Jennifer Lopez and Edward James Olmos are set to reunite onscreen for the first time in 30 years. The “Stand and Deliver” actor — who played Lopez’s father in the 1997 film, “Selena” — gushed about their longtime friendship.
Edward James Olmost Gushes About Jennifer Lopez
During a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight on the carpet of their upcoming film, “Office Romance,” Olmos called his reunion with the “American Idol” alum “very emotional.”
“For me, it was very emotional and it still is, you know,” he said of their reunion. “[There’s a] strong understanding of decades of watching our own growth and watching each other’s growth. And it’s been beautiful. We’re lucky we got to do work that was profoundly cultural, profoundly heartfelt.”
The dynamic duo first starred together in the 1995 film, Mi Familia. While they did not appear on screen together in that film, they would reunite just two years later.
“The first time [I was introduced to her, when] she was the chorus line in ‘Living Color,'” he recalled. “I really didn’t know her, you know, and then I
met her again when we did the movie ‘Mi Familia.’ I didn’t work with her, but during the press tour, we did get to become good friends.”
He continued, “And then when we did Selena, it was just beautiful. It was something that I wish people had realized what a performance she gave. It was unbelievably prolific that performance.”
A then-unknown Lopez famously portrayed late Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla in the 1997 biopic. The “Como La Flor” artist was shot and killed by the president of her fan club, Yolanda Saldivar, on March 31, 1995.
Lopez was nominated for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical at that year’s Golden Globe Awards.
Jennifer Lopez and Edward James Olmos Recreate Iconic Photo
Lopez and Olmos recreated an iconic photo from their 1997 film on the red carpet earlier this week.
“I’ll tell you what happened. We were standing on the carpet just a few minutes ago. I was standing with him, and I remember taking the cast photo with ‘Selena’ and I said, ‘Oh my God, do you remember when we did this years ago?'” Lopez told Entertainment Weekly. “And he goes ‘I remember it well!'”
She added: “I was like, ‘And here we are.’ He’s like, ‘Here we are.’ He’s like, ‘I’m so proud to be here with you.’ I said, ‘I love you so much, thank you.'”
The upcoming rom-com, “Office Romance” — which is set to premiere on Netflix June 5 — stars Lopez alongside Brett Goldstein.
Lopez and Goldstein “lead a raunchy romantic comedy about a secret office romance and the trouble two workaholics get in when they start thinking with their hearts,” Netflix revealed.
Olmos was announced as part of the cast in March by the “Maid in Manhattan” star.
“From ‘Selena’ to now, this journey has come full circle,” she shared via Instagram alongside a throwback picture with her former big screen dad. “SWIPE to see the big news. We’re thrilled to welcome the incredible Edward James Olmos to ‘Office Romance’!”
