Actress Drew Barrymore has spoken out about Britney Spears’ situation as the singer continues to fight for freedom from her conservatorship.
In a new interview with ET’s Kevin Frazier, the 46-year-old actress explained why she “purposely” has stayed out of the #FreeBritney conversation.
“I feel that there’s a human being at the core of this,” Barrymore explained.
“But since she put herself out there more … she’s the key to her freedom.”
“This is about her and her life and everybody deserves the freedom to make mistakes or a success of their life and everything in between. That is what a life is.”
Barrymore continued: “So whether it’s about her or anyone else, I want people to have their civil liberties; to have the freedom to live their lives.”
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The actress went on to say that she had supported Spears “silently” as she didn’t feel like it was her place to speak out.
“I think one of the things I thought that I could [do to] respect her the most is not Instagram about it, and not talk on social media. This is too big for that,” Barrymore said.
“But I also think on the other side of the coin, the noise had to be made in order to start to have change here.
“Social media is a very tricky animal. It can lead to great outcry and people listening, and it can also be a place that has a little bit of empty calories.”
Drew’s comments come following some welcome news for Britney and her supporters after her father, Jamie, finally stepped down from his role as the ‘Lucky’ singer’s conservator after 13 years.
Mathew Ronsengart, Britney’s recently-appointed lawyer, filed a petition on behalf of Britney requesting public accountant Jason Rubin be named the new conservator of the estate.
The filing requested that Mr. Rubin be able to revoke powers of attorney for Mr. Spears, including the authority to make healthcare decisions on her behalf, and the “authorization to pursue opportunities related to professional commitments and activities including but not limited to performing, recording, videos, tours, TV shows, and other similar activities.”
Jamie Spears filed his response to Britney’s petition for his suspension with the Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday, August 12th.
On announcing his decision to step down, Jamie’s attorney emphasised that there are “no actual grounds for suspending or removing” him, citing the “public battle with his daughter” as his reasoning for removing himself as co-conservator.
“There are, in fact, no actual grounds for suspending or removing Mr. Spears as the Conservator of the Estate under Probate Code section 2650. And it is highly debatable whether a change in conservator at this time would be in Ms. Spears’ best interests,” the court document read.
“Nevertheless, even as Mr. Spears is the unremitting target of unjustified attacks, he does not believe that a public battle with his daughter over his continuing service as her conservator would be in her best interests,” the filing continued.
“So even though he must contest this unjustified Petition for his removal, Mr. Spears intends to work with the Court and his daughter’s new attorney to prepare for an orderly transition to a new conservator.
“As the Court has likely surmised, before Ms. Spears’ new attorney arrived, Mr. Spears had already been working on such a transition with Ms. Spears’ former court-appointed counsel, Sam Ingham.”
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