Jennifer Lopez starred in and produced one of the biggest breakout hits of the year, but she recently revealed that she didn’t do it for the money. Instead, the megastar says that she did the film because she loved it, not for the cash.
In an interview with GQ , Lopez says she has reached a point in her career where she can choose what she works on by how much it interests her and not how much it will add to her bank account. Playing stripper Ramona in the film Hustlers was one such passion project.
“I do things because I love them. I didn’t get paid a whole bunch of money for Hustlers ,” she said. “I did it for free and produced it. I bank on myself. That’s the Jenny From the Block. I do what I want, I do what I love.”
But just because she loved doing it, that doesn’t mean playing the role of a woman who cons men out of their money was easy.
“But it was kind of a really different mindset to get into to play Ramona,” she said.
Lopez also said that she loved Ramona’s independence and drive.
“Whether she was doing great things or bad things, she was very clear about what she wanted and what her goals were,” the 50-year-old actress said.
The character, according to Lopez, acted on her own, without the help of men, which is inspiring. Lopez said that in her own life, she grew up sharing a bed with her sister and then moving on to one relationship after the other, so she found the character’s independence thrilling.
“I was just like, ‘God, this is so empowering,’” she said.
Lopez also said that she is proud of the women who came together to make the film. Unlike most productions, Hustlers was made by a female director and producers, and starred a cast made up entirely of female actresses. She said it was fun to see women turn the tables on men, who have run Hollywood for so long.
The movie, which also featured rapper Cardi B, Constance Wu, Julia Stiles, and Lizzo, has even received some Oscar buzz. But while the movie has garnered positive reviews and smash box-office numbers, other countries weren’t so excited about the film. It was banned in Malaysia, as The Inquisitr previously reported, because some of the scenes were deemed too steamy for the conservative audience.
Now, the newly-engaged singer, producer, and actress is focused on her next gig: the Super Bowl. She and Shakira will perform for the crowd during half-time in Miami.
