Jennifer Lopez‘s journey in the spotlight has been punctuated by noteworthy roles, and her involvement in “Kiss of the Spider Woman” marks a pivotal moment in her career. This old-fashioned musical not only embraces her deep-rooted love for the genre but also reflects broader themes of acceptance and resilience, making it a significant project for her. As Lopez steps into the shoes of a Broadway icon, the film positions her as a standout performer, breathing new life into a classic narrative.
The first thing you notice about Jennifer Lopez’s perch over West Hollywood is the Old Hollywood vibe. Images of Barbra Streisand, Bette Davis, and the Rat Pack adorn the walls. “I love making movies,” she remarked, gesturing toward one photograph. “And I feel like this is me a little bit. But it’s not me, it’s Sophia Loren! And with the crew there, and this is what my life is: it’s me by a camera doing this every day!”
Lopez has become a consistent figure in cinema, delivering at least one film nearly every year for the past three decades. While some projects have left a mark, others have faded into obscurity. This year, however, she feels a sense of transformation through “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” an old-fashioned musical that resonates deeply with her. “I just thought to myself, this is what I’ve been waiting for my whole life,” she shared. “I grew up on musicals. My mom loved musicals, and so I saw every musical you can think of. She was a fanatic! How many times do you think you saw ‘West Side Story’? So many,” she sighed. “And it wasn’t, ‘Oh I’ve seen it about five times.’ No! I’ve seen it hundreds of times! I feel like, so much!”
It’s clear that her admiration for Broadway icons, particularly Rita Moreno and the late Chita Rivera, weighs heavily on her as she endeavors to fill their celebrated roles in “Kiss of the Spider Woman.” When asked if she felt burdened by this legacy, Lopez replied, “I kind of let it go and understood that I had to make it my own.”
The timing of this project coincided with a tumultuous phase in her personal life, particularly given that Ben Affleck, her now ex-husband, served as one of the film’s executive producers. “It was a really tough time,” she confessed. “Every moment on set, every moment I was doing this role, I was so happy. And then, it was like, back home it was not great. And it was just like, Oh, you know, how do I reconcile this?” Their divorce was finalized the same month “Kiss of the Spider Woman” debuted at Sundance. Reflecting on this transition, she said, “It was the best thing that ever happened to me. Because it changed me … It didn’t change me, it helped me grow in a way that I needed to grow.”
The music of “Kiss of the Spider Woman” creates a bright contrast to its somber narrative. Set against the backdrop of an Argentinian prison, the story follows Molina, a queer window dresser, and Valentin, a Marxist revolutionary. The act of escaping into the world of films aids them in bridging their differences and alleviating their hardships. “It is a love letter, in a way, to the Latin community and to the queer community,” Lopez noted, emphasizing the film’s relevance in today’s world where these communities often face marginalization.
Inclusion and acceptance resonate throughout Lopez’s career and were particularly evident during her 2020 Super Bowl halftime performance in Miami, where she was joined by one of her twins, Emme. “Singing that with my child there, and them screaming that back to me – ’cause I’m gonna live my life – that was one of the best moments in my life,” Lopez recalled. The global platform she embraces today was unimaginable during her journey from the Bronx, where she chased her dreams and once slept on a bench at the Phil Black Dance Studio. “I crashed there for a while,” she shared. “You know, when you’re young you can do stuff like that.”
As a child, the experience of attending a live Broadway show left an indelible impression on her. “I remember sitting in an audience, watching a live show one time,” she said. “And I was with a friend, and I said, ‘When you see that, don’t you want to be up there, doing that?’ And they were like, ‘No!’ And I was like, ‘Okay. Is it just me?'”
During her auditions, Jennifer Lopez worked as a program seller for “Phantom of the Opera” outside the Majestic Theatre, using her charm to attract customers. Reflecting on her winding journey to her own musical, she noted that revisiting the essence of Old Hollywood might be what propels her career forward. “The hard times are the lessons, and you have to understand that,” she affirmed. “And once you do, everything just becomes a little bit lighter. And you can really, really fly.” When asked if it feels like she’s flying now, Lopez replied, “Yes. It does. It does. And I still feel like I want to fly higher. I want to see more. I want to do more things.”
