Britney Spears Director Shares Justin Timberlake’s Two-Word Breakup Text

Pop star Britney Spears has shared a lot of details about her ex-boyfriend, Justin Timberlake, in her new memoir, “The Woman In Me.”

The two only dated from 1999 to 2002, but in her memoir, the now 41-year-old pop star shared several allegations of infidelity and even an unplanned pregnancy.

Many of her famous friends have been speaking out about the memoir, including “Overprotected: The Darkchild Remix” music video director Chris Applebaum, who shared the two-word breakup text that the "Cry Me A River" singer to the pop star while she was on set.

On April 22, 2022, “Overprotected: The Darkchild Remix” music video director Chris Applebaum took to Instagram to share his version of events long before her memoir was scheduled for release on October 24, 2023. He shared a photo of him standing beside Britney Spears "before I grew the beard" before he explained his version of events.

"This was taken on the 2nd shoot day for her Overprotected (Darkchild Remix) video," he explained. "It was a (planned) 24-hour shoot day and we had one crew clock out after 12 hrs & a new one clock in. At some point during the 2nd shift, Brit disappeared and I went to her trailer to fetch her…only to discover her BF Justin had just broken up with her via text message. (Let me recommend to any who reads this: don’t break up via text!)"

Chris said that the two of them "sat on the floor of her trailer for a minute, talked it out, and then rallied. I told her she should get out there & show Justin he made the biggest mistake of his life. That was just one of the stories from this shoot…" Although he hasn't shared too many more stories, he did talk to Page Six shortly before the release of Britney's memoir to reveal the two words that Justin texted her to end their three-year relationship: "It's over."

Chris explained how Britney was only 20 years old in February 2002 when the relationship came to an end. She was on the set of the “Overprotected: The Darkchild Remix” music video in downtown Los Angeles ready to “power through” the two-day shoot, according to Chris.

“There are those people where there is something inside of them and you don’t know where it comes from — it’s like an ‘X’ factor. That’s what we saw with her,” he recalled. “I was so happy that this person who was the biggest star in the world was everything I wanted her to be and then more.”

Toward the end of the second day of filming, he remembered how she disappeared for about 20 to 40 minutes, which is a "long time" in the entertainment industry because it costs "20 grand to sit around." He decided to go check on her in her trailer and found her crying on the floor. He recalls her telling him, “I can’t believe it. Look it. This happened.” That's when she showed him a text on her Motorola flip phone that read, "It's over!!!"

Chris said that the "Mirrors" crooner had been trying to reach her all day while she was filming because he was "pissed" at her infidelity with Wade Robson, which Britney confessed to in her memoir. Although Britney was understandably distraught about the breakup, Chris recalled Britney's longtime assistant and friend, Felicia Culotta, putting her arm around her shoulder and trying to comfort her.

Although Britney didn't want to keep filming at the time, Chris said he told her, “If you don’t have it in you, I totally understand … but if you want to go out there and finish this last set-up in the rain, you can show him that he just made the biggest f—ing mistake of his life.”

Chris said Britney replied, “You know that? That’s a good idea. I’m going to show him that he blew the best thing he ever had.” The established director recalled how the Princess of Pop filmed in the rain with even more "conviction," as if she was "on a mission."

Fans are looking forward to reading about the event in even more detail when Britney Spears' memoir "The Woman In Me" is released on Tuesday, October 24, 2023.