Jennifer Lopez’s upcoming film project is reportedly in financial trouble. The New York Daily News claims that her planned film version of “Carmen,” where she will take on the starring role, is in dire need of investors for its $50 million budget.
“Ray” helmer Taylor Hackford, who is directing the project, tells the newspaper: “’Carmen’ is on its last legs. Studios are so frightened at the moment that they are looking for outside money. There is a great deal of fear in Hollywood. Many of the films are not working [at the box office].”
Hackford said the Lopez version of “Carmen” would not be derived from the Georges Bizet opera, which featured the protagonist as a flirty Spanish dancer who gets her comeuppance at the hands of her spurned lover. The studios, according to Hackford, believe the subject matter is too adult for J.Lo’s more family-friendly fan base.
“[Carmen] is not a sweet, nice girl. This is a piece about a criminal,” says Hackford. “We want to do a tough, hard version, but Hollywood thinks the audience [for Jennifer Lopez] is 13-year-old girls. … It has an ending that Hollywood does not like to make.”
In other J.Lo news, the two men who were arrested for trying to extort Lopez and her husband Marc Anthony for $1 million were arraigned late Wednesday in Manhattan Criminal Court.
Tito Moses, 31, and Steven Wortman, 49 were charged with conspiracy, attempted grand larceny and possession of stolen property after trying to ransom the couple’s stolen wedding video after first shopping it around unsuccessfully to media outlets including People, Us Weekly and “Access Hollywood,” according to a criminal complaint filed against them.
Michelle Rodriguez
*Michelle Rodriguez’s Dec. 1 arrest on suspicion of drunk driving in Honolulu may have led to a probation violation in Los Angeles that could put the actress behind bars for 18 months.
On Thursday, Rodriguez and fellow “Lost” cast member Cynthia Watros, 37, were arraigned in Honolulu’s Kaneohe District Court on the latest DUI charges. Driving separate cars, both were arrested within 15 minutes of one another after police spotted them weaving on a Honolulu freeway.
In June 2004, Rodriguez, 27, was sentenced to 36 months of probation stemming from a DUI in Nov. 2003, and a hit-and-run the previous July – both in the Hollywood area.
“We believe Ms. Rodriguez violated the terms of her probation,” said Los Angeles City Attorney’s office spokesman Frank Mateljan of her latest arrest. “She now potentially faces up to 18 months in county jail.”
Eva Longoria
According to unconfirmed reports, “Desperate Housewives” star Eva Longoria is planning to file a formal complaint against the Texas police officer who cited her boyfriend for a traffic violation on Christmas Eve.
Longoria was riding shotgun with her man, San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker, when he was pulled over for impeding traffic. During the traffic stop in San Antonio, where they live, police say the couple became belligerent and verbally abusive toward the officer.
Police say Longoria shouted to the cop: “Well, f*** you then.” As the officer was writing Parker a ticket for blocking traffic, Longoria allegedly said to Parker: “He’s just a Mexican bike cop. He only wants your autograph.”
Longoria, who is of Mexican heritage, has denied that she made racially offensive remarks. Her publicist, meanwhile, could not confirm reports that she is filing a formal complaint, says Fox News.
This story was reprinted with permission: www.eurweb.com.
