Britney Spears

Celebrities Rally Around Britney Spears After Revealing New Documentary

"Framing Britney Spears" takes a look at the controversial conservatorship Spears has been under since 2008

This April 12, 2018, file photo shows Britney Spears at the 29th annual GLAAD Media Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File

Celebrities are expressing support for Britney Spears following the release of a documentary that details the pop icon's rise to fame and how she dealt with unfair treatment throughout her career.

The documentary, "The New York Times Presents: Framing Britney Spears" aired last Friday on FX and is currently streaming on Hulu. The film also goes into detail about the conservatorship Spears has been under since she suffered a mental breakdown in 2008.

Sarah Jessica Parker and Bette Midler both tweeted "#FreeBritney," referencing the fan-fueled grassroots movement to help give Spears total control over her life.

The conservatorship arrangement has always been controversial among some of Spears' fans, who believe it is being used to manipulate and control just about every aspect of her life, from who she socializes with to her career choices and financial decisions. The documentary also highlighted the strained relationship between Spears and her father, Jamie Spears, who controls her estimated $59 million fortune.

Spears said through her attorney last year that she no longer wants her father in charge of her estate.

During a pre-Super Bowl performance, Miley Cyrus also gave Spears a shoutout. Cyrus' hit "Party in the USA" includes the lyrics "and a Britney song was on." She added a special mention after singing the line, "We love Britney!"

Hayley Williams, lead singer of the band "Paramore" commented on the unfair headlines and media coverage about Spears, which included questions about her body, headlines alleging she was responsible for her high-profile breakup with Justin Timberlake and constantly being baited by the paparazzi until she reached a breaking point.

"No artist today would have to endure the literal torture that media/society/utter misogynists inflicted upon her. The mental health awareness conversation, culturally, could never be where it is without the awful price she has paid," Williams tweeted.

Andy Cohen also chimed in on Monday.

"Good morning!" he wrote. "Have a great day! And: #FreeBritney."

Valerie Bertinelli, who got her start as a young teen on "One Day at a Time," added her support to the movement on Twitter. "Makes me crazy grateful for my parents and how they protected me as a young girl in this insane business #FreeBritney," she wrote.

"Pretty Little Liars" actor Lucy Hale shared a tribute to Spears and posted a video showing "Baby One More Time" streaming from her TV.

"Watched Framing Britney last night & all I can say is we all owe this woman an apology for mocking her emotional pain and trauma all these years," Hale wrote on her Instagram story. "Britney Spears was my idol growing up & still is in some ways, She was my first viewing of how a woman could be sexy without apologies. This should really make us re-evaluate cancel culture & all the taboos that come along with mental health/illness."

"Also f--- all the paparazzi who pushed her to a breakdown," Hale added. "Anyway, I love Brit. Always have, always will."

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