We Can't Get Over These Rumors About Jessica Biel And Justin Timberlake
Whenever a celebrity falls in love and goes public with that relationship, it's a certainty that romance will generate headlines. When two celebrities begin dating, however, those efforts go into overdrive, with gossip columns reporting on every tiny nuance and minor detail with breathless anticipation. Sometimes the media will even come up with a cutesy nickname for the couple, like "Bennifer," or "Brangelina." And while those stories typically start out positively, focusing on PDA or hand-holding — or are-they-or-are-they if the celebs in question haven't officially confirmed the relationship — things tend to take a turn.
If those celebs wind up getting married, the wedding is typically covered ad nauseum. Once those celebs settle into domesticity, however, there's considerably less to write about, and readers begin losing interest. It's at that point that speculation often arises, claiming that they're on the cusp of a breakup — funny the way that works, huh?
Which brings us to pop star Justin Timberlake and actor Jessica Biel, who began dating in 2007, and experienced a variety of ups and downs before tying the knot in 2012. In the decade-plus since, the couple has been at the center of various rumors — and even the occasional scandal — about the state of their marriage. Which of those rumors are true and which aren't, of course, is something of an open question, but that certainly hasn't quelled speculation. In the meantime, though, we can't get over these rumors about Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake's relationship.
Justin Timberlake supposedly had an affair with Rihanna
In 2009, gossip website Hollyscoop.com claimed Justin Timberlake was cheating on Jessica Biel with "Umbrella" singer Rihanna. "He is really into her," the site declared (via Marie Claire). "Justin and Rihanna have been seeing each other for the past few weeks." Supermarket tabloid Star magazine offered even more salacious details, claiming that they'd had a hotel room hookup, and that Timberlake had told RiRi things were winding down with Biel.
"They tried to keep it a secret, but Jessica found out within days," a source told Star. "She must be a wreck." However, another source poured cold water on that rumor, telling People that Timberlake and Rihanna were not romantically involved, but simply working on a musical collaboration. "They were in the studio for her album and they'll be going back in again," People's tipster said.
The following year, the Daily Star (via Digital Spy) quoted a supposed "friend of Rihanna," who told the outlet, "She said it was really good, hot and wild and that they have some of the best make-out sessions she's ever experienced." That said, Star magazine hasn't had a great track record in the truth department, having been taken to task for running a story claiming Sandra Bullock's longtime partner Bryan Randall dumped her (embarrassingly published shortly after he died from ALS); Katie Holmes once sued the tabloid for $50 million back over a bogus story implying she was addicted to drugs.
Why did Lindsay Lohan call Justin a 'cheater' in a tweet?
Typically, it's been supermarket tabloids and gossip columns that have spread rumors about Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel, but one rumor can actually be attributed to another celebrity. That was the case with a tweet issued by scandal-plagued star Lindsay Lohan in 2009, referencing infidelity.
According to Page Six, it all started when an allegedly intoxicated Timberlake was partying hard in a NYC nightclub. "He was drinking tequila all night," said a source. "At one point, he cleared out a little space and started break dancing. He was bumping into people and spilling drinks. It was hilarious." The source also alleged that Lohan was at the same hotspot, and attempted to work her way into Timberlake's orbit to dance with him, but "he shooed her away." Later that night, Lohan tweeted, "where's jb cheater," apparently referencing Biel. She followed that up with an even more curious tweet, asking, "Why do people cheat?" However, Lohan denied writing those tweets; according to Us Weekly, she later insisted that her account had been "hacked," although a different source said she only made that claim after she'd learned that a ticked-off Timberlake supposedly told other people to "make her life miserable."
Interestingly, when Lohan's infamous "sex list" of all her ex-lovers was leaked, Timberlake's name was among the 36 on the list; perhaps there's something more than a supposedly hacked X account behind those cheat tweets after all.
Reports of a 2009 split raised questions
In the midst of all those rumors about Justin Timberlake hooking up with Rihanna and Lindsay Lohan, a September 2009 Us Weekly cover story took it all a step further by reporting that he and Jessica Biel had broken up. According to a source — described as a "mutual pal" of Timberlake and Biel — claimed that Timberlake had been telling everyone that they were splitsville, and he'd broken the news to her over the phone. "It was about a month ago," the alleged friend said.
While Timberlake had supposedly moved on quickly — he was supposedly on the prowl for models during New York Fashion Week — Biel was stubbornly refusing to accept that they'd split, remaining in a place of "severe denial" about it. However, another source explained that the breakup might not be all that permanent. "There's no way of knowing if it's a firm breakup," that other source declared, "because with them it's so hot and cold."
However, another "insider" told People rumors of their split were inaccurate. "They're not breaking up," that source said. "Any time they spend time apart it's because they're working." That said, the source also admitted they had been spending less time together, and been "reevaluating" the relationship. "Things have been a bit up in the air recently." Ultimately, they didn't break up — at least not yet.
Did Justin Timberlake have a fling with Olivia Munn?
In October 2010, another rumor emerged claiming that Justin Timberlake was cheating on Jessica Biel, this time with Olivia Munn. Yet another Us Weekly cover story — this one in October 2010 — reported that Timberlake and Munn had a three-day affair in New York, when Munn brought him back to her hotel and reportedly displayed major PDA. According to a source, Timberlake had been proclaiming that his relationship with Biel was over, although "the reality is he's just doing it behind her back."
To put an even finer point on it, the source claimed to the magazine that Timberlake and Munn "had amazing sex" during their brief fling. A rep for Timberlake emphatically denied the report; Munn's rep refused to offer any comment about her private life.
The same rumor resurfaced a few months later, when Life & Style reported that Munn showed friends some recent text messages she'd received from Timberlake. "They'd all been sent very recently, the last few weeks of December," a source claimed. According to the outlet, one of Timberlake's texts allegedly declared that his relationship with Biel was "basically over," while another told Munn that he'd been thinking about her. "She's super flattered," the source said of Munn, "but she's not stupid. She's not expecting it to go anywhere — but she'd love it if it did!" Spoiler alert: it didn't.
Justin Timberlake supposedly hit on co-star Mila Kunis
During the early 2010s, Justin Timberlake was laser-focused on his acting career when he starred alongside "That '70s Show" alum Mila Kunis in the rom-com "Friends with Benefits."
While promoting the film, Kunis discussed their attire — or lack thereof — while shooting the film's steamy sex scenes. "Justin would just wear a sock that covered his frontal parts, so yeah, I could pretty much see everything," Kunis told The Advocate (via HuffPost). "And I had tiny nipple pasties and a little pasty on my hoo-ha."
Meanwhile, Us Weekly reported that in the midst of all that nakedness, Timberlake attempted to put the moves on his co-star, claiming that his relationship with Biel was essentially over. Kunis, however, wasn't buying it. "Mila knew he had a girlfriend and made it clear it wasn't going to happen," a source close to Kunis revealed (via Glamour). Meanwhile, a Timberlake-related source confirmed that account. "He tried every trick in the book," that source claimed, "but Mila is not attracted to him."
What was really behind their 2011 split?
It's no secret that Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel were going through a bit of a rough patch in 2011. In fact, the couple made it official in March when they confirmed that they'd broken up. During the split, however, Timberlake offered high praise for his then-ex. "She is the single-handedly most significant person in my life," Timberlake said of Biel in an interview with Vanity Fair (via People) while they were broken up.
The split was brief and temporary; just a few months later, rumors of a reconciliation began to swirl, which were confirmed when the two got engaged that December.
However, there were lingering suspicions that Timberlake's alleged attempted dalliance with Mila Kunis may have been the cause. However, at the time a source told People that Kunis was not a factor in their breakup, which was the result of other factors entirely. "No one came between them," the source stated. "They decided their relationship ran its course and it was time to move on."
What was up with Justin Timberlake and Scarlett Johansson?
It's easy to forget that Canadian movie icon Ryan Reynolds was once married, albeit briefly, to Scarlett Johansson — and that Johansson supposedly once had a dalliance with Justin Timberlake. After Reynolds and Johansson split in 2010, the National Enquirer reported that Johansson's newly single status didn't sit right with Timberlake's current girlfriend, Jessica Biel. According to the Enquirer, Biel was supposedly paranoid that Johansson would start reconnecting with her exes, including Timberlake. "Jessica's always looked the other way and given Justin his space when he needed it," a source told the tabloid. "But now she's worried that's all going to change with newly single Scarlett back in the picture."
Several months later, in September 2011, Us Weekly claimed that Biel's fear had come to pass when Timberlake allegedly spent a flirtatious night with the "Lost in Translation" star at a Manhattan club. "Other guys were trying to talk with Scarlett, but she was only focused on Justin," a source alleged. When the club shut down in the wee hours of the morning, Timberlake supposedly accompanied Johansson back to her apartment. What made the situation all the more awkward was that Timberlake and Biel had only recently reconciled after their brief breakup.
Reps for both Timberlake and Johansson, by the way, both denied he'd been anywhere near her apartment. A few months later, in December, Timberlake and Biel got engaged.
What was behind all the engagement ring drama?
The engagement of Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel caught many by surprise, given that it came just a few months after their public breakup declaration and numerous rumors of Timberlake spotted with other women.
Of course, the couple's engagement was not without some drama — or at least that's what anyone reading celebrity-themed magazines and websites would be led to believe. For example, gossip site X17 reported that Biel had been spotted sans ring, the month after Timberlake popped the question. The National Enquirer offered a possible reason for that, claiming that Timberlake's choice of engagement ring was a flop."When Justin proposed to Jessica, she was disappointed with his choice of ring," a source told the outlet. "Jessica isn't a fancy girl, but she wanted something stunning — a bigger diamond that would impress her friends. Instead, Justin went more minimal, thinking she'd prefer something less flashy." Timberlake then supposedly embarked on finding her a bigger and better one.
Biel sort of confirmed that while speaking with InStyle (via People). "I had no say whatsoever [in the ring]," Biel said. A source dropped some info to Us Weekly that lined up with Biel's account, claiming that Timberlake decided to ignore the advice of Biel's longtime stylist and go with his gut. "They talked about it [in advance] and then Justin completely went rogue without telling Jessica's stylist, and decided to design the ring on his own," the source said.
A tabloid report about his infidelity led to a lawsuit — and a public apology
Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel were married in October 2012. By October 2014, they had apparently become so fed up with tabloid rumors about their relationship that they got lawyers involved. As BBC News reported, the couple hired an Irish attorney to launch a lawsuit in Dublin, naming Bauer Consumer Media as the defendant. At issue was a story in one of the company's European magazines, Heat. "We have issued defamation proceedings on behalf of our clients," said the attorney, who was representing the couple.
At issue was a story alleging that Timberlake was flirting with a woman who wasn't his wife, which contained quotes attributed to Biel — which the couple claimed were completely made up.
Days after the suit was filed, The Guardian reported that a settlement had been reached — which included the defendant issuing an apology that was read in court. "The article was based on an unfounded report regarding Justin Timberlake's alleged behaviour at a club following a performance in Paris, to celebrate a birthday and also included a number of purported statements improperly attributed to Jessica Biel, which Heat now understands had never been made by her," the statement read. "The defendant accepts that the article was false and withdraws any inferences that questioned the state of Justin and Jessica's marriage."
Jessica Biel wanted to 'trap' him with a baby — or maybe she didn't?
After a few years of marriage, Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel started a family, welcoming their first child — son Silas Randall Timberlake — in April 2015.
Ahead of the baby's birth, several competing rumors emerged about the couple's decision to have a baby. On one side was a 2011 report from the National Enquirer, predating their engagement, claiming that Biel was attempting to get pregnant in order to "trap" him with a baby. Of course, that didn't happen at the time, although RadarOnline reported in 2013 that Biel was anxious to have a baby, but had pushed back her pregnancy plans until after Timberlake had wrapped up his world tour. Then, a 2014 Star magazine claimed to have interviewed Timberlake's grandmother, Sadie Bomar, who told the outlet that it was Timberlake who was eager to start a family, and that Biel was the one who was reluctant. "Justin has wanted to have children all his life," she said. "If it were up to him, they'd have a baby tomorrow!"
Meanwhile, the birth of Silas prompted OK! to report that Biel put her foot down when it came time to hire nannies. "She didn't want any Swedish nannies around Justin," a source claimed, asserting that she wanted to avoid bringing any temptation into their home. Instead, she went another route by hiring "two gay male nannies she knows through friends and is having them rotate schedules."
Divorce rumors were sparked after his hand-holding scandal
In 2019, U.K. tabloid The Sun published photos of Justin Timberlake holding hands with Alisha Wainwright, his co-star in the film "Palmer," while she intimately stroked his knee. Understandably, Jessica Biel apparently was not thrilled. "Jessica was very upset and embarrassed by Justin's behavior and thought it was completely inappropriate," a source told Us Weekly, claiming that it was at his wife's behest that he subsequently issued a groveling statement of apology. "A few weeks ago I displayed a strong lapse in judgement," he wrote in a since-deleted Instagram post, as reported by BBC News. "I drank way too much that night and regret my behaviour. I should have known better," he continued, insisting that nothing untoward had happened between him and Wainwright.
Meanwhile, RadarOnline reported that Biel put her foot down on the home front. "The days of Justin taking two week golf trips with his buddies to Hawaii and Florida are officially over, and that's not going to change anytime soon," a source told the outlet.
When Biel was spotted in public a few months later without her wedding ring, speculation ran rampant that their next stop would be divorce court. However, Biel quashed those rumors when she subsequently took to Instagram to share some photos of her and Timberlake appearing all loved up while celebrating his birthday.
Rumors of a split were followed by Justin Timberlake's DUI arrest
In January 2024, Life & Style reported on a fresh rumor that Justin Timberlake's marriage to Jessica Biel was on the rocks. "Rumors are swirling that he and Jessica are headed for a split," a source told the outlet, also claiming that the two were desperately trying to save their marriage via couples counseling. "Though they do love each other, all of the couples therapy they've undergone simply isn't fixing some of their underlying issues." The following month, a source confirmed they were in counseling. "They make sure to have a good balance and occasionally will see a therapist for a check in," the source told Entertainment Tonight. Then, in May, Biel appeared on "The View," where she made some eyebrow-raising comments about her marriage. "You know, it's always a work in progress," she said.
Things took an even more unexpected turn in June 2024, when Timberlake was arrested in the Hamptons and charged with driving under the influence. According to Us Weekly, the arrest took Biel by surprise. "Jessica is extremely upset," a source told the magazine. "She was shocked to hear the news ..." In addition, a source told People that "she's not happy" about her husband's DUI arrest.
While People's source refuted rumors they are on the cusp of divorce, it remains to be seen what kind of an impact the strain of his arrest will have on their marriage.