An actor whose wide, affable grin and heavy eyebrows lend him an uncanny resemblance to Tim Allen, Justin Long unwittingly became a footnote to the illustrious history of Britney Spears' ascent to world domination when Justin Long appeared with the post-pubescent entertainer in her 2002 film debut, Crossroads. Cast as Britney's prom date, Justin Long shared a kiss with the singer that earned him breathless adulation on Britney websites everywhere.

Three years before he locked lips with the peppy pop star, Justin Long made his screen debut as a sci-fi geek in Galaxy Quest, a quirky genre parody that starred Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, and Justin Long's would-be doppelganger, Allen. Justin Long then landed a role on the TV sitcom Ed (2000), which he followed in 2001 with a part as a lonely bunkmate in Happy Campers. That same year, Justin Long starred in Jeepers Creepers, a sleeper comedy-horror outing that cast him as one of two siblings terrorized by an inhuman monster. Justin Long subsequently appeared in Crossroads, sealing his newfound popularity among teenage girls with a kiss.

In 2003, Justin Long popped up briefly in the sequel Jeepers Creepers 2 while continuing to appear on Ed. However, the following year saw the conclusion of Ed and Long embarked on his film career full-time. First up was the sports comedy Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. Stealing scenes while co-starring with the likes of Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller, Justin Long proved to critics and audiences alike that his comedic skills could translate from the small-screen to the big one with ease. In the wake of Dodgeball's box-office success, audience's could next find the actor starring in the independent films Raising Genius and Waiting... and adding his voice to the Bill Plympton film Hair High.