Lockdown has been a “blessing” for Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel.

Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, the couple – who were plagued by a cheating scandal late last year – have reportedly become closer than ever as they self-isolate with their five-year-old son Silas at their ranch in Montana.

“They were on shaky ground, but quarantine has been a blessing in disguise – it’s brought them closer together,” a source told Heat magazine.

“They’ve been isolating on their ranch in Montana, enjoying hikes in the woods and fishing, plus other simple stuff.

“They realised they were headed in the wrong direction because Jessica was a workaholic and Justin was being a flake, but they’re committed to never letting things get so bad again.”

In November 2019, photos of singer-turned-actor Justin Timberlake holding hands with his co-star Alisha Wainwright spread like wildfire through the internet, accompanied with whispers of cheating allegations.

In images published by The Sun, Timberlake was seen on a balcony bar in New Orleans as he laughed with his colleague, seemingly engaged in a flirtatious manner. The publication stated he was not wearing his wedding ring.

“At one stage he grabbed her hand and rested it on his knee. She then gently started stroking his leg,” a source told the publication. “Then he clutched her hand with both of his and was playing with her hands.”

The photos came as a shock to many fans of Timberlake, who is married to his wife of seven years, Jessica Biel.

However, a source later told People magazine the interaction was "completely innocent".

"It’s a balcony with a group of people and it was definitely nothing happening," the source told the publication.

"He’s down there shooting [his film] Palmer, they’re starring in the movie together and they’re cool and everybody was just hanging out."

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel's relationship

Timberlake first met his wife, actress Jessica Biel, in 2007.

In his memoir, Hindsight: & All the Things I Can't See in Front of Me, the singer detailed his first meeting with the 7th Heaven actress, saying he felt as though he had found his 'other half'.

"When I met Jess, it was undeniable how beautiful she is. We were at a surprise party in Hollywood at a speakeasy kind of a bar, a private club, and we were standing around in a group of people. I made some sort of sarcastic comment, really dry. Nobody got it except her. She laughed, and I noticed, all of a sudden, and in the way where you wonder if a person’s like you, if they have a very dry, dark sense of humour, too.

"We talked that night. The DJ played 'Lucky Star,' and we danced. And then she was gone."

Timberlake continued, adding that although he didn't initially ask Biel out for a date, she left a mark on his mind. But time went by before he asked Biel for her number and a romance blossomed.

"She changed me. She changed my life. All of that is in [his song] 'Mirrors.' Not the details. But the way it felt to have my life be touched by her," he reflected.

Biel and Timberlake briefly parted ways in 2011 after headlines emerged of cheating rumours. In their joint statement, they said it was a mutual decision. But a few months later they rekindled their romance and have remained together ever since.

In 2012, Timberlake and Biel married in a lavish Italian wedding, with Biel wearing a memorable pink wedding dress.

Since their nuptials, they've been hailed as one of Hollywood's most genuine couples.

Watch: Justin Timberlake talks to Mamamia about parenting. Post continues after video. 

In 2018, Biel spoke to People Magazine about the 'secret to a successful marriage'.

"Communication, communication, communication," she told the publication.

"The ability to be really honest about how you’re feeling and what your needs are. Just be able to communicate really honestly with your partner. That’s worked for us so far," she said.

"I would never want to speak on anyone else’s relationship, but that’s what we do."

Neither Biel nor Timberlake have commented on the recent photos of Timberlake holding hands with another woman, but multiple sources have told publications the speculation is unfounded, insisting there is no truth to the cheating rumours.

Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel's son, Silas.

In April 2015, Biel gave birth to their first child together, a son named Silas Randall Timberlake.

The couple are notoriously private about their son, rarely sharing photos of him, but on Sunday, Timberlake posted a series of photos on Instagram for Father's Day in the US.

In his caption, he spoke about the ways in which he and Biel were trying to fight systematic racism by raising their son to understand "all people are created equal".

"Boys grow up to be fathers. I think about that a lot these days. We try to teach our son to love and to respect everyone — we teach him that all people are all created equal, and that no one should be treated differently because of the colour of their skin," Timberlake wrote on Instagram.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Justin Timberlake (@justintimberlake) on Jun 21, 2020 at 9:34am PDT

"We teach him this because one day, he will go on to teach his kids the same. It’s a cycle. And right now, as we all work to undo generations of discrimination that have plagued our system and our communities across this country... I’m reminded today that the first lessons start at home," Timberlake added.

"I'm grateful for both of my dads and my mother for teaching me those lessons from the beginning. And for listening to me when I had something to say that they hadn’t learned. I pray for that humility with my own son."

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Jessica Biel (@jessicabiel) on Jun 21, 2020 at 10:02am PDT

Biel also shared an Instagram post of Timberlake and Silas for Father's Day, writing: "To the dad who not only protects and provides but most importantly, PLAYS, and puts up with all our shenanigans. And teaches and guides and comforts and accepts and respects. Being a dad can sometimes be a thankless job, but today we hope you know how important you are in our lives. We love you forever and ever and a day. Love mom and Silas"

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