The Music Video Jennifer Lopez Starred In Long Before She Was Famous

It's strange to think that once upon a time, Jennifer Lopez wasn't one of the biggest stars on the planet, but everyone has to start somewhere, and many years ago she was still an up-and-comer. In fact, some may even have forgotten that pre-J.Lo, she made an appearance in Janet Jackson's 1993 "That's the Way Love Goes" music video. Let's take a trip down memory lane, shall we? 

We'll start by acknowledging that Lopez wasn't a complete unknown when she appeared in the video for "That's the Way Love Goes." She'd already been one of the Fly Girls on "In Living Color," and had made enough of an impact to be remembered for it even today. Even so, a number of Jackson fans have pointed out that they'd completely forgotten about the then-dancer being featured in the "That's The Way Love Goes" video. "Did not realize JLo was in this video. Classic. Love this song, love this album," wrote one YouTube viewer. "Same — only just noticed now after over three decades!" penned another. Still another quipped, "Me too ... I just noticed JLO was there ... Oh my G-d, after 30 years."

Granted, not everyone was shocked that they hadn't realized she was in the video. Some were more interested in being able to see a pre-fame Lopez working as a backup dancer. "To think that even J. Lo in this video had no idea what was ahead of her," one mused. However, not everyone was in agreement there, and another viewer chimed, "Oh, I think she absolutely knew what was to come. Like Janet before her. She built it all. I mean, she's aligned herself with excellence. Janet Jackson." Well, whether or not Lopez could have predicted just how famous she'd become, we're glad to have seen a glimpse of those early days.

Jennifer Lopez didn't just feature in Janet Jackson's music video for "That's the Way Love Goes." She, along with the other cast members, also got a playful shout-out in a behind-the-scenes video Jackson made during the shoot. Jackson did refer to Lopez and the two other new additions as "backed up h***s," but it was all in good fun, and Lopez cheekily shot back, "What is your problem?"

Despite clearly having a fun working relationship, Lopez wouldn't go on to tour with Jackson. Speaking to Vibe about it a few years later (and once Lopez had become a household name in her own right), Jackson shared that it had been Lopez's choice "because she wanted to do her own thing." Nevertheless, Jackson added that she was a big fan of what Lopez was doing. "I love the way she's singing. And I like what it's saying," Jackson gushed. 

As for Lopez, she's also spoken about her time working with Jackson and what her thought process was at the time. In a 2026 interview on "The Howard Stern Show," she shared that she hadn't actually even begun dreaming of going into music at the time she featured in Janet Jackson's video. "I was studying acting. I was doing auditions, and I was making a living dancing. I was doing 'In Living Color' and I auditioned for the Janet tour — and I got it ... and then I got an acting job," she recalled. Lopez added, "I was thinking about being an actor. That's what I really wanted to do." As we all know, Lopez did just that, then came back to music to become one of the biggest powerhouses in entertainment all-around. Full circle: icons edition.