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SEX AND THE SISCO KID; Jennifer Lopez's Sizzling Scenes with George Clooney in out of Sight Have Made Her the Hottest Star of the Moment.
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by Martyn Palmer
When Jennifer Lopez first saw Out Of Sight she squirmed with embarrassment. There, setting the screen on fire was Jack Foley (George Clooney) and her character, Karen Sisco, in yet another passionate clinch.
In the States, the film's steamy sex scenes have been one of this summer's talking points. Clooney even dreaded taking his girlfriend, Celine Balitran, to the premier because he knew she'd wonder just how intimate things can get when you are supposed to be acting.
Even in scenes that are fairly discreet, the chemistry sparked between the two leads still makes for some hot viewing.
"Sexy scenes are always weird to do but I hit it off with George right from the time I did my screen test, so we were pretty comfortable," says Jennifer. "But it's weirder still when you have to watch them in the finished movie. That's really embarrassing."
Maybe, but her blushes aside, Out Of Sight - a romantic thriller based on an Elmore Leonard novel - has made the Bronx-born wannabe one of the most sought after stars in Tinsel Town. And her womanly curves have been hailed as a welcome change after the waifish look which has dominated recent years.
Jennifer, 27, is taking all the fuss in her stride. "A role this good doesn't come along very often so I was delighted to get it. Right now, I'm just doing the work and I'm happy with that. In this business it's down to luck and being ready for the opportunities when they come," she says.
"People have talked a lot about the way I look, and I take that as a compliment. I'm happy with my body. But Karen is a strong woman in Out Of Sight. I certainly wasn't there just to look good opposite George."
The youngest of three girls, born to Puerto Rican parents, Jennifer grew up surrounded by her extended family of aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. "The Bronx is like any other inner city area. It's mixed, but I grew up in what I thought was a nice neighbourhood," she says. "It's all I knew, so for me it was normal. They make a movie called Fort Apache The Bronx and everyone thinks The Bronx is like a war zone or something. It's nothing like that. I had a happy childhood. Mum was into musicals and would sit us in front of the TV and watch films such as West Side Story. I love that movie. It's still my favourite. And I just knew, even then, that it was what I wanted to do - I just didn't know how I was going to do it..."
From the age of five Jennifer took dance classes and acted in school plays. By the time she left school she was performing off Broadway and appearing in pop videos. She also had her own band.
In 1991 she won a part as a dancer in the American TV show In Living Color. She moved to Los Angeles for it, then moved into films, with roles in Anaconda, Jack and Money Train. Then came Blood And Wine, playing Jack Nicholson's lover.
"Working with Jack was cool," she says. "He's a legend. The first time I met him it was like, 'Oh my God, it's Jack Nicholson!'
"The first day of rehearsal he sat down and the director wanted me to sit next to him - ours was the prominent man-woman relationship in the film. Michael Caine was on the other side and I looked at one and then the other. Then it was like I had an out-of-body experience. It was like, 'What am I doing in this room with these people?' It was very scary but fun."
She first hit the headlines in the States when she played the lead in Selena, the true story of a Mexican singer who was shot dead in a motel room. Lopez got $1 million for the role - the first Latino actress to make that kind of money. These days, she can command a whole lot more.
She is currently finishing her debut album, Gypsy, which is due out early next year, and is considering various film offers.
At the moment, there is no one special to share all this success with. She was married, briefly, to barman Ojani Noa, who she met in the Larios Restaurant owned by Gloria Estefan. The marriage ended this year and she refuses to discuss the break up.
And she's not impressed with talk linking her with Tommy Mottola, head of Sony Music, and former partner of Mariah Carey.
"I know that's a rumour," she sighs. "Tommy's the head of my record company. It's so ridiculous - I sign a record deal and show up at the Grammys, we have some pictures taken together and then it's like, 'You know...' Like that's how I got my deal! It's horrible. And it really hurt me."
In her free time she goes dancing at the LA nightclub, The Conga Room, which she co-owns with NYPD Blue star Jimmy Smits. She also likes to keep in shape.
"I care about my body and I need to be healthy to clock up the hours that I do. So I don't stuff myself, I don't eat cheese, dairy products or pasta. I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't take drugs.
"My make-up artist said to me recently, 'Girl you work hard, but you live a clean life!' And that's true."
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