Samantha Barbash, who inspired Jennifer Lopez's character Ramona in the movie Hustlers, is slamming the star's claim she did the film for free. Photo / Getty, Instagram.
Samantha Barbash, who inspired Jennifer Lopez's character Ramona in the movie Hustlers, is slamming the star's claim she did the film for free. Photo / Getty, Instagram.
Samantha Barbash, who inspired Jennifer Lopez's character Ramona in the movie Hustlers, is slamming the star's claim that she did the film for free.
Earlier this week, Jennifer Lopez told GQ magazine that she wasn't paid for her role in the movie.
"I didn't get paid a whole bunch of money for Hustlers," she told GQ. "I did it for free and produced it. Like Jenny From the Block - I do what I love."
Hustlers tells the true story of a group of savvy former strip club employees who band together to rip off their Wall Street clients. Photo / Supplied
"I mean, I just laughed," she told Fox News. "It's a bunch of bulls**t, excuse my language.
"She definitely got a huge sum of money upfront and on the back end. She's stating that she bet on herself and she got money on the back end, which is not true. She got money all around."
The movie was a hit with critics. Photo / Supplied
Barbash also claims the film "took advantage of her likeness for profit without asking."
"Forget about all the money that she made off of my likeness. They just betrayed me in such a horrible manner … As an actress, they're supposed to shadow the person that you're playing … I'm a mother and the way she portrayed me, it was horrific. I literally walked out of the movie crying."
Released in September, Hustlers tells the true story of a group of savvy former strip club employees who band together to rip off their Wall Street clients.
It also stars Constance Wu, Julia Stiles, Cardi B and Lizzo.
Hustlers was a hit with critics and has so far made more than $217 worldwide.
Despite claiming she did the film for free, it's likely Lopez also has a back-end deal that means she'll get a share of the profits once the production and marketing costs have been covered.
The film has generated Oscar buzz for Lopez for the first time in her career.
Lopez broke down in tears during a September radio interview when the potential of an Oscar nomination was put to her.
"I've just been working hard for so long, for my whole life, so it's nice," she said on SiriusXM.
"I literally sat in my bed yesterday, and they were sending me all the reviews. I could not believe it. I was crying. Me and my girlfriend of 20 years were sitting there, and she was trying to film me …. I was like, 'Oh my God'.
"You work hard your whole life, and you wonder if anybody notices, in a sense, on that level, to be in that conversation," she said. "You have dreams when you're a little girl of being there (at the Oscars), you know what I mean?"
The Academy Award nominations will be announced on January 14 next year.
