How to Make Friends and Influence People

Facebook has 500 million worldwide members and counting—but is it bigger than Justin Timberlake? The pop star was on hand for last night's Cinema Society sneak peek at The Social Network, the much talked-about film that claims to tell the true and tumultuous story behind the paradigm-shifting site's creation. In what has to be considered one of the year's more interesting casting choices, JT plays Sean Parker, the hotshot Napster entrepreneur who helped sink the traditional music industry. As Timberlake rather diplomatically put it, 'I kind of identified with both sides of the fence.'

The screening (which drew the likes of Adrien Brody, Donna Karan, and Ethan Hawke) went ahead without Rooney Mara, who plays Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg's wounded ex, and director David Fincher. Their status update? They're in Sweden, filming the American remake of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Jesse Eisenberg's star turn as Zuckerberg has been garnering Oscar buzz, even if MySpace China director Wendi Murdoch (who declared herself a fan of the film) suggested at the after-party at the Gansevoort Park Avenue that his portrayal was a bit keyed up. 'Mark talks less, and he doesn't talk that fast,' she pointed out.

Neither Eisenberg nor Timberlake has a Facebook account, but Lance Bass does and was happy to discuss his methods. "If you're not on my cell phone, you're not on my Facebook—but I do have a fan page," he offered. As for Facebook's flirtatious "poke" feature? "I've never even experimented with the poking," Bass said. "Too many people to poke."

—Darrell Hartman