The Heat Interview: Justin Timberlake

I love Britney. She’s wonderful. I just think our timing was off.

Justin Timberlake is one half of the most famous break-ups in celebrity history. But, as Jo Carnegie finds out, getting to the truth about it isn’t easy.

Things are about to kick off: heat is in LA to interview Justin Timberlake just weeks before the 21-year-old *NSYNC star releases his first solo album Justified. It’s a surprisingly grown-up debut; a mix of, as he puts it, “rock, hip-hop and R&B”. The industry has such high hopes for Justin that stellar names like P Diddy and Janet Jackson rushed to collaborate with him on the album.

But, of course, what heat wants to know, along with the rest of the world, is exactly what went on between him and his ex-girlfriend Britney Spears. The pair, who first met on US TV’s The Mickey Mouse Club aged 11, went out together for four years. Since they announced their split in March, rumours have been circulating wildly. First that Justin dumped Britney because she wanted to get married. Then there was a story that Britney had, in fact, cheated on him. When Justin’s bandmate Joey Fatone appeared at a charity event wearing a T-shirt that appeared to insult Britney, it only added to speculation, as did reports of the couple having slanging matches in LA nightclubs.

Since the split, Justin’s frequently been portrayed as a playboy – we’ve heard he’s been dating *NSYNC dancer Jenna Dewan, Britney’s rival Christina Aguilera, and having hot sex with Janet Jackson. More recently, he has reportedly been seeing Charmed star Alyssa Milano, eight years his senior.

So, as you can understand, we have a lot of questions to put to Justin. Unfortunately, his obsessively protective American publicists don’t share our vision. They’ve let us fly 4, 000 miles over the Atlantic before deciding that, in fact, they aren’t going to let us ask him anything at all about Britney or his love life. Three days of arguing and demands ensue. First the interview is off. Then it’s on again – providing they can see the questions. When we refuse, the interview is off again. Then it’s back on, providing heat promises to only ask one question about Britney – a question of their choice. We’re damned if we’ve flown all this way for nothing, so heat agrees. But hey, we never were very good at keeping our promises…

When we finally walk into one of the bungalows of the exclusive Chateau Marmont hotel, just off Sunset Boulevard, a huge minder is sitting by the front door. He doesn’t smile when we introduce ourselves and grips our hand in a formidable handshake lasting at least 15 seconds.

Finally, we get to meet Justin. And yes, as Britney has said herself, he is very cute. Over six feet tall, he has a Beckham-esque physique of broad shoulders and lean, narrow torso. His large blue eyes, the colour of faded denim, look out guardedly from beneath a baseball cap, which has the words “Work Sucks” emblazoned across it. [All right, we get the message.]

Justin is tired. He has also been warned that we want to ask him about his love life. It’s tricky. Here he is, for all his success and millions, a 21-year-old kid who’s had his heart-broken for the first time. According to one of the friendlier factions of the Timberlake camp, he is “still hurting about it”. But unfortunately, as Justin knows only too well, having your private life exposed is part and parcel of being famous.

For the record, when Justin isn’t being forced on to the subject of Britney, he is dry and funny, But in the meantime, there are two publicists and his music manager sitting in on the interview – one of whom has been instructed by Justin’s lawyer to turn heat’s tape recorder off if we dare to go beyond our one allotted question. Yes, they are that paranoid.

We hear you’re a big Manchester United fan.

Mmm.

Do you follow them?

As much as I can.

You should try and catch a game when you visit the UK.

[Silence]

Your album’s really good.

[Perking up] Thank you.

Like I Love You is the first single from it. What’s it about?

It’s about being completely infatuated and in love with this girl.

Where did you get inspiration for the song?

From my experiences.

Anyone in particular?

[No-nonsense tone] Just from experiences I’ve had.

Is this the end of *NSYNC?

No, I don’t think so.

Everyone from a pop group says that when they do their first solo album.

This isn’t me going solo. This is my first album, I want everyone to know that the two can exist together.

You’ve had some interesting hairstyles in your time. The Afro was especially brilliant.

[Smiles] Do I detect a sense of sarcasm?

Never. We have to say though, we loved it when you shaved your head.

Really? I was thinking about shaving it again.

You should.

You think I should?

It was a big hit. You turned into a bit of a sex god overnight. What happened.

I don’t know.

You do realise that you’re going to have a lot of British women throwing themselves at you when you come over to promote your album…

All after a piece of my big old American Pie.

They certainly will. Be warned…

I appreciate your concern. [Laughs] I’ll probably get over there and there’ll be, like, one old granny going [puts on shaky voice], “I think your music is really hot”.

In the UK, we’ve got this image that all celebs in LA are teetotal.

Everybody I know here drinks.

Do you go mad for it when you hit the town then?

When I go out, I dance. I get on the floor, I cut a rug.

Cut a rug? In England we throw a shape.

No, we’re in America at the moment, sweetheart. When I come to England, then we can throw a shape. [Laughs]

How does one cut a rug then?

You fucking dance like you’ve never danced before.

You’re actually quite funny. We thought you’d be one of those bland Hollywood types.

Well, that’s cool. I’m not Hollywood though.

I heard you were worried about doing this interview today.

I was?

Well, that’s what I’ve been told. I don’t know what your perception is of us but…

[Interrupts] I’ve got no preconceptions.

I’ve been told I can’t ask you about certain things but let me explain the situation.

OK.

The thing everyone is talking about is your love life.

OK.

If you don’t set the record straight, people are going to keep asking you about it.

Yeah, I get it.

You get what?

I get the concept.

So if you want to set the rumours straight, it will be…

[Interrupts] It will be a little easier?

Yup.

Erm…

The atmosphere has become very uncomfortable to say the least. Trying to postpone our one killer Britney question as long as possible, heat decides to just sit back to see if Justin starts talking. Sixteen seconds pass. It feels like an age. But then he starts to talk. And talk. A look of panic crosses the publicists’ faces.

Well, I am single. [Pauses again] At the moment I am very single. And if you want to know the truth about the way I feel, I don’t want a girlfriend. I had a girlfriend for four years and it was wonderful. [At this point heat decides to shut up completely.]

I love Britney. I think she’s a wonderful person. I just think our timing was off.

[Encouraging smile]

For the past six months… [Sighs] I’ve been trying to live my life in a different way. On top of that, I’ve been very upset about the things that keep being said about me. It went from “he’s this goody two shoes” to “playboy” as soon as I broke up with Britney.

[Raised eyebrow]

Or as soon as we broke up, should I say.

[Nodding of head]

At first, I was like, “I don’t give a shit what people call me.” But this has been the one thing in my life that has been so close to my heart for four years. I’ve held on to so much out of respect, but at the same time, I’m so torn. I don’t understand why there’s been this “mock-up” of who people think I am. Because I never did anything wrong.

[Sympathetic noise]

And the truth is, we’re not together. Why we’re not together is our business. Nobody’s entitled to it. I wish that things could have been different.

[Empathetic look]

As far as the people I’ve been linked to go – I know Janet, we’re good friends, we’re not dating. I have never had any interaction with Christina Aguilera – period. And as for the rest of them, it’s pretty much the same.

Apparently you’re meant to be dating Alyssa Milano now.

[Corrects my pronunciation] A-lyss-a

Oh, so you do know her then?

That’s the next one I’ve been linked to/

Have you met her?

Yeah, I know Alyssa. But the hardest thing for me to do as a celebrity is date, So even if I was dating somebody, I wouldn’t tell y’all. I’m not being a dick. It’s just that my life is my life.

So you’re saying that even if you weren’t single you wouldn’t tell me?

I am single.

OK. I’ve been told I can only as you the following question: What’s the deal with you and Britney? But I’m going to ask you something else instead.

[Publicists visibly stiffen around the table.]

Did she cheat on you?

I can’t comment on it.

Why not? You were quoted in the press saying…

[PR interrupts: "Stop"]

No, that’s cool, you can explain it.

You said, “Something bad has happened”. That sounds ominous. Did she cheat on you?

Well, it’s not my job to clarify anybody’s interpretation. Even if…[Stops and thinks] It’s hard to go through. I will say that I love her. We both made a promise to each other not to talk about it.

So you’re not going to tell me if she cheated on you?

[PR interrupts again: "Stop there"]

OK, but it seems you genuinely still care for her. Are you annoyed the press are making out there’s some bad blood between you both?

Yeah, it upsets me because I don’t want people saying anything bad about either of us. I wish that what we had could just be between us. We could just honour it for what it is or what it may be in the future.

Are you going to get back together then?

[Warning nudge from PR]

I don’t know.

You’re not sure? That’s a pretty big statement to make…

I don’t know how I feel. I know I’m still friends with her and I love her family. They will always be close to mine. That’s as much as I can say about it.

OK. I can understand why you don’t want some random stranger from across the pond asking you about your love life.

That’s cool. [Does a big stretch.]

[Clutching at straws] Do you do yoga?

No, but I’m going to get into it because I am so not flexible.

Try to touch your toes…

[Jumps up] See, I can do it. [Sits down again] I though you were going to smack my ass then.

I was holding myself back.

Sorry, I should say [puts on very good English accent], “My bum”.

The publicists announce the interview is over. We don’t know who’s more relieved, heat or Justin. Under the circumstances, he’s proved to be a pretty good sport. Unlike the people who work for him.