Justin Timberlake has posted an apology to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson on social media. Timberlake has been in the news a lot over the past few weeks, thanks in part to his role in Palmer, which has been receiving praise from critics. However, his name has also been coming up a lot because of the recent release of the New York Times documentary Framing Britney Spears, where he is portrayed in a negative light. The main focus of the documentary is Spears' conservatorship that she has been under since 2008.

Back when they were both teenagers, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake dated. Their relationship was very public, but their breakup was headline news across the globe. In Framing Britney Spears, interviews with Timberlake alluding to sleeping with Spears, along with insinuating that she cheated on him, are given the spotlight for a brief segment. The documentary frames Timberlake's actions as sexist and judgmental, which the press, at the time, ate up.

Justin Timberlake decided to address the controversy on social media this morning. "I've seen the messages, tags, comments, and concerns and I want to respond," he wrote. "I am deeply sorry for the times in my life where my actions contributed to the problem, where I spoke out of turn, or did not speak up for what was right. I understand that I fell short in these moments and in many others and benefited from a system that condones misogyny and racism." Timberlake went on to point out flaws in the entertainment industry and how he has benefitted from said flaws over the course of his entire career. He then went on to apologize directly to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson. You can read what he had to say below.

"I specifically want to apologize to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson both individually, because I care for and respect these women and I know I failed. Because of my ignorance, I didn't recognize it for all that it was while it was happening in my own life but I do not want to ever benefit from others being pulled down again."

Justin Timberlake's apology to Janet Jackson stems from their 2004 Super Bowl halftime performance. During a closing duet between Timberlake and Jackson, he sang, "Bet I'll have you naked by the end of this song," as he tore away a part of Jackson's costume, revealing her bare breast on live television. Jackson received a massive amount of backlash over the performance for years afterwards, while Timberlake was basically left unscathed. He later admitted that he should have done more during the fallout.

Framing Britney Spears has been getting a lot of attention with many in the industry sharing their support for Spears after not knowing about her personal struggles behind-the-scenes. As for Justin Timberlake, he wants to assure the world that he intends to be better. "I also feel compelled to respond, in part, because everyone involved deserves better and most importantly, because this is a larger conversation that I wholeheartedly want to be part of and grow from." You can read Justin Timberlake's official Instagram apology in full above.