screen moments

Jennifer Lopez’s steamiest kiss was for a 2005 drama starring Robert Redford

This resurfaced story comes with bittersweet timing

Fashion designer Jennifer Lopez closes the runway at the Jennifer Lopez Fall 2005 show during the Olympus Fashion Week in Bryant Park February 11, 2005 in New York City. (Photo by Mark Mainz/Getty Images)

SEPTEMBER 16, 2025 10:46 AM EDTSEP 16, 2025, 10:46 AM EDT

When it comes to movie magic, Jennifer Lopez has delivered more than her fair share of swoon-worthy screen moments. But according to J.Lo herself, her steamiest kiss wasn’t with Matthew McConaughey in "The Wedding Planner" or Ben Affleck in "Gigli." It happened in "An Unfinished Life," the 2005 drama starring Robert Redford. The twist was that the kiss never even made it into the final cut.

Lopez revealed in 2017 that her best on-screen kiss was with her "An Unfinished Life" co-star Josh Lucas. And he didn’t disagree. In a 2015 interview, Lucas spilled the tea: “She was phenomenal in many ways in that way. We have a phenomenal sex scene in a car that was so good [that] I guess it was cut out. They needed to get it a rating that was a little more PG. It was fantastic.”

In other words, the passion was so undeniable, the scene had to be shelved to keep the film from earning a spicier rating. For Lopez, it was an unforgettable moment in her career, even if the audience never got to see it.

Why It Got Cut

"An Unfinished Life" wasn’t a rom-com; it was a heartfelt drama about grief, forgiveness, and family. With Robert Redford playing the stoic rancher and Lopez as his estranged daughter-in-law, the film aimed for tender, PG-rated emotion. A fiery car scene between Lopez and Lucas had way too much heat for the story’s quieter tone. The director ultimately cut it to keep the focus on family drama rather than passion. Still, knowing it existed and hearing both stars rave about it has only fueled fan curiosity.

This resurfaced story comes with bittersweet timing.

Jennifer Lopez has locked lips with some of Hollywood’s most bankable leading men, from Ralph Fiennes to Alex O’Loughlin. But the fact that she crowned Josh Lucas her best kiss says a lot.

Remembering Robert Redford

This resurfaced story comes with bittersweet timing. Hollywood is mourning the loss of Robert Redford, who passed away at 89 on September 16, 2025. A legend of the screen, Redford defined an era with films like "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "The Sting," and "The Way We Were." His collaboration with Lopez in "An Unfinished Life" may not have been a blockbuster, but it gave J.Lo one of her most cherished career memories.

Robert Redford was not only a Hollywood star; he was a cultural force who expanded what movies could mean and what artists could do.

Deleted scenes usually fade into Hollywood’s vault, but this one lives on in legend. Lopez’s kiss with Lucas has become the ultimate “what if” moment.

Speaking of Kisses

Jennifer Lopez once had her eye on the lead role in the 1996 film version of the musical Evita. “I went to audition for ‘Evita’ for [director] Alan Parker,” Lopez shared in a Q&A session following a screening of her new movie musical "Kiss of the Spider Woman."

“I had been practicing for weeks and I sing my heart out and he goes, ‘You’re amazing. You know Madonna has the part, right?’” Lopez laughed as she recalled the moment: “I said, ‘OK, bye-bye. Nice to meet you.’”

Now, Lopez finally gets her chance to shine in a film musical, starring in Bill Condon’s cinematic adaptation of Kiss of the Spider Woman, alongside Tonatiuh and Diego Luna.

In the film, Lopez portrays Ingrid Luna, a mysterious spider woman who kills her lovers with a kiss. Set in 1981 during Argentina’s "Dirty War," the story follows Luis Molina (played by Tonatiuh), a gay window dresser imprisoned for his sexuality, who escapes prison life by imagining scenes from Ingrid’s films.