Jennifer Lopez is one of the women chosen as People of The Year by People Magazine (and there are only women, which is cool), the others being Michelle Obama, Jennifer Aniston and Taylor Swift. It is truly Jennifer’s year, and she’s getting Oscar buzz for her superb performance in Hustlers, in which she showed incredible physicality along with some serious acting chops. She never overacted, she really embodied that character and she was mesmerizing on screen. In her interview with People, a clip of which is on their website, she explained her work philosophy and gave some of her mottos for living. This was both funny and inspiring to me, particularly because Kaiser and I talked on the podcast about Lopez’s outlook. If you’d like to listen to that, it’s at about 19 minutes in to episode 34. That part is only about a minute. We were talking about Duchess Meghan’s naivete when it came to her relationship with Prince Harry and how she lives an affirmation-based life. Kaiser brought up the fact that Jennifer Lopez is like that, that she has blinders on and only sees the positive. She comes across like that here too. In the excerpt below I’m combining some of People’s print interview with some of what she said in the video.
“It just shows you that dreams come true,” Lopez tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover, where she and three other stars are celebrated as PEOPLE’s People of the Year.
“But you have to work at it and not give up. The key is the not giving up part. For me, it’s not a choice. You can’t stop.”
“It’s been blessings on blessings on blessings,” she says.
“I feel more confident and at peace with who I am and more aware of what I bring to the table, but that was a huge journey,” says Lopez, who calls being mom to her 11-year-old twins, Emme and Max, her “number 1 job.”
“When you find you, really find you, that’s when everything starts falling into place.”
“I love what I do. Singing, dancing, performing, creating, producing. All the things that I do I love all it. If nobody ever said ‘hey you did good,’ I’d still do it. It’s nice when you get to that point where you feel like you’re seen in a way that you haven’t been seen before. I have had incredibly wonderful years throughout my life so far, but this year for sure is something extra special.
“I feel like I’ve been working towards something and I didn’t know what it was and maybe it was this year. All the hard work and all the heartbreak and all the things that I’ve been through personally and all the beautiful things too. All of it together has kind of come to this moment where people are kind of seeing me, not that they haven’t, they’re probably sick of me they’ve seen me so much over the years. They’re recognizing me. They’re looking and going ‘oh you’re doing good. We’re really proud of you and happy for you and we see it.'”
This reminds me of a Ted talk I listened to recently about how we change throughout our lives. We often think, at every moment, that it all led up to this and that this is the person we were meant to be. In reality nothing is static in our lives and we’re constantly evolving. I feel that way too, that this was the person I was destined to become. I’m not shading Lopez for that, it’s just human nature, as is thinking that we’ll be happy when we reach that milestone, when we lose that weight, when we get that person to love us. In reality happiness is just a feeling and something we tell ourselves. We see that all the time when we look at famous, successful, rich-beyond-our-wildest-dreams people holding grudges, having addictions they can’t shake and still chasing that thing or person they’ll never find. Lopez isn’t like that, she has gratitude, a hard work ethic and strives to be down to earth while still openly loving luxury and nice things. That’s why we’re happy for her, she’s reached the stratosphere of success and she’s got that movie star quality while remaining the kind of person we’d like to be.
photos credit: Getty and via social media
I like her. I’m not a super fan, but I respect that she works her tail off and isn’t afraid to enjoy her success (nice clothes, big jewelry, etc.) I think she is fun but still relatable. I haven’t seen Hustlers yet, but I’m still rooting for her to get an Oscar nomination.
She really was amazing in Hustlers. I’m actively rooting for her to win the Oscar tbh- Laura Dern has been so great over the years but her role in Marriage Story isn’t nearly as meaty as JLo’s work this year
I have always liked her.
She has a strong work ethic she has a deserved success, and for me she is right to enjoy it!
Agreed!! I really hope she gets that Oscar.
When people say an actress/singer/model does not age, I always think they are deluded.
JLo is the exception.
not a major fan but i admire her moxie and tenacity that makes her a force to be reckoned with.
I do believe she is a real bitch to “randoms” and incredibly entitled and cheap. She also looks very hard in that lit-up close-up photo. BUT her diligence and staying power are legendary. I didn’t see Hustlers yet, but I really liked her in Selena (so many years ago). In a way, she reminds me of Madonna with her hustle and forays into multiple markets. Also like Cher, though Lopez is much less talented than the iconic Cher. But yes, Lopez is in the game for life and her energy is endless. So cheers.
I clicked on the post because I knew your response would be positive, but even still, I was truly moved by this post. We could say a lot of unnice things about JLo, but no one can say she hasn’t worked her very fine ass off to get where she is. To hear her reflect with such grace, positivity, and gratitude is beautiful, and to hear Celebitchy reflect on how her comments really do translate to all of our journeys, welp, you’ve lifted my spirits. Thanks for that.
+1. I’ve been watching her since way back when she was a Fly Girl on the tee-vee. In Living Color – the ’90s y’all. When she was still Jenny from the Block. She’s never entirely lost that Block foundation. I think that’s part of how she can be so glam and yet still relatable.
TBH, I am genuinely happy for her success. I hope she wins the Oscar and I also hope her fella is treating her well.
She deserved waaaay more credit for her performance in “Enough” than she received (IMO). Sometimes when I cannot seem to find my own strength, I’ll rewatch that movie and ‘borrow’ some of her character’s strength. Sometimes, it helps stop me from falling into the pit and instead reminds me I can fight back. Life can be hard, and unfair and we all live through crap because that’s the human condition. I’m glad to see her finally being recognized for her work, her work ethic and her ability. Gives me hope…..;
3 things
1) Loved Enough. She’s a decent actress.
I actually like her movies overall.
2) She is a hard worker, undoubtedly.
3) She is an asshole who won’t allow people to look her in the eye and sucks as a human being. Arguably.
One can be all 3.
Eta She’s done very little if anything to pay it forward. And, sure, she doesn’t have to but she still COULD. She has a work ethic that only helps herself. Can you imagine if she chose to help others? She’d be amazing. Even the men she chooses speak volumes to me. We all have a tough upbringing, she chose to be entitled in her success. I don’t respect her. Fame is an illusion; what else, but that, has she given? She was given a 6 figure car by her equally shitty entitled bf when they admitted she doesn’t even drive herself. Can you just picture what that kind of money could do for just ONE village without health care. I know she “owes ” the world nothing technically. And, in return, I don’t owe her respect.
I’m a karma believer. I just want her to have equal pay.
Again, I wish her only what she deserves. I wish that for everyone including myself.
Ok. Vent over lol.
She helped a Puerto Rico after the hurricanes, organizing a phone bank, donated a year worth of food to a school in TN, she also recorded a song with Lin Manuel Miranda and donated proceeds to the victims of Pulse. She gives back, so puzzled by your comment.
I wish she’d do more straight acting and less “JLo”. She’s an excellent dramatic actor.
Love me some JLO. I have admired her for a long time, not just for her looks. I’ve enjoyed her movies, her music (a couple albums I didn’t love, but don’t hate), and always admired her hustle.
All in all, she always preached hard work, in health, and in art, and was never like “oh I have this gift that makes me so special”.
Her gift is her perseverance and her hustle. Even if she wasn’t ever a perfect singer, or a perfect actress, nobody can deny she studies to get better, she strives to improve, and it shows. I haven’t seen Hustlers yet, but I can’t wait.
What I will never forgive her for is CASPER hahahaahhahahaha. THAT went on for way too long.
She deserves all the success she’s been having lately, she earned it all through sweat and tears, she’s a truly self made woman!
I watched Hustlers with the Mr this weekend and when she came on at the beginning he looked at me and said “how old is she again?” When I told him she was 50 he just said “joder” (he’s spanish) and shook his head in awe. I couldn’t even be mad at that, I mean look at her!