Jennifer Lopez has spoken about her own experience of sexual harassment. The singer and actress said while she has escaped the violence other women have been subjected to, she has been put in uncomfortable situations. She told US magazine Harper’s Bazaar:
‘I haven’t been abused in the way some women have. But have I been told by a director to take off my shirt and show my boobs? Yes, I have. But did I do it? No, I did not.’
She added:
‘When I did speak up, I was terrified. I remember my heart beating out of my chest, thinking, What did I do? This man is hiring me!”
‘It was one of my first movies. But in my mind I knew the behavior wasn’t right. It could have gone either way for me. But I think ultimately the Bronx in me was like, “Nah, we’re not having it.”‘
Lopez made her acting debut in 1986’s My Little Girl when she was 16 before starring roles in Selena, Anaconda and Out Of Sight. She is one of a string of women to share their experiences of harassment and assault in the wake of allegations made against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.
She star recently wore black on a trip to Puerto Rico in support of the Time’s Up movement for gender equality. In her interview with Harper’s, Jennifer also talked about her romance with boyfriend Alex Rodriquez.
The On The Floor hitmaker – who has 10-year-old twins Max and Emme with ex-husband Marc Anthony – has been dating the baseball star for just over a year now, and while their relationship is going strong, the 48-year-old beauty doesn’t want to put pressure on her partner by discussing marriage. She told the April issue of Harper’s Bazaar magazine:
‘I do believe in marriage.
‘I would love to grow old with somebody in a committed relationship. But I’m not forcing anything right now.
‘It’s good, it’s healthy; we communicate well. We understand each other’s lives in a way that most other people couldn’t.’
Jennifer says she and the 42-year-old sportsmen – who has daughters Natasha, 13, and Ella, nine, with ex-spouse Cynthia Scurtis – get on so well because they both know what it’s like growing up in the spotlight. She explained:
‘We both entered the public eye in our early 20s and overachieved right from the start. And that affects every dynamic in your life, from your family to your work to your relationships. We have a similar makeup.’
The Shades Of Blue actress is content with her home life and work with the support of all of the ‘joyful’ people around her. She added:
‘My life is full of loving and joyful people, and my workplace is filled with adventure.’