Jennifer Lopez delivered an emotional speech as she began 2025 without Ben Affleck.  The actress was honoured with the Legend and Groundbreaker Award at Variety‘s 10 Directors to Watch and Creative Impact Awards brunch which took place at the Parker Palm Springs on Saturday.  Lopez received the prestigious accolade as a reward for her remarkable performance in one of her recent films  and her outstanding career in Hollywood. In her acceptance speech, the globally known artist appeared emotional as she recalled the difficult journey of becoming a Hollywood star.  Lopez shared that she achieved major milestones in her career by “not listening” to people around her who often criticise your every move.  She said, "I set out to follow a burning passion against the advice of everyone around me. How do you do what I wanted to do when your life circumstances, your race, or even your gender create an idea that it’s practically impossible to go from a tenement in the Bronx to starring in Hollywood movies? It’s just too preposterous to fathom." "There is no straight path to success, and along the way we fall, we rise, we fall better, we rise stronger, breaking ground, breaking in and becoming the architects of our own destinies," the star stated.  Notably, Lopez's emotional message came as she parted ways with the love of her life Affleck in 2024 on the grounds of irreconcilable differences.