Jennifer Lopez visited strip clubs with Alex Rodriguez to research 'Hustlers'.

Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez

The 50-year-old singer-and-actress portrays an exotic dancer who is out to con her wealthy clients in the movie and she spent a lot of time talking to women who do the job for real in order to understand them.

She said: "I visited strip clubs. I would meet the girls backstage and listen to what it was like to have a career as a dancer.

"I think it would surprise people - although it shouldn't - that most of these women are just trying to get by and their struggles are 100% relatable...

"We set it up in advance and would go to a quiet booth in the corner.

"My team said, 'Jennifer just wants to observe some things. She's doing a movie and we'd love to talk to some of the girls.

"Alex went with me, and my sister, as well as a couple of other people. We all went in together."

But the 'On the Floor' hitmaker did her best not to get noticed in the clubs.

She told Britain's OK! magazine: "Did I go in with my glam squad entourage? No. I get all dressed up and I bring all these people to interviews, so that I look nice when I come into an interview room.

"But in the strip club, no. We went much more low-key."

Jennifer also had to learn to pole dance for the movie and is still feeling the effects of the gruelling moves.

She said: "It's always difficult to learn a different technique.

"I trained for almost six months and I had a portable strip pole in every city I visited. It was like acrobatics.

"It's crazy because you can fall down and drop on your head.

"You get bruises everywhere and my shoulders and back are still recovering."