Justin Timberlake reflects on the bold move that convinced Beyoncé to join him in one of *SNL’s* most unforgettable sketches.
Justin Timberlake is no stranger to memorable moments, but even he admits that convincing Beyoncé to join him in a hilarious Saturday Night Live sketch back in 2008 was no easy feat.
The pop superstar, now 43, recently described the lengths he went to in order to persuade the legendary singer to step into comedy alongside him for what would become an iconic skit.
Timberlake, hosting the long-running comedy show at the time, recounted the story in the NBC documentary Ladies & Gentleman… 50 Years of SNL Music.
The former NSYNC member explained how a pitch from cast members Andy Samberg and Bobby Moynihan landed them all in full leotards and high heels to perform as background dancers who never made the cut for Beyoncé’s performances.
“(Andy) said Bobby Moynihan has this great idea for a sketch about you, me, and him being Beyoncé’s background dancers that never made the cut,” Timberlake said, detailing the behind-the-scenes conversation. “I was like, ‘full leotard?’ And he’s like, ‘yeah.’ I was like, ‘This is too funny. We have to do this.’”
That initial enthusiasm quickly hit a snag when they approached Beyoncé, also 43 and in the midst of her own meteoric solo career post-Destiny’s Child. Timberlake admitted she didn’t exactly jump on board.
“She was very polite about it, but she was very hesitant. And when I say hesitant, I mean like, she was not having it,” he shared.
Thinking outside the box, Timberlake decided to take a dramatic approach to win her over.
“I put the leotard and the heels and the hose on and everything, and put a robe on,” he recalled. “I walked and knocked on her door, I threw the robe down and put my hands on my hips, and she was like, ‘No you didn’t!’”
Thankfully, his bold move paid off.
Beyoncé agreed to participate, and the resulting sketch became one of the most talked-about moments of that season of SNL, with both stars embracing the comedic absurdity.
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