Salma Hayek Got an Oscar Nomination for a Part Jennifer Lopez Wanted, Not Long After Lopez Slammed Her Talent

In 2003, Salma Hayek received an Oscar nomination for her role in Frida, a part that had initially belonged to Jennifer Lopez. Lopez had been excited about the role, but she reportedly turned it down for the prospect of a bigger payday in another film. Hayek may not have made as much money, but her part received far more acclaim. This came just a few years after Lopez rolled her eyes at Hayek’s talent as an actor.

Jennifer Lopez originally had Salma Hayek’s part in ‘Frida’

In 2001, Lopez excitedly discussed her upcoming role as Frida Kahlo. She was ready for the challenge the part posed.

“That role will be the most challenging thing I’m sure I’ll ever do,” she told Rolling Stone in 2001. “Frida was truly a tortured artist — she endured physical pain, and her husband, Diego Rivera, was a dog. He was a cheater, he slept with her sister. Frida had a limp and took painkillers. But while all that was going on, and before it, she was one of the most liberal women of her time. She was bisexual, and she and her husband were just ahead of their time — they were the rock stars of Mexican society in their day.”

Later that year, though, Lopez pulled out of the film. Many speculated that this was because she accepted a role in the film Taking Lives. Angelina Jolie ended up with the role in that film. 

When Lopez pulled out of Frida, Hayek took the part.

Jennifer Lopez previously called Salma Hayek’s talent into question

Hayek wound up with an Oscar nomination for her role in Frida. This likely stung for Lopez, who had previously questioned Hayek’s talent.

“We’re in two different realms,” Lopez told Movieline in 1998. “She’s a sexy bombshell and those are the kinds of roles she does. I do all kinds of different things.”

She said she found it ridiculous that Hayek said she was originally under consideration for the lead role in Selena. In Lopez’s eyes, it was a grab for attention on Hayek’s part.

“It makes me laugh when she says she got offered Selena, which was an outright lie,” Lopez said. “If that’s what she does to get herself publicity, then that’s her thing. Columbia offered me the choice of Fools Rush In or Anaconda, but I chose the fun B-movie because the Fools script wasn’t strong enough.”

Lopez later said her comments in this interview were taken out of context.

She shared why she turned down the role in ‘Selena’

Hayek was originally offered the lead role in Selena, but she turned down the part. She didn’t like how soon after Selena Quintanilla-Pérez’s death the offer came.

“They offered it to me like a week after she [Selena Quintanilla-Perez] died,” Hayek said on Watch What Happens Live (per Oprah Daily). “It was a little bit distasteful. They were already planning on making this movie.”

She thought Lopez was the right choice for the part.

“I think Jennifer did a great job,” she said. “I really do think it was for her.”