Fans have praised Beyonce after an old interview resurfaced showing her refusing to criticize Britney Spears, despite a 'cruel' question being asked.
Beyonce, 42, and Britney, 41, are born in the same year - with just three months' difference between them, and both found fame around the same time.
While Bey has managed to keep most of her personal life out of the spotlight where possible, every inch of Britney's life was dissected by the public following her public breakdown in 2007 and subsequent conservatorship.
A newly resurfaced interview revealed the gracious way Beyonce handled being asked about Britney following the 'Toxic' star publicly shaving her head, and fans have praised the singer for not stooping to the interviewer's level.
In a 2007 interview with 60 Minutes Australia, Beyonce spoke about being in her mid-20s and having plenty of time to take her career in a different direction if she later chose to do so.
The interviewer then turned the focus onto Britney's troubles at the time, responding: "But you could say the same thing about someone like Britney Spears," to which Beyonce responded: "Absolutely."
The man then stated: "There's only three months' age difference between you and Britney, and look at the difference - complete disaster."
Refusing to speak ill of her peer, Bey told him: "Well, I mean, people handle different things differently. And thank God I’ve been surrounded by honesty, and thank God I’ve chosen to still be around people that I trust."
Alluding to Britney not necessarily having people with her best interests at heart around her, she added: "It’s really difficult when you’re a celebrity to know the difference."
Fans were loving seeing Bey sticking up for her fellow star and refusing to fall into the reporter's trap of pitting her against another woman.
They commented: "Proving my point that Beyonce could win because she had her parents LOVE & FIGHT for her. Her team consists of nothing but family members who were instructed by Matthew & Tina to care for her. Britney didn't have that! She was alone. Beyonce loves Britney & has never mocked her."
Others added: "Beyoncé knew something was up and was praying for Britney. You could feel it in how earnest she answered that question," and: "Pescient words for someone so young. All respect to @Beyonce. Even as a young artist, she was self-possessed, and intelligent. Who is the (forgotten) lurch that was interviewing her?"
One wrote: "The way the media loves to pit women against women. It’s entertainment for them! I’m glad she didn’t take the bait, because for some it was so easy," while another added: "Respect to Beyonce. Always classy."
Another pointed out: "People don’t remember that one of the reasons Beyoncé doesn’t do interviews anymore is because of how the industry treated Britney (and women in general) she didn’t wanted that for herself and did everything in her power to exclude herself from the media unless she was in control."
Britney had been under her conservatorship, granting her father and co-conservator Jamie Spears control over her personal and financial decisions, since 2008 until it was finally removed in 2021.
The order had been in place for 13 years and was strongly opposed by the #FreeBritney movement which rallied for it to be lifted and for Britney to regain control over her own life.
Britney has since spoken out about how she was treated under the rule, claiming it was "abusive" and limited everything she could do, from driving her own car to making decisions about having more children or getting married.
