Justin Timberlake Reacts to Photo of Him Seemingly Kissing Man's Head

Justin Timberlake playfully reacted to a paparazzi photo of himself that looked like he was kissing a man on the head, thanks to an optical illusion.ByOct 08, 2026 2:19 AMTagsJustin Timberlake Playfully Apologizes for His Beatboxing EraJustin Timberlake is trying to stop the feeling of confusion. The *NSYNC alum recently addressed a hilarious paparazzi photo of himself that looked as if he was kissing his chauffeur on the head, thanks to an optical illusion. After photo agency Backgrid posted a photo of Timberlake—clad in a denim jacket and sunglasses as he stepped out in New York—the singer cheekily pointed out the smoke and mirrors that made it look like his mouth was making contact with the man standing behind him. "I respect that y’all take pics of me coming out the hotel," he commented on the Oct. 7 Instagram post, "but why do y’all have me looking like I kissed this man on his head??" Proving he's not actually crying a river over the incident, Timberlake added three crying-laughing emojis to the message. And this we promise you—fans were eating it up. "Did you though?" one fan asked, while another quipped, "He didn’t look too happy about it either [laughing emoji] Watch where you’re putting those lips next time JT!!"Several others were tearing up their hearts over Timberlake’s wit, with one user adding, "I’m crying your responses lately are gold.”Ulices Ramales / BACKGRIDIndeed, the Social Network actor also recently weighed in on internet chatter over his beatboxing days, playfully offering an apology. “We don’t talk about Justin Timberlake beatboxing enough,” influencer Hannah Young shared on Instagram Oct. 5. “There was a moment in time where that man would be in the middle of a song and just boots and cats and boots and cats.” Timberlake—who shares sons Silas, 11, and Phineas, 6, with wife Jessica Biel—agreed that he will "often look back on that time" as well. “I still haven’t come up with any answers," he wrote in the comments. "I don’t know how to apologize enough for whatever those ambitions were. Too many boots. Too many cats. I hope you can forgive me.”Now rock your body to more of Timberlake's most memorable moments through the years.Walt Disney Television via Getty Images1993Ilpo Musto/Shutterstock 1997Mirek Towski/DMI/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images1998Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images1999Mediapunch/Shutterstock 1998Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images2000RJ Capak/WireImage2000Matt Baron/BEI/Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty Images2000Ron Davis/Getty Images2000Ron Davis/Getty Images2000 Larry Busacca/WireImage2000Dave Hogan/Getty Images2001Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images2001Kevin Kane/WireImage2001Kevin Kane/WireImage2001KMazur/WireImage2001James Devaney/WireImage2002Kevin Winter/ImageDirect/Getty Images2002Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock2002KMazur/WireImage2002Theo Wargo/WireImage2003Dave Hogan/Getty Images2003Robin Platzer/FilmMagic2003Richard Young/Shutterstock2003J. Shearer/WireImage2004Brian ZAK/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images2005Michael Buckner/Getty Images2006Theo Wargo/WireImage2007Theo Wargo/Getty Images2008Stan Badz/PGA TOUR/Getty Images2008