Sam Asghari Calls Out the New Netflix Documentary About Britney Spears

Netflix released a trailer for a new documentary, Britney vs. Spears, but Britney Spears’s fiancé, Sam Asghari, is not having it. 

The documentary, which drops on the streaming service September 28, does not feature Spears but covers the conservatorship the pop star has been under for 13 years. The doc’s title refers to Britney’s battle within her own family to get her rights back from her father Jamie Spears, who announced plans to terminate the conservatorship in September. According to Netflix, “Britney vs Spears tells the explosive story of Britney’s life and her public and private search for freedom.”

Spears’ fiancé, Sam Asghari, let his feelings about the doc be known the old-fashioned way: in Instagram comments. “I hope the profit from these docs go towards fighting against injustice #freebritney,” he wrote. But he didn’t stop there. 

Asghari also commented the 100 emoji (💯) in response to a comment from Bobby Campbell, Lady Gaga’s manager, who wrote, “How much money is being made by third parties from this documentary leveraging Britney’s personal story and its value in the media? There needs to be transparency about how whether the filmmakers are profiting from this doc, or if they are donating their fees to Britney’s legal defense, or to legal defense funds to aide those who do not have the financial resources to fight against underdue conservatorships. Even if it is in support of Freeing Britney, this appears that it could be exploitative.”

The #FreeBritney movement has been active for years but reached new heights in February when the New York Times released Framing Britney Spears on FX /Hulu, which explored her life from her early career to the disgusting treatment Spears received in the press, to the conservatorship.

While Britney vs. Spears does appear to be a thoughtful investigation into her life and struggle under the manipulative 13-year conservatorship, Asghari’s hesitation is understandable. After living most of her teens and early adulthood under the spotlight–and being scrutinized by misogynistic media for years–Britney is private about her personal life. According to an interview in the LA Times, the documentary has been underway for over two years and is not a direct response to Framing Britney Spears.