There has been Oscar buzz surrounding Jennifer Lopez’s performance in Hustlers, and now the actress has said she did it all for “free.”
Recently named GQ’s Icon of the Year in the Men of the Year issue, Lopez discussed the making of the lauded stripper film. “I do things because I love them. I didn’t get paid a whole bunch of money for Hustlers,” she told GQ. “I did it for free and produced it. I bank on myself. That’s the Jenny From the Block. I do what I want, I do what I love.”
According to the publication, Lopez wasn’t paid, “at least, not upfront” to make the film, which means she probably profited after Hustlers became a success for the studio that financed the film, STX Entertainment.
The drama exceeded expectations with a $33 million debut, marking the biggest opening of Lopez’s career. She believes its prosperity is due to all the women who made the film possible.
“It became a movement,” Lopez explained. “This is our movie, where we run shit. They know it’s all women producers, woman director, woman writer, all women starring in it. We’ve been watching men take advantage of women in movies for a long time, so it was a fun ride to see the tables turned.”
She also discussed how much she loved playing Ramona, largely because of the character’s independence from men.
“She was so self-sufficient,” Lopez said. “For me, who grew up with my sister sleeping in the same bed, and then went from one relationship to the other, playing that character, and having to be that independent and in charge, I was just like, ‘God, this is so empowering.'”
