Justin Timberlake Shades Britney Spears Before 'Cry Me A River'

Music

By Leah Pitsky

What goes around never comes back.

Justin Timberlake took a shot at ex-girlfriend Britney Spears during her “One Night Only” birthday concert at Irving Plaza in New York City on Wednesday.

The NSYNC alum told the audience before singing his 2002 hit “Cry Me a River,” inspired by the pop star's cheating on him in 2002: “I want to take this opportunity. The relationship.

Two days after Timberlake, 43, publicly praised the “Kimmore” singer, 42, for her new single “Selfish,” many took to social media to shade her.

“What a punch!” A user commented on a clip “Mirrors” Crooner's Fake Apology

“Nooooo he didn't traaaassssh,” wrote another.

One viewer commented with several vomit emojis, while another posted tomato emojis.

Others jumped to Timberlake's defense, with one telling the ex-boyfriend, “You don't have to listen to Justin. He is a horrible person and his fans are horrible people!

Timberlake revealed in his October 2023 memoir, “The Woman In Me,” that she had an abortion while they were dating because she was “not happy” about the pregnancy and “didn't want to be a father.”

The pop princess issued a me culpa on Monday to anyone “offended” by her bombshell-filled book, writing, “I'm deeply sorry” in a since-deleted Instagram post.

He then extended an olive branch to Timberlake in particular, saying, “I just wanted to say I love Justin Timberlake's new song 'Selfish.'

“It's great, every time I see Justin and Jimmy [Fallon] Am I laughing so hard together???”

Spears also praised her ex's new song, writing, “Ps 'Sanctified' is also wow.”

The “Crossroads” star unexpectedly blocked Timberlake's new single of the same name from topping the charts as he went into a streaming frenzy with his 2011 song “Selfish.”

His tune entered the top 40 on the US iTunes chart last Thursday and remains at No. 1 since Friday as his track moves from No. 1 to No. 3.

The music superstars dated in 1999 and split in 2002.

At the time, Timberlake mentioned that Spears had cheated on him, which he neither confirmed nor denied.

However, in her memoir, the “Toxic” singer admitted she cheated on the “Trolls” star “once” with dancer and choreographer Wade Robson.

And page six you will like...

Timberlake's treatment of Spears was previously explored in the New York Times' 2021 documentary “Framing Britney Spears,” which prompted the “SexyBack” actor to publicly apologize to his ex.

Later that year, she defended Spears after she went to court over her “abusive” 13-year conservatorship, which was officially terminated in November.

Timberlake married Jessica Biel in 2012 and they have two sons: Silas, 8, and Phineas, 3.

Meanwhile, Spears is currently going through a divorce from Sam Askari. She shares two sons, Sean Preston, 18, and Jaden James, 17, with ex-husband Kevin Federline.