As Movieline's discussion with Social Network stars Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake continued, the on-screen rivals and off-screen friends looked toward the next steps in their careers. Timberlake has seemingly refocused his priorities, putting music on hold to make back-to-back films (after this month's Yogi Bear, he'll have no less than three starring vehicles in 2011) and, in doing so, attempt to build up his stock as a serious actor and leading man. Garfield, meanwhile, is about to slingshot out the relative obscurity of his career to date with the most coveted role in young Hollywood: Playing Peter Parker in Marc Webb's Spider-Man reboot.
Timberlake cheered Garfield ("I think you'll see a Peter Parker who goes to some places you haven't seen him go before"), Garfield cheered Spidey ("I compare it to how we don't get bored of seeing different people play Hamlet, and we don't get bored of seeing different people play King Lear"), and the veteran multi-hyphenate passed on sage words of advice to the superhero-in-training. Then we put Timberlake on the spot and got an answer to the burning question spoofed in his recent Saturday Night Live appearance ("So, when is your next album coming out?") -- but will JT fans rejoice?
You two are young successful guys yourself --
TIMBERLAKE: I'm not as young as I used to be.
GARFIELD: I'm not as successful as I seem.
What has helped you in your respective careers to avoid the pitfalls that entrap your characters as they achieve greater and greater success?
TIMBERLAKE: I think we both feel very lucky to be doing something that we love to do, because how many people in the world get to say that? And when you come from that place, there's no way you could ever take any of it for granted.
GARFIELD: You know what's crazy, and what's incredible and amazing about this film? The process of doing this film was enough. But the fact that people have responded to it with such passion across the board, that's insane. Because I think, for the most part, people who make movies really care about the movies they make, and for the most part films aren't responded to en masse in such a positive way and we're aware of that. But what I said first is paramount; to be a part of this kind of work was inspiring.
TIMBERLAKE: But also I think we spend enough time talking about what we're doing right now, and in the future, and what we've done in the past. It's nice to know that I'll always look back on the experience of The Social Network and Andrew and I and Jesse are linked for life.
GARFIELD: That's right.
TIMBERLAKE: We had such an experience, and I think we do what we do because we love the experience, we love the process. And if it becomes a movie that's as brilliant as something David Fincher would do, that's the icing on the cake. The fact that people have responded to this movie in so many different ways, but mostly passionately, is really nice. It's nice to talk about a movie you love.
Andrew, you've worked up an impressive and acclaimed filmography in mostly smaller films to date, but you're on the cusp of something altogether different: superhero-level fame. Have you prepared for what's about to happen to you as you jump into Spider-Man?
GARFIELD: [Shaking head] Nah.
TIMBERLAKE: I think that Andrew will be just fine. He's got a great head on his shoulders and I think he'll attack his role as Peter Parker in the same way that he attacked his role as Eduardo, and he'll put as much care and attention and heart and thought and all of the good things he comes to a film with as an actor.
GARFIELD: That's very sweet.
TIMBERLAKE: I think he'll apply that to Peter Parker, and he obviously does a great American accent. I think he'll be just fine, I think you'll see a Peter Parker who goes to some places you haven't seen him go before.
GARFIELD: This links in with what we were talking about -- the pitfalls and things to not focus on. And thank you very much for saying what you just said; it's very astute and I appreciate it. In a way, I'm approaching it as another job that I care about as deeply as any other job I've ever cared about. If I start to think about the obvious pratfalls and pitfalls of doing something like this, if I start to read things on the Internet, then it's game over. It's just about exploring and telling a story that I've cared about since I was 4 years old -- that I see as belonging to everyone and no one. I compare it to how we don't get bored of seeing different people play Hamlet, and we don't get bored of seeing different people play King Lear. I consider this role as the same kind of mythology as those roles. There are modern myths, and I feel like this is just another generation and a legacy that will hopefully go on forever meaning so much to other skinny boys throughout the ages. But f*** the pitfalls and f*** all the rest. It's all about enjoying the work you do and working hard at it and caring.
Justin, you're a veteran of the industry. Do you have any words of advice to Andrew on what he's about to experience?
TIMBERLAKE: I was impressed with all of the actors in the movie -- who they are and the people that I know they are going to stay. I have been in this business for a long time. Accepting that you're about to be 30, you sort of accept a lot of things - [including] injury - and I did grow up in this business but I never thought of it that way. I just always loved what I did, because it could have been anything if I loved doing it. I've always attacked what I do with the fact that I don't think that I'm the best singer and I don't think I'm the best songwriter and I obviously don't think I'm the best actor, but I have a specific point of view and I have a voice and I think that's what's important to believe in. I think Andrew believes in that, and he should. The same with Jesse and even Armie [Hammer], who towers over us even though he's 24. All of the actors in the film, I'm very proud to know as people.
You recently appeared on Saturday Night Live in an Inside the Actor's Studio sketch, in which Andy Samberg asked you when your next album is coming out. So seriously, when is your next album coming out? Or, has your career focus changed?
TIMBERLAKE: You know when you make a joke about people asking you questions, you can't take the joke that I made and then turn it into you asking me the same question, right? [Laughs] I don't know. Maybe soon, hopefully. That would be exciting. Music still excites me, but the business of it right now seems very sketchy to me. That wouldn't be the reason for me to say I'm not going to do anything, but in the last year I wrapped Social Network and then I started Bad Teacher, and then I wrapped Bad Teacher and went into revamping Friends with Benefits, and then I finished Friends with Benefits and now I'm doing this movie [the sci-fi film Now]. All I ever ask of myself is to be inspired, and if I wake up in the morning and say I have to do this, that's when I say yes to a project.
Both of my albums were written that way, both of my solo projects were written that way. I woke up and said, "I can't f***ing take it anymore, I have to write music and I know what sound I want." I know specifically what I want, because in writing an album, you're the writer, you're the producer, you're the director. You know, it's an immense amount of responsibility that you put on yourself. It's a huge undertaking and it's not fair, in my opinion, to look in the mirror and say, "OK, while you're doing this movie why don't you work on music on the side?" And then expect that I would be as happy with the outcome as I would if I just stop everything I'm doing and have tunnel vision with it, because that's how I work. So I don't think one should live in the shadow of the other, and I don't know if it's fair to project that onto me, but it's something that happens. That's where that joke came from, and you have to make light of it, of everything, otherwise you fall into a dark hole.