Jennifer Lopez Opens Up About the Role That Got Away
Global superstar Jennifer Lopez is reflecting on one of the biggest “what ifs” in her Hollywood career. During a candid sit-down with Howard Stern on his SiriusXM show, the actress and singer admitted that she once turned down a movie role that ended up earning another actress an Academy Award nomination — and she’s still haunted by that decision.
“Adrian Lyne offered me Unfaithful,” Lopez revealed during the wide-ranging interview, referencing the 2002 erotic thriller directed by the acclaimed filmmaker behind Fatal Attraction and 9½ Weeks.
The movie, which starred Diane Lane and Richard Gere, follows the unraveling of a suburban marriage after a wife’s passionate affair with a younger man, played by Olivier Martinez. Upon its release, Unfaithful became a major box office success, earning over $119 million worldwide, and Lane’s performance earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.
Why Jennifer Lopez Turned Down ‘Unfaithful’
When Stern asked Lopez why she decided to pass on the project, her answer was blunt.
“The script wasn’t good,” Lopez admitted, referring to the screenplay written by Alvin Sargent and William Broyles Jr., adapted from Claude Chabrol’s 1969 film La Femme Infidèle.
Despite her initial doubts about the material, Lopez acknowledged that Lyne’s direction transformed it into a gripping and emotional film.
“He made it great,” she said.
But seeing the final product and Lane’s Oscar-nominated performance has clearly stayed with her.
“It’s funny. It haunts me,” Lopez confessed. “It’s like the one that I turned down where I’m like, ‘Why did you turn down working with Adrian Lyne? What were you thinking?’ I don’t even know what the hell was going on in my mind at the time.”
A Missed Oscar Opportunity
Diane Lane’s acclaimed portrayal of a woman torn between guilt and desire landed her among an elite group of Best Actress nominees that year, alongside Nicole Kidman (The Hours), Julianne Moore (Far From Heaven), Salma Hayek (Frida), and Renée Zellweger (Chicago).
When Stern asked Lopez whether the missed opportunity was difficult to live with, she didn’t shy away from admitting that it stings.
“It haunts me a little bit,” she reiterated. “It’s one of those things where you look back and think, ‘What were you thinking?’”
Lopez’s Career at the Time
At the height of her early 2000s fame, Lopez was balancing a booming music career with a packed film schedule. She had just released hits like The Wedding Planner (2001) with Matthew McConaughey and Angel Eyes (2001) with Jim Caviezel.
Around the time Unfaithful hit theaters, Lopez was starring in Enough (2002), Maid in Manhattan (2002), and Gigli (2003) — the latter being one of Hollywood’s most infamous box office flops.
It’s clear that while her career was soaring, her choice to skip Unfaithful may have cost her a shot at critical recognition from the Academy Awards.
From Regret to Redemption: Lopez’s New Oscar Buzz
Now, more than two decades later, Lopez could finally be getting another shot at Oscar glory. She’s earning early awards season buzz for her supporting role in Bill Condon’s upcoming film Kiss of the Spider Woman.
The film, which recently premiered to strong reviews, has positioned Lopez as a potential contender in the 2026 awards race, marking a full-circle moment in her career after previously being snubbed for her widely praised performance in Hustlers (2019).
“Sometimes timing is everything,” Lopez told Stern, reflecting on her past and present. “You grow, you learn, and you realize that every choice you make teaches you something.”
Jennifer Lopez’s Continued Career Evolution
Despite occasional missteps, Lopez remains one of Hollywood’s most versatile and enduring stars — with a career that spans music, film, fashion, and business. In recent months, she’s been promoting her new film while supporting her husband Ben Affleck, and sharing her excitement over projects like Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show.
With Kiss of the Spider Woman generating awards buzz and her renewed focus on acting, Lopez seems poised for yet another reinvention — this time with the kind of prestige recognition that eluded her two decades ago.
“Maybe the one that got away will bring me luck the next time,” Lopez said with a smile.
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