Justin Timberlake and his Palmer costar Alisha Wainwright were spotted holding hands at a New Orleans bar but a source exclusively told Us Weekly the pair are “just friends.”
The “Can’t Stop the Feeling” singer, 38, and Wainwright, 30, were photographed on the balcony of the Absinthe House on Bourbon Street on Thursday, November 21. The Sun reported on Saturday, November 23, that the duo were chatting and drinking at the bar around midnight. In photos obtained by The Sun, Timberlake and Wainwright are holding hands under the table and, at one point, Wainwright rested her hand on Timberlake’s knee.
A video showed Timberlake — who looked unsteady on his feet— put his arm around the Raising Dion star’s waist. The Grammy winner, who is married to Jessia Biel, appeared to not be wearing his wedding ring at the time.
A source at the bar told Us that Timberlake and Wainwright’s relationship is strictly platonic.
“Several cast members were there and it was just a cast gathering,” the source said on Saturday. “Nothing remotely romantic is going on with Justin and Alisha. The whole cast is shooting out there and like to hang out together. They were very much in public and nothing inappropriate was happening.”
Wainwright’s representative told Us in a statement: “There is no validity to this speculation. They are working on a project together.”
The actress and Timberlake costar in the film Palmer — an upcoming drama about an ex-college football star who returns home after serving time in prison.
“They are like brother and sister,” a second insider revealed to Us. “They are definitely not hooking up. She has been dating an actor who lives in LA.”
The “Mirror” singer and Biel, 37, tied the knot in Italy in October 2012. They are the parents of their son Silas, 4. The couple have appeared close over the past year. In October, they attended a Halloween party together where the Limetown star dressed as Timberlake during his ‘NSYNC era. The crooner accompanied her in a microphone costume.
Biel publicly declared her love for Timberlake during the final stop of her husband’s Man of the Woods tour.
“You inspire me, you inspire Silas,” she said in an Instagram video posted in April. “You inspire everyone around you — all of your fans, all of your friends and family — to work as hard and as with so much passion as you do. You are truly a sight to behold. I’m so happy that you’re going to get some time off. I’m so happy for you and for us.”
She concluded: “You make my heart burst with joy and love when I see you doing your thing, baby. I’m your No. 1 fan, I love you.”
Timberlake became emotional in a comment writing, “I mean… I’m not crying. You’re CRYING! I can’t with this message. I love you so much.”
With reporting by Travis Cronin
