Coming from a humble background, Lopez paved the way for herself, but she said there is still a disconnect between where she is and where she wants to be.
Mothers are the biggest source of strength and inspiration to many, and Jennifer Lopez is no exception. In fact, the actor and singer credits her successful career to her mom, claiming that she helped her become tough in a place where there's no guarantee of success.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, the singer specifically spoke about how her relationship with her mother Guadalupe Rodríguez prepared her for a future in the entertainment business.
"Listen, my mom was also a fun mom. My mom was also the mom who got me into musicals and introduced me to all kinds of music. I am an entertainer because of my mom," the star, 52, told the outlet. "But I'm also able to survive the things I've survived in this business because my mom was tough. I don't think she could realize what she was preparing me for, but she did."
Thanks to her mom, Lopez did grow up to become one of the biggest names in the industry, but she added that growing up the way she did—in a small home in the Bronx with zero previous knowledge of the business—has sometimes left her feeling like an "underdog."
"I always feel like I was scrapping from the bottom. Always. I always felt like I wasn't the one that was supposed to be in the room," the "Jenny from the Block" singer said. "That's part of being Puerto Rican and from the Bronx and a woman."
She added, "You know what I mean? All of that stuff. Not being born into a family with money. Not knowing anybody in the business. I just went out there and said, 'F— it. I'm going to just try. I'm going to try to get in here.'"
Coming from a humble background, Lopez paved the way for herself, but she said there is still a disconnect between where she is and where she wants to be. "It's just 20, 25 years of people going, 'Well, she's not that great. She's pretty and she makes cute music, but it's not really this and that.' You know, I think I've done some nice work over the years, some really nice work," she said. "But there is a club that I just wasn't a part of. And I always acted like, 'Yeah, I'm good. I'm fine. I'm OK.'"
She added, "But it hurts to not be included. I don't know if I will ever be. There is an inner circle, like, 'We are the great artists.' And then there's the pop artists."
However, Lopez is now back with Ben Affleck and things are going great between them, she revealed to PEOPLE recently, adding that they have a "beautiful love story".
"I've never been better," the star said. "It's just that we're all in a very beautiful moment."
"I feel so lucky and happy and proud to be with him," she said, reflecting on their rekindled romance. "It's a beautiful love story that we got a second chance."
References:
https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-features/jennifer-lopez-marry-me-interview-cover-1294974/
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Mike Coppola
