Jennifer Lopez’s epic cinematic experience, This Is Me… Now: A Love Story is a passionate piece with love at its core, not only in front of the camera, but behind the scenes as well.
Ahead of the release on February 16, actress Ashley Versher, who stars alongside the likes of Jane Fonda and Keke Palmer as one of Jennifer’s friends, spoke exclusively to DailyMail.com about what it was like working with the legendary artist and praised the environment enriching, both on and off the set.
Recalling her time on set, Ashley opened up about everything the Grammy-winning singer, 54, would do to make sure her cast and crew felt empowered, including the special checks performed by the wardrobe department on the film from Prime Video.
He also praised Jennifer’s commitment to creating a collaborative environment, which culminated in a fun improvised scene in which the top-tier powerhouse showed off her “incredible” skills.
Jennifer Lopez takes center stage in her Prime Video film This Is Me… Now: A Love Story
Actress Ashley Versher stars in the piece alongside the likes of Jane Fonda and Keke Palmer as one of Jennifer’s friends.
“I got to meet Jennifer on the first day of filming,” Ashley said. ‘We all knew her.
“She was completely charming and obviously dressed to the nines because her fashion is untouchable.
‘She was very kind and really drew us in and made us feel like a part of this project.
‘It was important to her that we tell this story with her. That was really enriching for me as an actor.”
The new musical draws many parallels to the singer’s life, from her numerous headline-grabbing relationships to her upbringing in the Bronx, and she didn’t shy away from having conversations about her vision for the project.
According to Ashley, she was passionate about making sure everything felt “down to earth.”
Ashley continued, “I think that was really important to her, and you can see that in the trailer.”
“You can see that she wants to reach people’s hearts, so I think it was very important for her to convey that to us.”
Ashley (pictured right) spoke positively about working with the legendary singer on the Prime Video project with JLo.
She said: ‘Jennifer is amazing at improvising. She is so on top of it all and she is fun.
Ashley shared that there was a lot of care and consideration behind the scenes.
In her role, Ashley shared several scenes with hitmaker Jenny from the Block, but there’s one in particular that stands out, and it involved Jennifer’s incredible improvisation skills.
She said: “My favorite moment on set is a scene where all the friends are gathered at their apartment and Jennifer walks in with someone else.
‘We were able to improvise a lot while we were shooting that scene and, my God, it was hilarious.
‘Jennifer is amazing at improvising. She is so on top of it all and she is fun. And she really was really beautiful and really funny.
“We had a great time filming that scene and there was a lot of laughter.”
Ashley shared that there was a lot of care and consideration behind the scenes to ensure the cast felt “safe” and “comfortable,” particularly when it came to costumes.
Jennifer released the trailer for her upcoming epic cinematic experience, This Is Me… Now: A Love Story last month.
The racy trailer offered glimpses into her passionate love life, including her failed marriages.
“The wardrobe department wanted to make sure you felt good,” he said. ‘They wanted you to feel confident and beautiful.
‘If you were wearing a revealing top or something a little tight, they wanted to make sure you felt good.
‘Even with jewelry, you know, sometimes you can put on earrings and they can be a little heavy. Everyone makes sure you feel good.
Jennifer fostered such a nurturing environment during filming that Ashley left the project with a group of new friends: artists and collaborators who help each other on their film projects.
She admitted: ‘I feel very, very, very blessed. I think those things are really top down.
‘That’s Jennifer, creating this space for us. You know, having a hand in getting cast in these roles. She’s pretty cool.’
Speaking to DailyMail.com, Ashley gushed: ‘I feel very, very, very blessed. I think those things are really top down.
Ashley continued, “I’m grateful to be a part of this story Jennifer is telling, and I really hope people feel inspired.”
“I think he’s sharing with us that true love, true love, can last forever and ever. He wants people to hold on to that belief and find it.
“So, you know, that’s really special.”
The trailer for This Is Me… Now: A Love story arrived in January and showed Jennifer’s friends staging an intervention amid fears she may be a sex addict after three lavish weddings.
The film is a companion to their ninth studio album, This Is Me… Now, which is scheduled for release on the same date.
The album is a sequel to their 2002 album, This Is Me… Then, and is their first studio album in a decade.