Jennifer Lopez is delving into her personal journey in her latest cinematic creation, "This Is Me…Now: A Love Story," and the star attributes her real-life love story with husband Ben Affleck as a driving force behind completing the project.
In a press conference, Lopez, alongside the project's director Dave Meyers, shared insights into their ambitious collaboration. Lopez revealed how Affleck played a crucial role in boosting her confidence during production, encouraging her to embrace her multifaceted talents.
Recalling Affleck's advice, she said, "I was like, ‘I don’t write, I don’t do this.’ He was like, ‘You do, you write, you direct, you produce, you choreograph, you do all the things. Start stepping into that, start owning a little bit of who you are.’"
Lopez and Affleck, who tied the knot in July 2022, rekindled their romance in 2021. Their renewed love served as a significant inspiration for the project, influencing scenes like one where Lopez portrays a construction worker at a heart factory, a metaphorical representation of the pain she went through during their earlier breakup.
"This Is Me…Now: A Love Story" is a musical and visual reinterpretation of the life events inspiring Lopez's upcoming album, serving as a sequel to her 2002 release. The project features cameos from stars like Affleck, Post Malone, Fat Joe, Keke Palmer, Trevor Noah, and Sofia Vergara.
Lopez expressed that the project's roots lie in the album and her perception of the current magical and surreal phase of her life. Self-funded by Lopez, the ambitious project marks a turning point in her career and life, addressing personal struggles and offering a vulnerable yet empowering narrative.
She emphasized, "Gaining the confidence to be vulnerable and to admit certain things to the world has only made me more comfortable in my own skin and empowered me to step into this next phase of my life as an artist and as a human being." Despite facing challenges, the final product stands as a unique and transformative experience that distinguishes the project.