'N Sync's Lance Bass has virtually no acting experience, save for performing in community stage productions as a kid in Mississippi. Yet he won his guest-starring spot on 7th Heaven pretty easily. One of the show's stars, 19-year-old Beverley Mitchell, is an 'N Sync fan.
A few short weeks after Beverley first suggested the idea to the show's producers, Lance is in his trailer, reflecting on the 7th scene he just shot. "I was nervous," he says. "It's a lot harder than people think, with fifty people watching you and cameras everywhere. And I have to lose the southern accent. I've been in Mississippi for the last two weeks and it's really strong. I'm supposed to be an Italian Californian!"
Nevertheless, director Joel Feigenbaum is impressed: "I think he has a future as an actor, if that's what he wants to do," he says. If Lance's on-screen love interest has anything to do with it, his future will be on 7th Heaven--as a regular. Feigenbaum says that right after Lance and Beverley shot a kissing scene, the actress could be heard squealing all the way to her trailer.
The TV gig has helped Lance relax and get his mind off his troubles--six weeks before, he and his mates were hit with a $150 million lawsuit by their ex-business manager, Louis J. Pearlman, and BMG Entertainment.
Here's a brief recap: In September 1999, 'N Sync announced they were leaving RCA for Jive Records. On October 12, Pearlman and his Trans Continental Records, along with RCA parent BMG, filed a $150 million breach-of-contract suit against 'N Sync and Jive's parent, Zomba Recording Co. (Trans Continental originally signed 'N Sync and licensed them to BMG.) 'N Sync then hit Pearlman with a countersuit, seeking at least $25 million in damages.
In November, 'N Sync celebrated a small, but promising, victory: A judge had chosen not to grant Pearlman a preliminary injunction preventing 'N Sync and Jive from using the 'N Sync name or releasing any recordings. That set the stage for an out-of-court settlement of both suits in late December. As Teen People went to press, the complete details were not available, but this much was certain: The band would be able to keep its name while remaining with its new label--resulting in the months-delayed release of 'N Sync's third album, No Strings Attached, on Jive on March 7.
Looking back, Lance says the group's nonstop work and traveling ('N Sync often performed six nights a week during their 1999 tours) probably prevented them from being as on top of their finances as they should have been. Yet the always polite 20-year-old says he doesn't hold anything against Pearlman personally; he credits him with helping them get their start, and agrees Pearlman deserves a fair share of the wealth. But, he adds, "he tries to take too much. He's a little greedy."
According to papers filed by 'N Sync's lawyers, Pearlman initially allotted himself 65 percent of all merchandising (that means everything from 'N Sync T-shirts to 'N Sync: The Official Book to their fan club); 62 percent of all record royalties (the remaining 38 percent is split among the group's five members); and 100 percent of music publishing (meaning, he owns all their songs). Exactly what Pearlman will receive under the terms of the December 29 settlement is unclear, although his company, Trans Continental Records, will receive future compensation from 'N Sync.
Pearlman's lawyer, Michael D. Friedman, objects to his client's being labeled greedy. "Without Lou, there would be no 'N Sync," Friedman says. "These five young men might well be among the thousands of talented young performers who took a shot at the highly competitve music business and remain in obscurity."
As a budding manager, Lance--whose company, FreeLance Entertainment, handles two young country artists, Meredith Edwards and Jack DeFoe--doesn't intend to practice what he says Pearlman preaches: "I told them straight up, 'These projects that I am working on with you are not for me to make money. It's something I love to do.' I would never take advantage of them."
What Joey Fatone loves to do is act. But for now, the 23-year-old is content to be financing and overseeing the creation of an acting handbook for students across the country written by Karen Rugerio, his former drama coach at Orlando's Dr. Phillips High School.
Tonight, though, Joey is focused on his main sideline: fun. It's the night after Thanksgiving, and 'N Sync has just performed to a sold-out crowd of 14,000 at Las Vegas's MGM Grand Arena. "I go out after a show to let off some steam," he says. Tonight's destination is Rumjungle, a club at the end of the Strip. "I love going out to clubs. Can't help that," says Joey in the Brooklyn accent he retains despite the fact that he relocated to Florida 10 years ago.
Joey is such a die-hard clubber, he'll go without the others if he has to, but tonight he's able to lure Lance and Justin along with about a dozen friends. Lance and Justin are happy to sit back while born charmer Joey works the room. But clubbing isn't just for kicks--it's research for a potential future business plan. "One day, me, Lance and Justin may open up a club," he says, studying and admiring the layout of Rumjungle, which is lavishly decorated with waterfalls.
Not much gets the cheerful Joey down--not even the lawsuit. He says it didn't affect the group's morale at all. One reason they remained positive and upbeat is because of their fans, like the ones who organized concurrent rallies in Orlando and New York City this past November to protest the lawsuit against 'N Sync and to sign a petition asking Congress to consider legislation that would prevent young artists from being taken advantage of.
"Our fans are so loyal," says a proud Joey, "that even if our name was changed, they'd know we were still around. A lot of people think the kids don't know what's going on, but they do."
Justin Timberlake has experience in the name-changing department. The sign on his trailer door reads "Jason," but it's not a mistake. Rather, it's a small attempt at getting some peace and quiet for 'N Sync's biggest heartthrob during downtime on the Toronto set of The Wonderful World of Disney feature Janine and Alex: Cover Girls. Inside, the newly brown-haired crooner ("It's chocolate mousse," Justin says) strums his new guitar, oblivious to the hundred or so teenage extras nearby who are exploding with curiosity about the pop star in their midst.
"I got the blessing of the other four to do this [movie]," Justin says, just in case anyone doubted that 'N Sync is his first priority. "I would never do anything that they didn't approve of." The film marks the 19-year-old's acting debut. His role: a male model. "I'm going to get a lot of respect for this," he says sarcastically. His first kissing scene will be later this week. "It's not a big deal. As long as she's comfortable, then I'm comfortable. I just hope my breath doesn't stink," he says, then pops a mint.
Who's the lucky woman? Party of Five's Maggie Lawson, 19, playing dual roles: the model whom Justin's Jason thinks he's dating and the plain Jane he eventually falls for. "Maggie is incredible," Justin says. "I think I'm going to ask her out. People have told us, 'You know, you two have good chemistry.' She's from Kentucky. I'm from Tennessee. I've met her family. They're good southern people."
When Justin falls for a girl, he doesn't hold back, as evidenced in "Good For You," a song he has written for No Strings Attached. "It's about how I would treat a woman if I was in love with her," he says. "Like, 'I know the way I am is a bit overwhelming, but I want you to know that it's all from the heart.' That seems to be my problem with all my ex-girlfriends: I think I loved them too much from the very beginning. I found out girls need to chase a little."
When Cover Girls wraps (it was filmed from late September to early November '99), Justin will head to Washington, D.C. to meet with President Clinton and the First Lady regarding his new venture, the Justin Timberlake Foundation, which seeks to improve art education for American children. "I want to raise enough money to get things up to speed with technology and inspire kids to [pursue] music," he says. "They should have everything they need to really do it."
JC Chasez is in L.A. the same week as Lance is, but it's not to act. This 'N Syncer is all about the music. On this late November day, the 21-year-old is in a studio to tinker with the final mix of No Strings Attached, and to produce a track for Wild Orchid. The female trio, managed by Johnny Wright, 'N Sync's manager, will be working on the JC-penned "Fire," a song that was inspired by a recent evening in Vegas when Wild Orchid's Stacey Ferguson yelled, "I'm Fireball Ferg!" before rolling the dice at a craps table. "And she'd win every friggin' time!" marvels the first-time producer.
This afternoon, it's JC who's all fired up--the guy can't sit still. "When I'm [in the studio], I'm jumping the whole time," says the bouncy Washington, D.C. native. "I jump off of stuff, over chairs and over pianos, the whole nine."
It was antsy JC who initiated the group's jump to Jive. After 'N Sync's debut album achieved multiplatinum status in late '98, he began to wonder when they would start to see the fortune they assumed would accompany their fame. Although the group as a whole earned more than $13 million in 1998 and 1999 (according to Friedman, Pearlman's lawyer), the guys thought that selling 10 million albums worldwide should have netted them much more. So JC had his mom, Karen Chasez, ask his lawyer uncle to review 'N Sync's recording contracts, He didn't like what he saw. "We were like, how could we be fooled like that?" JC says.
Unfortunately for 'N Sync, "There's no such thing as an unfair contract," says manager Johnny Wright, who has also been a business associate of Pearlman's. "Both parties have the opportunity to have a lawyer review it [beforehand], and if you do that and you sign, that's that." However, Wright adds that whether or not the initial contract was reasonable, "all the players should know that if the artists bring a lot of success to the company, they're going to want to renegotiate. That's commonplace."
For his part, Pearlman insists that his conduct has been beyond reproach. "I have always acted in good faith, guided by the best interests of the group and have played an integral role in the success they now enjoy," he says. "That success is no excuse for turning their backs on their legal obligations."
Pearlman and the group reportedly attempted to renegotiate several times last fall, but the two sides could not agree on new terms. Thus, Pearlman felt he had no choice but to take the group to court. "It's ugly," says JC with a sigh. "We never meant for it to go public because we're not looking for pity. We just want our problem corrected. We're going to do whatever it takes for us to get our music to the fans."
Like his four bandmates, Chris Kirkpatrick, 28, spends all his spare time branching out--via his clothing, visual art and music-production venture, FuMan Skeeto. The company has a showroom in New York to lure potential distributors into picking up Chris's skater-inspired clothing line of brightly colored T-shirts and sweatshirts.
FuMan Skeeto president Danielle Raabe (roomie of Lance's ex and FuMan spokesperson Danielle Fishel) is in charge of manufacturing. Eventually, the clothing line will be available on the Net (www.fumanskeeto.com) and in stores. Chris, meanwhile, focuses on music production. His first artist, Ron Irizarry, opened for 'N Sync on their Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now tour, and has an album in the works. Like part-time manager Lance, Chris says pointedly, "He's not going to get taken advantage of. I'm not asking to be connected to [any] artist for the rest of their life."
As Chris takes high tea at L.A.'s posh Peninsula hotel (yes, even he thinks it's weird, but it's a challenge for him to achieve anonymity, even though he has chopped off his trademark braids), he praises the fivesome's grace under the recent pressure. "The five of us are a team," he says. "I have to give Justin credit in a huge way. Fifty-five percent of the girls want to see Justin, but when we're in a meeting I've never once heard him say, 'Well, since I'm the most popular in the group, I think we should do this.'"
It's important to Chris that fans understand that 'N Sync's battles with Pearlman were not fueled by greed. "We are not asking for some outrageous amount of money," he says. "Our deal was so bad that if we [end up getting now] what a new group gets, we will be happy."
Before the lawsuit was settled, Chris stated that win or lose, 'N Sync would stick together. "I know the five of us are going to be together because we have that bond of love and music," he says sincerely. "If we're old farts sitting in the bathroom, still singing our a cappellas together, we're going to be as happy as we were the day we walked onstage at the Silverdome in front of [47,000] people."