October 08, 2021
Britney Spears has finally gotten engaged to long-time boyfriend Sam Asghari, an Iranian-American personal trainer.
Spears announced the engagement September 12. But sources say the couple is in no rush to get married. They have been a couple for five years.
The formal engagement was announced just weeks after Spears’ father agreed to give up his role as conservator though he hasn’t yet done so. She had been fighting for years to end the conservatorship, which gave him authority over her finances, her medicines and much of her personal life, including whether she could get married, not to mention her professional life. Spears complained that her father forced her to go on tours and concerts even when she did not want to do them.
Spears is now 39 years old while Asghari is 27.
Born in Mississippi, Britney began singing professionally at age 11.
Asghari came to the United States from Tehran with his family father Mahmood “Mike” Asghari and mother Fatima Asghari when he was 12 years old.
He met Spears in 2016 when he was hired to play a background role in a music video Spears was making. They have been dating ever since. His nickname for her is “Lioness.”
Their relationship was always very public, but Asghari stepped into the background over the last several months as Britney sparred with her father, Jamie Spears, over his activities as her legal conservator, a relationship many found very odd for a 39-year-old woman.
Asghari told Men’s Health magazine in a new interview that his fiance is quite an athlete and they play a lot of ping-pong together. “But I try to take it easy,” he said. “Not because she’s a woman. Not because she’s weak, because she’s not. But I grew up with three sisters, so I learned that taking competition too seriously can lead to hurt feelings. Family take it easy on each other.”
He said, “If something makes her happy, I’ll do it. I’m not going to argue. What’s that saying? ‘Happy wife, happy life’.”
TMX, the entertainment news website, reported that sources told it the pair plan to take their time and enjoy being engaged and are not even talking to their friends about wedding plans.
This will be Asghari’s first marriage, but Spears’ third. She has two children 15-year-old Sean and 14-year-old Jayden, who she had with second husband Kevin Federline during their 2004-07 marriage. Britney was earlier married to childhood friend Jason Alexander, but their marriage was annulled 55 hours after they tied the knot in 2004.
Asghari started as a personal fitness trainer, became an actor and now owns an online business called Asghari Fitness, which offers personalized nutrition and fitness coaching.
Before Asghari turned silent over the long courtroom saga over the conservatorship, he spoke out critically about Britney’s father early this year after the release of the New York Times‘ Framing Britney Spears documentary. The film ignited widespread attention to and scrutiny over the pop star’s life in a heavily guarded, court-ordered conservatorship.
Asghari expressed disdain for Jamie Spears, who was put in charge of his eldest daughter’s finances and physical well-being in 2008 after a string of public episodes led to her being put on involuntary psychiatric hold.
“Now it’s important for people to understand that I have zero respect for someone trying to control our relationship and constantly throwing obstacles our way,” Asghari wrote. “In my opinion, Jamie is a total dick. I won’t be going into details because I’ve always respected our privacy but at the same time I didn’t come to this country to not be able to express my opinion and freedom,” he added.
“I have always wanted nothing but the best for my better half, and will continue to support her following her dreams and creating the future she wants and deserves,” he said. “I am thankful for all of the love and support she is receiving from her fans all over the world, and I am looking forward to a normal, amazing future together.”
Released on Hulu February 5, Framing Britney Spears offered an examination of Spears’ life and legal battle to be freed from the conservatorship. The documentary not only gives context to the viral, fan-led #FreeBritney movement but also unpacks the very specific kind of media maelstrom that has plagued Spears since she was 17 years old.