Family is always complicated, but when you’re Britney Spears and Jamie Lynn Spears, there’s a whole new layer of trickiness to the sibling relationship, not to mention widespread public fascination and speculation.
In the past, Britney has accused Jamie Lynn of being complicit in the nearly 14-year conservatorship that stripped Britney of control of her finances and personal life, and the pop star didn’t invite her sister to her wedding to Sam Asghari. They’ve posted messages dissing each other on social media. However, in celebration of her own birthday in December 2022, Britney made an Instagram post featuring photos of her little sister and saluting her, writing, “You’re my heart so I’m thinking about you … congratulations on being so brave and inspiring.” (The caption of the post appears to have since been edited.)
In a new interview with Variety ahead of Zoey 102, the continuation of the Nickelodeon series Jamie Lynn starred in as a teen, the 32-year-old sidestepped questions about Britney. When asked about her current relationship with the elder Spears, Jamie Lynn said that she has “nothing but absolute love for every single one of my family members.”
She continued: “If I learned anything from last year, being so open and feeling like I had to defend myself at times, I don’t feel like there’s anything else that I need to say. I just have to leave it where it is because those conversations are meant to be personal. All I can focus on now is my girls, my husband, and the work that I’m doing.”
She noted that when she talks to her 15-year-old daughter, Maddie, about what she may be hearing about Britney and the extended family, she reminds her to be proud.
“I say, ‘You should be so proud. Look at what your family’s done and accomplished. We came from a small town, and now everybody’s fascinated by the good and, especially, the bad. But look at what an example of a strong female you have. You have something to be proud of, and you should have pride in that,’” she told the outlet. “And kids are kids, so I’m sure there’s a lot meaner things that they’re doing to each other in high school.”
As to whether she thinks she’ll ever share the stage with Britney in the future, the actor said, “I don’t know. I think right now I’m really just focused on me and what I’m doing.”
Meanwhile, Britney’s memoir, The Woman in Me, is slated for release in October.