Jennifer Lopez recently shared her struggles in dealing with jokes about her physique and iconic Versace dress in her latest Netflix documentary titled “Halftime.” The documentary, which was released on Tuesday, features Lopez’s discussion on her early career days where she had to deal with the media’s focus on her body, including the attention she received for wearing a green Versace gown during the Grammy Awards in 2000.
The popularity of the dress was so immense that Google developed its Google Images search feature to accommodate those searching for images of it. Jennifer Lopez, the performer of the hit song “Ain’t It Funny,” reflected on the negative attention she received as well. In the documentary, she stated that when she began her career, the beauty standard emphasized being slender, blonde, and tall, with few curves. However, Lopez grew up surrounded by women who had curves, and as such, she was never ashamed of her own.
In the documentary, various clips from different interviews, talk shows, and even an episode of “South Park” were shown, which featured jokes about Jennifer Lopez’s body, specifically her buttocks. The comedian also shared the challenges she faced when people perceived her as a joke or a punch line. She disclosed that the negativity in the media even made her consider quitting show business during the early stages of her career.
In her recent statement, she mentioned that regardless of her accomplishments, media was more interested in her personal life rather than her career. This resulted in low self-esteem and believing the negative things said about her. She was made to think that she wasn’t good at singing, acting or dancing and didn’t belong in the industry. She compared this experience to being in an abusive and dysfunctional relationship.
In the documentary, Ben Affleck, who is Lopez’s fiancé and former partner from the 2000s, shared that he once asked Lopez if the constant scrutiny bothered her. Lopez responded by saying that she’s a Latina woman and expected this treatment, but still hoped to be treated fairly. Lopez explained that she had to find her own identity and believe in herself to overcome these challenges. Later on in the film, Lopez received praise and a hug from Vogue editor Anna Wintour for wearing an updated version of her famous Versace dress during the brand’s spring 2020 fashion show in Milan.
