Is Justin Timberlake’s wife standing by his apology to Britney Spears?

After Framing Britney Spears premiered on Hulu last week, a lot of people have been criticizing Justin Timberlake and his treatment of the pop star after the two broke up. Timberlake recently apologized, and his wife seems to be standing by him through thick & thin.

Apology

On Friday, Justin Timberlake posted on Instagram about the allegations of his mistreatment of Britney Spears. “I am deeply sorry for the time 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. I understand that I fell short in these moments and in many others and benefited from a system that condones misogyny and racism.”

He continued: “I specifically want to apologize to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson both individually, because I care for and respect these women and I know I failed. I also feel compelled to respond, in part, because everyone involved deserves better and most importantly, because this is a larger conversation that I wholeheartedly want to be part of and grow from.”

Timberlake’s wife Jessica Biel commented on the Instagram post, writing “I love you” with a heart emoji. Timberlake and his wife, who have two children together, seem to be holding strong even through these tough moments.

Allegations

Framing Britney Spears discusses Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake’s relationship in the early 2000s, and the ugly aftermath. After their split, Timberlake released “Cry me a River”, alongside a music video, both of which insinuated that Spears had cheated on him. In addition, he made crude, public comments about their sex life once they were no longer together.

Fan reactions

Soon after Justin Timberlake posted his apology on Instagram, support came pouring in in the comments section. “No matter what anyone says. It’s never too late to say sorry or change 👏” wrote one person. 

Singer Brandi Carlile commented: “Really beautiful to read this. I think it’s going to speak to a lot of people’s pain. I can’t wait to see how you get involved with elevating women and marginalized people. You’re an inspiring dude to me. ♥️💪” 

Another person wrote: “Wow. Not a syllable in this where he is not being a man, taking it on the chin and accepting 💯 percent ownership whether he was wrong or not. The best apology I’ve heard in a minute. 💯”

Less-than-enthusiastic responses

Though a lot of Instagram users applauded Justin Timberlake for his apology like his wife, some people criticized the musician, stating that he was only apologizing because of the recent release of Framing Britney Spears.

One person wrote: “It’s just so painfully obvious that the only reason this apology is here is because of the documentary. Where have you been for 17 years? At least it’s a start, and I hope you apologized to both Britney and Janet privately.”

Another person implored Timberlake: “Don’t be shy! Be more specific!” While another asked: “It took you 17 YEARS for this? lol.” Another person stated: “I find apologies more genuine when they are the result of self reflection not pressure as a result of negative feedback from a documentary that called you out.” Finally, someone wrote: “Alexa, play ‘too little too late’ bye JoJo.”

Finally, someone commented and explained how this is a symptom of a much larger problem that is prevalent amongst many famous male musicians. “This response is frustrating,” they wrote. “Saying ‘I benefited from a system that perpetrates misogyny’ is not the same as saying ‘I was misogynistic in the career I created for myself at the expensive of these women.’”

They continued: “The vilification of Britney and Janet didn’t just happen because you remained silent, you took part in that and that’s what you should probably acknowledge and do so specifically.”