Jenny From The Block. Fly Girl. Actress. Rapper's Arm Candy. Pop Star. Entrepreneur. One Half Of Bennifer.

Jennifer Lopez has been all of the above. Now, she's ready to try on a new role - recluse.

Gone, she swears, are the days of shooting music videos with her boyfriends, dishing details of her personal life with reporters and hitting the town with her entourage.

The new Mrs. Marc Anthony insists she's happy being a homebody. So happy, in fact, that when she leaves her Miami mansion, it's a shock to her system.

"Literally, when I get in my car, I put my head outside of the window like a dog and let the air hit my face because I don't get out that much," she says.

Lopez was in Manhattan earlier this week banging the drum for Shall We Dance?, a crowd-pleaser from Peter Chelsom (Funny Bones) that's based on a hit Japanese film of the same title.

In the movie, now playing in theaters, Lopez plays a ballroom dance instructor who helps a passion-starved lawyer (Richard Gere) rekindle the romance in his marriage to his long-time wife (Susan Sarandon).

During the making of the film, Lopez and her then-boyfriend Ben Affleck were at the white-hot center of a media feeding frenzy that only seemed to intensify after the dismal failure of their first onscreen pairing in Gigli.
Gere was aware that Lopez was under stress during the making of the movie but he says she never let anyone see her sweat.

"She came to work on time," he recalls. "She's a hard worker. She was there and ready to go. Sometimes, I gave her hugs. She appreciated that, I think, more than anything."

Lopez's quick rebound from controversy shouldn't be that surprising: After all, she's traveled this route before. In the years since the Bronx native burst on the scene as a Fly Girl on In Living Color, she's been hit with criticism for everything from dating Sean "P. Diddy" Combs to her two quickie marriages to reports of her diva behavior.

Nine months after splitting up with Affleck and three months after wedding Anthony, Lopez is determined to keep her private life private.

"I've always just had this attitude, and maybe it's the Bronx in me or whatever, where I was just out there and very open," she says, during a packed press conference at the Essex House Hotel. "But the approach that I'm trying to take now is to get the focus back on what I do. I'm a singer. I'm an actress. I'm a dancer. That's what I do for a living."

And what a living it is. With an estimated net worth of $225 million, she's the country's wealthiest female entertainer under age 40.

She's already completed two more movies: the dramatic Unfinished Life with Robert Redford and the comedic Monster In-Law with Jane Fonda. And she's getting ready to produce her first independent film, a biopic about salsa singer Hector Lavoe.

In January, Lopez is set to release her fifth CD, an English-language collection
that she promises will be funkier than her last offerings, which have sold more than 10 million copies.

And then there's her cosmetics line, her fragrances and an array of clothing and accessory businesses.

"I feel like everything that I've done and accomplished was great, but it was this other person," she says. "Now, I'm different. I've grown up and I feel like you're going to see a little bit more of that in the choices I make.

"I do feel like I'm entering phase two but, at the same time, I feel like I'm right at the beginning."

Soccer superstar DAVID BECKHAM will violently attack sexy singers BEYONCE KNOWLES and JENNIFER LOPEZ in a new advert for soft drink giant PEPSI.

The England captain signed a $18 million (GBP10 million) deal with Pepsi earlier this year (04) and will join the feisty stars in Europe to shoot the martial arts commercial within the next few weeks.

An insider says, "It's CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON meets KILL BILL. David is excited to be doing an advert with Beyonce and Jennifer.

Peter Chelsom should be a happy director.

"Shall We Dance?" reportedly has earned the highest exit poll response of any Miramax film since "Good Will Hunting." Possibly even more important, the Richard Gere-Jennifer Lopez-Susan Sarandon starrer is his second movie since directing "Town & Country."

"Town & Country" is the infamous comedy that starred Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn, Andie MacDowell, Garry Shandling and Charlton Heston. It ballooned way over budget and over schedule before finally landing with a thud in 2001.

"It was a big public flop, and it could have ended my career right then," the director said in Dallas recently. "I needed 'Town & Country' to be two films behind me for me to feel good."

"Serendipity," a successful comedy with John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale, followed "Town & Country." And now "Shall We Dance?" has the earmarks of a similar success. Not that the new film was free of problems, having been made at the height of Bennifer, the very public J. Lo-Ben Affleck off-screen romance.

"They were engaged when we started filming," said Chelsom. "Then came the sex-club scandal. Then Ben came to our location. And the media swarmed all over the set."

Despite such extracurricular activities, he has kind words for all his cast.

"While all this turmoil was going on, Jennifer was very focused. The woman who came to the set each morning was focused only on doing the film.

"Jennifer already knew Susan and Tim," he said, referring to Sarandon's companion, Oscar-winner Tim Robbins. "Susan said that their kids love Jennifer. And Susan and Richard have known each other for years and are great friends. They play husband and wife in the movie, and they had the instant chemistry of a couple who've known and loved each other for years."

In the movie, the Gere-Sarandon union is threatened when he takes ballroom dancing lessons from Lopez. The film's advertising campaign highlights the male star, with Sarandon getting equal and maybe even more emphasis than J. Lo.

"It was never intended as a so-called J. Lo movie, and Jennifer understood that and wanted to do it partly for that very reason. Another reason was that she loves dance. But there was never any intention to play her down. Yes, 'Gigli' flopped, but this was another movie entirely. Everyone understood that this is a movie about a marriage, not an affair. The relationship between Richard and Susan is the mainstay, and the sexual tension between Richard and Jennifer is subliminal."

Read More at Pioneer Press

In the November issue of Details Magazine available Tuesday, Ben Affleck attempts to explain it all.

On press coverage of his spoiled relationship with Jennifer Lopez: "It felt like a constant oppressive siege. It's kind of like asphyxiating from carbon monoxide poisoning. It occurs to me now that there was a certain kind of perception of me and how I looked during my relationship with Jen. Whether I had become more 'street' or more 'black' or more 'slicked back' or more of a 'male diva' or more of a self-indulgent who-does-he-think-he-is movie star. Like, there was all this stuff written about my dressing like Puffy (Combs, Lopez' previous lover) because I was wearing track suits to the gym.

I hope the coverage of her chills. She definitely had it tougher than me in that respect. I think that the press has always been tougher on her."

Jennifer Lopez's E! True Hollywood Story airs tonight at 8 eastern and 7 central standard time. This is the THS that reportedly she did want to be made and refused to be interviewed for, but with out having seen it yet I can not judge it's content.

MARC ANTHONY's ex-fiancee is warning JENNIFER LOPEZ to stay as independent as possible because the singer liked to control her every move when she was dating him.

Stunning CLAUDETTE LALI dated the Latino star eight years ago (96) and admits romancing Anthony wasn't always fun.

She reveals, "He will do whatever it takes to make you feel like you have met your prince - you feel loved and protected.

"(But) there was no way I could go out to dinner with friends or travel on my own."

Lali tells America's IN TOUCH magazine that the singer even tried to convince his fiancee to quit modelling so she could spend more time with him.

She adds, "We would fight over that."

Then, when Anthony ended the six-month romance and demanded the diamond ring he gave her, Lali admits she was devastated: "I had to get a motivational coach just to try to find myself because I was Marc's shadow."

JENNIFER LOPEZ's husband MARC ANTHONY is producing her first Spanish language album - but she still refuses to duet with him on it.

The JENNY FROM THE BLOCK star collaborated with Anthony on the song NO ME AMES in 1999, taken from her ON THE 6 debut disc, but there's speculation she's refused to sing future tracks with him after the negative reviews the duet received.

She explains, "Marc's producing the Spanish album for me, but there are no duets on that album."

Anthony recently produced Lopez's cover of the DEAN MARTIN classic SWAY for the soundtrack of her latest film SHALL WE DANCE?.

Marc Anthony may shy away from talking to the press about his wife Jennifer Lopez, but he doesn't have a problem singing about her in front of 4,000 people. In a concert at New York's Roseland Ballroom Sunday (October 17), Anthony pointed to Jennifer as he sang a song in Spanish that translated means "There's Nobody Like Her." During the song, Anthony climbed up on a platform at the side of the stage and sang facing the balcony where Lopez was seated.

Before the last song of the set, Anthony introduced Lopez to the audience, saying "(She's) a woman who has dedicated her life to representing [Puerto Ricans]. A really, really good friend of mine--Jennifer Lopez." Lopez is a native New Yorker, so it's no surprise that the mostly Latino audience chanted "J. Lo, J. Lo" for their hometown favorite.

Anthony also acknowledged Fat Joe, who waved to the crowd from his seat in the balcony. During the concert, Fat Joe told LAUNCH, "[Marc Anthony] is a great singer...a good friend... he's absolutely amazing."

Lopez sat with her mother, Guadalupe, and her sister Lynda Lopez.

Read More at Yahoo News

Readers of America's men's magazine ESQUIRE have created the 'perfect' woman and she has CHARLIZE THERON's legs, JESSICA SIMPSON's chest, JENNIFER LOPEZ's bottom and CATHERINE ZETA-JONES' face.

The publication's editors asked readers to vote for their favourites in a host of straight and bizarre categories as part of the glossy's annual The Women We Love issue.

Newlywed BRITNEY SPEARS fared well in the vote, topping three categories - Sexiest Pop Star, Most Likely To Pose Nude To Revive Her Career and Woman You Would Pay The Most To See Naked.

And, as well as beating HALLE BERRY to Best Top, Jessica Simpson and her sister ASHLEE beat socialites PARIS and NICKY HILTON in the Sexiest Sisters vote.

In some of the more quirky categories, LEONARDO DiCAPRIO beat JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE as Most Womanish Man, JULIA ROBERTS was voted Best Movie Prostitute, ELLEN DEGENERES topped the Funniest Woman and Favourite Lesbian categories and newlywed Jennifer Lopez was chosen as the Likeliest Future Divorcee.

Readers agreed with the editors' choice for Sexiest Woman Alive - ANGELINA JOLIE.

Source: Contact Music

Jennifer Lopez has reportedly set up her own salsa dancing school in the Bronx where she grew up.

The sexy singer credits her dance lessons with launching her career and is looking forward to giving others the start she had by personally teaching the classes in the New York city district, reports Britain's DAILY STAR newspaper.

An insider says, "Jennifer loves dancing so when the idea came up, she thought it was fabulous. And Jen is also looking forward to personally teaching salsa classes as often as her hectic schedule allows."

Jennifer Lopez's longest relationship was not with any of her husbands or fiances. The thrice-married Lopez's first love was her most lasting to date.

"My first love was a guy in high school named David. We dated for, like, nine years -- from high school until I was about 24," recalls Lopez, who married singer Marc Anthony this past June.

Her first marriage to bartender Ojani Noa lasted 11 months. Her subsequent marriage to backup dancer Chris Judd lasted 16 months. She dated rap mogul Sean (Puffy) Combs for almost 18 months and Ben Affleck for 26 months.

"I have many memories of David because nine years is like a lifetime. We grew up together because I was barely 16 when I met him."

She recalls they met through mutual friends.

"His best friend was dating my best friend. He saw me and fell in love with me right away. I had short hair and I was a little too heavy and wore these terrible school uniforms, but he fell in love with me anyway."

The boy proved persistent -- Lopez admits she made it known she didn't find him appealing.

"He heard what I said about him and he was mad, but when we went back to school for the next year I saw him at the bus stop and thought he was kind of cute."

She told her friend -- who told his friend -- and "he liked me again so we wound up dating for almost 10 years."

Lopez has kept in touch with her puppy love because "he still lives in the neighbourhood in the Bronx where we grew up, and so does my grandmother.

"I see him whenever I go there to visit her. When we run into each other we keep in touch for a while through phone calls. He's a friend and he probably knows me better than anyone else or at least more than a lot of people do."

Lopez is starring as Richard Gere's dance instructor in the locally shot romantic comedy Shall We Dance?, which opened Friday.

Source: Winnipeg Sun

Yesterday on TRL, Jennifer Lopez announced that while she just finished her English album, that she is currently working on a Spanish album and expects a 2005 release date for each album. The official Jennifer Lopez site still maintains that the album will be released this holiday season. I will post any new information as it becomes available.

On October 11, 2004 US Weekly and Contact Music reported that Marc Anthony has a cameo in the upcoming movie SHALL WE DANCE. As a result that news was posted on this site. He does not make an appearance in the movie. US Weekly stated the correction in the October 18, 2004 edition and stated they regret the error. Sorry for any confusion this may have caused.

Jennifer Lopez was left stunned during an appearance on DAVID LETTERMAN's talk show last night (13OCT04) - when the comedian sprayed her perfume into his mouth.

Lopez appeared on his show to promote new movie SHALL WE DANCE? when Letterman pulled out her fragrances GLOW and STILL from behind his desk.

After making enquiries about them, the host opened a bottle of Still and squirted the fragrant contents into his mouth, as a stunned Lopez screamed, "Dave, what are you doing?"

Letterman gulped it down and commented, "That's pretty good. That's nice; I like that.

"I think this is a great idea because I've always commented on how nice you smell when you come out (on the show) and now the whole world can smell this way."

Earlier this year (04), Letterman consumed some of JESSICA SIMPSON's beauty products from her DESSERT line.

Jennifer Lopez has sold off the Hollywood Hills home where she staged her low-key wedding to Marc Anthony in June.

The pop superstar turned actress had the mansion built for her in 2002 in a gated community and has now sold it for $14.5 million.
The four-bedroom home features eight bathrooms, a pool, tennis courts and a screening room.

Jennifer Lopez had to fight to defend her vow to keep her private life under wraps, after facing a round of hard probing from comedian DAVID LETTERMAN on his talk show.

Since parting ways with former fiance BEN AFFLECK at the beginning of the year (04), after a high-profile romance, Lopez went on to marry salsa singer MARC ANTHONY and now refuses to discuss her personal life with the press.

And while OPRAH WINFREY was unable to pull any marital information out of Lopez on her show last week, Letterman was not put off and immediately started asking questions about it.

When a smiling Lopez politely declared she didn't want to talk about it, Letterman continued to probe, asking how marriage has changed her life and where she met Anthony.

Lopez attempted to change the subject by mentioning the birth of Letterman's 11-month-old son HARRY, but the host then asked, "Do you feel complete now that you're married?"

A reluctant Lopez then answered, "I feel very good; I'm very happy. I'm so glad you're concerned. It always worries my heart how concerned you are about me."

Sensing her exasperation, Letterman gave thrice-wed Lopez the opportunity to ask him a question and she quipped, "I heard you're still not married!"

Letterman shot back, "Well, some are married several times, some are never married. It all balances out!"

Jennifer is scheduled to appear on MTV's TRL today at 5:00pm ET/4:00pm CST. Be sure to tune in!

"Famous for her bombshell curves – and her seemingly endless wardrobe of figure-hugging frocks that show them off – Jennifer Lopez now seems to be getting in touch with her demure side since becoming Mrs Marc Anthony.

The Shall We Dance star arrived for an appearance on US chat programme The Late Show With David Letterman in a decidedly more modest ensemble - a prim, knee-length black boucle coat, its oversized lace collar fastened at the neck with a dark rose. However, Jennifer hasn't given up her reputation entirely, shedding the coat to reveal a tasteful but sexy little black chiffon dress for the interview.

While Jennifer and husband Marc have not spoken publicly about their marriage – even to confirm that the June wedding took place – J Lo had some trouble averting funnyman Letterman's questions on the topic.

Despite insisting, "I don't want to talk about that" when asked about tying the knot with the salsa singer, she eventually gave a tongue-in-cheek response to the question, "How long have you been married?". A hearty laugh and "I haven't been counting!" was the thrice-wed diva's reply."

Source: Hello! Magazine

Jennifer will be on Live with Regis & Kelly this morning. Check your local listings for time and channel.

Other guests are Bill O'Reilly and Kanye West.

E! is getting its revenge on JENNIFER LOPEZ for backing out of a promise to do an exclusive interview - by filming a show delving into her private life.

The cable channel was researching the sexy Latina this summer (04) for one of its successful TRUE HOLLYWOOD STORY (THS) programmes, until Lopez heard about it and expressed her dislike of the show.

The I'M REAL singer promised E! an exclusive interview with her and her family if the executives dropped the idea and also reduced the showings of other Lopez exposes.

However after Lopez's recent u-turn over her privacy following her marriage to MARC ANTHONY, she declined to speak to E!, and the station is now continuing its THS segment.

According to reports in Boston, the crew have been spotted filming BEN AFFLECK's mother's home in Cambridge, Massachusetts - the very building where the DAREDEVIL hunk got down on bended knee and proposed to Lopez in 2002.

Source: Contact Music

Jennifer Lopez has vowed never to discuss her love life with the press again, after the media frenzy which surrounded her failed romance with GIGLI co-star BEN AFFLECK.

The pair called off their romance at the beginning of the year (04), after a relentless stream of coverage from the world's press.

But since marrying MARC ANTHONY in June (04), Lopez has retreated from the spotlight, and now that she's re-emerging to promote her new movie SHALL WE DANCE? she insists she won't be talking about her marriage with reporters.

J.Lo says, "There was a time when there was the Jennifer that didn't care. I wasn't gonna let this business change me - I'm Jenny From the Block - and I was going to just live my life.

"I didn't wanna become one of these actresses or kinda like a weird person who's always in their house and reclusive (saying) 'Don't pictures of me.' I guess it was the Bronx in me. I'm very ballsy, I'm a free spirit, I'm open by nature. It's hard for me.

"But I realised that that had a lot of repercussions. Not just in my professional life, which it does, but in my personal life, with my family with relationships, with everything.

"I realised I have to start setting more boundaries for my personal life or it's just not gonna be a good life - and I only get one."

Source: Contact Music from Jennifer's recent interview with Oprah.

Jennifer Lopez wants to extend her musical skills by learning how to play the Spanish guitar.

The singer and actress, whose parents hail from the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, admits it's something she's wanted to do for a long time, and she's now hoping to find time to make her dream a reality.

Lopez says, "I never have learned to play an instrument."

Source: Contact Music

Here are a few of the things that Jennifer Lopez spoke to Oprah about in their recent interview:
Jennifer Lopez has hit back at constant rumours that she is a diva and an overly-demanding boss. She
was once accused of demanding her dressing room was re-painted before she appeared on British television show TOP OF THE POPS - appeared on OPRAH WINFREY's talk show to defend her reputation.

She said, "There's a misconception that I am difficult because I pride myself on being a professional. But I'm not. I always have good experiences with everybody I work with.

"I don't know where the rumour that I'm difficult and a diva came from. I like getting dressed up but other than that I don't have outrageous demands."

Also, Jennifer Lopez has unlimited access to her favourite perfumes and clothes - because they're all from her own range.

The singer and actress loves wearing her GLOW and STILL fragrances, and frequently wears garments from her J.LO BY JENNIFER LOPEZ clothing line.

She says, "I wear my own perfumes. I switch; I go back and forth. I like both of them.

"It's funny with perfume when you create it yourself - because you really like it! You don't know if anybody else is gonna like it but you really like it.

"I do wear my own clothes - not all the time - 'cause I love clothes. I'm a real clotheshorse. I wear all different types of clothes. I love them all."

Jennifer Lopez has disliked looking at pictures of herself recently - because she's certain she's starting to look "really big".

While pals of the singer and actress have assured her that her curves are in good form, she's convinced she looks a little on the chunky side.

She says, "I feel like in pictures I've been photographing really big. I'm like, 'Ewww!' (I look) a little bloated in the face."

"We didn't let any of the tabloid press in! No paparazzi here!" JENNIFER LOPEZ on what she'd like God to tell her when she enters Heaven.

Source: Contact Music

LOPEZ: THE PAPARAZZI NEARLY KILLED ME AND MY MOM

JENNIFER LOPEZ is convinced the paparazzi will hound her to death, like late British royal DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES.

Lopez claims five press cars chased her after last week's (begs27SEP04) New York launch of her latest movie SHALL WE DANCE? and nearly killed her and her mother by blocking them in to take a photo.

And she compares the incident to Diana's tragic car crash in Paris' Pont de L'Alma underpass on 31 August 1997.

She complains, "Something bad is going to happen. Something bad has already happened with the whole Princess Diana situation and they haven't learned. They think it's a game. They chase you, they run lights, five cars at a time.

"Me and my mom almost got killed. I was driving the car and they almost blocked me in. I went into the next lane, they tried to cut me off, just to get a picture of me and my mom in the he car. Then a car came out of nowhere and almost sideswiped us.

"Everything happened so fast and accidents do. Luckily we didn't have an accident. But as I was driving up the hill a few seconds later, I guess I was in shock, I looked at my mom and said, 'Are you ok?' and she said, 'Yeah I'm ok.'"

LOPEZ: 'WESLEY SNIPES SEX SCENE WAS HORRIBLE'
JENNIFER LOPEZ cringes when she thinks about her first sex scene in 1995 action movie MONEY TRAIN because she never wanted to get intimate on the big screen with co-star WESLEY SNIPES.

The singer/actress insists Snipes was the perfect gentleman, but she still wishes she'd reconsidered agreeing to disrobe for the steamy scenes.

She says, "(It was) horrible. When you first start working professionally, you push the boundaries of what you should and shouldn't do, and I didn't think I had the right to say no, like, 'No, I'm not doing this, and that's it...'

"So we did it and it was tough. Wesley was wonderful about it in the sense that he was like, 'What's gonna make you more comfortable?' and I was like, 'Bring music, play it loud.'"

Lopez admits she has made some bad decisions about past films, but, at the time, she felt sure she was making all the right moves.

She adds, "When you're an actor and you wanna work and you want your chance to do whatever, you take whatever they give you and you love it."

HOMELESS LOPEZ SLEPT IN A DANCE STUDIO

A homeless JENNIFER LOPEZ once slept on the floor of a dance studio when she was struggling to make ends meet in New York.

The ambitious wannabe insisted on cleaning up after her late dance class, so she could stay behind and snooze in the studio's office - despite her parents living in the nearby Bronx.

She says, "After they'd lock up I'd clean up and then I'd just sleep in the office."

Source: Contact Music

JENNIFER LOPEZ has banned TV stations from broadcasting a saucy music video which shows her kissing former fiance BEN AFFLECK - because her new husband MARK ANTHONY is jealous of it.

Lopez axed the promo for her hit JENNY FROM THE BLOCK because Anthony can't bear to watch her canoodling with the DAREDEVIL star in a yacht, a Bentley car and a hotel, reports Britain's DAILY STAR newspaper.

An insider says, "Anthony was really envious of the video and told her he doesn't want to see it again because it hurts too much."

Source: Contact Music

JENNIFER LOPEZ has accused her former fiance BEN AFFLECK of turning her into someone she didn't like.

The JENNY FROM THE BLOCK star loves the influence her husband MARC ANTHONY has on her, but admits her relationship with the DAREDEVIL actor had a negative impact on her personality.

She explains, "The relationship definitely reached a fever pitch. I just felt that it was a time where things built up and out of my control.

"I thought, 'What is this thing that has become me? Who is that thing?' And I didn't like it."

Source: Contact Music

"JENNIFER LOPEZ is set to tour for the first time ever - five years after she began her singing career.

The actress-turned-singer began her pop career in 1999 with her debut album ON THE 6, featuring tracks produced by her then-boyfriend SEAN 'P DIDDY' COMBS and the hit singles IF YOU HAD MY LOVE and WAITING FOR TONIGHT.

Lopez is ready to throw herself back into music again after making a string of films JERSEY GIRL, AN UNFINISHED LIFE and SHALL WE DANCE?.

She enthuses, "I think I'm going to be doing my first tour.

"I've been talking about it for a long time but I always get sidetracked because of the movie things."

"This time I'm really going to try and get out there."

Source: Contact Music

"Jennifer Lopez has been laying low and staying out of the limelight in the last few months since marrying Latin singer Marc Anthony, but she came out of hiding to talk to ComingSoon.net about her new movie, Shall We Dance. A remake of the Japanese movie of the same name, it stars Lopez along with Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon and Stanley Tucci. (Look for more on this movie next week!) Charming as always, Lopez was surprisingly open to talk about any and all parts of her life, including her upcoming movies.

Miramax announced recently that her next project, Lasse Hallstrom's An Unfinished Life with Robert Redford and Morgan Freeman would be pushed back until next year, possibly to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Because of this, Lopez's next film will be another romantic comedy, Monster in Law with Jane Fonda, directed by Robert Luketic. Since Fonda has been in and out of the limelight herself throughout her career, we asked Jennifer what it was like working with the legendary actress. "When you're working with Jane, it feels like you're entering another time when it was only about acting, and that's what she's about. She's like, 'I'm here to work. I've thought about it and this is what I'm going to do. I'm going to take risks and I'm going to improv and you better be ready to go with me.' Luckily, I would like to think I'm that type of person as well, and I was ready to fly with her. She gave me some great advice, because she's been through a lot in her life as well, and as far as work goes, she had some great advice for me. We had a really fantastic time."Already an actress, a singer and a dancer, Lopez is trying on a different hat, as she begins producing her first independent film project, a movie based on the life of salsa singer Hector Lavoe. "His wife is the one who brought it to me about four years ago, although she passed away shortly after," she told us. "He was part of the whole Fania era in the 70's at The Palladium, when salsa music was very big in New York. There was kind of a movement, and he was like our Billie Holiday. It's a bit of a tragic story and a love story with his wife, dysfunctional but very interesting. He left about thirty or forty albums. He was Willie Colon's partner for the first part of his career, and then when Willie couldn't take it anymore, he went off on his own, but he still recorded some very important music that have become classics, and we're going to do that. I've been developing it for like four years and finally, we got the financing."

It was reported a few years ago that Marc Anthony would be playing the role of Lavoe, but that was long before they were married. Of course, one has to assume that Lopez would play his wife? "Yes, I think I might be in it. Being an actress is much better-you come in, they're ready to go, and you're hired-producing not so much. It's a little bit harder."

Although Lopez said that she loved doing her two episodes of the NBC sitcom, Will And Grace , she thought that would be it for her on the show for a while.

Shall We Dance opens nationwide on October 15.

Story From ComingSoon

Source: Winnipeg Sun

"Just call her Jenny on the set. Shall We Dance? director Peter Chelsom admits he was concerned about how much baggage Jennifer Lopez would bring to his film -- and he wasn't talking Samsonite.

"You do worry because she has so many lives and you wonder what you're getting into," the filmmaker told The Sun this weekend.

"But then I talked to Michael Apted (who directed Lopez in the 2002 thriller Enough) before the shoot, and what he said was that she would be the woman who would come on the set on time on her first day and every day after that."

Whether Apted's words rang true, they came true during last summer's shoot in Winnipeg, which coincided with the height of Bennifer media frenzy.

Despite the packs of paparazzi pursuing Lopez and then-fiancee Ben Affleck around town, J. Lo had both feet on the ground on the set, Chelsom says.

"When she showed up to work, everything seemed to have fallen away. The business life, the clothes, the makeup, the music, whatever," he recalls. "It all went away, and you had a very focused, committed actor whose concentration level is higher than most, and she really is good."

Co-star Richard Gere agrees, adding Lopez was patient with his relative lack of skill.

"She was incredibly generous, knowing I wasn't a dancer," he says. "Sometimes I would do things that weren't helping her look as good as she could, and she gave me the space to work through it."

Lucky for them -- Lopez was one of the few performers Chelsom could see playing the supporting role of Paulina, a failed dancer who regains her artistic passion through her friendship (and, eventually, a steamy late-night tango) with Gere's ballroom-dancing lawyer in the $50 million movie.

"It's a really short list when you try to find a star who's very very beautiful, who can act and who really, really, really can dance. And she can. There was only Jennifer, honestly. But you do worry because she's such a personality. Cate Blanchett isn't on the cover of People Magazine as often as Jennifer, let's put it that way."

But co-star Susan Sarandon, who plays Gere's suspicious wife in the comedy, says Lopez has told her she is trying to back out of the spotlight these days. (Case in point: The diva skipped doing the usual gigantic slate of media interviews for the film.)

"I've known Jennifer from before this movie," Sarandon explains. "We've spent time together, and I really like Jennifer. And it's very hard to make mistakes when the media is all over you like that. And I think mistakes are really an important part of life.

"Jennifer and I just did a show together, and she said that she thinks some of that in-your-face aspect of her life was just her attitude that she brought with her from her neighbourhood. But now she realizes she's ready to be a bit more private. I think it does help just psychologically."

It can't hurt her professionally either, says Chelsom.

"I've found that preview audiences are surprised that she's not the lead in this picture but are pleased that she slides into this movie and slides out and is part of the ensemble. So, personally, I say this not as the director, but if I were her closest friend I'd be really pleased for her. Because I think it's quite clever that's she's doing this movie right now. "

"Hopefully she's been good in a good movie, and that's the best thing you can be."

JENNIFER LOPEZ is considering studying Buddhism after working with devout celebrity Buddhist RICHARD GERE on the set of her new movie SHALL WE DANCE.

Lopez, who grew up a devout Catholic, admits she was impressed with her co-star's attitude towards spirituality and his ability to say the right thing at the right time.

And now she's planning to look at the belief system adopted by Gere and TINA TURNER among others.

She says, "I would say to Richard, 'God, I'm always worried about being so strong.' He said, 'Maybe it's time to be strong in a different way.'

"I just remember that one thing on the set and I've thought about it often since then. He didn't say, 'You need to convert,' but he did give me some good advice.

"Now I kind of like to read books on spiritual philosophies like THE POWER OF NOW. It's complicated and it makes you think.

"I've also explored on my own with different spiritual philosophies. I use what works for me but I do pray a lot and I know that there's a force in the world; there's an energy that if you put out good and you put out love that it comes back to you.

"I think that's a pretty simple and basic thing to follow that works for me."

Source: Contact Music

"It was pretty good. I saw it, I enjoyed it." Jennifer Lopez insists movie flop Gigli wasn't that bad.

Jennifer Lopez fan Luis Galle's bravery earned him a special treat when he attended a taping of chat show INSIDE THE ACTOR'S STUDIO recently. He asked Jen for a dance, when he rose to ask the question, J.Lo invited him to join her onstage for a salsa session. The show airs in America on October 10th, 2004.

On October 2, 2004, Jennifer Lopez will receive the Children's Humanitarian Award for her support of the hospital and its children.

``Jennifer Lopez is accomplished in so many ways; so very talented, she is just as beautiful inside as she is outside!'' says Mrs. Saban, who also is a member of the Childrens Hospital Los Angeles Board of Trustees. ``We have come to appreciate her interest in the kids at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, as well as her commitment to be supportive of the work we do here. She is very special.''

``Childrens Hospital Los Angeles is a remarkable place,'' says Lopez. ``This top-pediatric facility treats and cares for some of the sickest children, not just from California, but from all over the world. These kids need our support and I feel blessed to be able to help.''

Source: Yahoo News