For Jennifer Lopez, there was more to producing and acting in her latest movie than the artistry involved; what critical acclaim it might receive; or even the sheer entertainment of it. The 49-year-old leading lady stated that much on Wednesday, December 5, with the release of a brand new teaser that lends some scope into how sisterhood and womanhood brought Second Act together both on and off the big screen.
The 53-second-long STX Entertainment featurette differs from the trailers Lopez has peppered her social media pages with over the past several weeks, in that it incorporates outtakes and brief interviews from supporting actresses Vanessa Hudgens, Leah Remini, and Lopez herself. But in keeping with the underlying theme of the film, the Hollywood trio go on about the excellence they see in the craft each other brings – thus underscoring how a sense of value for the professional woman has translated in their own careers as much as it does in the feature’s storyline.
In the clip, Remini touches on how vital the chemistry on the set was to them as each actress supported her co-stars en route to delivering on the script. That Remini’s insight into the process would project a sense of camaraderie is expected seeing how her and J. Lo being besties is pretty well documented. Hudgens’ angle as someone who adores the Bronx-born superstar and wishes to follow in her path as a “rare breed” is also fitting considering the fact that Second Act sees her working alongside a triple-threat A-Lister whose 1986 debut premiered two years before she was born, according to IMDB .
Look at me now… #secondact #limitless pic.twitter.com/bdzHDd1UqX
— jlo (@JLo) November 29, 2018
In kind, Hudgens showing up for J. Lo as a “smart” young talent who she believes “rises to the occasion” is a testament to what a production of its sorts represents at this stage of both their careers, given their mentor-mentee relationship. The manner in which they speak one another up is also indicative of how essential it was for the dynamics of the cast behind the curtains and the dynamics between the characters to coalesce.
As Entertainment Weekly notes in its coverage of one of the film’s previews, Second Act tells the story of a big box store clerk named Maya (Lopez), who quits her job after her boss denies her a promotion in favor of a man with less relative experience but a more sophisticated educational pedigree. Rather than find the same type of employment elsewhere, she bets on herself as someone capable of holding down a high-profile corporate gig despite her lack of credentials, and with the help of a fake resume, manages to land a job as a consultant with a renowned cosmetics company. Thanks to the encouragement she receives – mainly from Remini (Joan) – and to her own conviction, Maya excels and her value is finally recognized.
“[ Second Act ] is about empowerment! I loved working with all these brilliant women. Working with people you love is a gift and we had so much fun, it really shines through,” Lopez captioned her posting of the video on Twitter and Instagram.
