Jennifer Lopez on life at 50: ‘I didn’t know that it would be the best moment of my life’

JLO ES Magazine

Hustlers is premiering at TIFF, did you know that? It’s not only supposed to be a fun/drama about scheming strippers, it might actually be an awards-contender. A few critics even swear up and down that Jennifer Lopez will finally earn her first-ever acting Oscar nomination, in supporting, for playing this role in Hustlers. All of that might explain why Jennifer has been doing a lot of interviews ahead of the film’s release. Yes, she’s the biggest name in the film, but the outlets she’s been speaking to… I’m beginning to see it. Trade papers, respected newspapers, the Evening Standard (ES) Magazine, plus her normal fashion mag interviews, because they want this movie to make money too. Anyway, Jennifer gave a decent interview to ES Magazine, and here are some highlights:

Working the stripper pole for real: ‘I’m used to being on stage in sexy costumes, but I have three layers of tights and fishnets and a bodysuit. It was a brand-new feeling to come out practically naked, in front of all those men — 300 extras hooting and hollering — and dance for money. There’s something liberating and empowering about it, but you’re really out there, physically, emotionally and psychologically.’

The funniest part of the interview: One of [the members of her huge entourage] is toting an enormous, jewelled cup emblazoned with the words, ‘JLo — It’s My Party’. ‘Don’t leave it there, in front of the British press,’ squeals Lopez. Her assistant hurriedly moves the cup out of sight, but it’s a reminder that, in spite of how far she has come, the J-Lo of the early 2000s, with all its bling and high glam, is never too far away.

On Hustlers: It’s ‘a gangster girl movie, like Goodfellas, but from a woman’s point of view.’

On Hollywood: ‘This business is not for the faint-hearted — it eats people up. To survive in it for as many years as I have, you’ve got to have a tough skin.’ She has talked about her #MeToo moment — being asked by a director to remove her shirt and show him her breasts was a low point to say the least. ‘I was terrified. I remember my heart beating out of my chest, thinking, “What did I do? This man is hiring me!” It was one of my first movies. But in my mind I knew the behaviour wasn’t right. It could have gone either way for me. But I think ultimately the Bronx in me was like, “Nah, we’re not having it.”’

Whether she’ll ever stop dancing/entertaining: ‘Maybe, not anytime soon. Did I think I would be doing this at 50? I didn’t think I’d stop, but I didn’t know that it would be the best moment of my life. We’re conditioned to think, as women, that it would be over by now. And the truth is, it’s not like that at all. I find myself growing and getting better every year and that’s exciting.’

The wedding will have to wait: ‘I have a movie I’m shooting in October [Marry Me, with Owen Wilson and Sarah Silverman] and the movie has an album that goes with it, so I’m just a little bit busy right now, and until October, he has the World Series in baseball. We’re going to have to pick a day, pick a time and block it out, but we’re definitely talking about it… [Marriage is] important for both of us. We both come from traditional Latin families and we want that. Everyone wants somebody to grow old with. At the end of the day, how much work can you do, how much money can you make, and what does it all matter? It doesn’t, really.’

[From ES Magazine]

“At the end of the day, how much work can you do, how much money can you make, and what does it all matter? It doesn’t, really.” Wait WHAT. Literally no one believes that. Jennifer is a worker. She’s always loved to work, and of course work fulfills her and makes her happy and… that’s what matters. That and family. And money. And diamonds. Honestly, she finds fulfillment in so many things. Also, I love how she frames Hustlers as a “gangster movie.” That too has become some gendered, like “this is a story about strippers, they’re not GANGSTERS.” But they are.

Jennifer Lopez at arrivals for 2019 Coun...

Photos courtesy of ES Magazine, Avalon Red and Backgrid.

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23 Responses to “Jennifer Lopez on life at 50: ‘I didn’t know that it would be the best moment of my life’”

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  1. Nev says:

    She slayyyyed here in Toronto last night! Can’t wait to see the movie looks like fun.

  2. Goldie says:

    She looks great, and I totally want to see Hustlers. That said, it is kind of ironic that Jennifer’s interview is all about being in her prime at 50, and one of the headlines on the mag cover is “Retire at 40.” 🙂

  3. KLO says:

    Jennifer is a role model. I want to be as kick-ass as her when I hit 50. She is my inspiration to work out, take care of my looks, go dancing and to believe that Its ok to be happy and sexy and powerful through my whole life.

  4. Rhys says:

    A hiring director asked her to show her breasts? Who was it? I wish women would start naming names when they talk about the way men in power abused their position. People like that only learn when they get caught and exposed. Otherwise this behavior will continue happening. Knowing that it will stay under wraps b/c women will share the horrors but won’t name names is the surest way to keep the abusers comfortable and free.

  5. Chaine says:

    She looks FABULOUS!

  6. Jess says:

    Cannot wait to see this movie! I read Kevin Fallon’s review at the Daily Beast and he argues JLo should be nominated for an Oscar. The older I get the more I love JLo.

  7. Birdie says:

    I don’t understand how she doesn’t have a skincare line. She looks SO YOUNG for 50, people would pay good money for her beauty stuff.

    • Dali says:

      Absolutely, i would buy it 🙂

    • Spicecake38 says:

      I agree,I would consider buying from her skincare line if she had one and I’ve never got into the celeb lines.Although I was at Ulta one day sans makeup and looking especially blah and tired,and I took some meaningful beauty (Cindy Crawford’s )under eye serum and tapped it under my eyes and I swear I was de puffed in a matter of minutes!
      Then again I kind of appreciate Jlo not shilling anything because we have so much of that stuff and I enjoy that she keeps a bit of mystery about her great skin,I did pay attention though when she was talking about her 10 days without eating carbs.I did 9 days and felt phenomenal,except that I was very tired from cooking so much and I don’t think I got enough calories because I was really drained,but I definitely felt so much less bloated.
      I would love to adapt her hard workouts and healthy eating to my own life more and more.She really is beautiful!

      • Birdie says:

        @Spicecake, she also said never smoked or drank alcohol, which are huge aging contributors. That combined with great genes, sport and maybe a little filler here and there makes her look amazing!!

      • CuriousCole says:

        @Spicecake: first, thanks for the Meaningful Beauty tip! Secondly, in addition to what Birdie said, Jennifer has also resolutely slept only on her back for years, because apparently side sleeping contributes to wrinkles. That’ll never work for me but it’s something accessible for you to try if you wish.

      • Pixie says:

        She has smoked before, any google search will bring that up.

      • Granger says:

        @Pixie, you’re right, I googled and there are a couple of pics of her smoking with Marc Anthony. But only a couple … I don’t think she’s been a regular or even semi-regular smoker. (Other photos seem to be of her in character, filming a movie scene.)

    • DiegoInSF says:

      @Pixie the pics on google are from movie sets for El Cantante and Lila and Eve and some really poor photoshop jobs.

  8. Alice says:

    She looks incredible! Very impressive.

  9. DiegoInSF says:

    I cannot wait for Hustlers! Have had tickets for a month now lol, opening night baby!! Hopefully she gets her much deserved Oscar!

  10. Sara says:

    God she looks AMAZING!!!

  11. Granger says:

    I’m sorry to be negative — I actually like J-Lo — but I really don’t like when actresses who play a stripper talk about how liberating and empowering it is get up and dance for money in front of a crowd of men. Um… no. Not for 99% of strippers it’s not — women who in some cases have no other choice. And honestly, how liberated and empowered would you feel if you were making $10/hour to do it instead of $10 million for a movie?

    All that aside, J-Lo is inspiring. Sometimes I look at her and think I should stop drinking… but then I remember how much I like wine and that nobody is paying me millions to look like her, so the moment passes. 🙂

    • otaku fairy.... says:

      Women have every right to find liberation in things not everyone approves of, and to express the fact that they find those things empowering. Honest!y, the cultural energy that’s kept for repressing liberal female discontent with modesty/respectability politics under patriarchy needs to become the same energy that’s put into changing the way all girls and women (including sex workers) are treated. I’m talking about society in general btw. When will it be the norm to prioritize girls and women over ‘class’ and female purity?

  12. Lena says:

    She’s a huge workhorse I’ll give her that. I get exhausted even thinking about her schedule. I like my down time, my Netflix, my wine, which she has no use for. I think she has a lot of love for money, for great, great luxuries and that’s what drives her. More more more and it’s never enough.

  13. tealily says:

    Happy to hear Owen Wilson is filming something. I miss him on screen.

  14. Nibbi says:

    she is a VAMPIRE
    one of the odd ones out not to look fake or mutilated or distorted as the years go by
    she just looks exactly the same as she always has
    HOW DOES SHE DO IT?!