Jennifer Lopez Feels She Didn't Get Enough Love From Her Parents When She Was a Child

Earlier this week, Jennifer Lopez unveiled her new documentary The Greatest Love Story Never Told, offering fans an intimate look into the inner struggles she has faced since her childhood in the Bronx. In a candid moment captured in the documentary, Jennifer reflects on her upbringing and reveals feelings of inadequacy in receiving love from her parents, as detailed by Page Six. She said, “When I was growing up I was always looking for somebody to make me feel loved." She further added, “I was a middle child, not the baby, not the firstborn… you just kind of get lost a little bit in between it all."

In addition to her siblings Leslie and Lynda, Jennifer also talks about her parents, Guadalupe Rodriguez and David Lopez, whose marriage ended in the 1990s. She candidly discusses the challenges of navigating a relationship with a narcissistic mother and an emotionally absent father, as revealed by the Daily Mail. David supported the family as a computer technician. “I felt very ignored by my dad because he was always working nights then all day he would sleep and I didn’t feel like I had enough of a connection with him,” she said. Jennifer added, “My mom was narcissistic, the center of the attention, life of the party-type person."

While her parents were featured in flashback photos, they did not make appearances in the documentary. Jennifer has also previously touched upon her mother's personality in a documentary released in 2022. She said, “My mom is a super complicated woman and she carries a lot of baggage, she wanted us to be independent and never have to rely on a man." She added, "She did what she had to do to survive, and it made her strong, but it also made her tough." There were also disagreements about Jennifer's decision to attend college. Jennifer revealed, "I didn’t want to go to college — I wanted to try dance full time. So she and I had a break. I started sleeping on the sofa in the dance studio. I was homeless, but I told her, 'This is what I have to do.'"

While Jennifer has reconciled with both of her parents, she seems to have a closer relationship with her father, David, who is divorced from Rodriguez and has since remarried. Last Father's Day, Jennifer shared a heartfelt post dedicated to her dad. In the post, she wrote, "Daddy, I love you." To this, he replied, "Thank you, sweetheart, I love you more." Back in 2016, during an appearance on the Today show, Jennifer expressed her admiration for her father, highlighting his consistent support and pride in her achievements.

The documentary primarily focuses on the quest for true love. Despite enduring three failed marriages and undergoing therapy, Jennifer ultimately embarked on a journey to self-love. Additionally, she bravely discusses her experiences with abusive relationships. Jennifer said, “Being thrown around and manhandled like that is not fun. I mean, I was never in a relationship where I got beat up, thank God." Additionally, not naming any of her exes, she added, “But I’ve definitely been manhandled and a couple of other unsavory things." Fortunately, Ben Affleck boosted her confidence, recognizing her as a genuine talent and providing the support she needed.