Jennifer Lopez marked a significant moment in her career at the Sundance Film Festival premiere of her latest film, Kiss of the Spider Woman, on January 26 in Park City, Utah.
Video shared by The Hollywood Reporter captures Lopez visibly emotional during a post-screening Q&A, where she joined director Bill Condon and co-star Tonatiuh Elizarraraz. The film earned two standing ovations, and Lopez reflected on the moment, saying, “I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life.”
She continued, “Musicals are deeply personal to me. Growing up, my mom would sit me in front of the TV when West Side Story aired every Thanksgiving, and I was mesmerized. I knew then, ‘That’s what I want to do.’ This is the first time I’ve truly been able to live that dream.”
The story of Kiss of the Spider Woman originated as a 1976 novel by Argentine author Manuel Puig, later adapted into a 1985 film and a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical in 1993.
The new adaptation follows a political prisoner (Diego Luna) in Argentina who shares a cell with a queer window dresser (Elizarraraz). The two bond over the story of a Hollywood musical starring Lopez’s character.
Before the screening, Condon addressed the project’s relevance, particularly in light of recent political discourse in the U.S. He quoted a declaration from former President Donald Trump regarding gender identity, contrasting it with the film’s message.
“One of the film’s core themes is bridging the profound differences that often divide us,” Condon explained. “It emphasizes that kindness and love are the only ways to overcome those divides.”
A release date for Kiss of the Spider Woman has not yet been announced.
Story by Obaapa Janee
