Justin Timberlake Opens Up About Lyme Disease: Which Other Celebs Share His Struggle?
This is the most common illness spread by bugs in the US and can have serious consequences if left untreated
Justin Timberlake has revealed that he was quietly battling Lyme disease while on his 2024–2025 world tour, The Forget Tomorrow Tour. The tour, which began in April 2024 in Vancouver and wrapped up recently in Turkey, marked his return to global stages after several years away.
In an interview with NBC News, Timberlake shared that his diagnosis came as a shock, but it finally explained many of the symptoms he had been struggling with — including intense nerve pain, exhaustion, and nausea. He admitted that at one point, he considered putting the tour on hold. Still, he said he was happy he decided to push through.
In an Instagram post, he shared, “If you’ve experienced this disease or know someone who has, then you know — living with it can be incredibly tough, both mentally and physically.” His message came shortly after receiving backlash from fans who saw him perform at the Electric Castle festival in Romania. While singing his hit “Can’t Stop the Feeling,” some fans felt let down, commenting that Timberlake “barely sang” and seemed off during the show.
🇷🇴🎤🤐🕺Justin Timberlake sparked backlash at Romania’s Electric Castle festival after fans said he barely sang during his set. Videos show him repeatedly asking the crowd to sing while he danced & walked around the stage. One viral clip was captioned, “When you pay for a concert… pic.twitter.com/ahNP9mbFOQ
— GoodMorningRooster (@RoosterGM) July 25, 2025
Justin shared his diagnosis to give fans a better idea of what’s been going on behind the scenes—and to remind us that even our favorite artists aren’t immune to getting sick or feeling unwell. Timberlake didn’t go into detail about when or how he contracted the illness, but he emphasized how important it was to listen to his body and lean on his team for support.
What Is Lyme Disease and How Do You Get It?
Lyme disease is the most common bug-borne illness in the U.S., according to the CDC. It’s caused by a type of bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi, which gets passed to humans through the bite of an infected blacklegged tick—also known as a deer tick. These ticks are tiny—about the size of a poppy seed—and often go unnoticed, which is why people might not realize they’ve been bitten until symptoms start to show.
Symptoms and Why It’s Often Misdiagnosed
Lyme disease can show up in many different ways. Some of the early signs include fatigue, fever, headaches, or a distinctive bullseye-shaped rash. But if it’s not treated in time, it can lead to joint pain, heart issues, and even neurological problems like brain fog or numbness.
One of the toughest parts about Lyme is how easily it can be confused with other conditions. Many people go months or even years without a clear diagnosis, making it harder to get the treatment they need.
How Do You Get Lyme Disease?
Activities like hiking, gardening, camping, or just walking through brushy areas can increase your risk. That’s why it’s important to check yourself (and your pets!) after being outdoors, especially in the spring and summer when ticks are most active.
The good news? Lyme disease is treatable, especially when caught early. Antibiotics are the standard treatment, and most people recover fully. Still, prevention is key: wear long sleeves, use tick repellents, and do full-body checks after spending time outdoors. If you notice any symptoms—or even just feel “off” after a tick bite—it’s always a good idea to talk to a doctor.
Celebrities Who’ve Opened Up About Lyme Disease
Bella Hadid has been one of the most vocal celebrities when it comes to sharing her experience with Lyme disease—a condition she’s been living with since 2012. Over the years, she’s posted photos of her treatment and has been honest about the ups and downs of managing the illness. And she’s not alone. Several other celebrities have battled the same challenges.
Bella, Anwar and Yolanda Hadid
Lyme disease has deeply impacted the Hadid family. Not only Bella, but her brother Anwar and their mom Yolanda have all been diagnosed with it. Yolanda spoke to People back in 2016 about how tough it can be.
“There are days where you sleep for 12 hours, wake up at 11, and still can’t get out of bed,” she shared. “The joint pain, brain fog, anxiety—it’s a long list of symptoms that aren’t always visible, but they really wear you down inside. It feels like no amount of rest is ever enough.”
Justin Bieber
In January 2020, Bieber revealed that a photo taken in July 2019—which had sparked online speculation about his health, including unfounded rumors of drug use—was actually taken during the most intense phase of his battle with Lyme disease.
Avril Lavigne
In 2015, Avril Lavigne opened up about her struggle with Lyme disease during an interview with Good Morning America, saying she believed she was bitten in 2014. In a 2018 interview with Billboard, she recalled feeling increasingly unwell during her 2014 tour, thinking: “I’m achy, I’m fatigued, I cannot get the f* out of bed—what the fk is wrong with me?” as her symptoms worsened.
While battling the illness, Lavigne wrote her 2018 song ‘Head Above Water’ as a direct response to what she was going through. “I had accepted that I was dying,” she said. “And literally, under my breath, I was like, ‘God, help me keep my head above the water.’”
Thalía
Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Thalía was a dominating force on the Latin music charts. But in 2007, near the end of her first pregnancy, the ‘Amor A La Mexicana’ singer began feeling seriously unwell—so much so that she couldn’t care for her newborn daughter. At the time, doctors attributed her symptoms to postpartum depression, but what she was actually battling was an undiagnosed case of Lyme disease.
“I felt like I had been hit by a truck and dragged for miles, then crushed by a steamroller. I literally thought I was dying,” she revealed in her 2011 memoir Growing Stronger. Eventually, after finding the strength to research her symptoms, she connected with specialists and began two years of intensive treatment to reclaim her health.
Alec Baldwin
In a 2011 interview with The New York Times, Alec Baldwin revealed he had been dealing with chronic Lyme disease. He didn’t speak much about it again until 2017, when he opened up at a Bay Area Lyme Foundation event.
Baldwin described going through the same rough symptoms every summer for five years—things like flu-like aches, intense sweating, and what he called a “black lung” feeling. The first time hit him the hardest, to the point where he honestly thought he might not make it. “I was lying in bed thinking, ‘I’m going to die of Lyme disease,’” he recalled.
Ben Stiller
Ben Stiller also went public about his experience with Lyme disease. Back in 2011, he told The Hollywood Reporter that he caught it while spending time in Nantucket, Massachusetts. His knee swelled up, and it took a while before doctors figured out it was Lyme. He’s said that he no longer has symptoms, but the disease is something that stays in your system. “It doesn’t go away completely,” he explained.