LOS ANGELES, USA – Jennifer Lopez and Tonatiuh (bear in mind his identify) are stars reborn and born, respectively, in Kiss of the Spider Lady, Invoice Condon’s 2025 adaptation of Manuel Puig’s novel and Terrence McNally’s stage musical.
Set in 1983, when Argentina was below a brutal navy dictatorship, this newest Kiss of the Spider Lady iteration, as directed by Invoice, harks again extra to Manuel’s novel, reflecting Seventies Latin America dealing with societal and political oppression and Terrence’s Tony Award-winning musical with composers John Kander and Fred Ebb.
With an all-Latin forged, this manufacturing veers from the 1985 movie model, which starred the late Willian Harm within the prime position of Molina. This time, Tonatiuh, the son of Mexican immigrant mother and father, performs the homosexual window dresser imprisoned for his sexuality, with star-making aplomb.
Tapping each Manuel’s guide and Terrence’s musical, this movie retells the story of Molina, thrown into a jail cell with Valentin, a Marxist insurgent (Diego Luna, equally good), and tries to outlive the brutality by retreating into fantasy and reveries of his favourite film, Kiss of the Spider Lady.
With Valentin as his initially reluctant listener, Molina reenacts the Technicolor melodrama starring glamorous film femme fatale Ingrid Luna (Jennifer) as a girl making an attempt to flee from a lethal legendary predator, the titular Spider Lady (additionally Jennifer), whose kiss is deadly to anybody. The 2 males slowly bond and discover solace in one another amid the jail harshness and cruelty.
Ingrid Luna and Spider Lady, each dazzling figures, are roles that Jennifer was born to play and carry out very properly. It’s virtually unthinkable that that is solely J.Lo’s first display screen musical. Within the movie-within-a-movie, Jennifer additionally performs Aurora with Tonatiuh (Kendall Nesbitt) and Diego (Armando).
“I regarded ahead to doing it as a result of I believed this was a chance for me to do one thing I had by no means executed. I’ve by no means gotten a chance to be in a film musical,” Jennifer mentioned to Rappler in an in-person video interview with each the actress and Tonatiuh at The London Lodge in West Hollywood.
Different quotes on this piece got here from a press convention with Jennifer, Tonatiuh, and Invoice, additionally at The London. Diego couldn’t be a part of as a result of he was filming.
“I really like the subject material,” Jennifer added. “I really like the statements that it makes. I really like the concept of working with Invoice Condon. There have been plenty of various things, however greater than something, it was identical to a dream come true to have the ability to do a film musical for the primary time.”
“I get requested this day by day. And I by no means get upset, so please ask me 1,000,000 occasions,” Tonatiuh answered with a smile when requested methods to pronounce his identify. “Tow-nuh-tyu,” supplied the 30-year-old whose final identify is Elizarraraz.
A few years from now, Kiss… will probably be remembered because the film that made folks sit up and take discover of the actor who grew up in West Covina, an LA suburb the place many Filipino immigrants stay. In fact, he has Filipino buddies, loves Pinoy meals, and is aware of just a few alternative Tagalog phrases, Tonatiuh instructed Rappler.
“Should you’re from West Covina, you’ll be able to name me ‘Tow-nay-sha,’ ”quipped the College of Southern California alumnus, who is just known as Tona by Jennifer and Invoice.
Invoice, the director of such acclaimed musicals as Chicago and Dreamgirls, shared how they forged Tonatiuh in his largest movie position. “I did one thing actually sensible — I pressed play on a self-tape that Tona despatched in,” the Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated filmmaker mentioned with fun.
“We went by way of an enormous course of and put Tona by way of the paces. 4 totally different auditions. The ultimate one with Diego. However I’ve to say, I had that feeling from the minute I noticed his self-tape.”
“Simply every thing that you just see on display screen now could be there in him. Simply this unimaginable expertise and openness, and that stunning, expressive face. So, Tona was the one who forged himself, on the finish of the day.”
Satirically, Invoice and his crew searched for his or her Molina in Mexico, Central and South America, Spain, Buenos Aires, Uruguay, and the US, solely to seek out Tonatiuh proper in LA.
Tonatiuh, whose Molina wins over the cynical insurgent Valentin along with his enthusiasm and tenderness, has at all times dreamed of appearing in a musical. “After I was making use of to colleges to review appearing, my mother took me to San Francisco for an audition. Depraved had come up. I begged her to get me tickets to go and see it.”
“I bear in mind seeing the wizard singing Great. I bear in mind considering, this man is in his 50s, 60s, simply dancing and singing his ass off. I would like that life.”
He continued, “Like, consider the place he traveled, who he acquired to satisfy, what he acquired to do, and all the enjoyment that he acquired to carry to the world. I used to be like, my God. That’s the energy of musical theater. What’s very distinctive to musical theater is the enjoyment.”
“I feel that is probably the most dynamic alternative that I’ve ever had. I’ve at all times had a secret want to be in a musical. Should you ever are driving in Los Angeles and also you see me in my automotive, I’m belting songs. So to get the chance to not simply inform such an amazing story, however to play a number of characters inside it’s the present of a lifetime.”
For Invoice and Tonatiuh, who’re each overtly homosexual, and Jennifer, the movie’s nuanced queer illustration was one other highly effective cause to make the movie. “It’s vital as a result of it’s extra related than ever,” confused the actress. “The concept of a trans or homosexual character on this film. The concept of two folks loving one another.”
“The form of divisiveness that we’ve skilled on the earth up to now few years. Only a story about two folks (Molina and Valentin) who’re thrown collectively, who’re so reverse, who’re so totally different from one another, who would most likely by no means even discover themselves in the identical circles.”
Jennifer added concerning the movie the place Invoice consulted the LGBTQ+ neighborhood to make sure Molina is a humanized determine, “And discover the humanity and fall in love with one another. I feel that’s extra related than ever. It’s actually vital to have queer illustration in films.”
The movie makes a stand for Latin illustration as properly. “In my circle of relatives, I understand how vital that’s for folks to see that,” Jennifer remarked. “In the identical manner, I wanted to see Rita Moreno in West Facet Story. Simply because she was Puerto Rican. That mattered to me.”
“It modified the course of my life. It made me understand I might do issues that no person in my household had ever thought to do.”
She revealed, “Invoice was very adamant about everyone being Latino within the forged. And the opposite iterations of this (Kiss…) didn’t have that. Despite the fact that it came about the place it did.”
“I really feel like that could be a actually vital factor. And to see that, and to really feel it. And for it to nonetheless really feel common. Any character, anyone can relate to it.”
At a time when many homosexual rights activists view the Trump administration as hostile to their neighborhood, citing the sustained assaults on transgender folks, amongst different points, Tonatiuh mentioned, “There’s a sure second that’s occurring proper now that we have to remind ourselves that dignity, humanity, and love transcend gender. They transcend sexual orientation. They transcend all of these issues.”
“Sure, we take care of queer themes in our movie, however I do suppose that it’s a love letter to range. It’s a love letter to simply humanity as a complete.”
On the range attraction of Kiss…, the actor identified, “And on a enterprise standpoint, although, it truly is simply fascinating to remind everybody that casting Latin expertise is unimaginable. Like, we promote, babe. We’re sizzling. And other people appear to overlook.”
“Andor (which starred Diego) was a hit. I feel Hollywood is usually slightly trepidatious about casting an all-Latin forged.”
Elaborating on his Molina, the place he avoids stereotypes and as an alternative performs him with complexity and vulnerability, Tonatiuh shared, “It was such a gorgeous script. Molina was a personality that I might actually sink my tooth into and permit myself to completely lose myself in.”
“I misplaced 45 kilos for the job.” He quipped with fun, “I used to be joking with Jennifer. I used to be like, ‘Lady, I’m making an attempt to get to that waist.’”
“I really like having the ability to remodel. I really like permitting my physique and my essence for use to assist create progress and love. Tradition adjustments a lot sooner than politics, and by casting me, we’re making an announcement.”
On his character’s relationship with Valentin, which on this model is depicted as a real love story and never a transactional one, Tonatiuh mentioned, “Molina, his ardour for films and his relationship with Valentin, is such a crucial story. And it’s changing into increasingly more related. That’s the ability of cinema and that’s what drove me to signal on to the challenge and to shed the kilos (laughs).”
Invoice defined, “I wrote this three years in the past. And it was as a result of I liked each model of this, and every certainly one of them was revolutionary for its time. However if you learn that novel, it’s taken us this lengthy to actually catch as much as what that novel was saying.”
Citing the 2024 US presidential election that declared Trump because the winner, Invoice commented, “Particularly, this was properly earlier than the election season and properly earlier than we knew what was going to occur. Nevertheless it was clear that trans folks have been going to be demonized, that they have been going to be part of the dialog.”
“It wasn’t clear at that time that there may be tanks, troops on the road. That we didn’t know. Nevertheless it did really feel that this was one thing that was effervescent up and occurring. In order that’s what made it really feel very pressing.”
“The revolution that you just’re saying that we’d like proper now could be precisely the rationale why the film is so vital for folks to see,” Jennifer chimed in. “As a result of it reminds you that on the finish of the day, it’s about two folks getting alongside and falling in love if you actually overlook about all the different issues, that we’re all simply human. And it’s about humanity.”
“Jennifer mentioned it however I simply need to repeat it,” Invoice emphasised. “On this film, these two males who couldn’t be totally different in each single manner, every thing is stripped away from them of their lives.”
“So all of these things, the politics, class, schooling, go away, they usually simply begin to see themselves as people. I do suppose that’s the little bit of hope, the ray of sunshine on this film.”
“I’ll additionally stress that, like we consistently see within the information, we see every thing that’s going round and we marvel, what’s it that I can do? I’m only one particular person,” Tonatiuh mentioned. “However that mentality is the factor that will get us right here. Each certainly one of us has little actions to take.”
“And particularly in a second when Latinos typically on this nation are experiencing large damaging PR, simply assault after assault, it’s actually fantastic to showcase what Latino dignity is and remind folks of the expertise, the enjoyment that our tradition provides to the USA and the world.”
Whereas Invoice based mostly his adaptation on the novel and musical, he acknowledged the 1985 movie directed by Hector Babenco that starred William Harm (who received the Oscar Finest Actor for his efficiency) and Raul Julia, each sadly now not with us, and Sonia Braga as “completely an inspiration.”
“That film meant a lot to me as a younger homosexual man. To see William Harm on the peak of his recognition tackle that position was extraordinary. It was so uncommon.”
“Nevertheless it’s not a lot the musical. I didn’t base it a lot on the musical. It’s actually the novel. I do really feel that the novel and that movie are fairly totally different. And for instance, once more, that is one thing that’s groundbreaking in 1985, the truth that they acquired that film made.”
He defined, “However what the viewers possibly demanded there and likewise within the Broadway manufacturing is that the connection between the 2 males have a extra transactional side, that in each instances, versus the novel, Valentin solely sleeps with Molina when he is aware of he’s getting out and that he can manipulate him into giving data. And that’s an instance of one thing I completely perceive why that was crucial then.”
“Nevertheless it was one of many explanation why being more true to the novel, as I mentioned, I feel we’ve caught as much as what Puig was writing about.”
“I did see the movie,” Tonatiuh replied when requested. “And, echoing what Invoice mentioned, each movies are showcasing what is required for the time. And it fostered a stage of dialogue throughout the queer neighborhood and with the neighborhood at giant.”
“It showcases the place we’re and the way our understanding has shifted. And it’s actually attention-grabbing when older audiences take a look at this movie versus, let’s say when Gen Z appears to be like at this movie. Our understanding of what gender, sexuality, sexual orientation as a tradition, as a neighborhood has shifted a lot.”
“And so one of many challenges was like, how can we pay homage to the unique movie with out being anachronistic?” the actor requested aloud. “And the way can we take in it now in 2025 with our new understanding of issues that weren’t essentially there? They have been there, however that they had a unique texture within the Eighties.”
What is definite is that Jennifer dazzles as she sings and dances her manner into the movie. “My favourite moments have been the musical numbers,” she exulted. “I had plenty of them. I didn’t have a lot else apart from 12 musical numbers. So, it was actually form of a marathon that we had. It was like a dash.”
“As a result of we did it in a brief period of time. There have been all these musical numbers, and we didn’t have plenty of time to shoot. I want we had a 12 months and a half like some musicals get to have. Sadly, we didn’t get that.”
The Golden Globe-, Emmy-, and Grammy-nominated performer added, “So we have been actually like run-and-gun and getting them executed. Someday, it was this quantity, subsequent day it was that quantity. And that was actually my favourite half.”
“It’s what I at all times dreamed of doing — doing a musical film. So I used to be dwelling a fantasy for myself, the identical manner Molina had this fantasy in his thoughts. It was my fantasy (laughs).”
For Tonatiuh, who additionally sings and dances within the elaborate MGM musical-style scenes, “There are plenty of favourite moments, each from the jail scenes and every thing else. However there was a private favourite second when Jennifer and I have been capturing one of many ballroom scenes.”
“She complimented me, which was lovely, however then they known as motion instantly after. I acquired to lookup for a second. I used to be surrounded by all this unimaginable Broadway expertise. Subsequent to Jennifer, subsequent to Diego.”
“And it hit me, two, three weeks into the capturing, once I was like, oh, that is wonderful, and that is my life, I’m surrounded by different artists who’re unimaginable, and whom I respect, and I’m having such a superb time.”
“Then they known as minimize,” he recounted. “I burst into tears with gratitude. So it was this second once I was like, man, I’m so pleased to be right here.”
For Invoice, it was seeing “Jennifer in that gold costume. We rehearsed so onerous, however we determined to shoot it within the (Fred) Astaire model, that are single takes.”
“However even with that, at lunch, we have been behind. So I mentioned, I need to do the remainder of the day in a single take over a minute the place Jennifer dances with six males after which winds up with Tona. It took a very long time to arrange. However we did it.”
“I’ve been requested various occasions what it was about Jennifer that made her the one and solely alternative,” the director defined why the actress’ consent to star acquired the challenge going. “And I understand my reply’s slightly glib. It’s like, properly, we don’t have that many divas, and she or he is taking part in this diva. Nevertheless it’s one thing actually extra exceptional than that to me that occurred on this film.”
“She understood early on once we talked concerning the script that Aurora is definitely Molina’s finest model of what he might have of his life. She’s a personality who’s by no means had love, who finds love in the middle of this film.”
“So Jennifer was taking part in within the model of the ’40s, but in addition connecting to what Tona was taking part in. Then she performed the actual actress who’s a completely totally different character, after which she performed the darkish model of that. It’s not that she’s a diva. That’s not what made her good for this position. She’s an amazing actress.”
“And I felt the identical manner with Tona,” added the director whose different credit embody Magnificence and the Beast and Gods and Monsters. “After we have been doing auditions for this half, often in each manufacturing of it on stage, or within the play, you’re solely casting one half. You’re casting Molina.”
“However Tona needed to play Molina and this ’40s icon. And once more, simply seeing the way in which that he embodied that model. That, to me, was extra thrilling than us doing it with digital camera and know-how. It was simply watching these actors stay in these two worlds.”
“I’m hiring you as a result of I do know that you are able to do the numbers from prime to backside with out stopping,” Jennifer shared what Invoice instructed her. “It was like doing stay reveals. It’s a must to begin the quantity. It’s a must to end the quantity. It doesn’t matter what occurs in between.”
Working with choreographer Sergio Trujillo and cinematographer Tobias Schliessler, Jennifer mentioned of the frilly musical numbers, “It’s also choreography with the digital camera. And so sure, I’ve plenty of respect for the truth that they (musical stars within the ’40s and ’50s) did it that manner.”
“I additionally know that they rehearsed for weeks and months to do one quantity. Like in Singing within the Rain — it took a very long time to try this.”
For a musical like Kiss…, the manufacturing properly turned to Colleen Atwood, who received 4 Oscars for costume design, together with for Chicago, and earned quite a few nominations. “Colleen was very clear,” Jennifer mentioned. “Like, she confirmed me boards for every change that I had. It was very particular.”
“It wasn’t someone who’s like, listed below are 20 racks of garments and let’s discover the factor. It was like, no, I feel this needs to be a go well with. I feel this needs to be a robe. I feel this needs to be a gold robe.”
“She knew precisely what she wished to perform with every thing. And generally I used to be identical to, oh, is that what this scene is? Oh, I get it. Now, I understand how to be. Now I do know who to be Aurora on this film. I do know who to be because the Spider Lady on this film. The costumes, once they’re that good, actually inform you.”
“The robe is 50 kilos,” Jennifer revealed concerning the gold robe that Invoice cited. “Individuals don’t consider that. This robe is actually heavy. Colleen was like, ‘It’s beautiful. It’s good. Let’s make it tighter (laughs).’ ”
In these glamorous however heavy robes, Jennifer needed to gracefully dance in these elaborate sequences. “There was plenty of various things so far as the musical numbers,” the actress shared. “It was like what Ginger Rogers mentioned, ‘You realize, I do every thing Fred Astaire does, solely backwards and in heels.’”(The favored quote was really penned by cartoonist Bob Thaves in his cartoon, Frank and Ernest.)
“It hasn’t modified (laughs). It’s nonetheless the identical factor. Once more, a part of the joys for me, are these challenges. After which to do it on this specific film in a really lengthy one-take.”
“It was not like, okay, possibly they’ll return and repair this or that, or edit. These are going to be lengthy takes. In order that, to me, was probably the most difficult a part of the entire thing.”
Jennifer cited one dance quantity that was good till a shoe acquired in the way in which. “You’re like, midway or three-quarters of the way in which by way of, your heel will get caught in your robe for no matter cause. You’re like, fuck, it was good till then. So, these issues do occur.”
“However on the finish of the day, by some means, God is at all times watching and guiding. Miracles occur on set. I do miracles. We did miracles (laughs) on this film in a manner.”
Nonetheless trying again on the making of Kiss…, Jennifer mentioned, “I bear in mind so many moments. All these moments I bear in mind each single day. It was an important second in my life to have the ability to do that movie. And there was quite a bit happening in my life at the moment.”
The actress shot Kiss… whereas she was going by way of marriage issues with Ben Affleck. She, Ben, his finest buddy Matt Damon, and Diego are among the many movie’s government producers.
“I’ve been lucky sufficient to have an extended profession,” Jennifer remarked. “There are specific films like Selena, Out of Sight, Maid in Manhattan that mark a sure time in your life. And that is positively one of many crucial ones for me.”
“I like it. I really feel very fortunate to do what I do. The battle for me has at all times been looking for steadiness. And by some means, it simply doesn’t work out.”
Requested to outline what she considers steadiness in her life, the all-around performer replied, “I took a 12 months off after I did this film once I canceled the tour. I didn’t do one other film until the next March. So I noticed that I might have a life slightly bit.”
“And that I might sit nonetheless. And nothing was going to go away, which I feel causes panic in most artists on this career, that you just suppose, oh, if I cease, it should all go away. Nevertheless it doesn’t.”
“You’ve made your mark and also you’re right here, and also you do what you do. Now, I’m again on it once more. And having fun with myself. I suppose I’ll cease when it’s not enjoyable anymore (laughs).”
However she admitted, “As at all times, I wind up doing one other factor after the factor. However yeah, I like it. I liked being on tour once more this summer season.”
“It was nice to get again on the market and to attach with folks once more on that stage. After which now, at the same time as I’m speaking about this film, I’m about to go do one other movie (The Final Mrs. Parrish) with Bob Zemeckis.”
“I’m tremendous excited concerning the 12 months and every thing that’s arising. I’ve Workplace Romance popping out, which can be enjoyable. It’s onerous to cease when every thing is so enjoyable (laughs).”
On what nonetheless makes her energetic, as in comparison with when she was 25, Jennifer cracked, “Am I not 25 anymore?” Wanting match and gorgeous at 56, she identified, “The dancing actually helps. The truth that I began as a dancer and I’ve continued that my entire life. I additionally began as an athlete earlier than I used to be a dancer. So, I simply have that in my blood.”
“If I’m not transferring my physique, I’m not pleased. I must work out. I should be energetic. I solely really feel my finest once I’m doing that. And despite the fact that it’s gotten more difficult as I’ve gotten extra mature, it nonetheless is a good pleasure for me.”
“After I push by way of the little little bit of ache that all of us have once we first begin figuring out, once we first begin dancing once more, every time I do take a break, it’s onerous (laughs). And it’s more durable now than it was earlier than. However as soon as I break by way of, it’s like I’m 25 once more.”
“In fact, I nonetheless complain about like, why didn’t I learn about that film?” Jennifer candidly answered when requested if, at this stage in her profession, she will get to see many of the sizzling scripts. “Why didn’t I learn about (laughs) this factor? All the time. And it’s irritating.”
“However once more, I might actually get upset and indignant about it or I might simply do one of the best work that I can do each time I’ve a chance to do it. And that’s the route that I’ve chosen for myself.”
“It took plenty of work to get there,” she mused. “I hope that there are different younger Latina actresses and Latino actors who’re already getting that of their 20s now. It’s totally different now. And that makes me pleased.”
“It’s an excellent time. I really can get pleasure from with out the pressures of feeling like I’m not adequate or I’m not doing sufficient, or all of the issues that we fuck ourselves in our thoughts with. I can simply go, I’m right here, I really like what I’m doing. I’m so lucky and actually get pleasure from it with out placing strain on myself to show something anymore.”
When Rappler requested Tonatiuh how he would have reacted if somebody instructed him 10 years in the past that he could be singing, dancing and appearing sometime with Jennifer in a musical, he answered:
“I wouldn’t have believed it. It actually was a surreal second. Attending to work with Jennifer, Invoice and Diego was a kind of out-of-body experiences. However the humorous factor about my mind is, as quickly as they are saying motion, I’m like, let’s do it. We’re within the second.” – Rappler.com
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