Sam Asghari, the third husband of Britney Spears, says he has always maintained respect for the pop icon despite their brief marriage.

Asghari appears on the cover of the latest issue of Playgirl, where he shares rare and candid reflections about his former wife. According to the magazine, he speaks warmly about Spears, smiling as he recalls their time together. He describes their relationship as something that unfolded “naturally and normally,” emphasizing that his feelings for her were genuine and that he truly tried to “build a life with her,” whether she was a global superstar or simply an ordinary person.

The 31-year-old actor and the 44-year-old singer met while filming the music video for Slumber Party in 2016. They became engaged in September 2021 and married in June 2022. After just over a year of marriage, the couple separated and finalized their divorce in May 2024.

Asghari, who is of Iranian descent, said he lives by a proverb from his homeland that advises against speaking ill of people who were once close to you. “The best thing you can do is appreciate and be grateful for the past, instead of being bitter that it ended. Be happy that it happened,” he said.

In the interview, Asghari also rejected claims that he ever took advantage of Spears. “The worst thing you can do is exploit someone when they’re at a low point,” he stated.

Currently, Asghari is focused on his career as an actor and model and has gone public with his new girlfriend, real estate agent Brooke Irvine, earlier this year. Despite moving on with his life, he says he continues to support Spears from afar.

Last August, after Spears wrote on Instagram that the marriage felt like “a distraction from the pain of being separated from my two sons,” Asghari responded in an interview with People, saying: “That marriage was very real to me. Even though it was short, we were together for seven years. I loved her, I will always have love for her, and I wish her nothing but the best.”

Speaking on a Page Six Radio show in June, Asghari acknowledged that being in such a high-profile relationship brought both advantages and challenges, particularly for his career. “I can’t lie and say it didn’t help me at all. Being in a very public relationship did contribute to where I am today,” he said, adding that the attention also meant he had to work harder to prove his own abilities.