It was late 2019 when the internet basically exploded. One minute you’re scrolling through your feed, and the next, there are these grainy, high-stakes photos from a balcony in New Orleans. You know the ones. Justin Timberlake—the "Prince of Pop," the guy who’s been half of a Hollywood "it" couple for years—was caught looking way too comfortable with his co-star.
Her name? Alisha Wainwright.
The setting was a bar called The Absinthe House on Bourbon Street. It wasn't some dark, secret alleyway. It was a wide-open balcony. But that didn't stop the world from losing its collective mind when photos showed Alisha Wainwright and Justin Timberlake holding hands under a table. Or that one shot where she’s resting her hand on his knee.
Honestly, the optics were bad. Really bad.
The Night in New Orleans: Beyond the Tabloids
When you look back at the chaos, it’s easy to forget they were actually there for a reason. They were filming Palmer, a gritty drama where Timberlake plays a former football star and Wainwright plays a teacher. They were castmates. Friends.
But that night, things looked... fuzzy.
Witnesses at the bar reported that the group—which included several other cast and crew members—was just hanging out. However, Timberlake appeared to have had quite a bit to drink. He was seen leaning on a wall, looking unsteady. Then came the hand-holding. In one video, he even wraps an arm around her waist.
The backlash was instant.
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People weren't just curious; they were mad. Timberlake has been married to Jessica Biel since 2012. They have kids. They have that "perfect" brand. Seeing him without his wedding ring—even if he was just "in character" for a movie—felt like a betrayal to fans who had bought into the fairytale.
The "Strong Lapse in Judgment" Apology
For a while, there was total silence. Then, Justin did something he almost never does. He posted a long, text-based apology on Instagram.
He didn't deny the photos. He couldn't. Instead, he called it a "strong lapse in judgment." > "I stayed away from gossip as much as I can, but for my family, I feel it is important to address recent rumors that are hurting the people I love," he wrote. "I drank way too much that night and I regret my behavior. I should have known better."
It was a weird moment for pop culture. On one hand, it was a rare admission of "I messed up" from a massive A-lister. On the other, some critics felt the apology was more of a PR move to protect the upcoming release of Palmer. He even mentioned the movie at the end of the post, which felt a bit like a "sorry I almost cheated, anyway, go watch my film!"
Where Alisha Wainwright Stood in the Crossfire
While Timberlake was busy apologizing to his "amazing wife," Alisha Wainwright was stuck in the middle of a social media storm.
It’s the classic, frustrating Hollywood trope: the man gets to "apologize" and move on, while the woman gets branded with every name in the book. Trolls flooded her comments. They called her an opportunist. They blamed her for "breaking up a marriage" that wasn't even broken.
Her rep issued a statement fast. "There is no validity to this speculation," they said. They pointed out that they were just working on a project together and the whole cast was there.
Wainwright didn't go on a press tour to defend herself. She didn't post a tearful video. She just kept working. Honestly, it was probably the smartest move she could have made.
Why this incident still gets brought up in 2026
You might wonder why we're still talking about this years later. It’s because it shifted the narrative around Justin Timberlake. Before the Alisha Wainwright incident, he was the untouchable golden boy. Afterward, combined with the later scrutiny over his past with Britney Spears and Janet Jackson, the "nice guy" image started to crack.
Life After the Scandal: Moving On
If you look at where they are now, both have moved past the Bourbon Street drama in very different ways.
Justin Timberlake doubled down on his family life. He and Jessica Biel welcomed a second son, Phineas, in 2020. Professionally, he’s stayed busy with the Trolls franchise and his recent music projects, though his public image remains a bit more complicated than it used to be.
Alisha Wainwright, meanwhile, proved she’s much more than a tabloid headline. She’s had a killer run of projects:
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- Leading the Netflix hit Raising Dion for two seasons.
- A major role in the Apple TV+ comedy Platonic with Seth Rogen.
- Consistently picking up diverse roles in horror and drama.
She didn't let a "lapse in judgment" by a co-star define her career.
The Verdict: What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception about the Alisha Wainwright and Justin Timberlake situation is that there was some secret affair. There’s never been any proof of that. No second set of photos. No "insider" leaks confirming a romance.
It was a messy night fueled by too many drinks in a city where drinks are the main attraction. It was a massive embarrassment for a high-profile marriage. But was it the end of the world? No.
If you're looking for the takeaway here, it's about how quickly a single moment can be caught and decontextualized. One hand on a knee can launch a thousand think pieces.
Moving forward with the facts
If you're following these actors today, keep your focus on the work. Wainwright is one of the most underrated talents in the industry right now, and Timberlake is still navigating his legacy as a "legacy act" in pop.
What you can do next:
If you haven't seen it, go watch Palmer on Apple TV+. Regardless of the off-screen drama, the chemistry between the two is actually great, and it’s one of Timberlake’s best dramatic performances. It’s worth seeing the project that caused all the fuss in the first place, just to see the professional side of the story.