Jennifer Lopez‘s early work as a Fly Girl on the sketch comedy show In Living Color came in handy on the Kiss Of The Spider Woman set.
Writer-director Bill Condon, 69, explained ahead of the movie musical’s release, ‘The thing is, she knows so much about everything.’
He told People the 56-year-old Bronx-bred star was keen on ‘musical performance, choreographers, dance, so she always had a wonderful eye for everything that was going on and casting everything.’
Lopez plays an imaginary figure named Aurora, who was dreamed up by jailed gay hairdresser Luis Molina, in Kiss Of The Spider Woman, out October 10.
She looked nearly unrecognizable in a first-look trailer for the film, released in June.
The movie — which also stars Tonatiuh and Diego Luna, 45 — is an iteration of the 1993 Broadway musical, which was based on Manuel Puig’s 1976 novel of the same name.Â
Jennifer Lopez’s early work as a Fly Girl on the sketch comedy show In Living Color came in handy on the Kiss Of The Spider Woman set
Lopez’s breakout role came in the early 90s when she appeared on television as part of In Living Color’s dance troupe; L-RÂ Diedre Lang, Jossie Harris, Lopez, Lisa Thompson
Lopez’s breakout role came in the early 90s when she appeared on television as part of In Living Color’s dance troupe.Â
Condon also described the leading woman as ‘a great sounding board.’
He said her ability to lead had an ‘immediate’ effect on the cast, explaining that her co-star Luna ‘came into this as a non-dancer.’
The screenwriter said, ‘And he’s a great, great serious actor. But, you know, he shared his insecurity with Jennifer and she gave him a wonderful note: “You’re a great actor; play the part of Gene Kelly.”‘
He said everyone on set ‘saw her take him under her wing.’
‘And then slowly, as the movie progressed, they would just spend more time together talking about stuff and it was beautiful to watch,’ the director shared.
After watching the trailer over the summer, fans were blown away by the Hollywood vet’s acting chops and musical prowess, praising her ‘evolution’ and even predicting an Oscar nod.
In the film, Luis (Tonatiuh) is serving eight years behind bars ‘for corrupting a minor.’ He imagines films starring Aurora to escape his misery while imprisoned.
Writer-director Bill Condon, 69, explained of Lopez: ‘The thing is, she knows so much about everything’
Lopez plays an imaginary figure named Aurora, who was dreamed up by jailed gay hairdresser Luis Molina, in Kiss Of The Spider Woman, out October 10
Lopez recently expressed gratitude for her ex-husband Affleck’s hand in bringing the film to life via his production company Artists Equity; pictured October 6
Rehearsals began in February 2024, and filming kicked off in New Jersey in April.
A film adaptation of the book was previously made in 1985 by director Héctor Babenco.
Lopez recently expressed gratitude for her ex-husband Affleck’s hand in bringing the film to life.
‘The movie wouldn’t have been made if it [weren’t] for him and Artists Equity…I will always give him that credit,’ she revealed on CBS Sunday Morning in September.
She explained, ‘They financed it. I told him this was the role I was born to play and I wanted to do it, and he was like, “Okay,” and he helped make it happen.’
The 53-year-old Oscar winner is one of eight credited executive producers behind the $30 million movie.
‘This was the first [musical] I was meant to do,’ Lopez, who is also a producer on the project, said.