Jennifer Lopez pushed for more raunchy scenes in Hustlers

Jennifer Lopez has opened up about filming her raunchy strip scenes in Hustlers.

When the Golden Globes nominations are announced on Monday, Jennifer Lopez will undoubtedly be in the running for her first major acting award.

Her scene-stealing turn as stripper Ramona in the film Hustlers has made Hollywood take notice.

Lopez stripped down for the racy role.

In an exclusive chat with The Sun, Lopez – formerly known for light romantic comedies – told all about the surprise hit of the year, revealing she fought to include more raunchy scenes – despite at first being terrified of getting her kit off.

She also dismissed reports of an on-set feud with her co-star Constance Wu, who played fellow stripper Destiny.

Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu in a scene from the movie Hustlers. Supplied: Roadshow Films.

The film centres on a savvy group of strip club girls who turn the tables on their rich clients.

Lopez revealed that her nearly nude stripteases made her feel “total terror” and “total happiness”.

She said: “Initially my big strip routine was not in the movie, but I thought it was important to show.

“You had to see she was the star of the club. I just had to be a big girl about it. The first time in the full costume – calling it that is a stretch – was very nerve-racking.

“It’s the first time I really got the vulnerability, the feeling of being exposed.

“But I pulled my G-string up and did what I had to do as an actress. This is my job, what I signed up for.

“I felt the empowerment and being in control of the room. There was a before and after that was drastic, from total terror to total happiness. It was hard, scary – but awesome.”

The star did all her own pole-dancing scenes.

Lopez was annoyed that cinemagoers assumed she used a double for the pole dancing.

The 50-year-old mum of two said: “When I went upside down (on the pole) I said, ‘Please get my face, I don’t care if I look like a bat hanging upside down, I want people to know there’s no doubles in this movie’.”

US reports have alleged she did not get on with Crazy Rich Asians star Wu, who she filmed intimate scenes with.

But Lopez said firmly: “I love her. It was a special movie. I felt like there was a matchmaker at play. It was a safe place because we kind of let the love happen to us.

“We have to get pretty close (in the movie), so we had lots of conversations about butt-grabbing, asking ‘Are you OK?’ We had to get in a teasing mentality with each other.”

Reflecting on the role, which looks certain to bag her a Best Supporting Actress nod, Lopez said: “I thought, ‘F**k it. I’m gonna be uninhibited and unafraid every day on set’.”

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permissions