Hustlers: Jennifer Lopez fought for ‘hard, scary and awesome’ stripping scene to be in movie
Lopez dances to Fiona Apple’s ‘Criminal’ in the scene
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Jennifer Lopez fought for her Hustlers stripping sequence to be in the movie, arguing that it was “important to show”.
The actor and singer, who is hotly tipped for an Oscar nomination for the film, explained that it would have been difficult to convey her character’s power without the scene.
“Initially my big strip routine was not in the movie, but I thought it was important to show,” Lopez told The Sun. “You had to see she was the star of the club.”
The scene in question is used to introduce Lopez’s character Ramona, who eventually leads a gang of strippers who drug and rob wealthy men.
Lopez confessed that she found shooting the scene scary, but ultimately satisfying.
“I just had to be a big girl about it," she said. “The first time in the full costume — calling it that is a stretch — was very nerve-racking. It’s the first time I really got the vulnerability, the feeling of being exposed.
“But I pulled my G-string up and did what I had to do as an actress. This is my job, what I signed up for… It was hard, scary — but awesome.”
Lopez also told the newspaper that she demanded her face be visible throughout the stripping sequence, to prove that she wasn’t using a stunt double.
Fiona Apple, whose single “Criminal” soundtracks Lopez’s stripping scene, said in September that she would have “[given] my song to Jennifer Lopez to dance to for free, any day, any time”.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments