V magazine

Jennifer Lopez dons boxing garb and reveals a lot of skin for V Magazine's Spring sports issue. J Lo graces the cover of the glossy's standard and Spanish editions, which both hit stands tomorrow. The actress and reality judge poses in several midriff-baring ensembles throughout the Rocky-inspired spread, which was shot by Mario Testino. The article is timed to coincide with the upcoming debut of Jennifer's new series Q'Viva. She and ex Marc Anthony are the two lead judges on the Latin-themed TV talent search, and she opens up about the state of their relationship postsplit — as well as why the show's emphasis on Latin music spoke to her — in the interview. She also touches on her tough side and reflects on her career misses in her chat with fashion journalist Robin Givhan. Here are some highlights:

• On her relationship with ex Marc Anthony: "I mean, we're parents and friends first. That will be the thread that ties us together. I don't know if people expect it to be negative just because the [intimate] relationship didn't work out."
• On the importance of her Latin roots: "I tried to keep that close to my heart — what I learned growing up . . . When doing Q'Viva, it was kind of reinforcing that, showing how important it is to me and staying connected to that and showing my kids what that's all about."
• On her films and albums that didn't perform so well: "You're not going to hit the bulls' eye every time. That's part of it. . . . I've been in the business now, I don't want to say how many years. You have amazing moments of recognition and success. But at this point in my life, I try to take it all with a grain of salt."

Photos courtesy Mario Testino for V Magazine

>> V magazine collaborated with Carine Roitfeld on its first model covers in two years. The issue, on newsstands Nov. 8, featured four covers with two models apiece, styled by Roitfeld and photographed by Terry Richardson: Candice Swanepoel and Joan Smalls; Daphne Groeneveld and Saskia de Brauw; Sui He and Hanaa Ben Abdesslem, and Bambi Northwood-Blyth and Lindsey Wixson.

“It’s a big moment of change in fashion. In some cases, you feel like it’s the end of an era. I have been feeling this with cover subjects, and especially models,” Roitfeld explained. “These eight girls are unique, not one is like the other. Candice is the only blonde and blue-eyed of this new generation of supermodels. Joan is black, Sui He is Asian, Hanaa is North African. It’s their diversity that makes each of them, to me, truly modern. They bring a new energy to fashion.” The magazine plans to celebrate the issue on Sunday with a Halloween party at the gay nightclub Escuelita, hosted by Richardson, Swanepoel, Smalls, Northwood-Blyth and He.

Penelope Cruz is front and center for the dramatic cover of V Magazine's Transformation issue. The actress is fresh off of the success of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, which debuted in May with the biggest opening weekend of the year and has continued to land among the top five spots at the box office since. In addition to her career, Penelope has been focusing on family and was recently spotted dining out with husband Javier Bardem and her brother Eduardo Cruz and his girlfriend Eva Longoria. She hasn't brought her son Leo into the spotlight though she did touch on her experience with motherhood, acting, and Johnny Depp in the accompanying article. Here's more from Penelope Cruz in V Magazine:

• On gaining fame from her career: "I refuse to call myself anything other than a working actress.”
• On motherhood: "The biggest transformation is becoming a mother. It changes you forever."
• On choosing the right roles: “Something happens that is really addictive during the investigation. It’s a beautiful thing…A part of you becomes obsessed with that other being. That is the feeling that I look for.”
• On Johnny Depp" "Johnny wears everything better than I do. He even wore a dress in the movie he did with Javier, Before Night Falls."

True Blood's Anna Paquin is usually flanked by her sexy costars, but inside the July issue of V Magazine, on stands July 7, she stands alone and shines in a series of sultry poses. The fourth season of the cable series premieres tonight, and the entire cast has been talking up the steamy love triangle between Bill, Sookie, and Eric, which looks like it will be even more complicated than ever. Alexander Skarsgård, Stephen Moyer, Joe Manganiello, and Anna graced three different covers of Entertainment Weekly, out now, and Joe even stripped down for a shirtless GQ spread. For her part, Anna talked to V about awkward love scenes, her theater background, and what she thinks when fans throw themselves at her husband and costar, Stephen. Here's more:

• Anna on theater: "On stage you don't have anything to hide behind. I have never felt so naked."
• Anna on Sookie: "Sookie is always in distress; it wouldn't be True Blood if someone wasn't trying to kill her."
• Anna on sleeping with her husband on set: "Maybe it should be weird, simulating sex with your husband in front of people. But it's really not. When it's a love scene with someone you actually love, it's no 'can I touch him here, can I touch him there?' You know what your boundaries are, or aren't, I suppose."
• Anna on Stephen's fans: "There is probably something wrong with me, but I find it amusing to watch these men and women fawn all over him. It's not like anyone is really trying to do anything inappropriate. They just want him to hug them . . . or bite them."