For Jennifer Lopez, filming her new movie “The Mother” helped her think more deeply about her own role as a parent.
While chatting with Access Hollywood producer and guest correspondent Emily Orozco about the upcoming Netflix action drama, the actress explained how the process of getting into character as the titular heroine – an assassin who comes out of hiding to protect her adolescent daughter – made her an even better mom to her real-life children, Emme and Max.
“My kids were coming from being babies into being 12 and 13 years old like [my onscreen daughter] Lucy [Paez],” she said. “They start challenging you. … The little babies that wanted to curl up with you and watch movies with you and [say] ‘Mommy, let me get in your bed’ and all that kind of stuff is gone.”
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View GalleryAs she was navigating her twins’ emerging independence at home, her role as The Mother gave her insight into her motherhood journey.
“It really made me kind of delve deeply into thinking about The Mother and the kind of mother that she wants to be and wishes she was, [and it] made me think about that for my own life too. … Because I am a mom, I was able to feel that very deeply,” Jennifer explained.
“It was a cathartic experience in that way, and I do think it made me a better mother, because it made me think about it a lot,” she added. “Not that I don’t think about being a mom a lot – I do – but when you do a character, you delve thousands of feet deep into the psyche of things sometimes, just so you can find something to grab on to that’s going to feel real on camera, on screen, and really touch people’s hearts.”
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View GalleryIn addition to giving Jennifer the opportunity to reflect on parenting, “The Mother” also allowed her to further hone her action skills! She went through intense training to portray The Mother, a combat veteran who lives alone in the woods.
“There was a mentality that she had that I felt like I needed to have for this movie,” she said. “I did a lot of working out every day, sometimes twice a day, doing the fight sequences, doing the sniper training and the rifle training and all of that kind of stuff. [It was] really was challenging, but I enjoy that. I feel like it makes you feel strong, and I think this character was very mentally strong.”
“The Mother” premieres on Netflix on May 12.