By Wonderwall.com Editors
5:52am PST, Jan 31, 2022
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Justin Timberlake has been a child star, a boybander, a movie star, a clothing designer, a sketch-comedy performer, a record label exec, a restaurateur and, of course, a husband and father. (Seriously, is there anything this guy can't do?) In honor of his 41st birthday on Jan. 31, 2022, Wonderwall.com is taking a look back at JT's life and career in photos!
Keep reading to take a walk down memory lane with the multi-hyphenate…
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Justin Timberlake, who was raised in the Baptist faith, grew up singing in his church choir. He began taking voice lessons when he was 8 and by 11, he'd appeared on "Star Search," where he performed country music as Justin Randall. The following year, he was cast on "The All New Mickey Mouse Club" along with fellow future stars Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Ryan Gosling, JC Chasez, Keri Russell and Nikki Deloach. The cast is seen here in 1993.
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It wasn't long before Justin Timberlake went from child actor to full-fledged teen idol. In 1995, he joined boy band *NSYNC, which also included Joey Fatone, Lance Bass, Chris Kirkpatrick and JC Chasez. The group rose to fame in Europe before tearing up the hearts of American girls in 1998. Three hit albums, seven Grammy nominations and countless teen magazine covers later, *NSYNC remains one of the most successful pop acts in history. (In fact, until November 2015, the group held the record for biggest single-week album sales. Thanks for mucking that up, Adele.)
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While all the teen girls in the world were pining for Justin Timberlake, the curly-haired cutie had his eyes on one girl: his former "All New Mickey Mouse Club" co-star Britney Spears. The duo reunited in 1999 when Britney opened up for *NSYNC on tour and they instantly became the prom king and queen of the teen music scene. The young couple made headlines when they attended the 2011 American Music Awards in matching denim outfits.
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In February 2002, Justin Timberlake dropped by for a cameo when then-love Britney Spears hosted an episode of NBC's "Saturday Night Live." But just a month later, it was over: The couple split in 2002 amid claims Britney cheated with choreographer Wade Robson. "You get to a point where you're crying yourself to sleep at night," Justin told People magazine in 2002. "I feel like I'm in the middle of a soap opera. I honestly know what it's like to have a broken heart now."
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At 21, Justin Timberlake was over the whole boy band thing and wanted to be seen as a mature R&B singer. So while *NSYNC was on a hiatus in 2002, Justin — seen here at Z100's Jingle Ball in New York City in October 2002 — went to work on his solo debut, "Justified." The album featured "Rock Your Body," "Like I Love You" and "Cry Me a River," a Grammy-winning track that took aim at ex Britney Spears. Life as a solo artist suited Justin, and in 2004, he officially said "Bye Bye Bye" to *NSYNC.
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After developing his more mature sound, Justin Timberlake got himself a more mature girlfriend — eight years more mature, to be exact! JT began dating Cameron Diaz after the two met at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards in April 2003. (They're seen here later that year leaving a "Saturday Night Live" afterparty.) The couple stayed together for nearly four years, dodging wedding rumors left and right, before splitting in December 2006. "We have, in fact, ended our romantic relationship, and have done so mutually and as friends, with continued love and respect for one another," the former pair said in a joint statement at the time.
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When Justin Timberlake sang that he'd "have you naked by the end of this song" in "Rock Your Body," did anyone really take him seriously? Apparently we should have! While performing during the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show with Janet Jackson, Justin ripped off a PVC-and-lace piece on the bodice of Janet's costume — exposing her bare, pierced breast to 143 million TV viewers. "I am sorry if anyone was offended by the wardrobe malfunction during the halftime performance at the Super Bowl. It was not intentional and is regrettable," JT said in an apology issued shortly after that. However, he pretty much let Janet take the blame. Not cool, JT. Not cool at all.
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Justin Timberlake took home the first two Grammys of his career at the 2004 Grammy Awards ceremony. That evening, he won best pop vocal album for "Justified" and best male pop vocal performance for "Cry Me a River." His career wins came just one week after his infamous Super Bowl halftime show performance with Janet Jackson.
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One year after he undressed Janet Jackson on national television, Justin Timberlake got into the clothing business. (How's that for irony?) In 2005, he launched William Rast with childhood pal Trace Ayala. The name combines Justin's grandfather's first name and Trace's grandfather's last name. (The friends are seen here at a William Rast fashion show in 2006.) But that wasn't Justin's only side business: He founded New York City barbecue restaurant Southern Hospitality and the Sauza 901 tequila brand. In 2011, he purchased Myspace with Specific Media Group for about $35 million, though sold it later in the decade.
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In 2006, Justin Timberlake really came into his own, music-wise, with the release of "FutureSex/LoveSounds." The album — which featured tracks including "SexyBack" and "My Love" and earned Justin four Grammys — was a game-changer in JT's career. "'SexyBack' was the point when people stopped asking me when *NSYNC were going to reunite and started asking what I was going to do next," he told Entertainment Weekly in 2009. He's seen here opening the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards with a medley of his new hits.
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Although he's primarily known for his singing, Justin Timberlake has never forgotten his acting roots. In fact, he's spent nearly as much time in front of the camera as he has with a mic in his hand. Not only has he starred in movies including "The Social Network," "In Time," "Friends With Benefits" and "Inside Llewyn Davis," but he's also enjoyed a lot of success with his work on "Saturday Night Live." In fact, he's won four Emmys for his work on the show, including for the hilarious 2006 "SNL" Digital Short "D*** in a Box."
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In 2007, Justin Timberlake started dating Jessica Biel after meeting her at a Golden Globes afterparty. But despite where they connected, Justin insists there was nothing glamorous about their coupling. "It was very un-Hollywoodesque, in fact," he later told Britain's HELLO! magazine. "We met and got talking, afterwards I asked my friend if I could call her and ask her out. My friend called Jessica and Jessica said yes, and so I called her." Still, it wasn't so easy for Justin to nab a date with the actress (they're seen here at the 2009 Met Gala). "I had to be pretty persistent in order to get her to say yes. But I have a fair amount of tenacity and if I want something, I stick to it," he said. "And in the end she agreed." However, their romance hit a major snag in March 2011 and the couple called it quits after four years together.
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In 2009, Justin Timberlake won his second Emmy. This one was for outstanding guest actor in a comedy series for his work on "Saturday Night Live."
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Justin Timberlake is seen here alongside co-stars Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield during a photocall for their film "The Social Network" in London in 2010. The biographical drama about the founding of Facebook went on to earn critical acclaim: In addition to being chosen as the best film of 2010 by the National Board of Review, it took home three Oscars including best adapted screenplay for writer Aaron Sorkin.
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Friendly exes! Fresh off his breakup with Jessica Biel, Justin Timberlake reunited with ex Cameron Diaz at the premiere of their film "Bad Teacher" in June 2011.
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In July 2011, Justin Timberlake joined his "Friends With Benefits" co-star Mila Kunis at a photocall for the romantic comedy in Berlin. The movie grossed $149.5 million on a $35 million budget.
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Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel got back together following a brief split in early 2011 and got engaged during their annual December vacation to Big Sky, Montana, that same year. The couple (seen here at the 2012 Met Gala in the midst of their engagement) tied the knot in southern Italy in October 2012. "It's great to be married, the ceremony was beautiful and it was so special to be surrounded by our family and friends," the couple told People magazine post-wedding.
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After taking a brief break from singing to focus on his movie career, Justin Timberlake made his musical comeback in 2013. "The 20/20 Experience" — which featured hits like "Suit & Tie" featuring JAY-Z and "Mirrors" — was the bestselling album of 2013. That same year, he released a companion album, "The 20/20 Experience — 2 of 2."
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In August 2013, Justin Timberlake marked a career milestone when he accepted the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award during the MTV Video Music Awards. "This is the 'You got old award,'" Justin joked while accepting the honor. "No, in all seriousness, when you look at the people I'm included with [in] receiving this award, I don't feel like I'm worthy of it, but I'm not going to pass it up." That wasn't the only big moment of the evening…
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The reunion we'd all been waiting for! At the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards — during which he performed a 15-minute medley of his hits in honor of receiving the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award — Justin Timberlake brought out his former *NSYNC bandmates to take the stage with him. Together, the boys melted our hearts with their iconic "Bye Bye Bye" choreography.
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And baby makes three! Justin Timberlake welcomed a son, Silas Randall Timberlake, with wife Jessica Biel in April 2015 (the couple is seen here at an awards show six months later). Justin commented in 2017 that he would like to teach his son what not to do as an adult. "Would I want my child to follow my path?" Justin mused during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "You know, I haven't been able to answer that question in my mind. If he wanted it bad enough, I suppose I could teach him a lot about what not to do."
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In 2015, Justin Timberlake was inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame, an occasion that was especially emotional for the Memphis, Tennessee, native. "I am truly honored to merely stand on the shoulders of all these legends that I grew up listening to, that I grew up admiring," he said at the podium. "And to say I stand alongside them now… Memphis, the greatest city in the world, and the Memphis Music Hall of Fame, you have given me and my family — who is clearly half of this section — the greatest honor this evening, and made us all very proud, and I only hope that I can continue to return the favor for as long as I live and breathe."
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After becoming a father, Justin Timberlake went on to star in one of his biggest movies ever — which produced one of his biggest soundtrack singles ever: He starred as the lead character, Branch, in the animated 2016 film "Trolls." It was a huge hit and the film's lead single, "Can't Stop the Feeling," was a major success for Justin (who's seen here at the movie's premiere). The single debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and became the bestselling song of the year in the States after moving 2.4 million copies. Justin also earned his first Academy Award nomination for the song!
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In February 2017, Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel enjoyed a night out when they attended the Academy Awards where he was up for best original song for "Can't Stop the Feeling" from "Trolls." (He ultimately lost to the "La La Land" track "City of Stars.")
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Justin Timberlake was a supportive husband to wife Jessica Biel during the 2018 Golden Globe Awards where Jessica was nominated for her first Globe (for best actress for her work in "The Sinner").
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After five years without an album release, Justin Timberlake was ready to return to music with his fifth studio album, "Man of the Woods." "It sounds more like where I've come from than any other music I've ever made… It's Southern American music. But I want to make it sound modern — at least that's the idea right now," Justin, seen here at a listening session for the project, told The Hollywood Reporter in 2017. The album, which was met with mixed reviews, dropped on Feb. 2, 2018 — just two days before JT's most recent Super Bowl halftime show performance — and closed the year as the sixth highest selling album of 2018.
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In April 2018, Justin Timberlake reunited with his old *NSYNC bandmates — Chris Kirkpatrick, Lance Bass, JC Chasez and Joey Fatone — when they were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The guys received the star 18 years after their third studio album, "No Strings Attached" — the bestselling album of 2000 — was released.
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Collegiate JT! Justin Timberlake received an honorary doctorate degree from the Berklee College of Music in May 2019 alongside fellow music star Missy Elliott.
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In August 2019, Justin Timberlake — an avid golfer — carried son Silas while walking with wife Jessica Biel at the Omega Celebrity Masters competition in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, where he won the top prize. A year later, the couple quietly welcomed another child — son Phineas — about eight months after JT found himself embroiled in a cheating scandal (he denied being unfaithful) that he sparked on a drunken night out in New Orleans with one of his co-stars from the film "Palmer."
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In January 2021, Justin Timberlake took part in the "Celebrating America" special marking President Joe Biden's inauguration. He performed a new song with Ant Clemons, "Better Days," from the Stax Museum of American Soul Music in Memphis, Tennessee, during the broadcast, which also included performances from Katy Perry, Demi Lovato, John Legend, Jon Bon Jovi, Tim McGraw, Tyler Hubbard and more.
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After reprising his voice role in 2020's "Trolls World Tour," Justin Timberlake starred in the drama "Palmer," which debuted on Apple TV+ in 2021. Justin took on the lead role of Eddie Palmer, an ex-convict and disgraced high school football star who, after getting out of jail, develops a bond with a boy from a troubled home. "I grew up in the rural South as a young boy," Justin told NPR in 2021. "And I found myself relating to both of our lead characters — you know, being a young boy and being interested in the arts. And on the other hand, I found myself really relating to a guy like Eddie. … I knew guys like that growing up that were football gods or basketball gods in our hometown and then school ends and there's this transition and they kind of don't know exactly what to do with themselves."
