Jennifer Lopez Shares the Pitch Ben Affleck Couldn’t Resist Saying Yes to Kiss of the Spider Woman

Jennifer Lopez on Ben Affleck’s Role in Kiss of the Spider Woman

Jennifer Lopez is giving credit to Ben Affleck for helping her dream project come true.
On CBS News Sunday Morning, Sept. 28, Jennifer, 56, stated that Ben Affleck, 53, together with his production company, Artists Equity, were the main sources of money for her first movie‑musical, Kiss of the Spider Woman.
Regarding his work as an executive producer, Lopez answered, “He is. It is a film that would not have existed if not for him and Artists Equity. That’s the truth, and I will always acknowledge him for that.”

How Jennifer Lopez Got Kiss of the Spider Woman Made

While she was married to Ben Affleck for two years — she filed for divorce in August 2024 — Lopez worked with Affleck and his producing partner Matt Damon to adapt Kiss of the Spider Woman for the big screen. A meeting of the minds in Hollywood: both Lopez and Affleck are the executive producers of the movie version of the 1993 Broadway musical.
In response to the question if Affleck pushed her to do the part, Lopez explained, “No, because they were the ones who financed it.” She further stated, “I informed him, ‘I was born to play this part and that’s why I want to do it,’ and he said, ‘Alright,’ and he helped it to get done.”

Beyond One Project: Their Other Collaboration

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez were not only a duo for Kiss of the Spider Woman, but they also collaborated on several other ventures while they were married. Affleck along with Damon co-produced Unstoppable, a 2024 Jennifer Lopez boxing biopic project that tells the story of the mother of wrestler Anthony Robles (Lopez played, Robles acted by Jharrel Jerome). The film festival where it was first shown was the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2024; nevertheless, Ben Affleck was absent as a result of their breakup.
The first movie-musical of Lopez, Kiss of the Spider Woman, was later at Sundance in January for its world premiere.

Kiss of the Spider Woman Premiere

As per the official synopsis of the film, ”Valentín (Luna), is a political prisoner, shares a cell with Molina (Tonatiuh), a window dresser who was arrested for public indecency. Molina tells the story of a Hollywood musical that stars his favorite silver screen diva, Ingrid Luna (Lopez), hence the two gradually form a friendship that seems improbable.”
At its Sundance premiere, Jennifer Lopez became teary-eyed during a post‑screening Q&A. She told the audience, “I have been waiting for this moment all my life,” reflecting on the experience of her first film-musical role.

Why Musicals Are So Important For J.Lo — And Her Dream Coming True

At Sundance, Jennifer Lopez pointed out that her passion for musicals was from her early days. “The main reason I wanted to be in the entertainment industry was that my mom used to put me in front of the TV… West Side Story on Thanksgiving,” she reminisced. “I see, I was completely captivated. I was just like, ‘That’s exactly what I want also to do.’ That was always my ambition.”
She went on to express her feeling, “I actually accomplished my dream for the first time here. This audience was the one that made my dream come true.”
Kiss of the Spider Woman is coming Oct. 10.