Jennifer Lopez has been left holding her family together after "challenging relationships"

She told Variety: "We were kindred spirits. We both grew up Latina in this country. We both had children and have hopes and dreams for them.

"We both had challenging relationships, which left us holding our families together."

The 'On The Floor' hitmaker is no stranger to playing empowered women in films like 'Selena', 'Hustlers' and upcoming musical 'Kiss of the Spider Woman'.

And J-Lo insisted women "have to be" strong from the moment they "are born".

She explained: "Women are strong. We have to be. From the minute women are born, we're always having to prove ourselves, to show we're good enough.

"That creates a type of strength. And then a lot of us give birth - and there's nothing that makes you stronger than doing that."

Last summer, J-Lo and Ben - who tied the knot in 2022 after rekindling their relationship almost two decades after their first breakup - officially filed for divorce months after separating.

Speaking to Interview magazine in October, she said: "You have to be complete, if you want something that's more complete.

"You have to be good on your own. I thought I learned that, but I didn't.

"And then, this summer, I had to be like, 'I need to go off and be on my own. I want to prove to myself that I can do that.'"

And she admitted it felt "lonely, unfamiliar [and] scary" to be making that move.

She added: "It feels sad. It feels desperate. But when you sit in those feelings and go, 'These things are not going to kill me,' it's like actually, I am capable of joy and happiness all by myself."