Jennifer Lopez took a uniquely inspiring approach when naming off those in need of thanks during her acceptance speech at Sunday’s MTV Movie & TV Awards ceremony.
Taking the stage as the 2022 recipient of the Generation Award, a distinction reserved for those—per MTV—whose “diverse contributions to both film and television have turned them into household names,” Lopez first shouted out all the “wonderful people” she’s had a chance to work with in her career before diving into a more deeply reflective rundown of thank-yous.
“Since you cannot create truth unless you’ve really lived it, I have a different kind of list of thank-yous tonight,” she said. “I wanna thank all the people who gave me this life. I wanna thank the people who gave me joy and the ones who broke my heart, the ones who were true and the ones who lied to me. I wanna thank true love and I wanna thank the way that I lied to myself because that’s how I knew that I had to grow. I wanna thank disappointment and failure for teaching me to be strong, and my children for teaching me to love.”
Through tears, Lopez continued, this time turning her attention to past detractors.
“I wanna thank all the people who told me to my face or when I wasn’t in the room that I couldn’t do this,” she said. “I really don’t think I could have done it without you. And I know I couldn’t have done it without the fans who saw the movies. … You are the reason that I am here and that I have been here and I love you.”
Later, Lopez noted it’s “an honor” to have the chance to “connect with audiences,” adding that she will “continue to do justice to that honor.” She also thanked manager Benny Medina, as well as her partner Ben Affleck, as seen in the full acceptance speech video up top.
Marry Me, Lopez’s most recent film entry, received a day-and-date release this year in theaters and on Peacock. Later this year, fans can expect to see Lopez in Shotgun Wedding, which also stars Josh Duhamel.
