Jessica Biel was reportedly very embarrassed after Justin Timberlake was photographed holding hands with Alisha Wainwright last month. Photos surfaced of the singer and his co-star in the upcoming film, Palmer, holding hands and getting cozy during a cast outing in the New Orleans. The photos led to controversy and speculation surrounding Timberlake’s marriage to Biel.
The actress, who has been spotted several times but has still not commented on the photos publicly, is reportedly “reeling” from what happened.
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“Jessica was very upset and embarrassed by Justin’s behavior and thought it was completely inappropriate,” a source told Us Weekly, adding that the “Sinner” star was the one who motivated her husband to share a public apology on Instagram.
“Jessica encouraged Justin to put his statement out on Instagram because she felt embarrassed by his actions and wanted him to take accountability and feel embarrassed as well,” they added.
Timberlake and Wainwright were spotted during the New Orleans outing, with the singer being photographed not wearing his wedding ring, and discreetly holding hands with his co-star under a table. Despite the fallout of the scandal, the couple — who share 4-year-old son Silas — is reportedly presenting a united front and supporting each other.
“They are working through their issues,” the source told the outlet.
Timberlake broke his silence on the scandal in a lengthy Instagram post last week. The message received some backlash from fans who had issues with his wording.
“I stay 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 began. “A few weeks ago I displayed a strong lapse in judgement — but let me be clear — nothing happened between me and my costar.
“I drank way too much that night and I regret my behavior. I should have known better. This is not the example I want to set for my son. 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. I am incredibly proud to be working on Palmer. Looking forward to continuing to make this movie and excited for people to see it,” he ended his post.
Since the scandal first broke, reports have surfaced suggesting Biel and Timberlake’s marriage might have been in trouble before the incident. However, other reports claim the couple is staring there for one another.
