Sunday night was a huge win for actress, singer, and dancer, Jennifer Lopez as she accepted the E! People’s Icon Award.
Before her speech, the star was surprised by video messages from Nicole Kidman and Renee Zellweger, as well as two very important people in her life. Virtually, her 12-year-old twins, Emme and Max reminded Lopez how much they loved her.
While accepting her award Lopez takes the time to reflect on the year we’ve all had. “Oh, my God 2020 man, 2020 was no joke, right?” she says “I mean, before 2020 we were obsessing about winning this award, getting nominated for that award, we were caught up on who sold the most records or who had the biggest box office opening or crazy stuff. This year was the great leveler. It showed us what mattered, what didn’t and for me, reinforced what matters most, people.”
An emotional Jennifer goes on to say, “Helping each other, loving each other, being kind to each other. And the importance of that connection, that human touch and I realize it’s what I strive for in everything I do, to reach people, to touch people. I believe that’s what we all want, shared experiences, to know that we’re not in this alone,” she says, “Your belief and your faith in me motivates me to keep going and sometimes when I’m tired or beaten down like a lot of us have been this year, it’s my family, my friends, my babies and my fans, you guys, who have lifted me up when I couldn’t lift myself.”
Despite stereotypes and roadblocks within the industry, Lopez definitely beats the odds. “As a Latina and as a woman, we have to sometimes work twice as hard to get the opportunity. Sometimes my big dreams and my ambitions made the people around me nervous people would say you’re a dancer, you can’t be an actress. The more they said I couldn’t, the more I knew that I had to,” she said. “So now here I stand, so very grateful, knowing that the true measure of my success is not in box office numbers or records sold but from the love that I feel from all of you and yes, I feel it,” she says in closing out her speech.
As she exited the stage, the star also received virtual messages of appreciation from stars like Kim Kardashian, Kerry Washington, Jane Fonda, Matthew McConaughey, and more!
Watch the full acceptance speech below.
