The actress tearfully opens up about her aunt's recent passing. Their relationship influenced Lopez's decision to join The Fosters as an executive producer.
Jennifer Lopez spoke with Entertainment Tonight about how her lesbian Aunt inspired her to produce ABC Family's The Fosters:
"I had an aunt who was gay and I lived with her and I loved her. She just passed away from cancer and I thought of her often when I was thinking of taking on this project and the prejudices that she faced. She was so much a part of my life. I mean, she was my mom's sister, she was always there for us and she was a great person [...] She didn't have her own family and I often wonder if she wanted it. We never talked about it. She just had her life the way it was and I just thought about it and it was kind of like an homage to her."
The series, which premieres on Monday, June 3 at 9:00 pm, centers around police officer Stef Foster (Teri Polo) and her partner, school Vice Principal Lena Adams (Sherri Saum).
"When I read the script I just really felt like although it was a non-traditional family and it had kind of those newer themes to it, it had some really basic themes as well about family and love and what's really important in life. [...] You know, that life can be complicated and messy sometimes, and not simple, and it was really, really a true depiction of family in this day and age."
