Britney Spears writes in her new memoir, “The Woman in Me,” that the media fallout ignited by Justin Timberlake‘s 2002 music video for “Cry Me a River” turned her into a “harlot” (via The New York Times). The song, the second single from Timberlake’s solo album debut “Justified,” was reportedly inspired by his relationship and breakup with Spears.
The two pop icons started dating in 1999, when Spears was 17 years old and Timberlake was 18, and separated in 2002. The “Cry Me a River” music video turned Spears into a villain in the mainstream media as it featured Timberlake dealing with an unfaithful girlfriend that looked more or less like the “Baby One More Time” singer. The video appeared to confirm the song was inspired by Spears and perpetuated a rumor in the media that Spears had cheated on Timberlake.
In her memoir, Spears describes the video as “a woman who looks like me cheats on him and he wanders around sad in the rain.” She writes that the media attention that erupted because of the music video’s release turned her into a “harlot who’d broken the heart of America’s golden boy,” when in reality she was “comatose in Louisiana” nursing a broken heart and Timberlake was “happily running around Hollywood.”
Spears’ memoir previously made headlines due to her revelation that she got an abortion during her relationship with Timberlake.
“He said we weren’t ready to have a baby in our lives, that we were way too young,” Spears said of telling Timberlake about her pregnancy. “It was a surprise, but for me, it wasn’t a tragedy. I loved Justin so much. I always expected us to have a family together one day.”
Spears added that she does not know if having an abortion “was the right decision,” adding: “If it had been left up to me alone, I never would have done it. And yet Justin was so sure that he didn’t want to be a father.”
Spears’ memoir, “The Woman in Me,” is available for pre-order and goes on sale Oct. 24.
