Jennifer Lopez on Unstoppable: 'I’d write notes in a binder that just kept getting bigger as we went on'

So, Jennifer, what’s the view from your sofa?

I watch a lot of TV in my bedroom. I have a sofa in front of my bed, but mostly I watch television from bed. I love watching all the latest series. It’s usually just me and the TV.

What have you watched recently?

I just finished the Alfonso Cuarón show Disclaimer. I really enjoyed that. I’m also watching Shrinking right now, which is cool and funny – it always makes me laugh.

Who controls the remote?

It all depends on who’s with me! To be honest, I don’t have to control the remote. Some people are really obsessive about it and they have to be in control, but not me. Anybody can take charge…

What’s your first memory of television?

My first memory of sitting in front of a TV was probably watching West Side Story with my mother at Thanksgiving. This was before we had access to watch whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted. But every Thanksgiving, they would play West Side Story on TV, and my mother made us watch it!

Are you one of those people who always has a TV playing in the background, or do you monitor your screen time?

No, it’s not always on. I used to have to sleep with it on, but I’ve shifted out of that in the past ten years. Now I like the quiet. If I turn it on, it’s because there’s a movie or TV series on I want to watch.

Do you watch any reality television?

Yes, sometimes. I watched Love Is Blind recently.

In your new movie, Unstoppable, you play the mother of Anthony Robles, a champion wrestler born with one leg. How did you prepare for the role?

I was able to speak to the real person who inspired the role, Judy Robles. She talked to me about how she felt the first time Anthony walked on to the mat and the way the adults looked at him, as well as the way the kids looked at him. She was really helpful. When you’re playing a real person, which I’ve done a few times, there’s a fine line between doing an imitation and just soaking up the essence of who somebody is. I’d write notes in a big binder, which became bigger and bigger as we went on.

What surprised you the most about your conversations with her?

She felt it was her fault that he was born that way. Still to this day, they don’t really know why he was born with one leg – but she carried that her whole life.

Have you ever felt unstoppable?

As a kid, I was an athlete. I used to run track. I was one of those kids who wanted to achieve something in some way, so there was always a voice in my mind. Well, it was my mom’s voice in my mind – and my dad’s – saying, 'You can do anything. If you want to be the president of the United States, you can be the president of the United States.' And I believed them.

You’ve been working in Hollywood for decades — do publicity campaigns like this still feel daunting?

When I first started, I used to do eight- and nine-hour junket days. Now I say, “I can give you two or three hours. We can get it done in that time.” Over the years, you learn and you see what’s most effective. But they still like to run you into the ground a little bit.

Do you prepare for interviews?

I prepare by thinking about what I want to say and what I want to share. I want to let people know when I’m proud of something I’ve done, and I want to make sure people come out and see it, so I try to make it as fun and joyful as possible. There are long days, and there’s a lot of saying the same things over and over again – but it’s all part of the job. Maybe it’s not the best part of the job, but it’s part of the job!

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