Jennifer Lopez's Role Of A Lifetime
Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony are off-screen husband and wife and are icons in their own right. Now they are taking to the screen to portray the lives of salsa legend Hector Lavoe and his devoted wife, Puchi.
Lopez, who started her career as a fly girl dancer on "In Living Color," actually co-produced the film. She said the project came to her about 5 1/2 years ago and she knew her husband would star as Lavoe. She didn't intend to play Puchi, but it became clear that the part fit her well.
"I fell in love with the project as it went on," she told The Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith. "It's a very intense story. Once I got the director on and he started doing rewrites and we started talking about the movie, we got so excited about it. He was like, 'You have to play this part.' "
When she did take on the role, Lopez found that it was her most challenging to date. But she loved it and loved working with her husband.
"I knew he was a really good actor and I knew he was the right person to play this part," Lopez said. "But watching him do Hector was kind of — you know, I knew he would have the singing down and all that kind of stuff but the nuances and watching him work. He worked very differently than I do."
Lopez says she likes to prepare and do a lot of research. She likes to know all her lines as well as everyone else's in the scene. Anthony, she says, slides into character.
"He comes on set in character, talking the talk, walking the walk, very loose," Lopez said. "I'm waiting for that line, you know. He's getting there. It's fun. It was a very different (approach)."Photos: J.Lo's New Movie
But working with him isn't new to Lopez. She says she met Anthony at work and it's always been easy for them.
The only thing that's missing from the movie is Lopez herself singing. But she does dance. There are many scenes of her dancing on the side of the stage while Anthony sings.
"Well, I think Puchi really enjoyed being with Hector, a lot for this reason, too," she said. "She saw what he could be. I think she zeroed in on him the minute she saw him. He was like her ticket to where she wanted to be, you know?"
But people will get a chance to see Lopez sing when she and Anthony tour the United States together.
"Since we've been married he's gone on tour twice, and I go with him every single time," Lopez said. "Usually he goes with one or two other acts. Across the United States. This year, you know, he was going to go. I had my two albums coming out. They're like, 'Why doesn't Jennifer' … They're like, 'Do you think Jennifer will do it?' I was like, absolutely. I never toured the United States. It will be my first time. I'm bringing my stage show. I'm really excited about it."
"El Cantante" opens Friday, Aug. 3.