If you have been wondering about pop star Britney Spears since her infamous 2007 head shave, all the answers are in the Hulu documentary, “Framing Britney Spears.”
The 39-year-old artist has been under a conservatorship steered by her father Jamie Spears for over 13 years. Since Spears’s infamous breakdown in 2007, which resulted in hospitalization, she has not had control over her own finances.
Within the past few years, “Britney Fans” from around the world began to notice Spears’s manic Instagram posts and became concerned with her mental health. Soon after uncovering the gravity of her conservatorship in April of 2019, the “Free Britney Movement” began.
“I remember going on TikTok and seeing everyone post about Britney’s Instagram account and how it was ‘concerning.’ When I went to go check, she looked like she was crying for help, without saying ‘I need help,’” said senior Gabriella Lotardo.
The two-time Emmy Award-nominated documentary was released on Feb. 5 and is available for viewing on Hulu and FX. The documentary discusses mental health, abuse and the behind the scenes of Spears’s conservatorship.
“I can’t believe that her father treated her that way all these years. I can’t even imagine what she went through behind the scenes. We only know half the story and will never know the truth until she speaks out,” said senior Brianna Goldy. “When I watched the documentary, I was getting so angry when the court was not listening to her. She is clearly asking for help, but no one is listening.”
The documentary shows the people in Spears’s life such as her security, assistant and stylist who witnessed the controlling nature of her father and her management team, Tri Star Sports & Entertainment Group.
“I actually watched the documentary and seeing how people around her wished they could help her but couldn’t broke my heart. I did not realize how much she went through but still had a smile on her face during her performances. I do feel like if her breakdown happened now, things would be so different. We are much more open about mental health now, and she would have gotten the help she needed instead of being called crazy,” said Lotardo.
A documentary by The New York Times called “Controlling Britney Spears” was released on Sept. 24 by the makers of “Framing Britney Spears.” It is now available for viewing on Hulu and FX. This new documentary sparked a lot of buzz because it was the first update in Spears’s conservatorship that the public got to see.
According to CNN, on Sept. 29, Spears’s father was suspended as her conservator. This was a win for Spears, who has been battling her financial independence for over a decade.
“I think it is a good thing that Britney has been freed. Britney’s dad is no longer part of her conservatorship. Britney is her own person with her own mind and should have free will. Although Britney may have struggled in the past, she has overcome many obstacles and, in my opinion, has proven she can care for herself,” said senior Alyssa Ammirati.
