Jennifer Lopez’s stripper role in 'Hustlers' could well be her first step towards an Academy Award
‘Hustlers’, which is set for its world premiere on Saturday 7, is already eyeing a strong $24 million debut at the U.S. box office, according to various surveys. With a strong cast led by the incomparable Jennifer Lopez, this is no surprise, especially taking in to account the novel story that the potential blockbuster is exploring.
JLo fans are certainly happy to see that the multifaceted entertainer has her actor hat firmly fitted on her head. Lopez, who debuted as an actress in the 1986 film ‘My Little Girl,’ had made her comeback of sorts with the 2018 film ‘Second Act,’ which also starred ‘This is Us’ heartthrob Milo Ventimiglia.
Despite being touted as JLo’s big comeback film, the movie failed to make a mark, with viewers refusing to forgive the mediocre script, and limiting all complements to the star cast.
'Hustlers,’ however, promises to be different. People are falling in love with the trailer that has LIzzo’s powerful music, former stripper Cardi B’s input and involvement, and the strong cast led by JLo and ‘Fresh Off the Boat’ and ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ star Constance Wu.
JLo’s career has been a roller coaster, to say the least, with movies like ‘Selena,’ ‘The Wedding Planner,’ and ‘Maid in Manhattan’ achieving iconic status, while 'The Back-up Plan' and ''The Boy Next Door' completely missing the mark. The NBC series that she helmed, ‘Shades of Blue,’ failed to receive great responses, despite praises for Lopez’s performance.
In fact, despite her being the face of the series, the network canceled it after two seasons.
'Hustlers', it seems is all set to position JLo as a serious actress at the box office. Her training to become a believable stripper on screen is already being appreciated by her fans, who have noted that at 50, she is in her best shape physically. Many believe that the movie is going to shape JLo’s career as a veteran actress, setting the stage for more pivotal roles to come.
In fact, she is making her directorial debut with the movie that comes right after ‘The Hustlers’ – ‘The Godmother.’ In it, we will also see her portraying the titular Colombian drug lord Griselda Blanco, who outsmarted and outhustled the men around her to become one of the world’s biggest names in her illegal business.
She is certainly very alert about shifting the gears in her career, and ‘Hustlers’ is likely to be the stepping stone for that change. The more mature roles that she takes on will take her closer to an Academy Award, and ‘Hustlers’ may just be the project to get her that award.
So, are you going to the cinemas come September 13, 2019, when ‘Hustlers’ hits the theatres in the US?