Britney Spears' Ex Sam Asghari Fires Back After Pop Star Said Their Marriage Felt Like a 'Fake Distraction': 'Very Real to Me'

Sam Asghari is pushing back after Britney Spears downplayed their previous relationship.

“Our marriage was very real to me," Asghari told an outlet. "It may have been short, but we were together for seven years. I was in love with her, will always have love for her, and wish her the best always."

His response comes after Spears opened up about her struggles with her two sons — Jayden and Sean Federline, whom she shares with ex Kevin Federline — and reflected on her failed marriage in a candid Instagram post.

"We’re just people so fragile and human the hardest years of my life were my two sons gone for those 3 years … I was cut off from calling or texting and I remember in shock my secret to survival was denial and a lot of tears its weird me and Sam were married but it almost felt like a fake distraction to help me deal with it … well I know im healing bc im hungry again like a child or baby… im so hungry it hurts and when I eat its like its my first time ever eating in my life," Britney wrote in a now-deleted caption on August 24.

She continued, "I believe although I loved my home there is waaay too much abuse and trauma in there…. Today I thank Jesus for food it feel like telling others NO… Owning my body… and letting them REALLY know where im from… My soul has never experienced food like this a day in my life… so silly and embarrassing im going to eat cookies and cream ice cream now…god bless u all."

Britney and Sam first crossed paths on the set of her “Slumber Party” music video in 2016, in which he played her love interest.

“I mean, we met on the acting set,” he said. “We met as co-workers.”

The pair went public in January 2017, got engaged in September 2021, and married in June 2022. However, by August 2023, the rising actor filed for divorce, and their split was finalized the following year.

Reflecting on their time together, Sam admitted that being with someone as famous as the “Toxic” singer came with its share of sacrifices.

"I turned down a few modeling things back then," he said. "It was because it was associated with women, and I wanted to be respectful. It was a very sensitive time and a very sensitive situation I was dealing with. So I wanted to be very successful and things like that. So that was at that time. Now, it’s different."

On the June 2 episode of the “Trading Secrets” podcast, The Traitors alum also revealed that he was the one who brought up the prenup before they got married.

"I wanted to make sure she’s protected, because throughout her life, everybody — I don’t know one person that’s ever been in her life that didn’t take advantage of her," he told host Jason Tartick. "So it’s very sad. I wanted to make sure that I’m the person that [didn’t] do that."