Jennifer Lopez’s dramatic platinum-blonde look for her role in the film adaptation of Kiss of the Spider Woman prompted a wave of social media reactions on Monday, with fans and fellow artists saying she resembled fellow pop star Gwen Stefani.
Lopez posted a series of behind-the-scenes images on Instagram showing her in 1940s-style curls pulled into an updo with a pink headband, smoky eye makeup and bold red lipstick. She captioned the photos, "Stepping into the role of Aurora felt like dancing through the golden age of cinema … with all the glitz, glamour, and a whole lot of dancing. Stepping back into time has never been so much fun. ✨"
Many commenters on the post said they initially mistook Lopez, 56, for Gwen Stefani, also 56, who is known for her signature platinum hair and classic red lip. Responses included direct comparisons such as, "Girl I thought you was @gwenstefani," "Looks like Gwen Stefani!" and "I thought this was Gwen Stefani for a second lol." Singer Natasha Bedingfield added in the comments, "Omg you look like @gwenstefani Love you sis." Celebrity makeup artist Scott Barnes, who worked on the look, described it as "a full transformation for JLo as Ingrid Luna in Kiss of the Spider Woman — and she looks breathtaking."
The hair and makeup are part of Lopez’s work on Kiss of the Spider Woman, a screen adaptation of the 1993 Broadway musical that itself was based on Manuel Puig’s 1976 novel. Directed by Bill Condon and based on the original stage material by Terrence McNally with music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb, the film reimagines the story of two cellmates in an Argentine prison. Lopez is credited as playing both Ingrid Luna and Aurora, an imagined screen star created by Tonatiuh’s character, Luis Molina, as an escape from prison life. Diego Luna plays Marxist Valentin Arregui. The story reports that Molina is serving an eight-year sentence for "corrupting a minor," a plot point from the original material.
Lopez has spoken about the emotional intensity of making the film. In an interview with Out magazine, she called the experience "very intense," saying the story explores how two men locked together "are able to see straight into [the] humanity in one another and fall in love. To me, that is the real definition of love." She also said the production came during a difficult personal period but was creatively reinvigorating: "It… just filled a part of me that was waiting to kind of come alive for so long."
Principal photography on the film began in March of the previous year and concluded in May, according to Lopez’s comments. Three months after wrapping production, Lopez filed for divorce from Ben Affleck in August 2024. Affleck and Matt Damon are listed among the film’s producers through their company Artists Equity.
Kiss of the Spider Woman premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier in the year and has already drawn awards-season attention, particularly for Lopez’s performance. The film is slated for theatrical release on Oct. 10.
Lopez’s social-media post underscores both her ongoing high-profile role choices and the transformational nature of screen makeup and hairstyling; reactions to the image highlight how a change in hair color and styling can prompt swift public comparisons between celebrities.