, "WE ARE SORRY BRITNEY" was trending on Twitter, and the film was sparking a robust dialogue about how she had been failed.

The film delves into the ups and downs of Britney's life, from her days as America's sweetheart to her present-day conservatorship that allows her limited control over her own life. It casts a harsh light on Justin Timberlake, who forced her to play the villain in the narrative of their breakup, and the media, who pushed her to her limits and then mocked her when she cracked. And it takes a hard look at the obsession around Britney—"We never knew her," says MTV VJ Dave Holmes—and the #FreeBritney movement that has dominated coverage of the star over the past year.

How Other Celebrities Are Reacting

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People Are Furious at Justin Timberlake...

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...And the Other Men Who Failed Her

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...And the Press Who Hounded Her

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Does Joe Biden Have a Plan for This?

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Some Final Thoughts

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Jenny Hollander
Digital Director

Jenny is the Digital Director at Marie Claire. Originally from London, she moved to New York in 2012 to attend the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism and never left. Prior to Marie Claire, she spent five years at Bustle building out its news and politics coverage. She loves, in order: her dog, goldfish crackers, and arguing about why umbrellas are fundamentally useless. Her first novel, EVERYONE WHO CAN FORGIVE ME IS DEAD, will be published by Minotaur Books on February 6, 2024.