Amber Tamblyn can relate to Britney Spears after experiencing a "small taste" of her kind of fame after breaking out on Joan of Arcadia

The New York Times

In a New York Times essay, Tamblyn recalled how her family -- including her dad, West Side Story and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers star Russ Tamblyn -- began depending on her when she was a child star on General Hospital. "At 21, I starred in a hit TV show called Joan of Arcadia, and from that point forward, I began making real, substantial money — money that made a big difference for my family," Tamblyn wrote. "When that shift took place, my parents stepped in to help manage it all. My father acted as my co-manager, and my mother managed my finances. My money paid for our vacations, dinners out, and sometimes even the bills. When it finally came time to disentangle our personal and professional relationships, it was deeply painful for all three of us." Tamblyn added that as she continued being a successful actor, "the line between where I ended and where others began felt blurred in a way that I couldn’t articulate at the time. As I made more and more money, the circle of those I supported opened up to include extended family members and friends. I was the one they came to for a small loan or in an emergency, the one who always picked up the check. At one point when I was 21, I even bought an ex-boyfriend a new car in an attempt to break up with him; I was that used to using money to make people happy, or fix problems, or appease my guilt. I was everyone’s A.T.M.: a bank that was, nonetheless, unconditionally loved. Still, as I got older, it got harder to trust the source of that love." Tamblyn ended her essay by writing: "But as someone who has experienced a small taste of what Britney has gone through, I know that what she has done is a profoundly radical act — one that I hope will ripple through the bodies and bank accounts of women across industries for generations to come. By speaking up, she has reminded us that our autonomy, both bodily and fiscal, is worth fighting for. We can’t unknow her truth now — as told in her own voice, not a voice that’s been written for her, curated for her, or projected onto her. Now, it’s really up to us to listen."