Justin Timberlake Trys Something New

'N Sync's Justin Timberlake has no illusions about his TV movie debut in Model Behavior, airing March 12 on ABC. "It wasn't Shakespeare," concedes Timberlake, who plays a teen supermodel. "I'm not worried about what the critics say about my acting, because it's something I like to do for fun."

Model's Toronto shoot wasn't all fun for the Mickey Mouse Club alum, who nervously weathered his first-ever kissing scene, with Maggie Lawson (who plays two lookalike teens). "Luckily we nailed it right away," he says, "so I didn't have to keep doing it." As for any real-life lip-locking, Timberlake, 19, dismisses tabloid reports linking him with Britney Spears. "At first it was a bit weird to see your face there every week, dating some new girl," he says. "But now it's just funny."

After a summer tour promoting 'N Sync's next album, No Strings Attached (due out March 21), he will return to acting, this time with his singing brethren in a still unscripted film. "We don't want it to be 'N Sync World, like the Spice Girls," he says. "We don't want to play ourselves. That's just cheesy." Even if his acting career takes off, don't look for Timberlake to get out of Sync. "Music is where my heart is, and with 'N Sync," he says. "I'll always come back to that."

JASON LYNCH / People Online - Posted on March 3, 2000

"No Strings Attached" - People Magazine Review

With No Strings, the band with the annoyingly spelled name is saying, "Not us." With the multiplatinum success of their self-titled 1998 debut album, the five heartthrob harmonizers have earned the right to make that case. On this, their third CD, the Orlando-based group pumps up the volume and the intensity, working with a posse of different producers, among them veteran Teddy Riley (who reworks Johnny Kemp's 1988 hit "Just Got Paid") and guest Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes of TLC. The result is a more hard-edged, hip-hop flavored and dance-inducing sound that percolates with caffeinated beats and herky-jerky rhythms. The boys -- Lance Bass, Joey Fatone Jr., JC Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick and Justin Timberlake -- wisely chose "Bye, Bye, Bye," the scorching track that kicks off the album, as their first single.

A thumping, love 'em-and-dump 'em tune that showcases their new sound and tougher attitude, it also leaves listeners wanting more. But "Bye" is as good as it gets. The lads do demonstrate that they have 'tude to burn and voices that are pleasant to the ear. But what is sorely missing is another great song that would signal that *NSYNC does indeed aim to be more than just a bunch of cute guys with great moves. Noisy and playful, No Strings Attached is good escapist fun, but it lacks a purpose beyond making hordes of screaming girls very happy. There are worse fates. BOTTOM LINE: Boys spring a surprise.