Jamie Lynn Spears has made it clear that there’s no bond like a sister bond. The younger sister of Britney Spears isn’t happy with speculation that she doesn’t support the pop princess amid her conservatorship battle and the #FreeBritney movement.
The “Toxic” singer’s sibling was born in 1991 and it didn’t take long for her to follow in Britney’s footsteps, portraying the younger version of her character Lucy in the 2002 movie Crossroads.
“I love my little sister and I am overprotective with her, and I don’t mind saying that,” Britney told Real Access at the time. “My sister is a handful. We are so different. It’s so funny — actually, she would be a lot better in this business than I am. Like her personality, she is Miss Diva. She is so full of herself, it’s so cute.”
As Britney’s career continued to skyrocket, Jamie Lynn became a star in her own right, appearing on Nickelodeon’s sketch series All That and later landing the starring role in Zoey 101.
“Having Britney as an example was crucial for me,” Jamie Lynn told The Hollywood Reporter in 2020. “Not only did my sister build me up, but she made me feel like I was the star when she was clearly the star. Britney was always really open and honest with me about the good and the bad that comes with this industry. And that’s what gave me the confidence to say no sometimes.”
By 2007, the sisters were both making headlines for personal reasons, with Jamie Lynn announcing she was pregnant at 16 years old. Britney, meanwhile, was placed under a conservatorship by dad Jamie Spears in 2008 following a public meltdown and a stint in a psychiatric ward. After making a career comeback, Britney announced plans to postpone and later cancel her second Las Vegas residency in 2019. She subsequently checked into treatment at a mental health facility.
Speculation about Britney continued to make headlines when she petitioned to make changes to her long-running conservatorship. One day before a July 2020 hearing, Jamie Lynn fired back at trolls who accused her of not caring about her sister’s mental health.
“You have no right to assume anything about my sister,” she replied via Instagram. “And I have no right to speak about HER health and personal matters. … She is a strong, badass, unstoppable woman, and that’s the only thing that is OBVIOUS.”
As the #FreeBritney moment gained more attention and Britney asked the court to remove her father from her conservatorship, Lance Bass revealed he checked in with Jamie Lynn for an update on the musician.
“I have talked to Jamie Lynn recently, which is why I feel so much better about this situation,” the ‘Nsync boybander told Entertainment Tonight in September 2020. “The one thing that I do know is, I know Jamie Lynn — if Jamie is OK with everything going on, I feel like she really has her sister’s back during all this. So I trust her to give us the real information.”
Several months later, Britney addressed the court for the first time in June 2021 and made several bombshell claims about the “abusive” conservatorship, revealing that she felt “enslaved” to dad Jamie, has been medicated against her will and is unable to have children because she is not allowed to remove her IUD.
“It’s enough and it makes no sense at all,” Britney said in court. “I’m done. I want to sue my family, to be totally honest with you.”
As social media users called on Jamie Lynn to speak out, she broke her silence in an emotional video via Instagram.
”I think it’s extremely clear that since the day I was born I’ve only loved and adored and supported my sister. I mean, this is my freaking big sister before any of this bulls—t,” Jamie Lynn began. “I don’t care if she wants to run away to the rainforest and have a zillion babies in the middle of nowhere, or if she wants to come back and dominate the world the way she has so many times before. I have nothing to gain or lose either way. This situation does not affect me because I am only her sister who is only concerned about her happiness.”
She continued: “Maybe I didn’t support her the way the public would like me to with a hashtag on a public platform, but I can assure you I’ve supported my sister long before there was a hashtag. And I’ll support her long after. Note that.”
Scroll through for a timeline of Britney and Jamie Lynn’s relationship through the years:
Jamie Lynn was often by Britney’s side at events, including the Crossroads premiere in 2002.
"Truthfully, my childhood was so fun. Everything was new and everything was like Christmas because we were just from this small town and my sister had amazing success. It was so amazing to see my sister reach such heights,” Jamie Lynn told WFAA in 2016. "I think that with all that good, you don't expect the negative side. And I think, for me, it was just that I couldn't believe people can ever be so negative."
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News broke in late 2007 that Jamie Lynn was expecting her first child with then-boyfriend Casey Aldridge. She gave birth to daughter Maddie in June 2008.
“That was special, but it was also strange because she's always been the baby, and now the baby was having a baby,” Britney told OK! Magazine in 2008. “It was mind-boggling. I was shocked a little bit. But it was really cool, and she was happy. When she got to the hospital, we all thought it was going to be an all-day thing, and instead, the baby just sort of popped out. 'OK, we're happy now!'"
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Britney was by her sister’s side on her wedding day when Jamie Lynn married Jamie Watson in New Orleans in March 2014.
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Along with brother Bryan, Britney surprised Jamie Lynn during her debut at the Grand Ole Opry in 2016. “Thanks to the Opry for letting me introduce this beautiful young lady who is my heart and my soul,” the Grammy winner said on stage. “Not only is she beautiful and extremely talented, but she’s my little sister: Jamie Lynn Spears!”
Jamie Lynn got emotional at the time. “I can’t believe that my whole family kept this secret from me,” she said. “Well, now I’m gonna try to sing some songs for y’all.”
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Not long after the Opry surprise, Jamie Lynn returned the favor and shocked Britney by taking the stage at the 2017 Radio Disney Music Awards to present her big sister with the first-ever Icon Award and joined Kelsea Ballerini, Sofia Carson and Hailee Steinfeld’s performance tribute during “Till the World Ends.”
“What a pleasant surprise, my goodness!” Britney said at the time. "I want to thank Radio Disney so much for giving me their first-ever Icon Award. What can I say? This is such an honor! Your support throughout my career has meant so much to me.”
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Jamie Lynn made her first public statement about Britney’s mental health in years after news broke that the “Perfume” songstress was in treatment.
"10 years ago, who was there?? I have been here long before anyone else, and I'll be here long after," Jamie Lynn captioned an Instagram video of herself yelling at the paparazzi a decade prior. "I love my sister with everything I have. So, anyone or anything that speaks to the contrary can GTFOH with all the comments about what you don't understand. Do not come for me or the ones I love anymore. You can move the 'blank' outta here with all that, just like this other lady who was running her mouth."
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Jamie Lynn told Entertainment Tonight in May 2020 that Britney was able to spend some time in Louisiana amid the coronavirus pandemic.
"Britney was like, 'I want to come home, I don't want to be by myself out here,' because all of her family's pretty much here. So she was able to come home for almost two weeks or so. She was here for my birthday and for [my daughter] Ivey's birthday,” she explained. “We're all just trying to abide by the rules and do what we're supposed to do. Having our family has been the biggest blessing, too. I mean, we're driving each other absolutely insane, about things you wouldn't normally get mad about, but at the end of the day, at least we have each other, you know? That's been really fortunate."
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Us confirmed in August 2020 that Jamie Lynn was named the trustee of Britney’s SJB Revocable Trust. According to court documents, Britney’s then-co-conservators Andrew Wallet and dad Jamie amended the trust in 2018.
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After an episode of The New York Times Presents titled "Framing Britney Spears" made waves in February 2021, Jamie Lynn encouraged everyone to “do better” when it comes to mental health. She also shared a quote via Instagram which read, "Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.”
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Days after Britney’s bombshell virtual court appearance, Jamie Lynn made it clear that she has her sister’s back.
“I’m not my family. I’m my own person. I’m speaking for myself. I’m so proud of her for using her voice. I’m so proud of her for requesting new council like I told her to do many years ago,” the former child actress said. “If ending the conservatorship or flying to Mars or whatever else she wants to do [will make her happy] — I support that, 100 percent. Because I support my sister. I love my sister. Always have, always will. As long as she’s happy. Let’s keep praying. That’s all.”
Jamie Lynn’s husband, Jamie, meanwhile spoke to the New York Post at the time: “I can assure you her family loves her and wants the best for her. I wouldn’t be around people who weren’t. Who wouldn’t want to be in support of Britney?”
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from Celebrity News – Us Weekly https://ift.tt/3jmS0JH
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