Jennifer Lopez was visibly moved as her latest project, Kiss of the Spider Woman, received a standing ovation at its premiere during the Sundance Film Festival on Sunday, January 26. The 55-year-old Hustlers star shines alongside Diego Luna and Tonatiuh in Bill Condon’s highly anticipated movie musical, which is based on the acclaimed 1993 Broadway show by the legendary John Kander and Fred Ebb, known for their work on Cabaret and Chicago.
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Jennifer Lopez cries at the Sundance Film Festival
After being mocked for self-financing her musical film last year, the On The Floor singer shared that starring in Kiss of the Spider Woman has fulfilled one of her longest dreams, with the crowd at the Park City’s Eccles Theatre. According to Variety, Lopez said, “I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life. The reason I even wanted to be in this business is because my mom would sit me in front of the TV and [West Side Story] would come on once a year.”
She continued, “I was mesmerised and was like ‘That’s what I want to do.’ This is the first time I actually got to do it. This man [Condon] made my dream come true.”
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About Lopez’s new film
Kiss of the Spider Woman is primarily set in an Argentinian prison during the country’s brutal ‘Dirty War’ era, where it follows Luis Molina (Tonatiuh), a queer window dresser serving time for engaging in a sexual relationship with another man. To escape the harsh realities of prison life, Luis captivates his cellmate, Valentine Arregui (Diego Luna), by sharing stories about his favourite movie star, Ingrid Luna, portrayed by Lopez.
Directed by Bill Condon, this film marks the second screen adaptation of Manuel Puig’s 1976 novel, following Héctor Babenco’s 1985 version, which earned William Hurt an Oscar for his portrayal of Luis.
The official synopsis of the film given by Sundance described the film as a “textually rich historical and political drama with the flashy technicolour extravagance of an old Hollywood musical”. It further stated, “Lopez is an astonishing scene-stealer in a career-highlight performance as Luna/Aurora, with showstopping musical numbers that underscore the exuberant prowess of her dancing and voice,” as reported by The Independent.