Staff Sgt. Jesus Martinez, a culinary specialist with Task Force 15 in North Macedonia, speaks to actors Jennifer Lopez, Sterling K. Brown and Simu Liu during a troop call organized by the USO on May 5, 2024. ()
Pop star and actress Jennifer Lopez joined colleagues Sterling K. Brown and Simu Liu to bring a touch of Hollywood glamor to a weekend USO video call with U.S. soldiers stationed in Europe and the Middle East.
Several dozen troops deployed to Kuwait, Iraq and Poland tuned in to gain insights, share laughter and draw inspiration from the trio as they promoted their upcoming Netflix release “Atlas.”
Staff Sgts. Selena Guzman and Jesus Martinez, representing Task Force 15 stationed in North Macedonia, asked Lopez her advice for Hispanic service members.
“In this country, we’ve kind of been made to feel at times that we’re a minority and that we have a certain place,” she responded. “But the truth is there is no limit. We do have tremendous power.”
Reflecting on her own journey, she urged young Hispanic men and women to embrace their heritage as a source of strength and resilience. Lopez pointed to the economic and social contributions made by the Hispanic community.
“We get so much from our culture,” Lopez said. “If we go out there and we support each other, understanding your power and using it and supporting each other instead of being divisive, I think (that) is the key to being successful.”
Guzman, whose roots span from Bolivia to Mexico, said her mother took inspiration for her name in the 1997 biopic “Selena,” in which Lopez portrayed the late singing sensation Selena Quintanilla.
“I think a lot of Latin American women and Hispanic women look up to J-Lo because of just how she’s made such a name for herself,” she said. “Everybody wants to be represented. We’re all just kind of striving for the same thing of having these big dreams.”
Guzman was grateful for the chance to seek guidance from someone as successful as Lopez.
“Chasing after the American dream is a big part of why a lot of people joined the military,” said Guzman, a construction supervisor. “I think that resonated with a lot of the people that were in the room,” she added.
Army Staff Sgt. Selena Guzman, a construction supervisor with Task Force 15 in North Macedonia, speaks to actors Jennifer Lopez, Sterling K. Brown and Simu Liu during a video call organized by the USO on May 5, 2024. ()
Martinez and Guzman drew parallels between their disciplined military routines and the structured schedules of the actors. Brown picked up on that theme, discussing time management and the sacrifices made by soldiers and their families.
“Time is something you can’t get back,” said Brown, known for his performance in the film “Black Panther” as the character N’Jobu. “Seize each moment purposefully.”
That struck a chord for Martinez, a culinary specialist who wakes up at 3 a.m. daily to prepare meals for his fellow soldiers. As the first person in his immediate family to join the military, he appreciated the motivating message.
“I think it was really helpful getting advice from someone who is so successful in their chosen field and (getting) their insight,” Martinez said.
Asked about tips for success in life and career, Liu spoke to soldiers about granting oneself permission to dream.
“Your world becomes more focused. ... Every step becomes more intentional,” he said.
As the conversation drew to a close, Brown, who is also known for his role as Dr. Roland Burton, a psychiatrist married to an Army lieutenant colonel on the long-running TV series “Army Wives,” drew on that experience to praise the military.
“The level of sacrifice that the soldiers made, the level of sacrifice that the families make, it is humongous,” Brown said. “We get a chance to enjoy the freedoms, we reap the benefit of your protection.”
Summarizing “Atlas,” the Internet Movie Database says it portrays “a bleak-sounding future” in which an AI soldier “has determined the only way to end war is to end humanity.” It is slated for release May 24.
