Sam Asghari reacts to ex Britney Spears calling marriage a ‘fake distraction’ 

Sam Asghari denied Britney Spears’ claim that their short-lived marriage was a “fake distraction” from her family drama.

“Our marriage was very real to me,” the actor told People (via his rep) in an article published Monday.

“It may have been short, but we were together for seven years. I was in love with her, will always have love for her, and wish her the best always.”

The former professional trainer hit back after the “…Baby One More Time” singer dissed their marriage via Instagram over the weekend.

In a lengthy, since-deleted post, she brought up Asghari while discussing her estrangement from her two sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James, whom she shares with ex-husband Kevin Federline.

“We’re just people so fragile and human the hardest years of my life were my two sons gone for those 3 years,” she captioned a nude photo of herself.

“I was cut off from calling or texting and I remember in shock my secret to survival was denial and a lot of tears its weird me and Sam were married but it almost felt like a fake distraction to help me deal with it.”

Spears went on to share that she is in the process of “healing.”

“I know im healing bc im hungry again like a child or baby… im so hungry it hurts and when I eat its like its my first time ever eating in my life,” she wrote.

“I believe although I loved my home there is waaay too much abuse and trauma in there…. Today I thank jesus for food it feel like telling others NO… Owning my body… and letting them REALLY know where im from.”

The “Oops!…I Did It Again” artist, 43, and Asghari, 31, dated for five years before tying the knot with a fairytale wedding in June 2022.

By the following summer, Asghari filed for divorce, citing “irreconcilable differences,” and they finalized their divorce in May 2024.

As for Spears’ relationship with her kids, the pop star recently reconnected with Jayden, 18, after several years of being estranged.

“They have been spending a lot of time together,” an insider told Page Six last November.

A second insider confirmed that Jayden was back in California after moving with his brother Sean, 19, to Hawaii with their dad in 2023.

“Britney is thrilled to have her baby back,” the source said at the time. “Everything is moving in the right direction.”

Spears and Federline, 47, got married in 2004 but were divorced by 2007. She was also married to childhood friend Jason Alexander for just 55 hours in 2004.