Jennifer Lopez ponders over the significant expansion of her realm during the last twelve months.
Chatting with humorist Nikki Glaser for Interview magazine, Lopez went over her recent life happenings, including the scrapping of her planned tour and the dissolution of her union with Ben Affleck.
Glaser and Lopez commenced their chat discussing Lopez's portrayal of Judy Robles in the film “Unstoppable.” Robles is the mother of athlete Anthony Robles, who was born missing a leg and managed to excel as a wrestler.
Glaser linked Lopez's preparation for the role to her "struggle with low self-esteem."
"My entire life has been about proving my worthiness," Lopez stated. "Navigating the feeling of being enough, from a young age, takes a long time, as you're not considering yourself in that light. Something is pushing you and guiding your decisions, and you aren't aware of why."
Lopez traced some of that drive back to childhood feelings of "being overlooked, being a middle child, having a lively mom and a father who worked long hours and even longer nights, leaving you feeling unimportant and uncared for."
"That leaves a mark, and I think parents are doing their best. Even as a parent myself, I have more understanding and compassion for what they went through," she said. "I adore my parents, but I can see the impact of their upbringing and background on me. You don't truly realize it until those things start manifesting in your adult relationships."
The discussion then shifted toward Lopez's recent challenges.
Working on the movie and her "This Is Me...Now" album, short film and accompanying documentary left Lopez feeling "...whoa, I made it."
"I'm good," she said. "I put in all the effort and look at where I am, and then it felt like the whole world blew up."
Her rekindled partnership with Affleck, which had garnered significant attention following their initial separation, garnered even more notice in August when Lopez filed for divorce.
She seems to be focusing on the future rather than the past.
"Now I'm excited, when you say you'll be on your own," Lopez said. "Yes, I'm not seeking anyone, given everything I've experienced in the previous 25 to 30 years in various challenging situations, what can I do if it's just me flying solo."
"What if I'm merely free?" she added.
"Unstoppable" is set for a limited theater release in December.
Glaser expressed her admiration for Lopez's resilience in pursuing entertainment projects despite personal setbacks, such as the cancellation of her tour and the end of her relationship with Affleck.
Despite the upheavals in her personal life, Lopez mentioned that she finds solace and inspiration in entertainment, revealing that she often turns to it as a form of escape and a way to express her feelings.
