Justin Timberlake Spotted Filming ‘Palmer’ Solo in New Orleans Ahead of Alisha Wainwright Photo Fiasco

Fans were shocked by photos of Justin Timberlake and Alisha Wainwright holding hands this weekend, but most other recent pictures of him have shown him alone. Timberlake is in New Orleans, Louisiana, where filming on his new movie Palmer just began. By all appearances, he is taking a lot of time there to himself.

Timberlake and Wainwright were out with their other Palmer co-stars this weekend, when paparazzi noticed them holding hands. Photos circulated showing Timberlake with his arm around Wainwright’s waist, and her hand on Timberlake’s knee, and fans wondered how Timberlake’s wife, Jessica Biel would feel about all of that.

According to Entertainment Tonight, a rep for Wainwright says there is nothing romantic going on between them. In the meantime, other photos show Timberlake by himself in New Orleans this month. The actor has gotten into character with a short buzz cut and a short, well-cropped beard. He wears a menacing expression in photos published by The Daily Mail.

Timberlake wore a blue shop jacket and well-worn construction boots in the pictures, presumably in costume as ex-con Eddie Palmer. Filming on the movie began in the first week of November, and Timberlake appears to have gotten a few shots out and about already.

The movie is about a man who had just finished a 10-year prison sentence for attempted manslaughter. Now free, the former high school football star is living with his grandmother, but their neighbor his a meth addict with a 7-year-old son that Eddie’s grandmother often cares for since no one else will.

Other shots from the movie seen by passersby in New Orleans show Timberlake in a janitor’s outfit, portraying a job he reportedly picks up later in the movie. He has an argument with a woman who is presumably the mother character, not played by Wainwright.

Wainwright is listed as Maggie Hayes, and it is still unclear what role she plays in the movie. Whatever it is, it will be getting a lot of scrutiny as fans try to discern whether Timberlake ws unfaithful to his wife.

Timberlake married Biel in 2012, and they share a 4-year-old son named Silas. Many fans feel that Timberlake has been unfaithful in past relationships, including his romance with Britney Spears 20 years ago, and they assume that is the case here.

Whatever the speculation says, sources close to Timberlake, Wainwright and the production say there was nothing suspicious about their night out this weekend. However, they have not offered an explanation for the photos of the actors holding hands yet.

There is no release date in place for Palmer yet.

Photo credit: John Phillips/Getty Images