Jennifer Lopez has been on many movie sets over the past few decades, but she wasn’t just a star during the filming of “Kiss of the Spider Woman.”, And was rather “patron”.
Director Bill Condon, speaking to People magazine at the film’s New York City premiere on October 6, said that Lopez “took over Diego” as soon as shooting began.
“Diego came into it as a non-dancer,” Condon said. “He’s a great actor, but he shared his insecurities with Jennifer and Jennifer left him a wonderful note.”
That exchange established instant chemistry between the two, Condon said.
He recalled, “It was beautiful to see them get closer. As the film progressed, they spent more time together.”
Jennifer Lopez’s experience shines
At 56, Lopez is no stranger to choreography. From In Living Color to her music tours, dance has always been her second language. Luna, 45, relied on that experience. “She knows everything about musical performance, choreographers, staging, all of it,” Condon said. “She was a great sounding board for everyone on set.”
The film also stars Tonatiuh, who plays Luna’s fellow inmate. He described working with Lopez as being like watching lightning strike. “Powerful and beautiful. You’re left in awe,” he told People magazine.
Reimagining a Broadway classic
Kiss of the Spider Woman is an adaptation of the 1993 Tony-winning Broadway musical, which was based on the 1985 film starring William Hurt, Raul Julia and Sonia Braga.
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The new version, directed by Condon, follows two prisoners in a repressive South American prison – a Marxist revolutionary (Luna) and a lesbian window dresser (Tonatiuh) – who escape through fantasy. Lopez is playing the glamorous movie star they imagine themselves to be.
The project, produced under Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artists Equity banner, marks another return to the big screen for Lopez after Atlas.
A film that melts hearts
Condon said Kiss of the Spider Woman is “two movies in one”, an homage to the classic musical and a deeply emotional drama.
“When you go to the movies, you want a full meal,” he said. “It gives you emotion, and then that huge amount of entertainment that makes it easy to take.”
Kiss of the Spider Woman is released in theaters on October 10.
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questions to ask
What did Bill Condon say about Jennifer Lopez and Diego Luna’s relationship on set?
Condon said that Lopez “took Luna under her wing”, helping her gain confidence as a non-dancer.
What is Kiss of the Spider Woman about?
It is the story of two prisoners who escape their harsh reality through the fantasies of a glamorous movie star, played by Lopez.
Who are the other stars in the film?
The cast included Diego Luna and Tonatiuh, who praised Lopez’s performance as “watching lightning strike”.