I remember when I was 33 or 34, it was devastating because I realized I wasn’t a kid anymore. The great thing about 40 was that I really felt like I had life experience and knew what I was doing now.
Puffy produced four of the tracks on the album. Those are the four songs that are collaborations between Puffy and me. And he gives me my space to work even when we work together, like with my producer and my vocal coach.
So I sat down with him and portrayed more the side of the character he needed to see. Which is what I do when I go in for an interview for a part I like. As much as you think you’re dealing with creative people, they see you for what your image is out there.
You have to come in and be that character when you walk into the room. That’s what one of my first acting teachers taught me. You know, don’t go in there being Jennifer and then expect to flip and change, because they’re not going to have that imagination.
When I turned 40, I was like, huh. I accept myself more now. It was much more comforting.
It’s funny when you get married, you do find other couples to hang out with.
You’ve got to love yourself first, and until you value yourself enough and love yourself enough to know that, you can’t really have a healthy relationship.
It’s always a struggle. It’s an uphill battle the whole time. But you know what? The rewards are so graet, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
I think some people just use pregnancy as an excuse to really pig out. To be really disgusting. I am just going to eat this is my opportunity. I waited for this my whole life. I was not one of these people.
I remain an eternal optimist about love. I believe in love.
I know that being seen as a role model means taking responsibility for all my actions. I am human, and of course, sometimes I make mistakes. But I promise that when I fall, I get back up.
I love a massage and a bath. I don’t drink – I’ll have a sip, but I’ve never been drunk – and I don’t smoke. I envy people who have those releases. They just have a drink or a cigarette, and they feel better. I have to brave it through the whole day on my own.
I have my own high standards for what I want in a partner and how I want to be treated. I bring a lot to the table. I’m not talking about material things but what I have to offer as a person – love and loyalty and all the things that make a good relationship.
I’ve always had a huge fear of dying or becoming ill. The thing I’m most afraid of, though, is being alone, which I think a lot of performers fear. It’s why we seek the limelight – so we’re not alone, were adored. We’re loved, so people want to be around us. The fear of being alone drives my life.
I’m a hopeless romantic and passionate person when it comes to love.
You can’t take life for granted.
And I deal with all that by being like a perfectionist. But that’s okay.
But from the time I was very little, it was something I would do all the time, just sing, dance and act. So it wasn’t something that was fake or contrived as I got older.
Some people are naturally thin, and some are heavier. There is a lot of focus on it, and it can be a lot of pressure for people. But honestly, I think as long as someone is healthy, that is most important.
A romantic comedy has to be funny and make you think about life; but the obstacle that has to be overcome is key.