The Way Jennifer Lopez and Leah Remini Met Is Hilarious and So Sweet

From Oprah Magazine

Can you believe BFFs Jennifer Lopez and Leah Remini have known each other for over 10 years?

While promoting their 2018 film Second Act, the dynamic duo spoke to Entertainment Tonight about the exact moment their bond formed. Specifically, Lopez said her ex-husband Marc Anthony-the father of her 10-year-old twins Max and Emme-introduced them at the 2004 premiere of Man on Fire, the same year she married the Grammy-winning Latin singer.

"I was friends with Marc Anthony and then he started dating Jennifer, and he was doing a film. I went to premiere and he said, 'You have to meet Jennifer!' And he was telling Jennifer, 'You have to meet Leah and Angelo [Pagan],' my husband," Remini said, moving on to joke about how she expected J.Lo to look in real life.

"We went to the premiere hoping she was gonna be ugly in real life. And then, when I was approaching her, I was like, 'I hope it's the lighting. Maybe she just looks good in here.' And as I got closer I was like, 'Oh damn, there's a lot of light right here and she looks really pretty," Remini said. "I even said that! I said, 'Goddamnit, why the f-k why are you so f-ing pretty?' And she laughed. [Then] I was like, 'Ugh, I hope she's dumb, ya know? I was like, 'She could be dumb!' I wanted to find something and I didn't."

Lopez interrupted Remini's answer to say, "and we fell in love right there." For her, the bond happened immediately. "It was one of those instant chemistry things where you just feel like, 'I love this person. I love being around this person. This person makes me laugh,'" Lopez said. "She's cool and we also have very similar upbringings. That's why we work well together."

While they've been friends for so long and are both actresses, Second Act was their first project together. In the film, Lopez portrayed a big-box store employee named Maya who got a second chance at landing her dream job after faking her resumé. Remini plays none other than her best friend Joan.

"The relationship that Maya and Joan have is very special and the relationship that we have is very special," Lopez said of the film. "I knew that if we could capture our real honesty, our real love, our real humor, then that would be something really entertaining and fun for everybody to see."

The two definitely captured their friendship on camera and like to show it off on social media too. From time to time, Remini likes to share funny moments between them.

In 2014, Lopez shared this funny video of her bestie making fun at how glamorous she showed up just to hang out by the pool.

It's gems like that prove just how close Lopez and Remini really are. Their chemistry is also very evident in The Late Late Show With James Corden interview below.

For more ways to live your best life plus all things Oprah, sign up for our newsletter!