"It was a real honour for me": Jennifer Lopez on playing Judy Robles in 'Unstoppable'
The film also stars Jharrel Jerome as Anthony Robles, who was born with one leg and became a wrestler who went on to win an NCAA national championship.
Jennifer Lopez (Instagram)
WASHINGTON: Actor and singer Jennifer Lopez opened up about playing the complicated character of Judy Robles in the American biographical sports drama film 'Unstoppable', which is directed by William Goldenberg in his feature directorial debut, reported People.
The film also stars Jharrel Jerome as Anthony Robles, who was born with one leg and became a wrestler who went on to win an NCAA national championship.
Written by Eric Champnella, Alex Harris and John Hindman, it is based on the 2012 book of the same name by Anthony Robles and Austin Murphy.
"Women who are moms who get in relationships, and you struggle with them, and you find yourself in dynamics that are not healthy, but you care about the person, love the person," said Lopez during the Toronto International Film Festival, adding, "That's those complicated dynamics about life that I understand well."
She said that the story is relatable and many have gone through such situations.
The film was mostly shot in 2023. "I think all of us do. I don't think there's anybody who is exempt from experiencing those types of things at times," said the ace actor while talking about the film. It is produced by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon through Artists Equity, and Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas through Nuyorican Productions.
It stars Jharrel Jerome as Robles with a supporting cast that includes Jennifer Lopez, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Pena, and Don Cheadle. "When Judy and I first spoke, it was just about, for me, learning as much as I could about how she really felt and all of these things and what really happened," shared Lopez.
Judy Robles "was very open with me" discussing her family dynamics, Lopez continued, "and I was open with her about my own struggles."
After discussing with Judy, it helped Lopez to understand the character and play it in a better way as she mentioned, "because at the end of the day, you bring a lot of yourself to these characters. You have to understand something about them that you love and that you understand and that you empathize with ... It was a real honour for me to do it and very cathartic for me as well."
However, she added that depiction of the character was challenging, "I struggled on the set a couple of times," said Lopez, adding, "I was like, 'Ugh, too close.'" According to her, the overall experience of playing the character took her to a "different place" in her life.
She added that acting can teach many things. It "teaches you about yourself and you learn things, and it was really a necessary and beautiful experience." 'Unstoppable' will have limited theatrical release in December 2024 by Amazon MGM Studios, according to People.
