A few weeks ago, Latina magazine interviewed former couple Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony about their marriage, their family, and how both were affected by being superstars in the entertainment industry. Their comments were intended to run alongside a story about their many joint business ventures, including the two design collections they were creating for Kohl’s (they were going to be “the first celeb couple to simultaneously design collections for the retailer,” and a representative confirmed to WWD that Lopez and Anthony’s separation and/or divorce will not impact the release of the lines). But now that the couple has announced that they’re parting ways, the interviews that Latina deputy editor Angie Romero conducted (separately, interestingly enough) are especially intriguing.
Since Lopez and Anthony were interviewed separately, let’s compare their answers to the same questions.
On what their home life is like, Anthony said “Nothing floats and there are no lights or fans or smoke. Jennifer loves to cook, loves family time, loves when we eat together—all of us, the kids, just everybody. The house is awfully loud with the pitter-patter of their feet. It’s very Puerto Rican—salsa playing in the background and kids in the pool. ‘Max, watch out!’ You know, just real normal stuff when we’re home.”
Lopez said, “I do cook, I do lay out Marc’s clothes, I do pack him when he’s about to go away. I do care, I do do things that are going to make their lives better, easier. I do hold them [Max and Emme] when they’re crying—all those things that you do as a mother and a wife are so much more rewarding than anything else in life. I do get a lot of joy out of that.
On taking time out of their schedules to be together, Anthony said “We could take any job and any responsibility, but the biggest one we have is to our family. That’s the biggest job of all.”
Lopez said, You can have tons of success and all of that is so great and I would never downplay that; I love the fact that I get to do everything that I do; but my biggest joys in life are being able to be a good mom, the moments when I can say, ‘Ah, I was a good mom right there! I did something right for my kids. Or you know what, I’m a good wife.’
Then, for some reason, the remainder of the questions in the interview (in the website’s version at least) are only answered by Lopez. Perhaps Anthony’s interview was cut short for some reason, or because he had nothing to say?
For instance, on what goes into a successful marriage, Lopez said “I mean it’s about time, it’s about making the time for each other; it’s about being there for each other for the good moments and for the bad moments, you know, it’s just about caring. To say how to care for somebody is a long list, but that’s really what it takes.”
Then, on how they make each other better, Lopez said “We do make each other better. Because we have respect for each other, we’re able to listen to each other’s, I wouldn’t say criticism, but critiques of each other, and take them as a constructive thing, not as something that’s meant to hurt you, and we’re able to grow from that. I can say to him, ‘You know, I think it would be better if, when you’re onstage, you had this back-up singer’ or whatever, and he can listen to me and not say, ‘Well, I don’t think so.’ We really do listen to each other’s opinions knowing that the other person really wants to help you.”
Now, neither one of their answers seem to signify any kind of passion in their marriage. For example, neither of them compliment each other in their answers: Lopez never says “Marc’s a great father” and Anthony never says “Jennifer’s a great mother.” Additionally, Lopez is the only one who comments on what it’s like caring for the twins and what it’s like doing household chores (Anthony simply sites his family as being a “responsibility”). And finally, perhaps the most suggestive reason as to why Lopez and Anthony’s marriage might have failed is the pretty obvious fact that they must have spend very little quality time together…or that Lopez seems to have had very little help from Anthony in keeping the family organized.
