Jennifer Lopez: ‘At some point, I’m going to age but I’m holding it together’

The Billboard Music Awards 2018

When I get up in the morning, feeling every last joint creak and wondering where these extra ten pounds came from, I don’t want to remember that Jennifer Lopez and I are the same age. The actress/singer/businesswoman turns 49 on July 24, and not only does she not seem to age, she also shows no signs of slowing down.

Jennifer is currently a judge on the second season of World of Dance, which debuted on Wednesday (to a 25% drop in ratings). She’s also performing in her Las Vegas show, “All I Have,” with dates scheduled throughout the summer. In an upcoming interview with emmy magazine, Jennifer says she’s okay with the fact that she’s still so active. She joked, “Listen, at some point, I’m going to age. They’ll say, She looks old! But, right now, I’m holding it together.” And doing a very good job of it. Here’s more from the interview:

Jennifer’s beau, Alex Rodriguez, can’t always keep up:
“The other day, Alex was across the lawn, and I brought him something, and then I ran away. And he said, ‘You run like you’re 25 years old.’ I haven’t stopped that pace, so I’m still at that pace, I guess. When things start aching more, it’ll be different.”

She knows when to turn it on:
“I’m good at the showgirl stuff. I’m good at being onstage, doing a photo shoot, the stuff I need to be good at for my job. And I enjoy it. I know how to work it and make it work. But I don’t need to be the center of attention. I’d rather not talk to people at a party. I’m not that person.”

How she’s able to take on her busy days:
“I just take it day by day, because it’s so much stuff, and I try not to worry about too much. When I leave here. I’ll go home, have a nice dinner, then I’ll go to my bedroom, have a nice bath. I’ll have a chocolate cookie with milk, I’ll watch TV. And then I’m like, okay, tomorrow is full out.”

[From emmy magazine via PEOPLE]

She looks great, and I know she works hard for it. She recently told InStyle that working out daily keeps her strong and happy. She also shared her own, free, anti-aging advice with Harper’s Bazaar, stressing that “Affirmations are so important.” Her affirmation? “I am youthful and timeless.” She added, “I tell myself that every day, a few times a day. It sounds like clichéd bulls**t, but it’s not: Age is all in your mind. Look at Jane Fonda.” She’s 100% correct there.

The video for her latest single, “Dinero,” featuring DJ Kahled and Cardi B (and apparently brought to you by Jersey Mike’s Subs… huh?) dropped last Thursday. It’s a tasty little jam, and I’m sure we’ll all be dancing to it in Zumba class in a few weeks. Jennifer looks amazing in the video. Fun fact: I wear the same thing when I cook out; and my ostrich walking ensemble is very similar to Jen’s in this clip. Just saying.

I know she can be a bit extra at times, but I really like Jennifer. And for any of you who miss her on the small screen drama Shades of Blue, watch Jennifer deliver the most dramatic reading of the Sir Mix-A-Lot classic “Baby Got Back” I’ve ever seen. Her attitude and sense of humor make me like her and her ageless beauty makes me a bit jealous, but I’m not ashamed to say I’m a fan.

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Jennifer Lopez at Spago

Photos: Getty Images, WENN.com

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36 Responses to “Jennifer Lopez: ‘At some point, I’m going to age but I’m holding it together’”

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  1. Cherry says:

    We live in a world where there’s really nothing a woman can expect more praise for than looking young, especially if you’re over 35. It makes me sad, but congrats to Jennifer, I guess.
    ‘You run like you’re 25 years old,’ though? Who says that?

    • tracking says:

      Word. She, Halle B, and Gwyneth should get together and mutually affirm their 25 y o-ness and toned stripper butts.

      • Marty says:

        Uh…Gwyneth isn’t exactly the best example to use along side JLo and Halle.

      • tracking says:

        I included her because she made the (implied 25 yo) stripper butt comment. I’m referring to aging starlets praising their own youthfulness.

    • perplexed says:

      For some reason, I can believe she runs like she’s 25 years old. Gwyneth, not so much.

      Something about J-Lo does seem more on the youthful side. Gwyneth is “young” in terms of discipline and maintaining her physique in the way Tracey Anderson tells her to do, but I think J-Jo’s spirit seems youthful, not just the face and body. Not sure if that makes sense. I guess Winona Ryder has the same thing going on (even if she refuses to use Instagram and I don’t think I’ve heard her once in my life or her life talk about her work-out routine). And Keanu too? (on the male side). Like, I would probably think they were vampires even if they weren’t movie stars. Keanu seems like a young spirit even when he’s eating his banana sadly on a park bench.

      • Cherry says:

        It wasn’t my point whether we should believe that Jennifer runs like a 25yo. It’s more like: I’m sad that THAT is what she’s humble-bragging about while being an accomplished 50 yo (? I’m too tired too look up Jennifer’s exact age) woman, with a successful career, millions of fans, prizes, records sold, movies made, and two healthy children.

      • Ms says:

        But just because an interviewer ask her those questions doesn’t mean she’s not proud of the other stuff. I have no doubt she is more multifaceted than that.

      • perplexed says:

        I don’t think she’s bragging though. In her line of work, she’s required to be fit like a young person in the same way an athlete is. . If she were in tech or law or medicine, I wouldn’t expect her to talk about her fitness. Obviously, those areas require a completely different skill set (although I do look at out–of-shape cardiologists a little strangely). But her line of work literally requires her to be in shape and look fit. She’s in a visual profession. Every medium she works in is completely visual (except for maybe singing, and even that requires video.) Plus, even she admitted that at some point, everybody is going to say she looks old (which is when everybody will probably expect her to exit her career).

        To expect people in visual professions not to be asked about or talk about how they maintain their visual presence, when it’s such an integral part of their job, seems unrealistic to me.

        Also I have no issue with fit people talking about their fitness level. They put in the work I haven’t. I don’t begrudge them the desire to talk about what they can do fitness-wise. Can I do what Halle Berry does fitness-wise even though I’m younger? Oh heck to the no. So, yes, people like me are going to be impressed. I don’t think it’s shallow to be. You need fitness to stay healthy as you grow older. I don’t think wanting to be fit or staying fit is shallow (and I say this as I’m eating a waffle with sugary syrup). . Clearly, fitness has helped her mind too, and you need a healthy mind to do as well in business as she has. If she were saying she has no wrinkles or lines on her face, I’d understand people thinking she’s too vain. But fitness at any age is important in order to be resilient and stave off stress, which seems to be something she emphasizes, and if you can do things at 50 that you couldn’t do at 25, I’d say kudos.

      • Otaku fairy says:

        I agree 100% with Ms. and Perplexed. It’s not really an either/or situation.

      • JA says:

        The Rolling Stones, U2, Bob Dylan, Foo Fighters, etc, etc are all in the same “visual” profession. (And it’s really an “auditory” profession. no?) Does it matter what they look like or how they are aging? Not at all.

      • perplexed says:

        “The Rolling Stones, U2, Bob Dylan, Foo Fighters, etc, etc are all in the same “visual” profession. (And it’s really an “auditory” profession. no?) Does it matter what they look like or how they are aging? Not at all.”

        They have the advantage of being men, don’t they? They also have the advantage of being in a band, which helps their longevity. Does J-Lo have that advantage? This site constantly takes about the differences in rules between men and women. Why would we suddenly not note the difference when it’s J-Lo? Also, aren’t a lot of those men from a different generation pre-video? Nowadays, there does seem to be some expectation for male singers to look good. I would assume that’s why the Biebs is at the gym all the time, why people wax on about Harry Styles’s hair, and why the leads of current day British rock bands in their late 20s and early 30s never seem to get fat. Among the younger generation, how often do you see an ugly lead singer? I personally think Adam Levine is a bit icky, but people seem to see him as some kind of visual presence.. The Rolling Stones are from the 60s and their main completion in the Beatles is dead. They’re also in bands — none of the examples cited are solo singers. If J-Lo was in a band, maybe she might not have be as visual. If Bono had to be a solo singer, he might not be able to hide his looks in a band or his career might have ended earlier.

        I also noted the auditory quality of singing, but that music videos are now considered important (i.e “video killed the radio star.”) Even among the female singers who can sing much better than J-Lo, they are required on some level to look good. I assume that’s why Celine Dion makes an effort to maintain her figure. Adele might not have the perfect figure, but she is visually appealing in the face.

        J-Lo is also an actress. Her livelihood isn’t just built on singing. Are we going to pretend that actresses aren’t expected to look good?

        Also, J-Lo isn’t the one asking herself these questions. Journalists are asking these questions — she’s answering. If no one wants the answer she’s giving, maybe it’s up to journalists to ask different questions. I doubt she goes on about her fitness routine unless someone explicitly asks. And People magazine doesn’t have Bob Woodward doing the interview so I suppose these are the weird questions she’s going to get. Are we suddenly supposed to pretend that People magazine is a bastion of high journalism?

        I also don’t think there’s anything wrong with someone being proud of their fitness (this is coming from someone who is not that fit).

      • JA says:

        Perplexed – yes, you hit on everything I was thinking. Music is “visual” if the singer in question is female. But also, pre-video, we were all a lot more forgiving. Remember Christopher Cross? He had a great career until MTV, and most people thought it was bc he wasn’t particularly attractive. I still think if you are a great musician/vocalist, is it really necessary that you look absolutely perfect and ageless? The expectations and standards these days for women (really in all fields) are insane. Kelly Clarkson doesn’t need to look perfect, she has tremendous talent. I feel the same way about Jennifer Lopez and Carrie Underwood (meaning all the headlines about her stitches). They are much more than the sum of their body parts.

      • perplexed says:

        “I still think if you are a great musician/vocalist, is it really necessary that you look absolutely perfect and ageless?”

        I don’t think it should be.

        In the case of J-Lo, I do think she’d probably be into fitness even if she weren’t famous. Maybe it’s a chicken-egg scenario. Perhaps people who know they look good or don’t mind looking good are more attracted to professions where this visual component is emphasized. I know I can’t live up to those standards so I have no desire to be part of that world.

    • Eleonor says:

      That makes me sad too. For me the great thing you achieve aging is the: I have the right to not give a crap about others opinions.

      • DearWhitePeople says:

        What if “celebrities” were more varied, ie, women who are simply the top of their field, or the block moms who feed all the kids and model healthy parenting. I realize beauty & youthfulness are what we look for in”celeb”, and my curiosity is absorbed by the superficial, however IJS>

    • adastraperaspera says:

      Totally agree. She is a multi-talented powerhouse. Her looks are great, but secondary to everything else she has accomplished.

  2. Suzanne says:

    She reminds me of Halle Berry in that first photo….Very pretty ladies. Do whatever you can as long as it’s healthy…to maintain….because once its gone…and you’re past the point that nothing can fix it all….you have to accept the aging process. Then again…look at Traitor Jane. She is unbelievable for her age. Fitness and good genes…I guess. Keep on keeping on Jlo.

  3. jferber says:

    She works hard for her body but that face was bought with a whole lot of money.

  4. Ariana says:

    She looks amazing, no doubt about that. But this music video looks like a rip off from a bunch of different videos. A little bit of Beyonce (lingerie and a hat), a little bit of Gwen Stefani (striped pajama from “great escape”). Jennifer has always been energetic, hard working, vibrant but never original
    DJ Khaled is so useless…just yelling words on top of the track. I get that he might also be a producer. but still, so annoying

  5. Red says:

    She looks great. Full stop. But she still looks 49 and that’s ok.

    I think the only celebrity that doesn’t look her age is Gabrielle Union. I don’t know what magic she’s casting but the woman looks a decade younger.

  6. Tvtg says:

    She is aging she just does procedures to cover it up

    • Christin says:

      The Jane comparison is interesting, because photos of Jane from the 1970s indicate she has not aged without lots of help.

      • Linda says:

        Exactly. Jane Fonda has no original left. Its all drs work. And where are Jennifers twins. She says nothing about them when she talks about her day

    • Heidi says:

      Jennifer Lopez looks aged, why fight it

  7. jferber says:

    Christin, And help is okay if you can afford it. At least that’s my opinion. It is unfortunate that so much time is used up on fighting nature, which could be better spent on other things. But I too do what I can to fight nature (aging). Another thing women waste a lot of time on is weight– bemoaning it, dieting, etc., which I do, too. Societal pressure on women’s appearance is definitely part of the problem.

  8. Really says:

    Love love love me some JLo.

    • DiegoInSF says:

      Same here. She’s such an icon. It’d be hypocritical for her not to say she is still holding it together. She hasn’t aged in 20 years. And don’t @ me about the cosmetic procedures because not all celebs looks like her.

  9. Sherry says:

    Now whenever I look at Jennifer Lopez I’ll think of that Blind Gossip item where the gossiper says he met J-Lo at the Met Gala and told her how great she looked and she smiled and said, “I know, baby.”

    Love her!

    • Lilly says:

      Ha ha. I love her too and considering the business she’s in, I admire that her forehead moves. Like @diegoinSF above, don’t @ me about work done ha ha.

  10. Marianne says:

    She “doesnt seem to age” because she can afford personal trainers, personal chefs, the best doctors, hair stylists, estheticians etc.

    • mk says:

      Yeah… but she’s also made good decisions on how much to do and how much not to do…. Unlike some other celebs who can afford the same thing!

  11. JA says:

    “When I leave here. I’ll go home, have a nice dinner, then I’ll go to my bedroom, have a nice bath. I’ll have a chocolate cookie with milk, I’ll watch TV. And then I’m like, okay, tomorrow is full out.”

    It’s so nice for her that she can relax every night without having to be bothered with things like taking care of two young children. I am sure I would look much more well-rested if I had the same schedule. LOL.

  12. Nibbi says:

    she really does still look amazing & still like “herself,” as opposed to others who may look good “for their age,” but nothing like their former selves. she’s another member of the vampire club.

    and sorry, but… her boobs & chest/ neckline. they don’t look redone or siliconed. they look….young and natural. and she carried twins !!! HOW??

    also… i agree w/ everyone about how the focus on womens’ looking young shouldn’t be everything. she’s indeed accomplished and talented and i wish the focus was totally on that.
    still… i want her tips. all the tips. *runs off to try this affirmation thing