OG 'Anaconda' star's surprise cameo steals the spotlight in Jack Black and Paul Rudd's new movie
Get ready to be hit with the wave of nostalgia, as an original 'Anaconda' star just made a surprise cameo in the new movie starring Jack Black, Zoe Saldana, Paul Rudd, and Steve Zahn. Inspired by the 1997 movie, 'Anaconda' was released on Wednesday, December 25. Unlike the 1997 movie, which was in the horror category, the new 'Anaconda' is a more humorous take on the classic. The action comedy is making major headlines not just for its humor, but for a surprise cameo no one saw coming.
Jennifer Lopez, the star of the original film who played the character of Terri Flores, was seen in the new 'Anaconda' movie, as per Entertainment Weekly. Rather than reprising her original role, Lopez appears as an enhanced version of herself in this remake. She shows up at the end to praise Doug McCallister's (Jack Black) film and reveals plans for yet another 'Anaconda' movie, asking him to direct it.
'Anaconda' originally starred Lopez alongside Jon Voight, Ice Cube, Eric Stoltz, and Owen Wilson. Directed by Luis Llosa, the thriller followed a documentary crew in the Amazon who become prey while helping a dangerous snake hunter track a legendary giant anaconda. Lopez's Terri was the documentary's director and eventual survivor, who ultimately kills the creature after several crew members are murdered.
Lopez isn't the only original Anaconda star to appear in the new film. As previously revealed, Ice Cube also shows up, playing a version of himself. While Ice Cube's involvement was announced ahead of time, Lopez's cameo was deliberately kept secret until after the movie's premiere, with the cast only discussing it openly in interviews released on Christmas Day. Director Tom Gormican explained the thinking behind the surprise, telling Variety, "We were always thinking that it would be fun to have the surviving members. So we just kept reaching out." Gormican said his main goal with the new 'Anaconda' was to bring pure fun back to the big screen and revive the joy of communal moviegoing.
He explained, "The thing that I've been missing in my cinema-going experience is a movie for everyone that plays in a massively fun, adventurous way." Gormican also stated how much he values shared laughter in theaters, adding, "People lament the loss of the communal feeling of being at a comedy together." He hopes the film recreates that experience and inspires younger audiences, saying he wants it to "ignite something in a younger generation where they go, 'Oh, sh*t. That's actually something we love to do.'"
