Brett Goldstein Explained Why He Wrote A Rom-Com For JLo, And Of Course It Involved A Few Curse Words

Jennifer Lopez in Halftime and Brett Goldstein in Ted Lasso.
(Image credit: Netflix and Apple TV+)

Brett Goldstein starring in a rom-com called Office Romance with Jennifer Lopez is a very big deal. That’s, in part, because it will be so fun to see the Roy Kent actor as a romantic lead. And it’s also thrilling because he’s starring opposite rom-com royalty. Now, the Emmy winner has opened up about working with JLo and revealed why they wrote this role for her in a very Roy Kent-coded way.

When I say Roy Kent-coded, I should also note that this is on-brand for Brett Goldstein in general. And I say that because his explanation about writing Office Romance for JLo featured a couple of well-placed curse words. Here’s what he told E News:

She's fucking brilliant. Me and Joe Kelly, who wrote that film, we wanted to make a real old-school rom-com movie. We were like, 'Who's the best rom-com actress?' And we were like 'JLo.' We wrote the film for her. And I have to say, like, day one, filming with her, you watch her do her stuff and you're like 'This is the shit. You really are very, very good at this. You are the number one rom-com actress.' She's just so charming and magic.

While Goldstein’s other upcoming project on the 2025 movie schedule is a romance, and we’ll see him as a leading man, All of You very much looks like a romantic drama. It sounds like Office Romance will be a true rom-com, which I can’t wait to see the Ted Lasso star in. I also can’t wait to see JLo in it, because as her co-star said, she’s rom-com royalty.

Lopez has starred in some truly iconic romantic comedies. I’m talking Maid in Manhattan. I’m talking The Wedding Planner. And, if we want to throw a romance in there, I’m talking Out of Sight. Her film career features so many beloved movies centered around love that I totally get why Goldstein and Joe Kelly (who co-created Ted Lasso) wanted her to lead their rom-com.

It’s not surprising the actor/writer was so excited to cast Jennifer Lopez, either. That’s because, back in 2019, Goldstein made his affection toward her known on his podcast, where he gushed about the film Hustlers, said he loves her, and has “never wanted to be cuddled more.”

And he makes a good point, JLo is excellent in Hustlers, and she’s proven time and time again that she’s a great romantic lead.

There are also rumors that they really hit it off on set, too, with insiders making claims that it was a “flirt fest” between Goldstein and Lopez. It’s worth noting that there have also been dating rumors about these two, and while it hasn’t been confirmed or denied directly, the Shrinking co-creator did say that all the speculation isn’t his favorite thing, and that he’s a “very private person.”

So, let’s keep the attention on the screen. Office Romance should hit the 2026 movie schedule at some point. I, for one, cannot wait to see what Brett Goldstein and his team cooked up for Jennifer Lopez, because just the casting alone has me thrilled about this upcoming rom-com and ready to curse with excitement, just like the man who wrote this film.

Riley Utley
Weekend Editor

Riley Utley is the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. She has written for national publications as well as daily and alt-weekly newspapers in Spokane, Washington, Syracuse, New York and Charleston, South Carolina. She graduated with her master’s degree in arts journalism and communications from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Since joining the CB team she has covered numerous TV shows and movies -- including her personal favorite shows Ted Lasso and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. She also has followed and consistently written about everything from Taylor Swift to Fire Country, and she's enjoyed every second of it.

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