Why Jennifer Lopez's Team Advised Against 'American Idol'—And What Made Her Do It Anyway

Jennifer Lopez's team initially expressed hesitancy about her joining "American Idol" despite her later successful stints as a judge during seasons 10 to 11 and 13 to 15.

Following a short break in her career, the "Hustlers" actress returned to the panel for three more seasons. Her fellow judges during her tenure included Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler, and later Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr.

Lopez's judging role was a revival of her career, achieving success with the hit song "On the Floor" and securing a part in the crime series, "Shades of Blue."

In a recent Interview magazine feature, the 55-year-old shared that her team had concerns about her potentially being typecast as a reality TV personality.

The "Get Right" singer explained why she still went, saying, "I'll do things that could be risky because I believe that they're going to turn out ok."

She noted that participating in "American Idol" or similar reality programs was usually frowned upon and explained that the thought of such shows was met with hesitation.

Lopez told Nikki Glaser during the interview, "'American Idol' was a big show at the time. It really comes down to, what do I think I can bring to something? When all of my advisors were like, 'Don't do this, you're going to be reduced to just a reality star.'"

"'No. I don't think that's what's going to happen,'" she reportedly told her team. "'I think I have something to contribute.'"

The mom-of-two declared, "I love music, and I love mentoring people, and I wanted to share what I knew about the business. So it became more about, 'What do I think I can do with this?'"

In her reflections, Lopez shared that she now relies on her intuition when deciding on business ideas. This strategy has reportedly been proven beneficial for her.

"When I'm choosing things, even if they seem like not the best idea to everybody else, if I feel it in my gut that it's the right thing to do, nobody can talk me out of it," the "Love Don't Cost A Thing" singer said, adding, "It's the same thing when I went to Vegas."

"They were like, 'That's where entertainers go to die.' And I was like, 'No.' And it launched me into a whole new part of my life."

Lopez was reportedly compensated with a generous $12 million for her first season. In the following year, her earnings saw a significant boost with a $3 million increase, bringing her total salary to $15 million for the season.

Upon her comeback in 2013, she was presented with a substantial $17.5 million salary per season, positioning her as one of the top-earning judges on "American Idol."

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Jennifer Lopez, American Idol