Jennifer Lopez is opening up about a career moment from the 1990s that she never forgot—losing out on a musical role to Madonna.
During a screening and Q&A in Los Angeles for her upcoming film Kiss of the Spider Woman, her first movie musical in three decades, the superstar recalled auditioning for Alan Parker’s Evita.
“I went to audition for Evita for Alan Parker,” Lopez shared in a video published by Variety. “I had practiced for weeks. I sang my heart out, and he goes, ‘You’re amazing. You know Madonna has the part, right?’” The story left the audience laughing, and Lopez herself joined in. She remembered replying politely before making a quick exit, amused by the awkwardness of the moment.
Madonna ultimately played Eva Perón in the 1996 film, earning a Golden Globe and helping the movie secure five Oscar nominations. For Lopez, it became one of several near misses in her pursuit of a musical film role. She once admitted that her passion for musicals began as a child when her mother introduced her to West Side Story. Later, she also auditioned for Chicago and nearly landed a role in Nine.
Now, nearly 25 years after that Evita audition, Spider Woman screenwriter Bill Condon has given her a chance to shine as Ingrid Luna. He praised her “legitimate voice and larger-than-life personality.” Reflecting on her journey, Lopez said the wait was worth it, calling it “perfect timing.”