Sam Asghari Claps Back At Britney Spears Calling Their Marriage A 'Fake Distraction:' 'Was Very Real To Me'

By Fiyin Olowokandi on August 26, 2025 at 11:30 AM EDT

Britney Spears and Sam Asghari
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Sam Asghari has clapped back at his ex-wife, Britney Spears, for questioning the genuineness of their marriage. What she labeled as "fake" was, in fact, "very real" to him. 

The American singer recently opened up about the time she was married to the model, saying that it felt like a distraction from her real-life problems.

Asghari and Spears met in 2016 and got married in 2022. Their marriage lasted a little over a year, after which they separated and finalized their divorce in 2024. 

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Sam Asghari Will 'Always Have Love' For Britney Spears

Sam Asghari and Britney Spears
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In an interview, Asghari cleared the air about his two-year marriage to the Princess of Pop. He acknowledged that the brevity of their marriage does not invalidate the love they shared. 

"Our marriage was very real to me. It may have been short, but we were together for seven years. I was in love with her, will always have love for her," the actor said to People Magazine.

Asghari further added that he holds no ill feelings towards his ex-wife and wishes her "the best always." 

The Iranian native's statements come shortly after Spears took to Instagram to open up about going through a tough time while being married to him. The singer wrote that she was in denial about being cut off from her children and only saw her marriage to the former fitness trainer as a distraction. 

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"I remember in shock, my secret to survival was denial and a lot of tears. It's weird; Sam and I were married, but it almost felt like a fake distraction to help me deal with it," Spears wrote. 

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Britney Spears Married Asghari During Some Of The 'Hardest Years' Of Her LifeĀ 

Sam Asghari and Britney Spears
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In the candid post, Spears revealed that being cut off from "calling or texting" her children put her in a difficult space. The children in question are Jayden James and Sean Preston, whom she shares with her second husband, Kevin Federline. 

In 2023, James and Preston moved to Hawaii to stay with Federline, and Spears reportedly did not reunite with her children until 2024. 

The "Baby One More Time" singer referred to the time she was married to Asghari as "the hardest years of [her] life" due to being separated from her kids. She also admitted that she turned to food to help her during her healing process, which is still ongoing. 

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The Former Personal Trainer Once Defended His Ex-Wife Over Backlash

Sam Asghari amfAR Las Vegas
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Despite Spears' commentary on the short-lived union, Asghari has never shied away from having her back.

In 2023, an alleged TMZ documentary about Spears' conservatorship was reportedly in the works. Asghari disliked the idea of other people telling stories about his then-wife's pain and stood up for her in a candid social media post. 

The Iranian-born model shared a video on his Instagram story saying that while he wanted to respect Spears' privacy, he simply had to speak up about the matter.

"I found it absolutely disgusting for the people that were in her life at the time, when she didn't have a voice, they went and told her story like it was theirs. It was absolutely disgusting," he said. 

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Asghari also said that his former lover's life was heavily controlled by her father. He added that using her as a "money-making machine" was wrong and "disgusting." 

Sam Asghari Credits His Ex-Wife For Giving His Career More Visibility

Britney Spears wearing a Julien MacDonald dress, H Stern jewels, and Christian Louboutin shoes arrives at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards
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Asghari once credited his ex-wife for giving him a platform to advance his career. In an interview, he admitted that he wasn't going to lie about his marriage to Spears and say that it didn't come with its benefits. 

He noted that while his career was already off to a good start, his highly publicized marriage to the pop singer was highly beneficial for him.

"When you're in such a public relationship, that gives you that platform. It sort of gave me that platform for who I am," he said, per The Blast.

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Spears Recently Sparked Concern Over An Instagram Video

Britney Spears at the World Premiere Of Sony Pictures' 'Once Upon a Time In Hollywood'
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Meanwhile, Spears has been dealing with the scrutiny that comes with being a popular star on social media.

Being under the spotlight, some of her recent social media posts have sparked concern among fans who believe she may still be struggling with her mental health.

On August 19, the Grammy Award winner shared a video on Instagram showing herself singing a cover of Prince's popular song, "Kiss."

Years ago, the impromptu performance would've been welcomed among fans. However, her tone sounded off-key, and her voice faltered as she sang along in her mansion, as reported by The Blast.

Despite the bumpy performance, Spears appeared to be having fun and even praised herself for sounding good on camera. 

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