Jessica Biel basically knows everything. The actress caught wind of husband Justin Timberlake’s Academy Award nomination before he even found out that he was among the 2017 contenders in the category of Best Original Song.
The former boy band member (and all-around multi hyphenate) has earned an Oscars nod for his catchy tune from the Trolls soundtrack— “Can’t Stop the Feeling”—alongside pop hitmaker Max Martin and Karl Johan Schuster. “I was recovering from a late night at the studio, so when I woke up there was a whirlwind of emails and texts,” he recalled to Deadline this week. “But my wife broke the news to me, which was even sweeter.”
Timberlake added that he was “giddy” and “still, like, in a tornado.” He added: “I’m just really honored and grateful they recognized the song. I’ve honestly been walking around today thinking, ‘Did that happen?’ Obviously it was a great year for Max and Johan and myself with the success of the song. I’m having a pinch-yourself moment.”
“I’m really humbled by the whole thing. I think most of all, I was excited the whole year that people responded to the song. Now more than ever we need something that puts a kick in someone’s step and unites us through a good feeling. I think that is what I was always most happy about that it gives people a good feeling. For the Academy to recognize this song? Wow. Yeah, I’m pinching myself.”
The pop superstar and actress have been making headlines lately for being, well, one of the cutest couples in Hollywood these days. During an appearance earlier this month on The late Late Show With James Corden, Biel recalled the beginning stages of her relationship with Timberlake—including how she predicted she would marry him.

LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 03: Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel dance together at a basketball game between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on January 3, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images)
“We didn’t kiss for a very long time because he was on tour, and we were talking on the phone, like normal pre-teens do. We were just chatting on the phone for hours,” she recalled. “I have this email that is really funny… that I sent to my producing partner. It’s literally, like, ‘Okay, I can’t make that meeting so I have to cancel. Also, I know I will marry this man. You can’t tell anybody but your husband.’”