Jennifer Lopez is putting in extra hours to reinvent herself as more than a pop punchline.
With her upcoming role in Kiss of the Spider Woman, the 56-year-old star is trying to step into the lane of “serious actress.” The Bill Condon–directed film drops October 10 and positions Lopez as Aurora, the hypnotic siren at the center of the story.
Per PEOPLE, she’s already previewed a key track from the soundtrack — “Never You,” a John Kander composition that hadn’t been performed since the musical’s development days in the early ’90s. Lopez’s rendition made its streaming debut on September 18.
The momentum continues in November, when Lopez will be honored with the Virtuoso Award at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival. The school announced she’ll receive the recognition on November 1 after a live taping of Awards Chatter with The Hollywood Reporter’s Scott Feinberg.
The award is meant to spotlight her performance in Kiss of the Spider Woman as well as her career across music, television, and film. Christina Routhier, the festival’s senior executive director, called Lopez’s presence “a landmark moment” and emphasized that her body of work carries “invaluable lessons in versatility, resilience, and creative vision.”
Not everyone is buying into the narrative. When the festival shared the announcement on Facebook, the comment section quickly filled with jabs. “Omg! She will have the whole town shut down including I-16 so no one can approach her 🥱,” one user wrote. Another simply asked, “OH MY GOD… WHO THE HELL CARRRRRES.” A third referenced her past association with Diddy, adding, “She must have been aware of what went on at the white parties.”
This kind of skepticism isn’t new for Lopez. Last year, her documentary fueled conversations about her being out of touch, with viral clips drawing ridicule across TikTok, per The Quinnipiac Chronicle.
For SCAD, though, the focus is on the opportunity for students to learn from a global figure who’s remained relevant for three decades. For Lopez, the Virtuoso Award adds another line to her résumé — but judging by the student and alumni response, her attempt at rebranding continues to face resistance outside the spotlight.