Jennifer Lopez lost a film role to Madonna in the ’90s after ‘practicing for weeks’ to nail audition

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In the ’90s, Jennifer Lopez put in a lot of effort to secure a role, but she found out later that the opportunity wasn’t even being considered, according to reports from Daily Mail.

During a post-screening Q&A in Los Angeles on Wednesday night, as reported by Daily Mail, the celebrated actress revealed that she devoted several weeks to perfect her audition for the musical production of Evita.

Upon finishing her passionate performance, the artist hailing from the Bronx learned that the part of Argentine politician Eva Peron in the 1996 film had already been assigned to Madonna.

As a lifestyle connoisseur, I found myself stepping into the audition room for the iconic role of Evita, under the discerning gaze of the esteemed director, Alan Parker.

The actress stated, “After rehearsing tirelessly for weeks, I poured my heart into the performance, only to hear Parker remark, ‘You’re extraordinary! I thought you knew Madonna had been cast?’

She closed with, ‘I said, “Okay, bye-bye. Nice to meet you.”‘

Lopez is 56 and Madonna is 67.

In January, Lopez stated that she was also denied opportunities to be a part of the musicals “Chicago,” featuring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renee Zellweger, as well as “Nine,” where Penelope Cruz and Nicole Kidman were involved.

She stated that she recalled trying out for roles in productions like ‘Evita’, ‘Chicago’, and ‘Nine’. She even came quite close to landing the part in ‘Nine’.

‘For quite some time, there were many tasks I’ve longed to accomplish, but the timing never seemed right. Now, however, it appears that everything has fallen into place.’

2016 saw her cast in a live NBC performance of “Bye Bye Birdie”, unfortunately, the project ended up being scrapped.

Currently, she is involved in the production of “Kiss of the Spider-Woman,” a stage adaptation based on the 1993 Broadway musical. Her ex-husband, Ben Affleck, is also part of this production effort.

She said on Thursday that the movie was shot in one take.

‘I was like, “We’ll do some coverage?”‘ she said. ‘[The director] was like, “Nope, no coverage.”

During the shoot, things were going smoothly until I stumbled or faced some other issue with my costume. It was a bit tricky due to time pressures, common in independent films, and challenges related to preparation and budget. Overall, these factors imposed limitations on our production.

She added, “However, we poured all our passion and effort into it, and we practiced tirelessly within the timeframe given. It was truly a marvelous experience, and once more, I’m realizing my cherished childhood aspirations.

Lopez also said that she was offered the role right away.

Upon receiving the script, I immediately dove into it from my bed that very evening. Laughter and smiles graced my face as thoughts crossed my mind – dance routines, twelve songs, and three distinct roles? That’s what she expressed.

She questioned, “Are you really proposing this to me? It’s not a meeting, but rather I’m collaborating with Bill Condon, who’s the writer and director of the film.

They informed me that it’s an opportunity, and I can claim it if I choose to do so. It felt surreal. I’ve longed for this moment ever since I was eight years old when I first watched West Side Story with my mom on our old TV in our small home in the Bronx.

What I had long envisioned was now within reach, staring me in the face. I couldn’t fathom it. I immediately made the call and responded with an enthusiastic ‘yes’. It seems unbelievable that such an opportunity for a musical role has come my way… I feel immensely happy and honored to follow in Chita Rivera’s footsteps.

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2025-09-11 22:49