Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American singer, songwriter, actor and record producer. Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, he appeared on the television shows Star Search and The All-New Mickey Mouse Club as a child. In the late 1990s, Timberlake rose to prominence as one of the two lead vocalists and youngest member of NSYNC, which eventually became one of the best-selling boy bands of all time. During the group's hiatus, Timberlake released his debut solo album, the R&B-focused Justified,...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPop Singer
Date of Birth31 January 1981
CityMemphis, TN
CountryUnited States of America
Sometimes I don't even know what to name a song when I get done with it, and I'll let somebody else tell me what I should call it because it's whatever stuck in their head.
Sometimes a producer and an artist get together and they make magic like Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson. As far as my own music career - you could liken my chemistry with Timbaland to Marty Scorsese and Robert De Niro.
My mother is a ball of fire in the world, and I love that about her. But what I have learned from my stepdad is something as important, which is patience and compassion. Because when you are living with someone else, those two qualities go a long way.
In films, I didn't crave the type of attention I had sort of stumbled into in my music career. And I do not audition well. I'm really not good at it. Early on, I did movies like 'Alpha Dog' and 'Black Snake Moan' because the directors didn't ask me to audition.
I'm such a Type A personality - when it comes to a road trip, I plan my food so far in advance. I roll hard with a cooler. I don't mess around. I want to avoid ending up eating fast food. I try to stay away from that.
I was raised in a very humble environment, and I was always taught to be humble to the things that are happening in my life because they're blessings. They're blessings in every way. Whether you're able to help someone get through a tough time in their life through your music or through comedy, or whatever it is, you're just a channel.
I think when I was about 12 or 13, my dad started taking me out to the local golf course, and that's the first time I ever hit a golf ball. I picked it up pretty quickly, just kind of monkey-see, monkey-do. But when I was 12, golf was so slow to me. For me, it was basketball, girls and music.
I think the only way to achieve something that's classic is to be in the moment. You don't sit around and think, 'Oh, I hope this is remembered forever!' You just have to be honest, and I think that requires being in the moment.
I think it's important to remember that you go into something like marriage knowing that you don't know very much about it at all. But I do look at the marriage of my mother and stepdad, and what makes it work for them is that it's a team effort.
I think I had a knack for music, but I think what I was more sort of talented at more than anything, because I don't think I'm a great singer, I think that I grew up imitating different voices that I heard.
I had a Jackson 5 wig that I would wear around, and I would do, like, the dances from the Jackson 5, and, you know, my mother thought that was hysterical. So of course, that seed got planted very early, the physicality of comedy.
Hosting 'SNL' was something I'd always wanted to do. The show allowed me to play to my strengths - mixing music with comedy seemed like a way into that world.
Honestly, when you're making a movie, you never say, 'Oh, this one's going to suck and go straight to video.' When you're in it, you think you're doing the best work you can do. You're surrounded by people who are working hard. Everybody's hopeful.
Golf is me and buddies out having a good time, but most of all, golf is about me and my dad. Anytime I think of golf, I think about my dad. He taught me how to hit a golf ball, and he got me playing.