Cover of JT's latest single "What Goes Around...Comes Around" Credit: Jive Records

We've seen N'Syncer Justin Timberlake rise from boy band phenom to polished and savvy, award-winning solo artist. He's grown up in front of us. Now, he moves the process one step further by taking on films in the role of Frankie, a tattoo-covered, hotshot toughie in a "wife beater" tank top who becomes involved in the murder of a young boy in the intense Alpha Dog. The critics are buzzing that Justin is the "moral center" of the film and does a great job. He now has a leg up on a very successful acting career. The hot and adorable musical artist/actor chatted with press in New York in December about the real life kids upon which the story is based, teens in trouble in general and his short journey as an actor.

Q: Would your character in this film listen to your music?

Justin: I doubt it. I don't know. Maybe.

Q: Talk about the tattoos you wore. Did you have any input into that?

Justin Timberlake plays Frankie in "Alpha Dog" Credit: Universal

Justin: I created all of them, actually. I sat with the company that make the tattoos that stick on and with the artist who designs the tattoos for characters for like two or three days. I based some of the tattoos off of some of my friends. When I talked to the director Nick about it, he gave me the simplest direction. He was like 'I want you to wear tattoos kind of all over your body' and I said 'well, how do you want me to go about this?' and he said "I want you to pretend that your uncle owns a tattoo parlor and, from the time you were 14 years old, you had access to it and just have fun'. I said 'okay' and so we went from there.