Jennifer Lopez recreates Madonna's 'Like A Virgin' at Venice canal
Synopsis
Jennifer Lopez didn't just pay tribute to Madonna's 'Like A Virgin' — she went back to the source. By recreating the iconic gondola moment at the exact Venice canal location from the 1984 music video, Lopez turned a social media post into a pop culture callback that four decades of covers and parodies had never quite attempted.
Key Takeaways
Jennifer Lopez recreated Madonna's 'Like A Virgin' gondola scene at the original Venice canal filming location.
Lopez shared the video on Instagram with the caption 'I had to do it…' 'Like A Virgin' was released in 1984 , written by Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg , and its music video was directed by Mary Lambert .
The song has been covered by artists including Elton John and 'Weird Al' Yankovic , and referenced in Reservoir Dogs , Moulin Rouge! , and Glee .
Lopez was recently seen in Office Romance and next appears in the animated Ice Age: Boiling Point .
Jennifer Lopez has paid homage to pop royalty by recreating one of the most iconic moments in music video history — Madonna's 1984 classic 'Like A Virgin' — at the very same Venice canal location where the original was filmed. Lopez shared the moment on Instagram, posting a video of herself swaying on a gondola ride beneath the city's storied historic bridge, mirroring Madonna's legendary visuals frame for frame.
The Tribute That Stopped Scrollers
In her caption, Lopez kept it simple and self-aware: 'I had to do it…' The clip quickly drew attention for its specificity — Lopez didn't just reference the song, she returned to the exact waterway that made the original music video unforgettable. The gondola, the bridge, the movement: all deliberate callbacks to a four-decade-old cultural touchstone.
About the Original 'Like A Virgin'
'Like A Virgin' is the title track from Madonna's second studio album, released in 1984 and written by Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg. A synth-driven dance track built around two hooks, the song features Madonna singing in a high register over a continuous bassline arrangement. Its lyrics, widely noted for their ambiguity and layered innuendos, have been interpreted in multiple ways since release.
The accompanying music video, directed by Mary Lambert, depicted Madonna sailing Venice's canals in a gondola and wandering through a castle in a white wedding dress — imagery that has since become embedded in pop culture. The song has been covered by artists including Elton John and 'Weird Al' Yankovic, and has been referenced in films and television series such as Reservoir Dogs, Moulin Rouge!, and Glee.
Lopez's Recent and Upcoming Work
Lopez was recently seen in Office Romance, directed by Ol Parker and written by Brett Goldstein and Joe Kelly. The film, in which Lopez stars alongside Goldstein, follows Jackie Cruz — an iron-fisted President and CEO of Air Cruz — whose strict no-fraternisation policy is tested when she finds herself drawn to a new lawyer at the company.
Her next project is the animated adventure comedy Ice Age: Boiling Point, directed by John C. Donkin. The sixth main instalment in the Ice Age franchise and the seventh overall, it serves as a sequel to Ice Age: Collision Course. Lopez reprises her role alongside returning cast members Ray Romano, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo, Simon Pegg, and Queen Latifah.
Why the Moment Resonates
Lopez's Venice tribute lands at a moment when nostalgia-driven content dominates social media engagement. By choosing the original filming location rather than a generic gondola ride, she signalled genuine familiarity with the source material — a distinction that fans and pop culture observers were quick to note. The gesture also keeps Lopez's name in cultural conversation as she transitions between a live-action romantic comedy and a major animated franchise.
Point of View
Which is a different kind of cultural fluency. In an era where celebrity social media posts are engineered for algorithmic reach, returning to the literal filming location of a 40-year-old music video is a specificity that cuts through. It also does quiet work for her public image: positioning her as a student of pop history at a moment when her film career is in an active rebuild phase. Whether the gesture translates into sustained cultural momentum or remains a well-liked clip is the more interesting question.
NationPress
3 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Jennifer Lopez do at Venice that went viral?
Jennifer Lopez recreated the iconic gondola scene from Madonna's 1984 'Like A Virgin' music video at the original Venice canal location, sharing the video on Instagram with the caption 'I had to do it…' The tribute drew wide attention for its location-specific accuracy.
What is the original 'Like A Virgin' music video about?
The 'Like A Virgin' music video, directed by Mary Lambert, shows Madonna sailing the canals of Venice in a gondola and roaming a castle in a white wedding dress. Released in 1984, the song was written by Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg and appeared on Madonna's second studio album.
Who else has covered or referenced 'Like A Virgin'?
'Like A Virgin' has been covered by Elton John and 'Weird Al' Yankovic, among others. It has also been referenced in films and TV shows including Reservoir Dogs, Moulin Rouge!, and Glee.
What films is Jennifer Lopez working on currently?
Lopez was recently seen in Office Romance, directed by Ol Parker. Her upcoming project is Ice Age: Boiling Point, the sixth main instalment in the Ice Age franchise, in which she reprises her role alongside Ray Romano, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo, Simon Pegg, and Queen Latifah.
Who wrote 'Like A Virgin' by Madonna?
'Like A Virgin' was written and composed by Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg. It was released in 1984 as the title track of Madonna's second studio album.
