In case you were busy mastering the art of making cereal back in 2010, Dakota and Justin shared the screen in The Social Network—a movie about nerds, coding, and the accidental birth of Facebook. But let’s not get bogged down by plot; the real story here is Dakota straddling JT. Yes, you read that right. Not the plot twist you expected, huh?
During a recent interview, Dakota spilled the tea on what it was like to professionally drape herself over one of the biggest pop stars on the planet. Was she nervous? Did she think JT might burst into an impromptu dance-off? Dakota laughed and admitted that she definitely had some preconceived ideas about Timberlake before the scene. I mean, who wouldn’t? You’d expect him to be moonwalking into rehearsals with a fedora and a choir of angels harmonizing behind him. But alas, he was apparently just a regular guy. “He was lovely and kind,” she said, probably disappointed there wasn’t even one synchronized dance move.
Here’s the kicker: Dakota was just 19 at the time, making this experience the stuff of teenage fever dreams and/or nightmares. Imagine this—you’re young, fresh-faced, and BAM! You find yourself straddling JT, while also inadvertently slapping him in the face with your hair. That’s not just choreography; that’s a stunt scene from a shampoo commercial gone rogue.
And as if that memory isn’t enough, Dakota had to endure another level of weirdness. Picture this: your mom talking to President Barack Obama about your booty shorts. Yes, those booty shorts—the ones Dakota was tragically not allowed to keep as a souvenir (Hollywood’s real crime). It’s like bringing up your embarrassing middle school yearbook photo at the United Nations. Dakota’s reaction? “I died.” No kidding.
A young Dakota, Justin Timberlake, a whirlwind of hair, and an unfortunate booty shorts incident that ended up in the presidential archives. The kind of experience that makes any other awkward family dinner conversation look like a walk in the park.