Sam Asghari does not expect his connection to Britney Spears to disappear as he takes on larger acting roles. While promoting his new John Travolta heist movie, The Gentleman Thief, he acknowledged that many people will probably continue to view him as “Mr. Britney Spears.”
Asked whether the questions about his former wife would ever stop, Asghari gave Page Six a direct answer: “Never going to happen.” He added that he is now prepared to discuss that chapter without allowing the attention to affect him emotionally.
Asghari also responded supportively to Spears’ recent reunion with her sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James Federline. He wished the singer “nothing but the best and love” while describing her sons as “amazing boys.”
His latest interviews arrive as The Gentleman Thief prepares for a July 28 digital and on-demand release, followed by a limited theatrical run beginning July 31.
Asghari Is Ready for the Britney Spears Questions
“But am I fully ready to answer those questions and am I fully ready for it not to affect me? Absolutely,” Asghari told Page Six after saying that interest in Spears would not end.
He described the relationship as a major part of his life rather than something he wants erased from his public story. “The past is the past, and we get to celebrate it, and we get to always reflect on it,” he said. “You can’t change the past. The things that happened happened.”
Asghari met Spears while appearing as her love interest in the 2016 music video for “Slumber Party.” They married in June 2022, separated in August 2023 and reached a divorce settlement in May 2024, with their marital status officially ending later that year.
He has continued building his acting résumé since the split, including an appearance on Peacock’s The Traitors. Asghari told Page Six that real estate agent Brooke Irvine, whom he has been dating since 2024, has been supportive as he manages his filming schedule and other projects.
He Supports Spears Reconnecting With Her Sons
Asghari offered a similarly respectful response when E! News asked about Spears reuniting with Sean Preston and Jayden James. “You want to be able to reconnect with your family,” he said. “I wish her nothing but the best and love. She has amazing boys.”
He said he and Spears have not remained in close contact since their breakup but repeated that he wishes her well.
He Calls Himself the ‘Baddest Guy’ in The Gentleman Thief
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Asghari plays Victor in The Gentleman Thief, joining Travolta, Lukas Haas, Rebecca De Mornay, Quavo and DJ Khaled in the action thriller. The official synopsis follows veteran thief Mason Goddard, played by Travolta, as he targets a $100 million masterpiece aboard a yacht owned by a ruthless art collector.
“I’m the macho, the muscle of the operation,” Asghari told Page Six. “Everybody has a specialty in the team, and I’m the guy that holds the big guns and goes on the big mission.” He jokingly added, “I’m really the baddest guy in this movie.”
Working with Travolta carried personal significance for Asghari, who moved from Tehran to the United States at age 12. He told Extra that he watched Travolta’s movies while learning English and singled out The Taking of Pelham 123 as a childhood favorite.
“I never imagined that one day I’d be sharing the screen with him,” Asghari said. He and Travolta discussed Iran, cars, airplanes and cigars while working together.
His Next Project Draws From Iranian Refugee Stories
Asghari has also completed The Good American, an action-thriller short inspired by the experiences of Iranian refugees in the United States. He stars as Ben, an Iranian refugee working as a rideshare driver in Los Angeles whose life changes after a woman enters his vehicle and asks for help.
Variety reported that the project was directed by Alex Fazeli from a screenplay by Daniel Langer. Asghari said he wanted to use the film to depict experiences that are often distorted when stories about Iran and its immigrants reach American audiences. The Good American is expected to enter the film-festival circuit in fall 2026.