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Entertainment
Karina Babenok

11 Big Stars Who Rejected Jennifer Lopez’s Invitation To Appear In Her Film

#1 Ariana Grande

While JLo and Ariana Grande haven’t worked together before, the latter was still one of the A-listers considered for a cameo in the film. But she couldn’t take up the role because she was in London filming for the forthcoming Wicked movie.

Image credits: Todd Owyoung/NBC

#2 Anthony Ramos

In the music video Rebound, which is part of the extended edit of the film, Anthony Ramos was initially supposed to portray the singer’s abusive dance partner.

However, he hesitated due to concerns about the concept being a reference to his friend and the hitmaker’s ex-husband, Marc Anthony.

“I’m never going to do anything that’s going to really pinpoint him out,” Lopez said as she tried to reassure him in the footage in the documentary. 

“What you’re playing is representative of many relationships, not one specific relationship,” she added, but to no avail. The role was played by dancer Gilbert Saldivar.

Image credits: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

#3 Snoop Dogg

Snoop Dogg, who has never worked with the Let's Get Loud singer, was said to be “not available, unfortunately,” according to a conversation in the documentary.

Image credits: Andrew Chin/Getty Images

#4 Bad Bunny (Pictured With Jennifer Lopez)

The Waiting for Tonight singer believed it would “be good to get Bad Bunny to do a little cameo as the bad kid,” she said in the behind-the-scenes documentary.

The two had joined hands to create her 2018 hit Te Guste and even shared the Super Bowl Halftime stage about two years later.

It is unclear whether the project team dropped the idea of casting Bad Bunny or whether the rapper turned them down after being offered a role.

Image credits: Christopher Polk/Getty Images

#5 Jason Momoa

Jason Momoa was among the stars who was said to be “unavailable” for the film.

The two stars have never worked together so far.

Image credits: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

#6 Jennifer Coolidge

Jennifer Coolidge, who shared the screen with Lopez for the 2022 film Shotgun Wedding, was also said to be “unavailable” for the film.

Image credits: Christopher Polk/Variety

#7 Lizzo

Lizzo made her live-action acting debut alongside JLo in the 2019 hit Hustlers. However, she was also unable to join her for This Is Me...Now.

Image credits: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu

#8 SZA

SZA was not mentioned among the names of celebrities who were “unavailable.” But a subtle clue revealed that she may have been one of the initial choices for the Zodiac Council.

In one scene in the documentary, a call sheet displaying the Council's cast showed SZA assigned to the Scorpio character, but her name was scratched out. Ultimately, it was Lopez’s Hustlers co-star Keke Palmer who stepped into the role of Scorpio.

Image credits: Joseph Okpako/WireImage

#9 Taylor Swift (Pictured With Jennifer Lopez)

"Taylor Swift is a no," a producer was heard saying in the documentary as they discussed available celebrities for the film.

The Lover singer has shared the stage with Lopez in the past for the Red Tour, where she emerged at an LA show to perform Jenny From the Block with her.

Image credits: Christopher Polk/MTV1415/Getty Images

#10 Vanessa Hudgens (Pictured With Jennifer Lopez)

Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, one of Lopez’s longtime producing partners, was captured in the documentary asking the team if they wanted Vanessa Hudgens to play a role.

Someone then mentioned that she was unavailable, prompting the producer to say, “Oh, never mind.”

Vanessa was initially pitched for the role of one of the pop diva’s friends in the film. The two celebrities acted together in the 2019 film Second Act.

Image credits: Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images

#11 Khloé Kardashian

The Greatest Love Story Never Told documentary featured a clip of Lopez discussing how Khloé Kardashian was going to make a cameo appearance in the film but later backed out.

“People are scared, scared to put themselves out there,” she told her choreographer in the behind-the-scenes footage, speculating why Khloé and other celebrities were turning down the invitation.

“I get it. It took me a long time. I’m scared. I don’t act like I’m scared, but that’s the secret to my whole f*cking career,” she added.

Image credits: Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan

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