Here's one way to make yourself a screen sensation: star in as many movies in a row as possible! Justin TImberlake is so ubiquitous as a film presence right now that it's bizarre how only a year ago, his casting as Sean Parker in The Social Network felt like a questionable anomaly. Now, there's no denying Timberlake's panache as a romantic lead, comic actor, and serious thespian talent. And to think it all began with Mickey ears and a failed trial with Ed McMahon. Let's reinspect nine moments in the evolution of Justin Timberlake.
1. The All-New Mickey Mouse Club
After a cowboy-hatted JT (then called "Justin Randall") lost as a tyke on Star Search, he quickly rebounded and earned a spot on the Disney Channel's talent factory, The All-New Mickey Mouse Club, a/k/a MMC. Timberlake played a number of comic roles, found a future bandmate in co-star J.C. Chasez, and worked alongside future superstars Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Keri Russell, and future Oscar-nominee Ryan Gosling. The outfits were only slightly less dour than Blue Valentine. "Come on, Randy; what do we have to lose?"
2. Model Behavior
You may think 'N Sync was just another Lou Pearlman confection that tore up the hearts of every preteen girl on Earth, but let me dazzle you with the group's many feats: Their 2000 album No Strings Attached became the fastest-selling debut of all time, bowing at 2.4 million copies in its first week of release; they sang their Academy Award-nominated hit "Music of the Heart" at the ceremony; they performed at the Super Bowl, the Olympics, and a number of times on sullen Carson Daly's not-so-sullen MTV phenomenon Total Request Live. It was during Timberlake's tenure in the group ('95-'02) that he made his true acting debut in the Disney Channel movie Model Behavior. (Skip to 7:01 to see Timberlake in action.)
3. JT goes indie
Listen here, young whippersnappers: Justin Timberlake didn't emerge as a cineplex draw right out of the gate. In fact, he began his silver screen journey with roles in smaller jams like Alpha Dog (which he's very good in!), Black Snake Moan (ditto!), and Southland Tales (not as much!). While it was impossible to tell that Timberlake would move seriously into acting only a couple years later, his self-assurance as an actor was always undeniable. Check out Timberlake in a memorable scene from Southland Tales below.
4. Shrek the Third
As Arthur Pendragon in the massively popular, minorly funny Shrek the Third, Timberlake earned the chance to show off some comic chutzpah while ceding the major goofball antics to Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy. You might even say his character was a send-up of his loverman persona. Hope that also helps you forgive The Love Guru.
5. SNL and "Dick in a Box"
Grammys became de rigueur for Timberlake as a musician, but who could've guessed that he'd end up a shoo-in for Emmys as well? As the most celebrated Saturday Night Live host of the past five years, he gave the series' Digital Shorts a major boost when he co-starred with Andy Samberg in the viral sensation "Dick in a Box" (also co-starring a hilariously thunderstruck Maya Rudolph). Yes, he'd make a cameo in "Jizz in My Pants" and come back to reprise his "Dick" role in "Motherlover," but Timberlake's first SNL stint remains most iconic.
6. The Social Network
Whoever cast Justin Timberlake as washed-up Napster entrepreneur Sean Parker in The Social Network deserves a special backrub, because the cocky role riffed on Timberlake's casual (but likable!) arrogance and 1999 musical credibility. He even unleashed the film's signature line: "A million dollars isn't cool, you know what's cool? A billion dollars." Almost everyone in Aaron Sorkin's 2010 Oscar-winning masterwork catapulted to bigger things afterward -- even one-scene wonder Rooney Mara has her own mega franchise -- but The Social Network transformed Timberlake into bona fide megaplex bait.
7. Bad Teacher
Did you see Bad Teacher? You didn't love it, which is a shame. But you consciously noted the fine casting of Timberlake as a pretty faculty member who plays a realistic romantic foil to Cameron Diaz's titular matriculator. Bad Teacher was more a solidification of Timberlake's talents than a bold step forward, but solidification is all you need to ensure continued opportunities on the big screen.
8. Friends with Benefits
It seems like we've heard about Friends with Benefits for about eight months now (oh, wait -- we have!), but the new news on the sexy romp is this: Timberlake plays an editor at GQ named Dylan (groan) who forges an emotion-free, sex-based relationship with his friend Jamie (Mila Kunis). No Strings Attached is a better version of this idea, but Timberlake may have a new career ahead of him as a shirtless... something. Shirtless something. Timberlake will next be seen in In Time, a sci-fi actioner with Amanda Seyfried out later this fall.