Life at the summit of Hollywood’s A-list comes with a unique set of challenges. For Jennifer Lopez, that reality became starkly apparent when she attempted to call in a few high-profile favours for her 2024 cinematic project, This Is Me… Now: A Love Story, per faroutmagazine.co.uk.
The film – a lavish, semi-fictional companion to her ninth studio album – eventually featured stars such as Jane Fonda, Sofia Vergara and her then-husband Ben Affleck. However, the production was reportedly plagued by a string of “awkward” rejections from some of the biggest names in the industry.
Among those who were “unavailable” to join the project were Taylor Swift, Jason Momoa, Ariana Grande, Snoop Dogg and James Corden. In the industry, such scheduling conflicts are often interpreted as a polite refusal to board a project viewed as a creative gamble.
Lopez, however, remained pragmatic about the snubs. “I don’t want to force anyone who doesn’t think this is going to be fun,” she remarked. “Nobody wants to say ‘no’ to me, I get that. But when an actor doesn’t like a script or is worried about it, that’s what they say. I know that, I’ve done it.”
The project faced significant hurdles beyond casting. After a major studio pulled out of the funding agreement, Lopez was forced to self-finance the $20 million budget herself. The “vanity project” was later accompanied by a documentary detailing the studio’s lack of confidence in her creative direction.
Despite the behind-the-scenes drama and the cold shoulder from peers, the film received surprisingly stable reviews upon release. Lopez is now pivoting back to the big screen with a more traditional project; she is set to star in the upcoming comedy “Office Romance” alongside Ted Lasso favourite Brett Goldstein.
•Featured image: Jennifer Lopez/Far Out/STXfilms
