Cardi B is Starring in Her First Major Film ‘Hustlers’ Alongside Jennifer Lopez

Afro-Latina rapper Cardi B has dominated the charts, racked up several endorsement deals, and smashed noteworthy records since her career took off in 2017 with “Bodak Yellow

March 21, 2019 - 09:18

Afro-Latina rapper Cardi B has dominated the charts, racked up several endorsement deals, and smashed noteworthy records since her career took off in 2017 with “Bodak Yellow.” The Grammy Award-winning artist is adding another venture to her already impressive resume: film.

Deadline reported the Bronx native, whose real name is Belcalis Almanzar, will star in the upcoming film Hustlers. Her feature film debut is happening alongside fellow Latina entertainer Jennifer Lopez and Crazy Rich Asians actress Constance Wu, along with Lili Reinhart, Keke Palmer, and Julia Stiles. Lopez, who is also a producer on the film, and Cardi are joining forces for a second time. The first time was for the hit single “Dinero.”

Inspired by a 2016 New York Magazine article, Hustlers is a revenge tale about a group of strippers banding together to take down their wealthy Wall Street clients.

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“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work with this dynamic group of women,” said Lorene Scafaria, Hustlers writer and director. “We’re grateful to have assembled such a powerhouse cast and can’t wait to start filming at the end of the week.”

Though Cardi has yet to comment on the news, her role doesn’t land too far from her beginnings. The 26-year-old has been very open about working as a stripper at 18. Later quitting at 23, Cardi documented her journey on social media, catching the attention of producers of VH1’s reality series Love & Hip Hop: New York.

In an interview with CBS Sunday Morning, Cardi takes the crew to her old strip club and shares the impact the women she worked with had on her life.

“A lot of women here, they taught me to be more powerful,” she said. “I did gain, like, a passion and love [for] performing. It made me feel pretty… I’m glad for this chapter in my life. A lot of people always want to make fun of me — ‘Oh, you used to be a stripper!’ — I don’t ever regret it, because I learned a lot. I feel like it matured me. My biggest ambition was money. That’s what these women put in my head: nothing is important but the money.”

She’s no longer stripping, but Cardi isn’t afraid to center her past profession in interviews or the art she creates. In her 2018 hit “Money” and the accompanied visual, the rapper is flipping dollars at strippers and even gets on the pole.

Shooting for Hustlers will begin on March 22.

We’re so ready to see what the two Bronx bombshells have in store with this film!