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Despite their divorce last year after eight years of marriage,

Josh Duhamel had nothing but good things to say about his ex-wife Fergie in response to her widely panned national anthem performance at this year’s NBA All-Star Game.

Appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, the actor was reminded by the host that Fergie has “been slammed and hammered” for her unusual rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” across social media (and among some celebs). Duhamel noted that while it wasn’t exactly a career peak for the singer, her talent still speaks for itself. “I think she would probably admit that it wasn’t her best work, but the girl’s crazy talented,” he said. “She’s an amazing woman, an amazing human being really.”

Duhamel also touched on his own feelings about the vitriolic public reaction. “It’s hard to see somebody you care about get beat up like that,” he explained. “But that’s the business: You’re in the business, and you put yourself out there, and sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.”

Fergie herself has acknowledged the controversy around her performance and expressed regret in a statement. “I’ve always been honored and proud to perform the national anthem and last night I wanted to try something special for the NBA,” she said. “I’m a risk taker artistically, but clearly this rendition didn’t strike the intended tone. I love this country and honestly tried my best.”

When DeGeneres asked how Fergie was coping, Duhamel assured her there’s nothing to worry about. “Trust me: She’s fine,” he said. “She is about as resilient as they come.”

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