LOS ANGELES, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- Former U.S. boy band star turned hip-hop singer Justin Timberlake is altering his image even further with startling roles in several new Hollywood films.
While Timberlake rose to fame as a member of N'Sync, he has managed to distance himself from the group by reinventing his style of music and now by taking on challenging roles in feature films, the New York Post reported.
The first of those roles from the 25-year-old "SexyBack" star will be in "Alpha Dog," set to hit U.S. theaters on Friday.
Timberlake's turn in the new film as a tattooed drug user has many in the film industry praising the singer's ability despite his past as a boy band star.
"When I see him in other movies and on 'SNL,' I really respect how he's handling himself," Hollywood director Craig Brewer admitted. "Even his critics and detractors are looking at him, shrugging their shoulders and saying, 'God, am I really loving Justin Timberlake?' It's about time."
Also on deck for the popular singer is a role in Brewer's "Black Snake Moan," that will find the "My Love" singer playing an anxiety-ridden U.S. soldier, the newspaper said.
