Jennifer Lopez Reflects on ‘Challenging Relationships,’ How She Relates to Her Unstoppable Character: ‘Women Are Strong’

Art is imitating life for Jennifer Lopez.

In a new interview with Variety ahead of the 2025 Palm Springs International Film Festival, which kicks off Thursday, Jan. 2, the actress and singer discussed how she and her Unstoppable character “were kindred spirits.”

“We both grew up Latina in this country. We both had children and have hopes and dreams for them. We both had challenging relationships, which left us holding our families together,” said Lopez, 55, in the interview, which was published Wednesday, Jan. 1.

In Unstoppable, Lopez plays Judy Robles, the mother of real-life wrestler Anthony Robles (Jharrel Jerome). The sports biopic premiered in limited theaters last month, and is an inspiring tale of an Arizona-born athlete born with one leg fighting to be known as a champion.

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Reflecting on the types of roles she has played over the years, Lopez told Variety, “Women are strong. We have to be. From the minute women are born, we’re always having to prove ourselves, to show we’re good enough. That creates a type of strength.”

“And then a lot of us give birth — and there’s nothing that makes you stronger than doing that,” added Lopez, who’s mom to 16-year-old twins Emme and Max with ex-husband Marc Anthony.

Unstoppable premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2024, just over two weeks after Lopez filed for divorce from Ben Affleck following two years of marriage.

Affleck, 52, served as a producer on Unstoppable alongside Matt Damon though their production company Artists Equity, and recently praised the acting work of his ex in the movie as “spectacular.”

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Lopez is being honored with the Legend & Groundbreaker Award during this year’s Palm Springs International Film Festival. Per Variety, Lopez’s Maid in Manhattan costar Ralph Fiennes will present her with the award, more than 20 years after they appeared together in the 2002 romantic comedy.

The Selena actress told Variety in her more recent interview that she is “humbled” and “blown away” by the honor, “But I still have so much more to do.”

“I’m at the halfway mark. I feel like my best work is in front of me,” she added. “My biggest projects are in front of me, and my biggest successes. Everything is in the future.”

Unstoppable is in limited theaters now, and is slated for a Jan. 16 release on Prime Video.