Forget J.Lo — Jennifer Lopez has been reborn

Natural chemistry with husband Anthony
Another cool thing about the film is watching the natural chemistry between Anthony and Lopez. When Lopez first received the script from producer David Maldonado, the man who would become her third husband in 2004 was the only person she had in mind to play Lavoe.

“They brought in performances that are totally, unusual, wonderful and like you’ve never seen them before,” said director Leon Ichaso.

A beaming Mrs. Anthony, however, said it was all about her man.

“I thought it was such a seamless performance,” Lopez said. “I don’t even feel like you see him acting. It’s so crazy. He just is. Some old actor said, ‘don’t let ‘em see you doin’ it!’ I really feel like he was Hector. That’s it. It was him.”

And even though she was technically his boss, their real relationship helped inform their on-screen rapport.

“The advantages are that you’re just very comfortable together, you know what I mean,” Lopez said. “You don’t have to really put on any airs or anything like that. We could tell each other anything. We could push each other past the limits and know that everything was going to be OK at the end of the day. So, in that sense it was really good.

And the disadvantages?

“I have to say it was a real blessing to be able to do it with Marc,” she said. “When I put him in the movie 5 1/2 years ago, I never thought that we’d be together at this time. Who knew that, but we were and it actually helped. I guess everything is destiny and fate and all that stuff.”

Anthony had fun, too, but said after speaking with some of his Hollywood friends who told him that working with a mate could be challenging, he was prepared to go to war.

“It was fantastic,” said the lithe Grammy Award-winning singer. “I was ready for World War III though! I was ready for Ultimate Fighting Champion. I was like show me the cage! I was working out!”

‘A very challenging role’
Although the Anthonys don’t appear to have the contentious relationship that the Lavoes did, Lopez feels that the couple that was married in 1969 shortly after the birth of their son Héctor Jr., genuinely cared for each other.

Slide show Playing together Check out these celebrity couples - some old and some new - who, while stars in their own right, get a kick out of performing as duos on stage and on the big screen. more photos

“I think at the end of the day as much as they were killing each other, they loved each other,” she said. “I mean the door is right there! We all know. We all have been in relationships. It’s like 20 years and nobody can tell you to stay when you don’t want to stay, just like nobody can force you to go when you don’t want to go. It has to be something that comes from you. They would be bad to each other; they would be good to each other. They would lift each other up. She’d pull him out, he’d make her laugh.”

Playing a contender like Puchi, who often got up on stage and threatened to physically harm Lavoe’s numerous mistresses, was rather emotionally taxing for Lopez. She put so much into the role that sometimes she felt a pain in her chest at the end of the day.

“The whole thing was a very challenging role,” Lopez said. “These types of roles don’t come around every day. It’s like ‘Selena.’ To be able to play somebody who actually lived gives you an added pressure and responsibility because people really knew the person. They could be like that sucked (laughs)! That was so not who she was. You have a real responsibility to come to the table with your game right. I guess that was the hardest part but also the best part because it gives you a challenge to really kind of dive into.”

By the end of the interview Lopez, who has a new CD dropping next week, was nearly out of breath. She had been going on about her new baby for nearly 20 minutes with that rapid-fire Bronx-orican brogue that we’ve all come to know and comprehend over the years. And like any new mama, she wants everyone to fall in love with her baby.

“It’s an exciting time,” she said wistfully. “It’s a happy time.”

And it’s a fine time to be born again.

Miki Turner is a freelance TV producer/writer in Los Angeles. She can be reached at .

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