It's hard to imagine a world where Jennifer Lopez didn't star in The Wedding Planner.
At the time, the romantic comedy starring the singer and Matthew McConaughey was a hit, opening at No. 1 in the box office.
The premiere also coincided with the release of J. Lo's sophomore album, J.Lo, a chart-topper in its own respect.
But, in a discussion with her business partner and agent, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, for Variety's Power of Women Conversations presented by Lifetime, Jennifer says none of that would've happened if she hadn't convinced director Adam Shankman to take a chance on her.
She explains that prior to taking on the lead role in The Wedding Planner her experience consisted of roles she describes as "the maid, the Rosie Perez type roles, the dishwasher, the this, the that."
Jennifer continues, "I had to kind of break out of that and convince somebody to put me in the first romantic comedy, which I think was The Wedding Planner."
How she landed the role, Jennifer explains, was quite simple. "I was, like you said, kind of hot at the time and you were my agent and you were asking for a certain price that you thought I merited and they were buckling back on us," she shares. "Then, [Adam] came to one of my record signings and he said give her whatever she wants."
The "Jenny From the Block" singer shares the significance of this moment in her career, explaining, "The idea that somebody like me, from my background, who was a woman, could garner that type of, you know, price in this industry. It was a big deal."
She then went on to star in more romcoms, including Maid in Manhattan, Gigli, Monster in Law and Shall We Dance.
Jennifer's impressive career in both the music and movie industry is part of the reason she's the recipient of the People's Icon Award at the 2020 E! People's Choice Awards.
E! News announced the accolade in September, describing how the star broke barriers for women across the board. "Jennifer Lopez has an unmatched global appeal and for more than two decades, has given us some of the most iconic, unforgettable performances of all time," Jen Neal, General Manager of E! News, Live Events & Lifestyle Digital, said in a statement on Sept. 30. "For paving the way for artists around the world and single-handedly increasing Latinx representation in music, film, television, and fashion, we're honoring Jennifer Lopez with The People's Icon of 2020."
Until then, fans can check out J. Lo's best roles in the gallery above!