NEW YORK TIMES: For Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein, romance is everything

While working on the third season of Ted Lasso — a sports show with the heart of a romantic comedy — Brett Goldstein and one of the Lasso creators, Joe Kelly, spent a train ride home lamenting a perceived recent lack of quality rom-coms.

So, they began mapping out a movie script for “an old school rom-com but with ruder jokes” that could also serve as a “love letter to workaholics,” Goldstein said. “We were like, ‘Who’s the best actor to do that with?’ and we both went, ‘J.Lo, obviously’.”

Goldstein, 45, had long been an admirer of Jennifer Lopez and her work, which has included nearly a dozen rom-coms ranging from The Wedding Planner, Maid in Manhattan and Monster-in-Law in the 2000s to more recent fare like Second Act and Marry Me.

“We sent the script to Jennifer with a note that said, ‘We wrote this for you. You’re at the top of our list. It’s a list of one. If you don’t do this, we’ll never make this film. No pressure,’” Goldstein recalled.

Fortunately, Lopez, 56, was also a Ted Lasso fan. “I was like, ‘Oh, my God, yes. I love Roy Kent,’” she said, referring to the gruff soccer captain turned coach played by Goldstein.

After initially passing because of scheduling conflicts, Lopez eventually signed on to Office Romance (streaming on Netflix), which follows Jackie Cruz (Lopez), the chief executive of an airline, and Daniel Blanchflower (Goldstein), a member of the company’s legal team. Sparks fly, but a corporate no-dating policy and a potentially career-ending lawsuit complicate their feelings

On the surface, Lopez and Goldstein may seem an unconventional pairing.

Yet, inside a Netflix office building in Los Angeles in late May, their onscreen chemistry carried over into a casual offscreen rapport as they squished each other’s faces and playfully bantered during a New York Times photo shoot.

Sitting at a small table inside a cosy suite afterward, the duo discussed Office Romance, romantic comedies and romance, in general.

These are edited excerpts from the conversation.

Brett, what gave you the confidence that Jennifer might say yes to this movie?

Goldstein: If I’m really honest about it, it’s insane that this happened. I accept that it is mad, but I felt like the script was good, and I felt like we’d seen something in her. There’s a difference in this film compared to her other rom-coms, which is, in all her other rom-coms she’s aspirational, and she’s kind of an underdog. In this, she’s the boss. She has it all, technically, but there’s something missing.

Lopez: What I liked about it is that (the other characters) get her wrong. She is an intimidating, strong woman, but they mistake that for she’s a monster. The truth is, when you get to know her, as (Daniel) does, he’s like, “You’re the funniest, goofiest, most lovable person in the world.” I connected to that very much.

The airline employees are either scared to breathe around Jackie or they agree with whatever she says. Is that how people default with you in real life?

Lopez: One hundred percent. It makes you crazy because you’re like, can you just relax? I’m fine. I don’t bite — until I know you better. That’s from West Side Story! I quote it all the time. But I don’t bite, and I don’t yell, and I’m not an unkind person. People, just because they see you as this thing out there, it’s almost like you’re a two-dimensional character. Maybe he suspected that’s what my life was like. He didn’t know how I was going to be. He could have thought, well, maybe all these rumours are true.

Goldstein: It was all a gamble because you can’t audition her. You don’t get to go, can we check this before we commit to making a whole film with you? I knew you’d be brilliant, as in, a really nice person. I wasn’t really worried, but I knew instantly when we had our first Zoom, and we were laughing. It was easy. It was nice.

Jennifer, having only known Brett as Roy Kent, how did your expectations line up with reality?

Lopez: You know, I thought he was going to be more like Roy Kent. (Laughs)

Goldstein: So disappointing, innit?

Lopez: No! It wasn’t, actually. It was lovely because he was, as you see, very kind and soft-spoken and gentle. Roy Kent is a very aggressive character who curses, and (Brett) curses like a sailor, which is good, because so do I. But there wasn’t that edge that can be attractive in the movies, but not as attractive in real life.

Brett, did you always plan to play the love interest?

Goldstein: I wouldn’t have let anyone else do it. There was never anyone else.

Lopez: (Laughs) Why write the movie?

Goldstein: Yeah, then why the (expletive) am I doing this?

How did you know that you would have good onscreen chemistry?

Lopez: You don’t know. You hope. And we have different ideas about this. I feel like you can create chemistry.

Goldstein: You could have chemistry with a bin because you’re that good, but I do think it’s sort of luck and magic.

Lopez: You don’t think you can create magic?

Goldstein: I could give you examples, which I won’t do, of very, very good actors who do a thing together, and they don’t have chemistry. It’s a lottery.

Much of the tension in the film comes from the forbidden nature of the relationship. What are your thoughts on dating colleagues?

Lopez: I just feel like, how are you going to meet anybody, especially if you work a lot? It’s kind of ridiculous to think that people who work together would never hook up or find the person that they spend their life with there.

Goldstein: Yeah, and most people you meet who have been married forever met at work.

Both of you have revisited romance frequently in your work. What excites you about seeing love in its different iterations onscreen?

Lopez: There’s nothing more important in life than love. I just think it’s what everybody wants at the end of the day. They want somebody to grow old with and to love them completely and to accept them completely, and that’s what romantic comedies provide is that happily ever after that everyone hopes for. Romance and comedy are really the cornerstones of life.

Goldstein: It’s the only thing I care about. The reason Frasier is a masterpiece was Niles and Daphne. That’s why you’re crying. That’s why you’re invested.

Lopez: Or Cheers — Sam and Diane. I don’t think it will ever go out of style because I look at my kids and what they like. I mean, look at this thing with Off Campus or Heated Rivalry. It’s all about — well, sex. But also the romances, and who’s going to get together and who’s not going to get together. That’s what humans want, and they love to see it happen.

What was the first romantic comedy that resonated with you?

BOTH: When Harry Met Sally.

Lopez: Isn’t it for everybody? I mean, that really changed the game. When Harry Met Sally is just these two people going through their lives and finally realizing that best friends are the best lovers.

What are your own versions of happily ever at this stage of life?

Goldstein: I saw the film Eternity, and I really, really loved it because the concept is first love or long love. I don’t want to spoil it, but I think it’s a really good message. I’d say, watch Eternity and that will give you the answer.

Lopez: For me, because I have had relationships, and I have been married a couple of times and it hasn’t worked out, I realised that my joy is about me becoming more self-aware and more comfortable with the fact that I make my own happiness. My life is fantastic. I have great kids, and I have this beautiful home, and I do what I want in work. That has to be the thing first, even as my kids go off to college now, which I cry every other day about — you can’t bring it up, we’re not going to talk about it — but because of that, it’s like, OK, what is my life now? The only constant in your life is you, so you have to have the greatest romance with yourself.

Brett, is there a specific film of Jennifer’s that is your favourite?

Goldstein: Out of Sight is my favourite Jennifer Lopez film. No. 2: Antz.

Really?

Goldstein: She’s a great ant in it. [Lopez laughs]

Goldstein: When you watch Antz, you go, “That’s a fit ant. Who’s the hot ant?”

Lopez: What’s three? Don’t lie.

Goldstein: It’s Hustlers. It’s a seriously great film.

Lopez: I loved playing that character.

Goldstein: You’re very good at it.

Have you two talked about future collaborations?

Goldstein: We’d love to, wouldn’t we?

Lopez: Waiting for the script.

Goldstein: We’d like to Adam Sandler-Drew Barrymore it.

Lopez: Come up with a few scenarios.

Goldstein: Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan. None of these are bad things.

Lopez: Not bad things at all.