Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake split: Director gave insights

Britney Spears went through one of the hardest heartbreaks while filming her video, said the ‘Overprotected’ music director.

Britney Spears was going through one of the hardest moments of her life while filming her Overprotected (Darkchild Remix) music video, revealed the director. Years later, he reflected on the incident and shared what happened behind the scenes that day.

Director Chris Applebaum said Britney was getting ready to film when she suddenly looked at her flip phone and quietly walked away to her trailer. When he went to check on her, she did not say much; instead, she showed him a text message. It simply read, “It’s over.” Applebaum said he knew right away that the message came from Justin Timberlake and realised Britney had just gone through her first big heartbreak.

Instead of letting the moment stop the shoot, Applebaum tried to lift her spirits. He, however, then told the singer to use those feelings in her performance and said one day Justin would watch the video and see what he lost.

According to the director, Britney returned to the set and gave one of the best performances he had ever seen from her. The story, moreover, also matches what Britney wrote in her 2023 memoir The Woman in Me.

In the book, she revealed that Timberlake ended their three-year relationship through a text message. More than 20 years later, Chris Applebaum said he still admires Britney for staying strong.

Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake split: 'Overprotected' director gave insights