Jennifer Lopez’s Full-Circle Moment Had Her Fighting Tears at Sundance: ‘I’ve Been Waiting for This My Whole Life’
Jennifer Lopez has been waiting for this moment her whole life. At the Sundance Film Festival, the 55-year-old superstar was visibly emotional as Kiss of the Spider Woman received a standing ovation. Speaking at the film’s Q&A, Lopez reflected on why this project was so personal to her.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life,” she said, according to Variety. “The reason I even wanted to be in this business is because my mom would sit me in front of the TV, and [West Side Story] would come on once a year. I was mesmerized and was like, ‘That’s what I want to do.’ This is the first time I actually got to do it.”
Lopez, who has seamlessly moved between music, film, and television throughout her career, had never before starred in a full-fledged movie musical. Kiss of the Spider Woman, directed by Bill Condon (Chicago, Dreamgirls), marks a milestone she had been dreaming of since childhood.
‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ Took Over Sundance
Lopez’s turn as Ingrid Luna, a glamorous yet enigmatic screen diva who exists in the imagination of a queer political prisoner, is earning critical acclaim. With her powerhouse performance, industry insiders are already whispering about a potential Oscar nomination.
According to Variety, when the topic of awards season came up, Lopez was hesitant to speculate. “I don’t even want to begin the conversation,” she admitted. “Of course, I would love it to get the recognition that I believe it deserves.”
But the reaction at Sundance was undeniable. The film’s premiere was packed with Hollywood executives eager to acquire distribution rights, with several studio and streaming representatives in attendance. Kiss of the Spider Woman is shaping up to be one of the biggest sales at this year’s festival.
Why This Role Means So Much to Jennifer Lopez
Lopez has had a storied career, but Kiss of the Spider Woman is different. It’s a project that speaks to her love of musicals, her passion for storytelling, and her belief in the power of representation.
“This is what I’ve been waiting for my whole life,” she told Variety. “This is all I’ve ever wanted to do. I got into movies because of West Side Story.” She added that she thought, “I was going to do Broadway. I wanted to do movies, but I didn’t even think about records. I wanted to do musicals.”
For Lopez, this film is a full-circle moment. It’s also a testament to the importance of seeing Latinx stories told on a grand cinematic scale. Kiss of the Spider Woman is not just a musical—it’s a deeply political story about survival, love, and identity, set against the backdrop of Argentina’s Dirty War.
Director Bill Condon and Co-Stars Celebrate a Timely Story
Director Bill Condon has long wanted to bring Kiss of the Spider Woman to the big screen. The musical, based on Manuel Puig’s novel and the Tony-winning Broadway adaptation, is a poignant story about two prisoners—one a Marxist revolutionary, the other a queer window dresser—who form an unlikely bond through their shared love of cinema.
“There’s a sense in this movie that the only way through is love and kindness,” Condon told Variety. He also noted that Kiss of the Spider Woman carries an urgent message at a time when LGBTQ+ rights are under attack globally. “Crucially, the most important thing is that we have to bridge these differences.”
Tonatiuh, who plays Luis Molina, spoke about how personal this story felt to him as a queer Latin actor. “When I got this material, I knew this person spiritually,” he said at Sundance, per Variety. “I understood someone who felt like a loser in their own life and [got] to be their own hero by falling in love.”
What’s Next for Kiss of the Spider Woman?
With industry buzz at an all-time high, Kiss of the Spider Woman is poised to make waves beyond Sundance. The film still needs distribution, but given the turnout from major studios and streaming platforms, that won’t be a problem for long.
For Jennifer Lopez, this moment is the culmination of decades of hard work. It’s proof that she’s not slowing down anytime soon—and maybe, just maybe, it’s finally her time to take home that Oscar gold.
