A Guide to Jennifer Lopez's Romantic Comedies [PHOTOS]
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(689x459:691x461)/jennifer-lopez-14-d5604272caa94742b2bb500310616e64.jpg)
The Wedding Planner (2001)
Her Leading Man: All right, all right, all right, it's Matthew McConaughey
The Plot: Lopez plays the titular wedding planner, Mary, who, after being saved from a literal runaway dumpster (we aren't kidding) by McConaughey's swoon-worthy character, pediatrician Steve Edison, spends the perfect romantic evening with him. The problem? He's the groom in the next wedding she's planning! YIKES!
Maid in Manhattan (2002)
Her Leading Man: The debonair Ralph Fiennes, of course
The Plot: Lopez plays a maid at a swanky hotel (in Manhattan, obviously) named Marisa who is mistaken for a guest at the hotel by wealthy senatorial candidate Chris Marshall (Fiennes). Marisa tries to keep up the ruse as she feels a spark with the politician, but the pair are ~*worlds apart*~. It's your classic Cinderella story — but with an adorable young Tyler Posey playing Lopez's onscreen son and appearances from Stanley Tucci and Natasha Richardson.
Gigli (2003)
Her Leading Man: Her real-life love interest (then and now), Ben Affleck
The Plot: We're not sure if this is a rom-com, crime-com, or if it's meant to be both. In their first collaboration together, the real-life couple plays mobsters Larry Gigli and Ricki. When Gigli is asked to carry out a kidnapping, the mob boss sends Ricki along to make sure the job gets done. The film was heavily panned by critics.
Affleck said of the film in January 2022, "It's a sort of horse's head in a cow's body. And the studio at the time, because I had begun having this relationship with Jennifer Lopez, which was selling a lot of magazines and appeared to generate a lot of enthusiasm, they just predictably latched onto, 'They want a romantic comedy. They want the two of them together. More of that!' And it was just like that SNL sketch: 'Bad Idea.' "
He did add that it wasn't all bad: "I did get to meet Jennifer, the relationship with whom has been really meaningful to me in my life."
Jersey Girl (2004)
Her Leading Man: Ben Affleck, again
The Plot: Lopez's character, Gertrude, isn't in the film for long — she dies during childbirth, and leaves Affleck's character, Ollie, to learn how to deal with his grief and navigate life as a single father.
Shall We Dance (2004)
Her Leading Man: Richard Gere
The Plot: John Clark (played by Gere) has the picture-perfect life: He's a lawyer, but feels like something is missing. After passing by a dance studio on his commute home and seeing Lopez's character, Paulina, he decides to take dance lessons. Eventually, Clark falls in love with dance and even enters a dance competition, though he attempts to keep it a secret from his wife, Beverly (Susan Sarandon).
Monster-in-Law (2005)
Her Leading Man: Michael Vartan
The Plot: Charlotte is ready to marry Dr. Kevin Fields (Vartan), but she'll have to go through the aforementioned Monster-in-Law, played by Jane Fonda, if she wants to make it down the aisle.
The Back-Up Plan (2010)
Her Leading Man: Alex O'Loughlin
The Plot: After waiting to find someone to start a family with, Lopez's character, Zoe, decides to take matters into her own hands and use a sperm donor to conceive. On the same day as her procedure, she runs into Stan (O'Loughlin) whom she thinks could be Mr. Right — and the pair begin to date. The two must later decide if they're going to stay together as Zoe prepares to give birth ... to twins!
What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012)
Her Leading Man: Rodrigo Santoro
The Plot: The ensemble film follows five couples as they navigate pregnancy and parenthood. Lopez's character, Holly, is a photographer who has trouble having children with her husband (Santoro), so they decide to adopt.
Marry Me (2022)
Her Leading Man: Owen Wilson
The Plot: Lopez plays an international pop star who has a plan to get married to her equally famous fiancé (Maluma) in the middle of a concert. Just before the big event, she finds out that he is cheating on her, and rather than walk away husband-less, she plucks a frazzled Wilson from the crowd to marry. But will they find true love, or are they just too different?
ncG1vNJzZmiolaS9rbGNnKamZ52kw6qx0mihnqaenrOmvoylpqmdqmK%2FsLnAp6uim12YvK6xw6KcrGWknb%2BwwcahZK2glWLGpq3RrGSmp6aesm6%2BzqWcrGc%3D