Jennifer Lopez's Eternal Hustle
On a crisp Saturday night in September, a private party celebrating the “Hustlers” premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival could be marked by two halves: Before Jennifer Lopez and After Jennifer Lopez. BJL spanned 11:30 p.m. to approximately 1 a.m. People were evenly dispersed throughout the bar, enjoying a routine soirée. A place card brandishing Lopez’s name sat on an unoccupied table. It was starting to seem like she might not show when murmurs rippled across the room. “She’s here!” AJL had begun.
As if lured by a magnetic cult leader — or a Hollywood megastar, same difference — partygoers drifted toward Lopez’s pulpit, dazed, wanting a glimpse. They could only get so close. Her area had since been roped off. Bodyguards stood at either end to stare down potential interlopers. Other cast members orbited around the venue, but Lopez was the center of gravity.
In the ensuing weeks, the cosmos saw just how massive Jennifer Lopez’s pull could be. Riding a wave of effusive reviews, “Hustlers” became the highest-grossing live-action film in her 33-year acting tenure, testifying to Lopez’s fortitude as a multihyphenate pop phenom. She was dubbed an immediate Oscar contender.
In the end, though, “Hustlers” also underscored how much Hollywood has slighted Lopez. That buzz wasn’t enough to land her the nomination, a fact that is surely rooted in how the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences — and our culture at large — views women. Someone as famous as Lopez isn’t serious enough to join such lofty ranks, especially when she’s playing a thieving stripper.
Oscar omission aside, the success of “Hustlers” raises a valuable question: Why hasn’t Lopez gotten roles this dynamic all along?
Her finest acting comes when she’s exuding control, and when she can use that control to mask a character’s vulnerability. Think of the “Out of Sight” scene when Lopez’s slick federal marshal has to shoot the...
