Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake didn't want to be just another broken pop toy trying to act out of pure boredom. In 2006 he took a supporting role in Alpha Dog to prove he could hold his own opposite method actors.

He was never just a singer passing through.

The validation of David Fincher

David Fincher trusted him to bring Sean Parker to life in The Social Network in 2010. That performance (arguably the sharpest of his career) brought industry validation and changed how Los Angeles casting directors saw him.

But his career hasn't been a straight line of applause. In 2011 he starred in In Time, and box office returns were lukewarm despite a strong premise. Audiences just never fully bought his image as a conventional action hero.

Her bet on drama paid off.

The refuge of animation and dry drama

In 2016 he voiced Branch in Trolls and handled the music production. That financial decision turned out to be one of the most profitable of his life, grossing $346 million.

Then came Palmer in 2021. It's a small film in which he plays an ex-convict returning to his hometown. Timberlake stripped away any trace of aesthetic shine to deliver a restrained, honest performance.

Silence suits him.

In 2023 he shot Reptile with Benicio del Toro under director Grant Singer. The shoot focused on an oppressive atmosphere in which Timberlake plays a suspicious real estate agent. At this stage, he prefers characters with shadows over the spotlight.

The film Trolls Band Together closed its theatrical run in 2023 with a worldwide box office of $209 million.