20 Details About Justin Timberlake’s Past No One Really Remembers

Justin Timberlake might seem like he has it all: a lovely wife he’s grateful to have found, an impressive career that has lasted for decades and the adoration of millions of fans. Although all of these things are true, he has remained humble. As for how he has managed to do that, well, that has something to do with his upbringing and the fact that he was raised in a small town in Tennessee.

Timberlake is certainly not a typical A-lister. He has had an interesting career, but also an interesting personal life. Some fans might not know that Britney Spears and his wife, Jessica Biel, are not the only famous celebs he has dated, or that Timberlake found it tough to find a woman he wanted to be with because there was already a very special lady in his life (his mom) who no one could compare to.

Below are 20 things about Justin Timberlake’s past that no one really remembers, or perhaps, they didn’t know to begin with.

20. When He Was A Teenager He Dated Fergie (This Was Before Britney Spears)

Via Justin Timberlake Instagram

Justin Timberlake’s most famous relationship, before he married Jessica Biel, was, arguably, with Britney Spears, but there was another famous women in his life, even before this. According to PopSugar, Timberlake dated Fergie when he was 16.

Perhaps few people know about their romance because the relationship wasn’t all that serious.

At least, not according to Fergie. “We went to Hawaii together, but we were never serious”, she said, as Us Magazine reports. “He was Mr. Right Now”.

19. He’s Got A Serious Interest In The NBA Team, Memphis Grizzlies

Via Justin Timberlake Instagram

Justin Timberlake likes basketball and he has made this clear. But he might have more of an interest in the Memphis Grizzlies team than the average fan does, and that’s because he has shares in the team.

According to ESPN, Timberlake has been a minority owner of the team since 2012. He was also involved in a recruiting pitch in 2016, to try and get point guard Mike Conley signed to the team.

His choice of team also makes sense, considering Timberlake was born in Memphis.

18. He Had To Have Throat Surgery In 2005

Via Justin Timberlake Instagram

Justin Timberlake is known around the world for his charisma, and of course, his voice, so it must have been stressful for him in 2005 when he had to undergo throat surgery because of benign growths on his vocal cords.

According to People, Timberlake had an operation in a Los Angeles hospital to remove throat nodules, and following the operation, he was required to rest his voice for three months. Luckily, everything went well, because Timberlake has continued to enjoy a successful singing career.

17. He Grew Up In A Small Town (And Still Loves The Slower Pace Of Life)

Via Justin Timberlake Instagram

Justin Timberlake might be a mega-famous star now, but he is reminded to always stay humble. This is partly thanks to how he was raised.

In fact, he misses the slower pace of life, and spoke about this with The Guardian in a 2011 interview. He said, “I grew up in a small town and I could count my friends on one hand, and I still live that way. I think I’ll die in a small town. When I can’t move my bones around a stage any more, you’ll find me living in a place that’s spread out and rural and spacious”.

16. He Is Super Close To His Mom And It Was Hard To Find A Woman As Great As Her

Via Daily Mail

Justin Timberlake has a close relationship with his mother, Lynn Harless, and their closeness even made it hard for him to find a woman who he thought could rival her greatness.

He spoke about this in an interview with Rolling Stone, saying, “We have a very special relationship. She’s been my best friend since I figured out who I wanted to be. She’s always been there beside me, and I think that’s part of my problem with girls. You keep searching for somebody as good as your mother, and that’s a losing battle”.

15. He Released A Memoir In 2018, Which He Had Been Working On For A While

Via Justin Timberlake Instagram

Justin Timberlake has been in the public eye since a young age, and he has led an interesting life, which is probably why he wanted to put pen to paper and tell fans a bit about it, in his own words.

In 2018, Timberlake released a memoir titled, Hindsight: & All the Things I Can’t See in Front of Me, and he told fans on social media that he had been working on it for “a while”.

It’s Timberlake’s first book, and offers a glimpse into his life, including the time he spent with Ryan Gosling when they were on The Mickey Mouse Club, and information about his wedding vows.

14. People Still Can’t Get Over His Breakup With Britney Spears

Via Us Weekly

Justin Timberlake is happily married to Jessica Biel, and has been since 2012, but even now, fans still think about his former relationship with Britney Spears. And who can forget it, in part because of their matching denim outfits?!

There are countless articles about Timberlake and Spears’s relationship, years after their breakup in 2002, and there have been many reports about a reunion over the years. These include talk of Spears joining Timberlake during his Super Bowl Halftime Show and a musical collaboration, neither of which happened.

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13. He Really Struggled To Get Over Britney

Via IHeartRadio

Some fans might still not be over Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears’s breakup, and it turns out Timberlake also struggled to move on. He spoke about their split in 2002, six months after they broke up, and according to The Telegraph, he admitted it had been hard on him. The publication also notes that there were reports at the time of Timberlake even hiring a hypnotist to help him get over the breakup.

“The break-up was absolutely heartbreaking for me”, he said. “I can’t just have meaningless relationships with women. I have to find Miss Right in order to have a relationship.

There’s got to be that big moment when she comes along”.

12. But Now, Jessica Biel Is The Best Thing That’s Ever Happened To Him

Via Justin Timberlake Instagram

In 2002, Justin Timberlake had his heart broken, but he knew he had to wait to find the woman who he was going to spend the rest of his life with, and he found that woman in his wife, Jessica Biel.

The couple married in 2012, and Timberlake seems to be incredibly happy. Speaking about his relationship during an interview with Ellen DeGeneres in 2013 (via People), he said,

“Every once in a while I catch a glimpse of her when she doesn’t see me looking and I have this moment when I’m like, ‘If you never make a good decision, if you only make bad decisions for the rest of your life, you made one really good decision”.

If that’s not the most romantic thing you’ve ever heard, we don’t know what is.

11. He Is Really, Really Afraid Of Spiders

Via Justin Timberlake Instagram

Most people are afraid of something, but that something for Justin Timberlake is spiders. Seriously, if he sees one he is not going to go near it.

“I’m really, really scared of spiders”, Timberlake told Smash Hits magazine (via E! News). He then went on to recall a funny story, explaining, “I was staying at a nice hotel and I had to call reception because I spotted one in my room”.

10. He Once Cried On An Episode Of Punk’d (Which Broke Everyone’s Heart)

Via Justin Timberlake Instagram

Ashton Kutcher made a name for himself with his reality TV show, Punk’d. It was a show that saw Kutcher play pranks on other Hollywood stars, some a little more dramatic than others. But it was the first episode of the show, back in 2003, that remains in everyone’s minds because it involved Justin Timberlake, and a scenario which left him in tears.

MTV recalls the episode. Justin Timberlake was told that he owed $900,000 in back taxes. Fake U.S. agents started seizing his home and valuable items. When his dogs were brought up, Justin Timberlake started to cry.

9. He Was On The Mickey Mouse Club And Is Close To His Co-Star Ryan Gosling

Via Reddit

A lot of well-known celebrities got their start on The Mickey Mouse Club, and Justin Timberlake was a part of the show from 1993 to 1994. According to The Scottish Sun, Timberlake was just 12 when he appeared on the variety show, and he was joined by other stars, including Ryan Gosling.

Timberlake and Gosling ended up becoming good friends, and Zimbio states that the pair were “inseparable”. Gosling even lived with Timberlake and his family while they were filming.

8. He Owned A Golf Course (An Eco-Friendly One, No Less)

Via Justin Timberlake Instagram

Justin Timberlake owned a golf course called Mirimichi, in Memphis, Tennessee, and according to Ecorazzi, it is one of the most eco-friendly courses in the United States. Some of the reasons for this is that the staff promote green initiatives and the golf course also serves as a nature reserve.

Golf Channel notes that Timberlake bought the golf course in 2009 and spent millions revamping it, but in 2014 he ended up selling it to a local businessman for a lot less than he invested in it.

7. JT’s Parents Taught Him To Stay Humble, Despite His Success

Via Justin Timberlake Instagram

Justin Timberlake has achieved a lot in his life, but he has tried to remain humble. He credits his childhood for helping him to remember that everything that has happened to him in his life is a blessing.

“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”,

he said, according to The Odyssey Online. “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”.

6. He Has Had An Interesting Career And Has Even Recorded A McDonald’s Theme Song

Via Justin Timberlake Instagram

Is there anything Justin Timberlake can’t do? He’s got a memoir, he’s been the star of one of the Super Bowl halftime shows and he has had many successful albums and tours, but Justin Timberlake has also recorded a McDonald’s theme song.

According to Billboard, in 2003 Timberlake signed a “multi-tiered sponsorship deal” with the fast food chain for their marketing campaign. The deal required Timberlake to appear in a number of “I’m Lovin’ It” commercials, in which he also sang.

5. He Has Known NSYNC Bandmate JC Chasez Since Childhood

Via FanPop

Before Justin Timberlake embarked on a successful solo career, he formed part of the hit ’90s boy band, NSYNC. The band was formed in 1995, and consisted of five members in total: Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone and Chris Kirkpatrick. But Timberlake and Chasez go way back, and actually starred on The Mickey Mouse Club together.

4. Justin Is A Talented Songwriter And Co-Wrote 13 Songs On His First Album

Via Justin Timberlake Instagram

If you thought that Justin Timberlake was one of those artists who just went to the recording studio to sing a song that was written for him, you’d be wrong. He has been involved in the entire creative process of his music, including co-writing songs from his first album, Justified.

According to PopSugar, Timberlake co-wrote all 13 songs on the album.

Timberlake has also spoken about writing one of his most famous songs, “Cry Me A River” (which many believe to be about his break-up with Britney Spears), explaining in his memoir that it took just two hours to write, Peoplereports.

3. But He Doesn’t Want You To Call Him Cool

Via Justin Timberlake Instagram

When choosing an adjective to describe Justin Timberlake, cool may come to mind, but this is a term he prefers not to use because he doesn’t believe it adequately describes him. In an interview with GQ (via E! News), he said, “Listen, I’m not cool”. He then went on to explain what he meant, saying,

“Being cool is about keeping your blood pressure steady. So no, don’t be cool. Be passionate.

Be dedicated. Be tenacious. Be uncompromising. Be happy. Be sad”.

2. He Got A Taste Of Fame On Star Search, Despite Not Winning

Via Justin Timberlake Instagram

In 1992, when Justin Timberlake (or Justin Randall as he was known then) was 11 years old he competed on the TV talent competition, Star Search. He lost to a 10-year-old girl named Anna Nardona who never went on to pursue a career in entertainment.

Rolling Stone notes that many famous singers who went on to make it big actually didn’t win on the competition, and in addition to Timberlake, these included Christina Aguilera and Usher.

1. Having A Son Has Taught Him So Much About His Own Life

Via Justin Timberlake Instagram

Justin Timberlake can also add father to the long list of words to describe him. He and wife, Jessica Biel, share a son, Silas Randall Timberlake, who was born in 2015. Since his arrival, a lot has changed in Timberlake’s life.

Most notably, he has learned a lot about his own life, and he shared these thoughts in his memoir. “Having a child has been the pinnacle of my life”, he writes, as Entertainment Tonight reports.

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