Jennifer Lopez: The Lo Down

Your sparkly catsuit on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve got mixed reviews, but a lot of people weren’t feeling your white Versace at the 2010 Grammys.
Really? Oh, my God, that was so gorgeous. Some people have no taste.

Which track on Love? will your gay fans love?
There’s a song called “This Cannot Be Love,” and the musicality of it reminds me a little bit of “Waiting for Tonight,” so I think gay people are really going to respond to that one. It talks about the idea of getting lazy in love. You know how we do that? When you’re with somebody and you’re like, “Wait a minute — remember when we were so in love and obsessed with each other? What happened?”

Growing up in New York, did you ever go to gay clubs when you took the 6 train from the Bronx into Manhattan?
Yes. Escuelita — that’s the kind of Latin one, right? I’ve been connected with the gay community for a very long time.

Gay directors have helmed two of your most successful movies — Robert Luketic on Monster-in-Law and Adam Shankman on The Wedding Planner. Alan Poul, who directed The Back-Up Plan, is also gay. So that’s a good sign, right?
It’s true. I get along with the gays — what can I tell you? We click. Gay directors have a certain sensitivity when it comes to women’s issues; I don’t know if that makes any sense, but that’s what I feel. They also have a tremendous sense of humor about life, so they know romantic comedy. I love them.

In a recent interview, Shankman told The Advocate, “Did you see Wedding Planner? It’s full of pink, and look at Jennifer Lopez’s hair. It’s the gayest thing you’ve ever seen.” Were you aware of that film’s gayness at the time?
[Laughs] No, but now I see it. It’s totally clear.

Does The Back-Up Plan feature a “gay best friend” cliché — maybe the guy your character asks for sperm in the film’s trailer?
[Laughs] Everybody thinks he’s gay, but I don’t think he was intended to be. It’s not specified, but it’s funny that he’s coming off as that. No, there’s no gay best friend in this one, but out of all the romantic comedies I’ve done, I find this one to be the funniest.

Who’s your best gay friend in real life?
Oh, God, I have so many, but my closest is my manager, Benny [Medina]. He’s the godfather to my child, so he’s become a part of my family. We understand each other, we love each other, we have a certain type of chemistry, we have similar work ethics, and we can talk about everything.

More and more celebrities are supporting the gay community by vowing not to get married until all Americans can marry. I guess you didn’t get that memo, huh?
Yeah, I didn’t get that memo three times. [Laughs] When it comes to gay marriage, I just believe in love. I believe that when two people find each other and love each other, they should be able to spend their lives together. Especially being married now and having been divorced twice — being younger, more immature, and making those kinds of mistakes — I don’t think marriage is to be taken lightly for anybody. You have to work at it.