Synopsis

Set in a sleek Barcelona hotel, the video follows Justin Timberlake and Spanish actress Elena Anaya as rival spies drawn into a dangerous game of pursuit and seduction. They track each other through luxurious rooms, corridors, and a nightclub, with surveillance, coded behavior, and sudden confrontations shaping their encounter. Their professional rivalry gradually gives way to mutual attraction, turning the sleek espionage setup into an erotic thriller that matches the song's provocative, futuristic mood.

Factoids & Trivia

• The video was filmed in Barcelona in June 2006, using the city's architecture, hotel interiors, and distinctly European atmosphere as major visual elements.

• Elena Anaya, known internationally for films including "Van Helsing" and "Sex and Lucia," plays Timberlake's mysterious counterpart.

• Timberlake selected the filmmaker after being impressed by the visual style of Madonna's "Take a Bow." He was particularly interested in the way that video presented a normally controlled pop star as vulnerable.

• The video debuted on MTV's "Making the Video" on July 25, 2006, shortly before the release of "FutureSex/LoveSounds."

• "SexyBack" marked a major visual shift for Timberlake. Instead of emphasizing choreography and performance, the clip presents him as a cinematic leading man in a stylized spy story.

• The production was accompanied by a behind-the-scenes special featuring Timberlake and Timbaland, documenting the making of the video.