ABSTRACT
As demonstrated in the previous chapter, Maid in Manhattan (Wayne Wang, 2002) distinguishes itself from girly films such as Pretty Woman (Garry Marshall, 1990) because of the way in which the film draws upon the persona of an already established star, Jennifer Lopez, who outside the film’s narrative offers an exemplar of neo-feminist achievement that extends the ethos of the film beyond the cinematic experience. Lopez’s involvement in the film highlights how the cult of celebrity contributes to, and supports, the neo-feminist paradigm by generating a discourse that encourages a philosophy of individual fulfillment while confirming the centrality of consumer culture in the viewer’s life. Beyond the fact that Lopez as a star brought a specific set of characteristics and history to the role of Marisa, the film project occurred at a crucial moment in Lopez’s own romantic development, leading to an especially resonant confluence between the film’s theme and the star’s life. During the period of the film’s production and release, Lopez was involved in a relationship with Ben Affleck, one that appeared finally to offer her a possible resolution to the series of unhappy marriages and relationships that had heretofore marked her life as depicted in the tabloids. Affleck seemed to offer the fairy tale partnership that both Lopez and her fans seemed to anticipate as awaiting her in spite of two failed marriages.1
