Jennifer Lopez was once engrossed in a biographical quest for the famous Mexican artist whose tortured, tortured life but courageous character became fodder for a Tinseltown endeavor decades ago.
Once upon a time, no one was interested in the project associated with Frida Kahlo, but soon there came an astonishing moment in the history of cinema when numerous initiatives based on the life of the artist began to appear in newspaper headlines.
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Ultimately, of course, only one iteration will prove triumphant: Salma Hayek’s film. Frida (2002), produced by Miramax. Lopez was originally slated to appear in the film production. Luis Valdez’s take on the biopic of the great artist. However, the news about the singer and actress’s exit from the project appeared in 2001. A lot of People were puzzled How To Why.
Then several theories emerged. Industry insiders have speculated about the most likely reasons for its failure. I wonder what they could be? Let’s get a look.
Why Luis Valdez Two Fridas It never happened
Luis Valdez Two Fridas never arose. Valdez had been trying to get the project off the ground since 1991, but his efforts were met with protests after a casting controversy. The deal with New Line Cinema was unsuccessful.
As Salma Hayek developed her version of the Frida Kahlo biopic, the director’s subsequent attempts to revive her project were thwarted. Both sides were involved in the race. The winner was Hayek, who was passionate about her project and was ready to do anything to make it come true. In an interview with Yahoo! Entertainment, the 83-year-old director admitted the following:
“We almost did it. I raced Salma Hayek, but she beat us. She did it. And congratulations. I love the movie and I love her work, and that’s fine as far as I’m concerned.”
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Everything depended on fate and luck. Hayek and Miramax began production of Frida in the spring of 2001, ahead of Valdez. The Mexican-American actress’s efforts eventually materialized. Failing to compete may also have contributed to Lopez’s decision to remain as the leading star. However, industry experts attributed this failure to another (alleged) factor. One that potentially involved monetary gain.
Why did Jennifer Lopez refuse the project?
Around the same time that Jennifer Lopez’s decision to exit the Frida Kahlo biopic hit the news, another intriguing headline surfaced. Reports stated that the singer and actress was in talks to star in the 2004 film. Taking lives. She was offered the lead role of an FBI profiler, and director Tony Scott was appointed to lead the project. Selena The alum’s reps confirmed that she has not yet signed a contract to star in the film.
This news came around the same time the singer decided to quit his career. Two Fridas have forced industry professionals to put on their thinking hats.
According to EW, Jennifer Lopez’s salary is $10 million for the leading role. Taking lives perhaps it piqued her interest then. The publication claimed that this amount was more than double. Two Fridas“The original budget and the highest salary ever paid to a Latina actress at that time. This must have seemed like a great opportunity.
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Robert Bucksbaum of box office tracking agency Reelsource (via EW) highlighted: “She’s smart to go all in right now.” Some others hinted that Lopez had an image to maintain on screen that would contrast with that of the famous artist. People assumed that her fans would not line up to see her sport a unibrow and embody the pain of a larger-than-life personality.
Others have suggested that hustlers the star deliberately avoided or ran from typical treatment.
Ultimately, some of these speculations did not materialize. The singer may have abandoned Frida Kahlo’s project. However, her participation in Taking lives also did not materialize. Later, Angelina Jolie and Ethan Hawke were invited to play the leading roles in the thriller, and DJ Caruso was appointed director.
The exact reason for Jennifer Lopez’s decision cannot be established. Hayek’s triumphant effort, supplanting Valdez’s pursuit, seems the most logical conclusion.
It does make us wonder if the Latin pop culture icon ruined her chance at a potential Oscar win, since Salma Hayek’s version received six Academy Award nominations and won two of them.
Frida (2002) is available to stream on Paramount Plus.
Source: Yahoo! Entertainment and electronic warfare
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