A question regarding age and time led to an uncomfortable situation at a film screening in Los Angeles, California. This took place during a supposed celebratory event for singer and actress Jennifer Lopez.
On December 15, 2024, during a Q&A session, Clayton Davis, the senior awards editor at Variety, mentioned Lopez’s part in the 1997 film “Selena,” stating, “Listen, I can’t believe it’s been 30 years since ‘Selena.’” The audience responded with noticeable shock to this comment.
Lopez, who began her journey in the entertainment industry as a dancer on “In Living Color” and later ventured into acting and music was taken aback and responded with “Wow.” Following Davis’s suggestion that her age was “getting up there”, the audience expressed their displeasure, and one person termed the comment as “rude.”
Following the incident, social media saw an influx of fans and celebrities supporting Lopez. A TikTok user shared, “JLo takes care of herself, and she looks amazing! She’s ageless.” Others praised her work and her youthful appearance, expressing their wish to age as gracefully as her.
The incident occurred during a difficult year for Lopez, as she experienced personal and professional changes. Her marriage and subsequent divorce from actor Ben Affleck was closely watched by the public, with reports of relationship issues arising throughout 2024. The couple, however, remained professional, especially in their joint professional projects like “Unstoppable,” produced by Affleck’s company Artists Equity.
Lopez, who has worked in over 30 films and released several successful albums since her 1999 debut “On the 6,” redirected the discussion to express her gratitude towards her fans. She touched upon the journey they had embarked on together, reminiscing about performing new songs and returning to her first single, “If You Had My Love,” from 1999, highlighting the incredible trajectory of her career.
Her most recent film, “Unstoppable,” directed by William Goldenberg, is her first significant role since the Netflix film “Atlas,” which had mixed reviews. In “Unstoppable,” Lopez plays the character of Judy Robles, mother to Anthony Robles, a three-time All-American athlete born with one leg who bagged a national championship at Arizona State University. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2024 and proved to be a beacon of hope during a challenging period in Lopez’s film career.
“Unstoppable” comes after a series of streaming failures for Lopez. “The Mother” received criticism for its predictable storyline, while “Shotgun Wedding” failed to impress critics or audiences. “Marry Me,” her return to the rom-com genre, struggled at the box office, and “Atlas,” her sci-fi film for Netflix, was criticized for its confusing plot and poor digital effects.
Discussing her role in “Unstoppable,” Lopez shared her views on artistic growth: “I honestly feel that my creativity and who I am as an artist — like you said, I also feel that [‘Unstoppable’], for me, was another kind of level for me of going deeper into who I am as a person, as an artist.”
The film has been well-received, with the performances of Lopez and lead actor Jharrel Jerome earning specific praise. Lopez’s performance won her the Legend & Groundbreaker Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, indicating a possible resurgence in the star’s career, which has seen constant reinvention over the past 35 years.
