Jennifer Lopez has said women “hide” their struggles from their children as she spoke about starring in a new film at a London screening event.
The American actress, 55, attended the event for biopic Unstoppable, produced by Artists Equity – a company owned by her former partner Ben Affleck and his friend Matt Damon, at Cineworld Leicester Square.
Lopez plays Judy Robles, who became a mother at 16 when she gave birth to Anthony Robles (Jharrel Jerome), who was born without one leg and went on to become a wrestling champion and author.
At the screening, she told a question and answer event that she first thought Judy was a “smaller character” in the story, until she met her and realised the story was about both Anthony and his mother.
Lopez added that the film is “very relatable” for women going through “challenging relationships”.
“I think a lot of women have gone through that, and she (Judy) and I talked a lot,” she added.
“We got to know each other. I wanted her to really feel safe with me (while) sharing details, because as great as the story is, without the struggle, that’s what makes it great.”
Lopez also said: “There was a whole different story there that she was living, that you hide from your children, you protect your children from that.
“But I thought it was really, really important to not just play the mom who the kids knew, but to play the woman who raised these children and where she found her own strength and her own struggles, and was able to put that and make sure her children… benefited from her life experience, as opposed to being brought down by the things that she was struggling with.
“And for me, it was just a full, beautiful character to play, and I really enjoyed kind of losing myself and… I didn’t want anybody to see me in it. I wanted them to see Judy in it.”
The Robles family also attended the screening.
Lopez smiled on the red carpet for the screening, in a white fluffy jacket and halter neck dress, along with matching white clutch bag.
Before the US election day on Tuesday, Lopez backed Kamala Harris for president over Donald Trump, and she posted an Instagram story on the day sharing opening hours for polling in each state.
The singer and actress, with a Puerto Rican background, defended the US territory recently following comments made by a comedian at a rally for Mr Trump.
She said that Tony Hinchcliffe’s remarks about Puerto Rico remind us who former president Mr Trump “really is and how he really feels”, and added: “It wasn’t just Puerto Ricans that were offended that day, it was every Latino in this country, it was humanity and anyone of decent character.”
Lopez previously attended the premiere of Unstoppable at the Toronto International Film Festival after filing divorce proceedings, bringing an end to months of speculation over her marital status with 52-year-old Affleck.
They tied the knot in Las Vegas in July 2022 after rekindling their relationship following their high-profile split in 2004.
Lopez has two children with her former husband, salsa singer Marc Anthony, and has been married four times.
