Secrets from the set of Jennifer Lopez's racy Prime Video film This Is Me… Now: A Love Story – the singer showed INCREDIBLE improv skills and made actors feel 'empowered' with special wardrobe checks
Jennifer Lopez's epic cinematic experience, This Is Me… Now: A Love Story, is a passion piece that focuses on love – not just in front of the camera, but behind the scenes too.
Ahead of the February 16 launch, actress Ashley Versher, who is one of Jennifer's friends alongside Jane Fonda and Keke Palmer, spoke exclusively to DailyMail.com about what it was like working with the legendary artist – and praised the nurturing environment , both on and off the set.
Recalling her time on the shoot, Ashley spoke of the lengths the Grammy award-winning singer, 54, would go to to ensure her cast and crew felt empowered, including the special checks carried out by the wardrobe department on the Prime Video film.
She also raved about Jennifer's dedication to creating a collaborative environment – which culminated in a hilarious improvised scene in which the top 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 part alongside Jane Fonda and Keke Palmer as one of Jennifer's friends
“I was able to meet Jennifer on the first day of filming,” Ashley said. 'We've all met her.
'She was very beautiful and clearly dressed to the nines, because her fashion is impeccable.
“She was very kind and really brought us in and made us feel like we were part of this project.
'It was important to her that we told this story together with her. That really gave me strength as an actor.'
The new musical draws many parallels with the singer's life, from her numerous headline-making relationships to her upbringing in the Bronx – and she hasn't shied away from having conversations about her vision for the project.
According to Ashley, she was keen to make sure it felt 'grounded'.
Ashley continued, “I think that was just 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 translate 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 incredible at improvising. She's so on top of things, and she's funny.”
Ashley said there was a lot of care and attention behind the scenes
In her role, Ashley shared several scenes with the Jenny from the Block hitmaker, but there's one specific one that stands out: Jennifer's amazing improv skills.
She said: “My favorite moment on set is a scene where all the friends gather in her apartment and Jennifer walks in with someone else.
“We were able to improvise so much while we were filming that scene, and oh my God, it was hilarious.
'Jennifer is incredible at improvising. She's so on top of it, and she's funny. And so it was really just really beautiful and really fun.
“We had so much fun filming that scene and there were so many laughs.”
Ashley said there was a lot of care and attention behind the scenes to ensure the cast felt “safe” and “comfortable,” especially when it came to the costumes.
Jennifer dropped the trailer for her upcoming epic movie experience, This Is Me… Now: A Love Story, last month
The racy trailer offered a glimpse into her sizzling love life, including her failed marriages
“The wardrobe department wanted to make you feel good,” she said. 'They wanted you to feel confident and beautiful.
“If you were wearing a revealing top or something that was a little tight, they wanted to make you feel good.
“Even with the jewelry — you know, sometimes you can wear some earrings and they can be a little heavy. Everyone just makes you feel good.”
Jennifer provided such a stimulating environment during the shoot that Ashley left the project with a bunch of new friends: artists and collaborators who help each other on their film projects.
She admitted, “I feel very, very, very blessed. I think things like that really happen from the top down.
'That's Jennifer, who creates this space for us. You know, we had a hand in being cast in these roles. It's really cool.'
Speaking to DailyMail.com, Ashley enthused: 'I feel very, very, very blessed. I think that stuff is really top-down.”
Ashley continued, “I'm grateful to be a part of this story that Jennifer is telling, and I really hope that people are inspired.
“I think she's sharing with us that true love, true love, can last forever and ever. She wants people to hold on to that belief and discover that.
“So you know, that's very special.”
The trailer for This Is Me… Now: A Love Story dropped in January and showed Jennifer's friends staging an intervention over fears she could be a sex addict after three lavish weddings.
The film is an accompaniment to her ninth studio album, This Is Me… Now, due out on the same date.
The album is a follow-up to her 2002 album, This Is Me… Then, and is her first studio album in ten years.