Jennifer Lopez Reveals the Biggest Misconception About Her, Says 2016 Is Going to Be the Year of J.Lo

Singer and actress chats with TV Guide

By Kendall Fisher Dec 30, 2015 7:32 PMTags
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With a career in both the music and film industries as well as a booming business and two precious children, you'd think Jennifer Lopez has already hit her peak…but she's only just begun.

In fact, J.Lo sat down with TV Guide and told them 2016 is going to be her year.

"It's gonna be a big year for me," she explains. "I have [American] Idol, I have Shades [of Blue], I have my [Las] Vegas residency beginning. I have so much stuff that we're working on on the branding side. I don't know how I'd name it. It's gonna be a J.Lo year though. It's gonna be a real J.Lo year, whether you like it or not!" 

We can't imagine many people not liking a Year of Jennifer Lopez (it sounds like the best year ever!), but she does admit to having quite a few haters and people who have misunderstood her in the past.

"I think once I started doing American Idol, people really got to know my real personality," she says. "I think maybe before there were a lot of misconceptions about me being a real diva or a problem or being very demanding and things like that. And then once I did that show they could see my true personality, which was kind of just an emotional, happy person who was actually nice."

She further explains, "I think there was a misconception that I actually wasn't [nice]. I don't know why they do that to women in this business, but they tend to. A lot of us are really just like any one of your friends. I'm a real girls' girl and I love hanging out with my besties and things like that. As unusual as my life is, I'm very normal and kind of down to earth."

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Part of that—shall we deem it—"Jenny from the block" personality has a lot to do with her upbringing. She grew up in the Bronx neighborhood of New York with little to her name. When she chose dancing over going to college, her mom kicked her out of the house.

"I was sleeping on a cot at a dance studio before I hit it big," Lopez reveals. "My life was about pounding the pavement, breaking away from under my mom and dad's wings and going off and flying on my own. I needed that moment."
Now she's become one of the most inspirational women in the industry, taking on different roles both on and off the screen.

"I am happy to be one of the people who are breaking the mold," she adds. "We can't keep acting like we are in the '50s. Women are strong. Women are bold. And now it is reflected in our art."

Check out more from her TV Guide interview here.