Sam Asghari has nothing but “respect” for his ex-wife Britney Spears.
The actor, 31, is Playgirl’s latest cover star. In a new interview, he offered a rare comment about his past romance with the pop star, 44.
When asked about the singer, to whom Asghari was married from 2022 to 2024, Playgirl cited an Iranian proverb that says you must never speak ill of someone you’ve eaten with.
The magazine explained that the proverb’s deeper meaning is that you should remain loyal to someone after sharing any sort of special bond.
“And whatever follows is irrelevant. So, I always want to respect that. I’m always going to stick to that, and that’s the number one thing for me.”
Spears and Asghari were first romantically linked after meeting on the set of Spears’ “Slumber Party” music video in 2016. The two got engaged in September 2021 and married the following June.
The pair separated in August 2023 after 14 months of marriage. Their divorce was finalized less than a year later, in May 2024.
Playgirl reported that Asghari spoke “warmly” of the pop star. He smiled as he discussed their past, saying that the only thing that matters is what actually happened between the two behind closed doors.
“The best thing you can do is celebrate the past, appreciate the past, and not dwell on the fact that it’s over. Be happy it ever even happened.”
Although Asghari is currently dating Brooke Irvine, with whom he went Instagram official in January 2025, he’s continued to support Spears from a distance.
After Spears said their union “felt like a fake distraction” to her in an August 2025 Instagram post, Asghari shared a statement with PEOPLE through his rep at BAC Talent.
“Our marriage was very real to me. 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.”
In June, he also spoke about the pros and cons of having been in such a high-profile relationship. He discussed the impact on his career in an interview with Page Six Radio.
“I can’t sit here and lie and say, ‘It wasn’t good for me.’ When you’re in such a public relationship … it sort of gave me that platform for who I am.”
Still, Asghari said that the attention his relationship brought meant he “absolutely” had to “work harder to prove myself.”
