The Future of Hollywood Leading Men and Women

Justin Timberlake

(29 years old; this generation’s Nicolas Cage)

Obviously, everyone knows who he is, but he is very scarcely recognized as a good actor. His characters right now are circling around sort of early Matthew McConaughey territory, but Timberlake has much more talent than him. The Social Network is getting him raves. Anyone who has seen Black Snake Moan knows that he has an irresistible energy that he emits on screen. He obviously has a great comedic talent, as is always shown on SNL and other places. This may surprise some people, but Timberlake actually gives the best performance in Alpha Dog. He is the emotional core of the film and a presence on screen that is impossible to shake. He is a born performer, and if he continues to act in good films, he could be among the great leading men of the next generation. The comparison to Nicolas Cage is simply an acknowledgement of his effortless scene-stealing, comedic timing, strange film choices, and potentially wounded and tragic characters that he could absolutely nail if given the opportunity. Cage was similarly typecast until Leaving Las Vegas. Perhaps Timberlake’s persona redefining is The Social Network. Another comparison I came up with was Frank Sinatra. This is a testament to the career path that Timberlake is attempting: one of the biggest musical artists of his time turning into a serious actor and box office star. Seriously, that is the level of talent that Timberlake has on screen.