Jennifer Lopez Sparkles in Slinky Sheer Gown as She Accepts Honor at 2024 IndieWire Awards

Jennifer Lopez is shining bright!

On Thursday, Dec. 5, the actress and singer, 55, was honored with the Maverick Award at the 2024 IndieWire Awards at Citizen News in Los Angeles. Lopez received the honor for her sports biopic Unstoppable, in which she plays the role of July Robles, the mother Anthony Robles, who became a champion wrestler despite being born with one leg.

The “Can’t Get Enough” singer sparkled in silver in a glittery sheer gown with long sleeves and a high neck for the occasion. She accessorized the slinky dress with a pair of silver drop earrings, while her hair was worn in loose waves.

“I am really truly honored to receive this award tonight, and I’m incredibly grateful for this recognition,” Lopez began during her speech.

She said, “This award really does hold a special place in my heart because the word maverick, and I looked it up, I wanted to have the real definition, okay? It means an individualist, a non-conformist, a free spirit, an original, a trendsetter, an eccentric, an outsider, a rebel, a dissident, a disrupter.”

“I could go on, but I’m not going to. But seriously, what a beautiful thing to be recognized for, for charting your own course,” she continued. “I’m appreciative of being seen in that way and recognized for who I am and kind of who I’ve had to be because I think every artist and everyone in this room has had to figure out how to do it their own way, blaze their own trail. So I’m honored to be included among you.”

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Lopez went on to thank “everyone who made this film possible” before giving an honorable mention to director William Goldenberg and costars Jharrel Jerome, Bobby Cannavale, Don Cheadle and Michael Peña. 

“I owe a debt of gratitude to Judy,” she said of the real Judy Robles, along with thanking Anthony. “Her openness in sharing her experiences and wisdom before and during filming were invaluable in bringing this film to life and enriching my own journey as an artist and as a woman and as a mother.”

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Lopez’s award comes after her ex Ben Affleck praised her performance in the movie, which he produced alongside Matt Damon through their production company Artists Equity.

“Jennifer is spectacular,” he said while he, Cillian Murphy and Damon spoke with Entertainment Tonight about a separate movie the group worked on called Small Things Like These.

“Unstoppable is a very different movie than this, but in a way it is similarly rooted in the passion of really talented artists, and [director] Billy Goldenberg and Jennifer and Don Cheadle and Jharrel [Jerome] and Bobby Cannavale, all of whom were really passionate about this film,” Affleck added.