Jennifer Lopez Channeled Her Understanding of ‘Complicated’ and ‘Dysfunctional’ Love intoUnstoppableRole (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Jharrel Jerome and Jennifer Lopez in ‘Unstoppable’.Photo:Amazon MGM Studios

Amazon MGM Studios

Jennifer Lopezis opening up about how she understood the “complicated dynamics” at play in her new movieUnstoppable.

“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,” Lopez, who is mom totwins Max and Emme, tells PEOPLE at theToronto International Film Festivalon Saturday, Sept. 7. “That’s those complicated dynamics about life that I understand really well.”

Jennifer Lopez at the Toronto International Film Festival ‘Unstoppable’ premiere on Sept. 6.Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty

Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty

Unstoppable, adapted from Anthony and Austin Murphy’s book of the same name, countsBen AffleckandMatt Damonamong its producers, with William Goldenberg making his directorial debut. Anthony, who along with his motherattended the Sept. 6 Toronto premierewith the cast and filmmakers, is also a producer (and Jerome’s stunt double) on the film.

“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,” recalls Lopez.

Jharrel Jerome as Anthony Robles in ‘Unstoppable’.Amazon MGM Studios

Judy Robles “was very open with me” discussing her family dynamics, Lopez adds, “and I was open with her about my own struggles.”

The frank discussions allowed Lopez “to find commonality” in their life experiences, she says, “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 honor for me to do it and very cathartic for me as well.”

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Monica Schipper/Getty

But sometimes, she says, depicting Judy’s story could be difficult. “I struggled on the set a couple of times,” recalls Lopez. “I was like, ‘Ugh, too close.’” The experience also “got me to a different place in my life,” she says, noting that acting “teaches you about yourself and you learn things, and it was really a necessary and beautiful experience.”

Unstoppable, from Amazon MGM Studios, will be in limited theaters this December and streaming on Prime Video. It costars Michael Peña andDon Cheadle.

The Toronto International Film Festival runs through Sept. 15.

source: people.com