Jennifer Lopez will produce and star in the romantic comedy “Second Act” for STXfilms, Chairman Adam Fogelson and President of Production Sam Brown announced Thursday.
“50 First Dates” director Peter Segal will helm the project, developed by STX with Lopez from an idea conceived by Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Justin Zackham, who also wrote the screenplay. Lopez, Goldsmith-Thomas, Zackham and Benny Medina will produce.
The movie will follow a big box store employee who reinvents her life and gets the chance to prove to Madison Avenue that street smarts are as valuable as a college degree.
“When Jennifer, Elaine and Justin came to us with this idea, we loved it right away,” Fogelson said in a statement. “The premise of reinventing yourself and creating a career and life-defining second act is hugely relatable and aspirational. Jennifer’s talents as a film and television actress, producer and recording artist are legendary. She is a true global superstar and and we think she is perfect for this role. We are excited to add ‘Second Act’ to an outstanding and growing portfolio of female-driven projects that we are building at STXfilms.”
“There are so many things I love about this project and script,” Lopez continued. “People try to put women to sleep at a certain age. ‘Second Act’is a story that empowers the every woman to do more, to be more, and not limit their dreams. I am thrilled to partner with STX as they continue to create and empower the female audience.”
The project marks another female-driven title for the production company. After last year’s “Bad Moms,” STX’s slate includes “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets,” “Molly’s Game,” “A Bad Moms Christmas” and “The Happytime Murders,” which all feature women in leading roles.
Lopez is currently working on Season 3 of her NBC series, “Shades of Blue” and is serving as a judge on NBC’s new dance competition show, “World of Dance.” Her film credits include “The Wedding Planner,” “Anaconda,” “Out of Sight,” “Maid in Manhattan” and most recently, “The Boy Next Door.”
13 Jennifer Lopez Career Highs and J-Lows (Photos)
She was a Fly Girl and Jenny from the Block before she was a TV singing competition judge and an older neighbor romancing a high-school stud in film "The Boy Next Door."
"In Living Color" (1991) - Lopez got her first break as one of the Fly Girl backup dancers on Fox's "In Living Color." She stayed on the show for two years before leaving to pursue an acting career.
Fox
"Money Train" (1995) - Lopez's first big role came opposite Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson in "Money Train." She also gained critical acclaim for her role in "My Family" opposite Edward James Olmos and Jimmy Smits.
Columbia
"Selena" (1997) - Lopez's breakout role was in the biographical film "Selena," which netted her a Golden Globe nomination. She also starred in "Anaconda," which turned off critics but was a box-office success.
Warner Bros.
"Out of Sight" (1998) - Lopez became the first Latina actress to earn over $1 million for a role in "Out of Sight," a Steven Soderbergh film starring George Clooney.
Universal
"On the 6" (1999) - JLo's debut album surprised critics and successfully transitioned the movie star into a pop music career.
Work Group
"The Wedding Planner" (2001) - With her first role in a romantic comedy and the release of "J.Lo," Lopez became the first entertainer to have a No. 1 film and album simultaneously.
Columbia
"Gigli" (2003) - Lopez teamed up with then-fiancée Ben Affleck to make a box office bomb that is still regarded as one of the worst films ever made.
Revolution Studios
"Como Ama una Mujer" (2007) - J.Lo silenced some naysayers who felt the singer had a limited vocal range with "Como Ama una Mujer." Critics generally agreed that the album was vocally superior to her past music.
Epic Records
"American Idol" (2011) - Lopez joined the tenth season of the long-running reality competition "American Idol." She has served as a judge for three out of the last four seasons.
Fox
"Dance Again...The Hits" (2012) - J.Lo released her first greatest hits album, "Dance Again...The Hits," which critics agreed was a nice reminder of all the success the singer had accumulated.
Epic Records
World Cup (2014) - Lopez teamed up with Pitbull and Claudia Leitte for "We Are One (Ole Ola)," the official song for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
RCA
"Booty" (2014) - If anything "broke the Internet" in 2014, it was Lopez's Sept. 18 release of the full music video for the song "Booty" featuring Australian rapper Iggy Azalea.
"The Boy Next Door" (2015) - Lopez stars in "The Boy Next Door" as a newly divorced woman who spends the night with a high school boy in her neighborhood, but soon realizes the boy is obsessed with her.
Universal
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A survey of JLo’s career so far — as a dancer, singer, judge and movie star — including her Iggy Azalea booty bump and ”Hustlers“
She was a Fly Girl and Jenny from the Block before she was a TV singing competition judge and an older neighbor romancing a high-school stud in film "The Boy Next Door."