Jessica Biel Reportedly Pushed Justin Timberlake To Publicly Apologize

Published on December 11, 2019.

After Justin Timberlake was caught holding hands with his Palmer costar Alisha Wainwright, his wife Jessica Biel reportedly pushed the star to apologize for his “strong lapse in judgment” publicly.

“Jessica encouraged Justin to put out his statement on Instagram because she felt embarrassed by his actions and wanted him to take accountability,” a source told Us Weekly. They also noted that the couple is “still united.”

Timberlake and Biel have been married since October 2012, and they share a 4-year-old son named Silas.

Last month, the actor/singer made headlines after he and Wainwright were spotted being touchy-feely with each other during a boozy night out in New Orleans. The pair “discreetly” held hands underneath a table at the Old Absinthe House bar on Bourbon Street, and the actress placed her hand on Timberlake’s knee.

He issued an apology on December 4, acknowledging that he had “a strong lapse in judgment” after drinking “way too much that night.” Timberlake insisted that “nothing happened between” him and his costar.

“I apologize to my amazing wife and family for putting them through such an embarrassing situation, and I am focused on being the best husband and father I can be. This was not that,” he added. “I am incredibly proud to be working on Palmer. Looking forward to continuing to make this movie and excited for people to see it.”

After the news broke out about Timberlake and Wainwright’s PDA, an insider revealed to Us Weekly that the pair are “just friends,” and another source said they “are like brother and sister.” Wainwright’s representative also released a statement, saying: “There is no validity to this speculation. They are working on a project together.”

Three days after the hand holding controversy, he returned to the set of Palmer. Biel has not publicly addressed the situation at this time.