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NEED TO KNOW
Sam Asghari is Playgirl's latest cover star
In his interview, the actor made a rare comment about Britney Spears, his ex-wife
Their divorce was finalized in May 2024
Sam Asgharihas nothing but "respect" for his ex-wifeBritney Spears.
The actor, 31, isPlaygirl's latest cover star, and in a new interview, 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,Playgirlcited 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," Asghari added to the outlet. "So, I always want to respect that. I'm always going to stick to that, and that's the number one thing for me."
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Spears and Asghari were first romantically linked after meeting on theset of Spears' "Slumber Party" music videoin 2016. The two gotengaged in September 2021andmarriedthe following June.
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The pairseparated in August 2023after 14 months of marriage, and theirdivorce was finalizedless than a year later, in May 2024.
Playgirl reported that Asghari spoke "warmly" of the pop star, and 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," he said. "Be happy it ever even happened."
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Although Asghari iscurrently dating Brooke Irvine, with whom he wentInstagramofficial in January 2025, he has 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.
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"Our marriage was very real to me," Asghari told PEOPLE, via his rep from BAC Talent. "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."
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In June, he also spoke about the pros and cons of having been in such a high-profile relationship, particularly in terms of his career, in an interview withPage Six Radio.
"I can't sit here and lie and say, 'It wasn't good for me,' " he said adding, "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."
Read the original article onPeople
