Justin Timberlake has apologized to both his ex-girlfriend Britney Spears and Janet Jackson, with whom he acted in the Half part of the Super Bowl show in 2004.
“I’ve seen the posts, tags, comments and concerns and I want to respond,” Timberlake wrote on Instagram. “I deeply regret the moments in my life when my actions contributed to the problem, where I spoke out of turn or I didn’t talk about what was right.”
“I understand that I fell short at these times and many others and that I benefited from a system that condones misogyny and racism,” he added. “I expressly want to apologize to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson individually, because I care and respect these women and I know I failed.”
Timberlake has been criticized for his treatment of Spears after the publication of a New York Times documentary following his rise to fame and legal struggles. Spears and Timberlake dated from 1999 to 2002. The film says Timberlake painted her as an infidel to the press and with her 2002 music video “Cry Me a River” after the couple separated.
For years, Timberlake has been criticized for not initially defending Jackson, whom he widely blamed for the infamous locker room malfunction that exposed his chest during the 2004 Super Bowl midterm program. Jackson’s career and took several years to reach public defense.
“I haven’t been perfect for navigating all of this throughout my career,” Timberlake said Friday. “I know this apology is a first step and not an absolute past. I want to take responsibility for my own wrong steps in all of this and be part of a world that elevates and supports.”