For GQ’s 18th annual Men of the Year issue, Justin Timberlake was selected as one of the stars to appear on the cover. The 32-year-old singer’s year has been full of notable achievements: he released two #1 albums, toured the world, performed at the White House and hosted Saturday Night Live for the fifth time, just to name a few. His busy year earned him the title of GQ ‘s “#Hashtag of the Year.”
In the issue, Timberlake claims that he isn’t cool. “Listen, I’m not cool,” the singer said. “Being cool is about keeping your blood pressure steady. So no, don’t be cool. Be passionate. Be dedicated. Be tenacious. Be uncompromising. Be pissed. Be happy. Be sad.”
The “Mirrors” star adds, “I’ve made a career out of doing things that I should not be doing. I wasn’t cool about it. Because being cool would have meant I passed up on those opportunities. If you do that, it’s because you’re afraid. And what are you afraid of? You know?”
In the interview, Timberlake also discusses his critics, the negative response to his film Runner, Runner, and his upcoming role as a folk singer in the Coen brothers’ film Inside Llewyn Davis.
“You do a Coens movie and secretly you’re like, ‘All I want to do is make people laugh in this movie. If I can make people laugh in this movie, then I don’t care. Whatever else happens, happens.’ ”
Timberlake, along with Will Ferrell, Matthew McConaughey, Kendrick Lamar, and the late James Gandolfini, were all chosen to be GQ’s Men of the Year and each have their own individual cover. The issue hits newsstands Nov. 19.
