Do we like Justin Timberlake?
Our score: 6 out of 10. Nothing harmful in his own words and a record as an LGBTQ+ ally, but a guilty plea and a late apology to two women hold him back.
Timberlake is still working and still collaborating with old mates. In January 2026 he got on stage at a Recording Academy event to honour Pharrell Williams, singing hits the pair wrote together. That is the sort of long-running creative partnership his fans love him for.
On the recent news, two bartenders sued T-Squared Social, the sports bar he co-owns with Tiger Woods, in January 2026. They alleged management retained their tips and paid the wrong overtime rates. A May filing said the parties had reached an agreement in principle to settle, and no statement from Timberlake himself was reported, so it's a bit of a stain rather than a verdict on his character.
The scandal he can't shake is how he handled the Britney Spears and Janet Jackson fallout. In February 2021 he posted an apology, saying he was “deeply sorry” and admitting it was only a first step. Critics said it came far too late. Then in 2024, after Spears' memoir, he reportedly said he was apologising to “nobody”, which didn't help.
Then there's the driving. In September 2024 he pleaded guilty to impaired driving in Sag Harbor, a lesser charge than the DWI he first faced. He got a $500 fine, 25 hours of community service and a public safety message. He told the judge he “should've had better judgment”, which at least sounds like owning it.
Now the harm check. We found no anti-LGBTQ+ or anti-trans campaigning, no conspiracy slide and nothing on climate or vaccines in the reporting we read. In 2015 he received GLSEN's Inspiration Award, and in 2021 he told GLAAD he enjoys being an ally. Some online said he hadn't shown enough receipts, which is fair, but there is nothing harmful on the record.
So where does that leave us? He's not a villain, and we couldn't find anything he's said or backed that hurts anyone. He also isn't a saint, given the way the Spears and Jackson saga was handled, plus a guilty plea and a wage dispute at his bar. That's a decent and supportive record with real blemishes.