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Jennifer Lopez says she is still ‘haunted’ that she turned down a role that earned Oscar nomination for this actor

Jennifer Lopez admitted that there was a film offer which she turned down at that time because she thought the script was not that good.

Published on: Oct 16, 2025 04:20 PM IST
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Jennifer Lopez is earning strong buzz for an Oscar nomination for her supporting turn in the musical drama Kiss of the Spider Woman. But did you know that the singer-actor once turned down a role that ultimately earned another actor an Oscar nomination? During a conversation with Howard Stern for the SiriusXM show, Lopez named the film and explained why she turned the offer down at that time.

Which film did Jennifer Lopez regret not doing?

Jennifer Lopez at a special screening of Kiss of the Spider Woman in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Jennifer Lopez at a special screening of Kiss of the Spider Woman in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

When asked whether there has been any role that she regrets turning down, she immediately said yes. That film was 2002's Unfaithful, directed by Adrian Lyne. The role was played by Diane Lane after Jennifer rejected it.

Jennifer said, “Adrian Lyne offered me Unfaithful. [I turned it down because] the script wasn't good. And then he made it great! And Diane Lane got nominated for the Oscar!”

Diane was nominated in the Best Actress category at the Oscars along with Nicole Kidman (The Hours), Julianne Moore (Far From Heaven), Salma Hayek (Frida) and Renee Zellweger (Chicago). Nicole ended up winning the Oscar that year. Jennifer has yet to earn an Oscar nomination.

Diane Lane in a still from Unfaithful.

‘It haunts me’

Kiss of the Spider Woman stars Diego Luna as a political prisoner during Argentina's civil war in the 1980s, incarcerated alongside another man portrayed by Tonatiuh. It is directed by Bill Condon, who is known for helming critically acclaimed films Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part 1 and Beauty and the Beast. It was released in theatres on October 10.

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Santanu Das

Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One's Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupecha

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