Justin Timberlake has spoken of his pain following his recent split from longtime girlfriend Jessica Biel, calling the break-up "hurtful" and praising the actress as the most "special" and "significant person" in his life.
The pop superstar, who has previously romanced Britney Spears and Cameron Diaz, announced in March (11) that he had parted ways with Biel after nearly four years of dating. The former couple insisted the break-up was "mutual" and vowed to remain friends.
Timberlake has now spoken of his heartache in the wake of the split, revealing he is pained just by talking about his former lover.
He tells Vanity Fair magazine, "I would rather not talk about her, because it's hurtful for me... She is the single-handedly most significant person in my life... In my 30 years, she is the most special person, OK?... I don't want to say much more, because I have to protect things that are dear to me - for instance, her."
The SexyBack hitmaker goes on to hint at the reasons behind the split by discussing commitment in relationships, revealing, "I think the mistake is that people commit to who that person is right then and not the person they're going to become. That's the art of staying together, is changing together. When you say it like that, it seems damn near impossible, right?"
Timberlake also admits he has not given marriage much thought in the past, but he is now starting to contemplate settling down and starting a family in the future.
He adds, "As little as six months ago I wouldn't have even thought about that, but now it feels like a closer planet orbiting around."