Jennifer Lopez has revealed she was “compelled” to star in new movie biopic 'El Cantante' about Hector Lavoe, the man credited with bringing salsa to the US, after his widow begged her to take the role.
J-Lo will star with her husband, Marc Anthony, who’ll play Lavoe, who killed himself in 2003 by jumping off a building following a long battle with drugs.
"Once I read the script, I knew there was something about their life, the relationship they had, that was compelling to watch," Jennifer says.
Meanwhile, Marc says he is determined to help people get an insight into the real Hector Larvoe.
"Hector painted this clear picture of what you could be if you put your mind to it, but how painful a life you could live if you made the wrong choices,” he says. “I got tired of people saying, 'Oh Hector Lavoe, he's the guy who jumped and the drug addict'."
He adds: "I was focusing on making it as personal as possible. What did he go through that day? What pushed him over the edge? What made him make some of those destructive decisions?"
'El Cantante', Jen and Marc’s first big screen appearance together, is due in theatres later this year.
