Jennifer Lopez wanted her co-star Ryan Guzman to pretend to be single to promote their film, his ex claims.
Jennifer Lopez allegedly wanted to create the illusion that she and her former co-star Ryan Guzman were more than just friends to promote their 2015 film “The Boy Next Door,” ex Melanie Iglesias claims.
“I had my ex, oh my God, pretend to be single to promote the movie,” the Maxim model claimed on a recent episode of No Chaser.
“The publicists called me,…so they were at after parties together, like, holding hands and stuff to promote this.”
Although Iglesias (36 years old) did not mention the name of Guzman (also 36 years old), she dated and walked the red carpet with the Texas-born actor at the same time he was doing press interviews with Lopez (now 54 years old) for their movie. .
In the romantic thriller, Guzman played the “If You Had My Love” singer’s younger lover.
Page Six reported before the film’s release in January 2015 that the co-stars were spotted enjoying each other at the Golden Globes afterparty — just as Iglesias said was part of the plan.
“At some point, Ryan returned to the sofa and then put his arm around Jennifer,” an insider claimed at the time, adding: “They left together as well.”
Commenting on the situation, Iglesias added on the podcast: “It was bad,” before recalling when Lopez pretended she didn’t know if Guzman had a girlfriend in real life when asked about it on “The Ellen DeGeneres” show. Displays.”
In a clip from the segment in question from the now-defunct talk show, Ellen DeGeneres asks the “I’m Real” singer if there’s “anything going on” between her and the attractive actor, and she says “no.”
However, when asked further if Guzman had a girlfriend at the time, Lopez responded: “I think he might have? I’m not sure. I know him an act.…I’m not in the business of doing that.
DeGeneres, now 66, then joked: “Not yet,” to which the “Selena” star cheekily added: “You never know.”
“We met,” Iglesias noted on “No Chaser,” citing why Lopez insisted that Guzman was indeed a kidnapped man.
“We met. What do you mean you don’t know if he has a girlfriend? We met. She squeezed the st out of my hand. I’m still black and blue.
The “Guy Code” alum also revealed that she was disappointed when Guzman first introduced her to Lopez at the awards show because it seemed like the “Enough” star was trying to intimidate them.
“I always felt like she was someone I looked up to,” explained Iglesias, who, like Lopez, is Puerto Rican-American from New York City. “She was someone who wanted to accomplish anything she did.
“She met me, looked me up and down, and gave me the hardest, strongest handshake in the world. I was like, ‘Ah! I’ll get my hand back, Jesus.’
Iglesias said she then thought to herself after the uncomfortable meeting, “This is sad because you’re someone I love, it doesn’t have to be like this.”
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Although Lopez left a bad taste in her mouth, the former MTV personality agreed to play along with the “Booty” singer’s alleged PR fling with her then-boyfriend — until he started coming home late.
“I was OK with it until it wasn’t OK…until I got home at, I don’t know, 2 a.m.,” Iglesias said.
Then the aspiring comedian, whose romance with Guzman ended just months after the release of The Boy Next Door, added: “I wouldn’t do that.”
“I also feel like, where is your faith in the film,” Iglesias concluded. you know what i mean? Why do you have to act like you’re with everyone you’re in a movie with? … i don’t get it.”
Page Six reached out to representatives for both Lopez and Guzman but did not immediately hear back. Neither Guzman nor Lopez admitted to having a relationship during this time.
However, this isn’t the first time there have been doubts about Lopez’s relationship status around the time of The Boy Next Door’s release.
A March 2015 report speculated whether the “Let’s Get Loud” singer had actually broken up with her then-boyfriend Casper Smart as she had stated in the press.
Sources told TMZ at the time that producers wanted Lopez and Smart, 37, to pretend they weren’t together so they could be free to promote their individual projects.
However, it came to an end when the duo were seen spending time together on several occasions, including a dinner party after an event for GQ magazine.
Lopez, who is now married to Ben Affleck, was recently called out over a series of controversies, including her alleged lack of loyalty to the Bronx, which apparently contributed to poor ticket sales for her brand new This Is Me: Live | Greatest Hits tour. .