Justin Timberlake Is Getting Canceled

His career may have taken a downturn in recent years, but in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Justin Timberlake was one of the biggest stars in the music world.

Riding high on his boyband success after leaving NSYNC and leveraging his romance with Britney Spears to launch a highly successful solo career, the singer has landed 25 Top 40 hits and sold his back catalog for $100 million in 2022.

But with the release of Spears' memoir The Woman in Me on October 24, the 42-year-old's reputation has taken a nosedive. Fans have been reassessing his past behavior, particularly his treatment of Spears and singer Janet Jackson.

Newsweek has reached out to Justin Timberlake for comment via email.

"There is no greater collective identity shattering for mid-late millennials than the creeping, decade-long revelation that we were actually brainwashed into thinking Justin Timberlake was hot and cool," wrote X user Louie.

"You can dismiss Britney Spears saying that Justin Timberlake pressured her into an abortion as silly gossip, but then add that to objectification (bragging publicly about taking her virginity) and then slut shaming (Cry Me a River) to sell an album. UGH," said Amee Vanderpool.

"I think Justin Timberlake knows he was the beginning of Britney's downfall," said Vale. "He egged the media on so much, he broke her heart, he talked about their business in interviews. Britney never did that to him and she was never the same after that breakup."

Others suggested that Timberlake's rumored desire for an NSYNC reunion is to offset the revelations in the 41-year-old's memoir. The band members came together for the first time in 10 years at the 2023 MTV VMAs, but said they are not currently working on new music.

"I knew there was a reason he was suddenly so interested in an NSYNC reunion," said Hilary Banks.

"[Spears] tanking the *Nsync reunion before it even happens i loveee my mother so much lmfao," said Magda.

However, some fans defended Timberlake, with Chelsea writing: "This whole thing with Britney's memoir is getting out of control.

"We must not let Britney's CHAOTIC fans get in the way of *NSYNC's (and Justin's) career!" she said. "Take your s*** and negativity and go somewhere else! We got your backs,@nsync &@jtimberlake!"

"She wouldn't have a career if it wasn't for NSYNC," said Steph Walsh." Her fans hating NSYNC is literally b*******. You wanna hate Justin bc she's still not over him go off I guess but the band is how she got her start."

Spears and Timberlake met as kids while starring together in Disney's The Mickey Mouse Club (1989 to 1994). They dated from 1999 to 2002, with the boyband star breaking up with her over text.

According to The Woman in Me, Timberlake ended the relationship after discovering a 14-page break-up letter in her belongings, shortly after Spears had a brief fling with choreographer Wade Robson.

Despite allegedly being unfaithful several times during their three-year relationship, Timberlake used the rumors of Spears' infidelity to launch his solo career. His single "Cry Me a River," from his debut album Justified, is about a man condemning his adulterous ex and features a Spears lookalike in the video. The PR stunt worked, with Spears' reputation taking a hit as a result.

"In the news media, I was described as a harlot who'd broken the heart of America's golden boy," the pop star wrote in the memoir.

"There's always more leeway in Hollywood for men than for women. And I see how men are encouraged to talk trash about women in order to become famous and powerful. But I was shattered."

News that Spears had an abortion during their relationship has also dented Timberlake's image. In an excerpt of The Woman in Me shared with People Magazine prior to release, the singer described the procedure as "one of the most agonizing things I have ever experienced in my life."

"It was a surprise, but for me, it wasn't a tragedy," Spears said in the excerpt. "But Justin definitely wasn't happy about the pregnancy. He said we weren't ready to have a baby in our lives, that we were way too young."

She continued: "I agreed not to have the baby. I don't know if that was the right decision. If it had been left up to me alone, I never would have done it. And yet Justin was so sure that he didn't want to be a father."

Although The Woman in Me includes some pretty damning revelations, Timberlake's reckoning really began with the 2021 documentary Framing Britney Spears.

A joint project by Hulu, FX and The New York Times, the film explored the former teen idol's career, the circumstances that resulted in her infamous 13-year-long conservatorship, and the media circus that surrounded her mental breakdown in the 2000s.

The documentary led to backlash against Timberlake, who leaked details of his relationship with Spears—including their sex life—during the press tour for Justified.

However, Timberlake's past treatment of Janet Jackson, with whom he performed at the 2004 Superbowl half-time show, has also contributed to his media downfall in recent years.

During the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show, Timberlake pulled down the front of Jackson's body suit, revealing her breast to the audience and viewers watching at home. CBS was fined $555,000 for the incident, making it the largest fine ever for "indecency" on TV.

As a result, Jackson lost work, with the network declining to promote her album Damita Jo. However, Timberlake received no repercussions, despite the stunt being non-consensual. Timberlake has since apologized to Jackson, and she accepted, but "Nipplegate" has remained a stain on his character.

Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, the pop star attempted to launch a movie career, starring in The Social Network (2010), Friends with Benefits (2011) and the Trolls franchise. However, his film success has never mirrored his music stardom, even with recent appearances in Apple TV+'s Palmer (2021) and Netflix's Reptile (2023).

His last album, Man of the Woods, was released in 2018. Although it reached Number 1 on the Billboard 200 and sold $293,000 records in its first week, the critical reception was mixed and sales were significantly lower than for his previous works.

In an article for Mamamia, journalist Chelsea McLaughlin describes Timberlake's legacy as "an uncomfortable tale of a man who continually succeeded off the back of other's losses."

In response to The Woman in Me, a source close to Timberlake told Entertainment Tonight: "Justin has been focusing on his own family and trying not to concern himself with Britney's memoir.

"In recent years, Justin has tried to be supportive of Britney from a distance. They dated so long ago, but he still has respect for her. Justin and Jessica (Timberlake's wife) just want everyone to grow and evolve instead of continuing to bring up the past."