Jennifer Lopez on latest film Unstoppable: Single mums ‘deserve the praise’ for their struggle

LOS ANGELES – As they try to help their children, parents often have to confront their own failings.

This is one of the messages of the biographical sports drama Unstoppable, according to its star Jennifer Lopez.

Premiering on Prime Video on Jan 16, the film tells the true story of Anthony Robles (Jharrel Jerome), an American wrestler who was born without a leg.

It recounts Anthony’s difficult childhood in Arizona, where he grows up with single mother Judy (Lopez) and abusive stepfather Rick (Bobby Cannavale).

But with the support of Judy and his coaches, Anthony beats the odds to secure a spot on a university wrestling team and win a national championship.

At a screening of Unstoppable in Los Angeles in late 2024, Lopez – accompanied by the real-life Judy and Anthony Robles – says she wanted to capture the fact that parents often battle their own demons as they try to do the best for their kids.

In Judy’s case, she was a young and financially struggling single mother who blamed herself for her son’s circumstances.

“It was about tapping the almost torment you have when you’re struggling with who you are, and you want to be a great mum,” says the 55-year-old American actress and singer.

“And I think a lot of women – and fathers – can identify with that,” adds Lopez, who has 16-year-old twins with her former husband, American singer Marc Anthony, 56.

Lopez spent a lot of time getting to know Judy, 53, and instinctively understood her.

“It’s a bit like looking in a mirror when you look at another woman who’s a mother and who has struggled in the way she has.

“We have very different lives, but I can understand the love for your children, what it feels like when they struggle, and just wanting to be the best mum you can be for them,” says Lopez, who finalised her high-profile divorce from American actor-director Ben Affleck, 52, in January.

She also sees herself in Judy’s reluctance to take credit for her son’s success.

“Judy always says, ‘I don’t deserve the praise’, and I’m always trying to remind her, ‘You do’, because I’m always trying to remind myself of the same thing,” says Lopez.

“I think it’s a thing that we, as women, go through – always wanting to be so perfect and to be everything we can for our children.”

Lopez felt a sense of obligation portraying a living person as well.

“I’ve done it a couple of times, and it is a huge responsibility. The one endorsement that you want is from the person you’re playing,” says the star, who was praised for her performances in the musical biopic Selena (1997) and the crime comedy-drama Hustlers (2019).

As Lopez got to know Judy, she tried to reassure her the film would do the story justice.

“I wanted to get her to feel really comfortable, to trust me and to be able to open up to me about what that family experience was really like.”

And the actress tried to convey the nuances of Judy’s complex relationship with Rick and the “very strong and unique” bond she shared with Anthony.

“They were not just like mother and son – they kind of raised each other because she had him so young,” Lopez adds.

Anthony, 36, is now a motivational speaker, sports commentator and wrestling coach, as well as the author of the 2012 memoir the film is based on, Unstoppable: From Underdog To Undefeated – How I Became A Champion.

But even though his and Judy’s story is uplifting, Lopez did not want to gloss over the darker aspects.

“It was about making sure, as cheery and positive as she was with her children, I didn’t shy away from that struggle, which is what made the story incredible.”