'At first it broke me down!' Justin Timberlake reveals he struggled with fatherhood and how being a dad made him confront his childhood demons

By Chelsea White For Dailymail.com

Published: 12:33 EST, 8 February 2017 | Updated: 14:06 EST, 8 February 2017

Between being a mega music star and a top Hollywood actor this celebrity's life often looks like the movies he stars in.

But Justin Timberlake has got candid and admitted not everything is picture perfect - and that is okay.

The 36-year-old star sat down with The Hollywood Reporter to give a very revealing interview about his life since becoming a dad.

It's not easy: Justin Timberlake has candidly admitted he struggled with fatherhood at first in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter

It's not easy: Justin Timberlake has candidly admitted he struggled with fatherhood at first in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter

The actor admitted to what many men often glaze over - fatherhood is hard and you do not become an expert overnight.

While Justin says his life is infinitely better now that he has two-year-old Silas with wife Jessica Biel, it has not been all smooth sailing.

He told THR about balancing his career and fatherhood: 'At first, it broke me down.'

'Those first eight months felt like those old [Ed Sullivan] shows where people are balancing spinning plates on poles - except if you drop one, they die.'

'At first it broke me down': While Justin says his life is infinitely better now that he has two-year-old Silas with wife Jessica Biel, it has not been all smooth sailing

'At first it broke me down': While Justin says his life is infinitely better now that he has two-year-old Silas with wife Jessica Biel, it has not been all smooth sailing

Trued to achieve balance: The star said, 'Those first eight months felt like those old [Ed Sullivan] shows where people are balancing spinning plates on poles - except if you drop one, they die'

Trued to achieve balance: The star said, 'Those first eight months felt like those old [Ed Sullivan] shows where people are balancing spinning plates on poles - except if you drop one, they die'

Of course he learnt to manage but Justin confesses having his own child made him reflect on his childhood which was form from normal considering he was a star by 11.

'You go through your life with your own traumas, big and small, and think, ''It's not that bad, I have a lot to be thankful for, my parents did the best they could.''

'But then you have a child of your own, and suddenly it opens all the floodgates, and you're like, ''No, no, no! That childhood trauma really did f**k me up!'''

Facing demons: Justin also had to look at his own childhood, '[When] you have a child of your own, and suddenly it opens all the floodgates, and you're like, ''No, no, no! That childhood trauma really did f**k me up!'''

Not that the Mouseketeer turned boy band member has many memories of being just your average kid.

'I have some faint images from my childhood but no, I can't really remember not being famous.

'I was about 15 or 16 years old, [*NSYNC] just given a concert in Germany at a festival on this huge field. And we were in the tour bus afterward, driving on a dirt road, and I looked out the window and saw all these young, impressionable females running after the bus. I think we can all agree that I did not have a normal childhood.'

It is this past that makes the star question whether he wants Silas to follow in his or the boy's mom's famous footsteps, he told THR.

'Would I want my child to follow my path? You know, I haven't been able to answer that question in my mind. If he wanted it bad enough, I suppose I could teach him a lot about what not to do.'

While having Silas has meant he has had to deal with his demons, Justin tells the magazine being a dad has given him new joy in his career too, especially when it comes to working on more family friendly projects like recent film Trolls.

 If he wanted it bad enough, I suppose I could teach him a lot about what not to do': It is this past that makes the star question whether he wants Silas to follow in his or the boy's mom's famous footsteps

 If he wanted it bad enough, I suppose I could teach him a lot about what not to do': It is this past that makes the star question whether he wants Silas to follow in his or the boy's mom's famous footsteps

Justin both lent his voice to a character and wrote disco pop track, Can't Stop The Feeling.

'I'd never have written it if it weren't for him,' the star said. 'Watching him jump around to Can't Stop The Feeling, starting to learn words because of that song - it's the best thing in the world.'

Justin was just a few years older than Silas when he first had a crack at fame but Justin's big break would come at 11 when he was a Mouseketeer alongside Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Ryan Gosling, who at one point lived with the singer and his mom.

Finding the fun: While having Silas has meant he has had to deal with his demons, Justin tells the magazine being a dad has given him new joy in his career too, especially when it comes to working on more family friendly projects like recent film Trolls

Finding the fun: While having Silas has meant he has had to deal with his demons, Justin tells the magazine being a dad has given him new joy in his career too, especially when it comes to working on more family friendly projects like recent film Trolls

His biggest fan: The boy inspires his dad, 'Watching him jump around to Can't Stop The Feeling, starting to learn words because of that song - it's the best thing in the world'
His biggest fan: The boy inspires his dad, 'Watching him jump around to Can't Stop The Feeling, starting to learn words because of that song - it's the best thing in the world'

His biggest fan: The boy inspires his dad, 'Watching him jump around to Can't Stop The Feeling, starting to learn words because of that song - it's the best thing in the world'

Despite their shared past and moving in similar circles, the singer and La La Land star are not best buds, 'We aren't the closest of friends, for whatever reason,' Justin explained.

Justin went on to land a spot in *NSYNC which saw his fame explode, but the band went on hiatus in 2002 and never returned after they realized things were out of their control.

'We were on a stadium tour, and I just felt like the whole thing was too big. It started as a fun snowball fight that was becoming an avalanche. And, also, I was growing out of it. I felt like I cared more about the music than some of the other people in the group. And I felt like I had other music I wanted to make and that I needed to follow my heart.'

Child star: Justin's big break came at 11 when he was a Mouseketeer alongside Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Ryan Gosling

Child star: Justin's big break came at 11 when he was a Mouseketeer alongside Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Ryan Gosling

Former bestie: Ryan (pictured February) at one point lived with the singer and his mom, though now, 'We aren't the closest of friends, for whatever reason'

Former bestie: Ryan (pictured February) at one point lived with the singer and his mom, though now, 'We aren't the closest of friends, for whatever reason'

He then went from tween star to pop star and eventually movie star with SNL first bringing him to everyone's attention. It was The Social Network that made sure people kept looking, he said.

'There are two parts to my acting career: before The Social Network and after,' Justin told THR.

 He next will be working with Woody Allen, which many actors consider an honor and many more consider making a deal with the devil due to the sexual abuse accusations against Woody.

'I just felt like the whole thing was too big.': The actor went on to land a spot in *NSYNC (seen here in 2000) which saw his fame explode, but the band went on hiatus in 2002 and never returned after they realized things were out of their control

'I just felt like the whole thing was too big.': The actor went on to land a spot in *NSYNC (seen here in 2000) which saw his fame explode, but the band went on hiatus in 2002 and never returned after they realized things were out of their control

Justin did not let accusations impact on his decision to work with the director, he said: 'I chose to not get into it - I really don't dive into any of that stuff with anybody.' 

The Cry Me A River singer is also focusing on his music, although he does not have even a potential release date for a new album despite working at it any chance he gets.

Describing the new songs, he said: 'It sounds more like where I've come from than any other music I've ever made. It's Memphis. It's Southern American music. But I want to make it sound modern - at least that's the idea right now.'

Important role: He next will be working with Woody Allen (seen here in October with Kate Winslet), whom many will not work with due to sexual abuse allegations but the star said, 'I chose to not get into it - I really don't dive into any of that stuff with anybody'

Important role: He next will be working with Woody Allen (seen here in October with Kate Winslet), whom many will not work with due to sexual abuse allegations but the star said, 'I chose to not get into it - I really don't dive into any of that stuff with anybody'

But Justin is not about to pick between acting and music: 'I want to do both things.

'I really do idolize the golden era of Hollywood, when actors were required to sing and move. But I'm just following my gut in the decisions that I make about what I'm going to do next. 

'I'm mostly just glad this is all working out because I really can't do anything else. I'm not gifted at anything else.'

Career juggling act: The father of one said he is not planning on choosing between being a singer or an actor

Career juggling act: The father of one said he is not planning on choosing between being a singer or an actor

 

 

 

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