‘Shades Of Blue’ Star Jennifer Lopez Says She Was Body Shamed

Jennifer Lopez is one of the most successful women in entertainment with a thriving singing career, a position as an American Idol judge, and a film and television career, which includes Lopez’s Shades of Blue, a series to have already secured a second season. While Lopez may have a full plate now, that wasn’t always the case. Just like anyone, there was a time when Jennifer was just beginning to pursue her dreams, a feat made that much more difficult by the fat shaming she said she was subjected to in those early years. Now, Ms. Lopez reveals just how humiliating body shaming can really be and how she dealt with those guilty of such bullying.

Jennifer Lopez Opens Up About Her Own Experiences With Fat Shamers

This past Thursday, Ms. Lopez attended the Emmy For Your Consideration Event in Los Angeles, where she was garnering support for her highly successful Shades of Blue series. But, the musician turned actress took the time to talk about her earlier years in Hollywood. Even though she has studied dance and has always lived a very athletic lifestyle, Jennifer says everyone, including the manger who represented her at the time, kept telling her she needed to lose weight. She said they were very blunt in telling her she needed to be thinner.

“I was like, ‘No I don’t. If I lose any more weight it won’t be me.’ You know what I mean?”

The subject came up when a fan told Lopez that she was inspired to stop hiding herself beneath shirts tied about her waist, adding that she has always tried to emulate Lopez’s curvy body.

“It was definitely a fight, and so it’s good to hear that it helped anybody in some way,” Lopez said, showing her appreciation to the fan. “At the end of the day I was just trying to be myself without trying to fit into a mold of what everybody else should be.”

Lopez added that she’s happy to see how different things are at present with a new attitude toward diversity and acceptance evolving in society. Jennifer says it’s a much better time in her opinion and that, as a society, we’ve come a long way in a short period of time.

A Shades Of Blue Renewal Delights Jennifer Lopez, But What About An Emmy?

Speaking at the Emmy For Your Consideration Event, Lopez said that she was “super happy” about the news that Shades of Blue has been renewed for a second season, even though the series is extremely draining, both physically and emotionally. She says the effort and hard work is worth it, however. Jennifer says it’s all worth it, as long as fans are enjoying Shades of Blue.

Things are gearing up for Emmy season with Emmy nomination voting to begin on Monday and, with that in mind, Jennifer also addressed the possibility that Shades of Blue might receive a nomination.

“It would be amazing,” Lopez said of a potential Shades of Blue nomination. “The work that I do and being an artist for so many years, there’s always a goal when you’re a little girl, like, ‘I want to win an Oscar one day, or I want to win an Emmy, or a GRAMMY.’ But then I’ve been in the business so long, the reward is actually being able to do this for a living.”

Ms. Lopez says that, although just being able to live her dreams is its own reward, having Shades of Blue nominated for an Emmy would be a welcome added bonus, or, as Lopez phrased it, “the icing on the cake.”

The Season 2 premiere for Shades of Blue is set to air in January 2017 on NBC.

[Image by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images]