Jennifer Lopez Recalls Auditioning For Evita, And The Brutal Way She Learned Madonna Got The Role

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Jennifer Lopez has long harbored a dream of starring in a major musical film, and her 2025 release of “Kiss of the Spider Woman” will finally make that dream come true. Yet, it’s possible that this opportunity for the multi-talented artist could have arrived sooner if not for the role of Evita. Lopez recounted learning bitterly that Madonna had secured the part instead.

Jennifer Lopez, renowned as the “Get Right” singer, nurtured a dream to act in a musical movie ever since she watched West Side Story on TV at home in the Bronx during her childhood. This aspiration sparked when she auditioned for Evita in 1996, but it wasn’t until a post-screening Q&A for her latest musical film (as reported by Variety) that she shared this anecdote. It was then that she learned Madonna had landed the lead role in Evita, a painful experience for Lopez that I can certainly empathize with.

For several weeks, I had devoted myself to rehearsing, pouring my soul into each note, when suddenly Parker exclaimed, “You’re incredible! Didn’t you know Madonna has the role?” To which I responded, “Alright, it was great chatting with you,” and took my leave.

Man, discovering like that must be really disappointing. It’s almost as if they were already planning for the role without considering auditions first. Yet, each audition presents an opportunity to put your best foot forward before casting directors. Given Jennifer Lopez’s energetic stage presence, I have no doubt she gave her utmost performance.

Jennifer Lopez, famously known for her role in ‘Maid in Manhattan’, also tried her hand at musical ventures beyond film. She auditioned for both ‘Nine’ and the Academy Award-winning musical movie ‘Chicago’. Furthermore, Lopez was initially slated to star in the NBC live production of ‘Bye Bye Birdie’, but that production got cancelled. A year following the release of ‘Evita’, she landed a leading role in one of the most successful music biopics, ‘Selena’. However, she didn’t have an opportunity to display her vocal talents as she was miming to the late singer she was depicting in the film.

It was quite fortunate for Jennifer Lopez that a full-circle moment transpired when she expressed her dream to star in a musical to director Bill Condon at the 64th Golden Globes. After a lengthy struggle to acquire the rights for Kiss of the Spider Woman, Condon candidly admitted that he had only one actress in mind for his upcoming movie.

Recalling his conversation with Jennifer Lopez at the Golden Globes, it was clear to him that she was the perfect choice for the leading role. In her new character as the silver screen sensation Ingrid Luna, viewers are in for a treat as they watch this award-winning actress display her talents, deliver powerful performances through song, undergo various hair transformations.

As a cinephile, I firmly believe that everything has its time and place. Bill Condon might argue that Jennifer Lopez was destined for greatness in an earlier era, but being born in this century has given her the opportunity to shatter boundaries in film, music, and dance. Her exceptional talent serves as a shining example for countless young women, demonstrating what it means to be a force to be reckoned with. Now, it seems that fate has brought her to star in a musical film this year – a role that was inevitable rather than improbable.

Jennifer Lopez might have felt let down when she lost out on the Evita role to Madonna, but I strongly feel that even if she received the Ingrid Luna role almost three decades later, the star of Marry Me is still poised to deliver an exceptional performance. It’s quite possible that her most recent character could earn her a Best Actress nomination.

See the talented star living the dream in Kiss of the Spider Woman in theaters on October 10th.

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2025-09-12 01:38