Interesting Facts About Justin Timberlake

A teen heartthrob's popularity is often fleeting as the idols and their fans grow older. Justin Timberlake seemed to understand this better than most. Not content to rest on his laurels as the front man of a hugely popular "boy band," Timberlake successfully transformed himself into an appealing entertainer for adult audiences.

Justin Randall Timberlake spent his early years in Memphis, Tennessee. When Justin was seven years old, his parents divorced. He moved with his mother to Orlando, Florida. For as long as anyone in his family can remember, Timberlake was an entertainer, always singing, dancing, and telling jokes. As a child, he considered holidays largely an opportunity to perform before a bigger-than-usual audience. As he grew older, Timberlake practiced singing by mimicking songs on the radio. He learned to dance by watching MTV.

After the move to Orlando, he entered every talent contest he could. He won many of them, including one that challenged contestants to dance like the members of the group New Kids on the Block. Timberlake also began taking professional music lessons—piano, guitar, and voice. He performed in school plays and talent shows.

In 1992, 11-year-old Timberlake made his national television debut on the talent show Star Search. For the performance, he sang country songs while wearing a cowboy hat and a fringed shirt. Although he did not win the competition, the exposure brought invitations to audition. One of those auditions landed Timberlake a spot as a Mouseketeer on the Disney Channel's Mickey Mouse Club. During his two years on the show (1992–94), he became friends with his fellow cast members: future *NSYNC singer J.C. Chasez; actress Keri Russell; and eventual pop superstars Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.

The Mickey Mouse Club was canceled in 1994. A year later, Timberlake and Chasez were approached by singer Chris Kirkpatrick, who wanted to start a vocal group. Eventually, they were joined by Joey Fatone and Lance Bass. The group called themselves *NSYNC.

The group's first concerts were in Europe, where they were an instant hit. In 1998, *NSYNC finally achieved similar success in the United States with the release of their self-titled debut album. In 2000, a second album, No Strings Attached, sold an astonishing 2.4 million records in its first week. The third album, Celebrity, appeared in 2001 and was nearly as successful.

By the end of 2000, *NSYNC was the biggest act to emerge from the "boy band" craze of the late 1990s. Teenage girls were as enthusiastic about the band members' good looks and tightly choreographed dance moves as they were about the group's upbeat pop melodies and lyrics. Timberlake, who was the youngest in the group, emerged almost immediately as the most dynamic and charismatic member. He quickly became popular with fans.

Timberlake's solo album, Justified, appeared in 2002. By then, he had made several forays into acting, including playing the romantic lead in a made-for-TV movie, Model Behavior. He has also made guest appearances on many television programs, including Clueless; Sabrina, the Teenage Witch; and The Simpsons.

Timberlake's second solo album FutureSex/LoveSounds appeared in 2006. In 2007, Timberlake made his debut on the big screen in Alpha Dog . He also lent his vocal talents to the animated film Shrek the Third (2007).

When he's not performing or recording, Timberlake enjoys playing basketball with his friends. He also donates time to various charities, including his own, the Justin Timberlake Foundation; it supports music and arts education in public schools.