To put it mildly, Jennifer Lopez is an icon, whose career spans music, film and TV. When it comes to the silver screen, the 55-year-old multihyphenate has starred in memorable films, from Selena and Anaconda to Monster-in-Law and Hustlers. Another one of her most beloved films is the sweet 2002 romantic comedy Maid in Manhattan. Considering how popular the movie remains, many were ecstatic when Lopez recently reunited with co-star Ralph Fiennes and, afterwards, she penned a sweet message that provided hope for a sequel.
JLo was honored at Variety’s Creative Impact Awards in Palm Springs this weekend. The actress and songstress was specifically honored with the organization’s Legend and Groundbreakers due to her performance in the sports drama Unstoppable and her career in general. It was Ralph Fiennes, who presented her with the award and he paid a sweet tribute to his co-star in the process. Subsequently, the Marry Me star posted that speech to Instagram and wrote a lovely message:
I cannot thank you enough Ralph Fiennes for your beautiful words and for our little Maid in Manhattan reunion today. It was wonderful to see you. You brought tears to my eyes. (That’s why I was sniffling through my whole speech LOL) I love you. Thank you so much…working with you was one of the great highlights of my career so far. I say so far because I hope I get to do it again someday soon for Maid in Manhattan 2…You never know…🤍✨
That entire sentiment is very sweet, and it goes without saying that it was lovely to see the two actors cross paths after all these years. What really seemed to grab fans’ attention, though, was the “Love Don’t Cost a Thing” singer implying that she wouldn’t be opposed to a sequel to their early 2000s film. A number of devotees flooded the comments section, where they shared excitement over the notion of a follow-up:
- Did THEE legend just say maid in Manhattan 2 maybe?😏 We need that – _jlothaqueen
- We need Maid In Manhattan 2 please 😍😍❤️❤️ – meeladelsol
- Maid In Manhattan 2 ?? OH YES PLEASE I AM ALREADY SEATED 🙇🏽♀️😍 – jxlo.lxpezx
- Maid in Manhattan 2 👁️👄👁️ Omg I need – camilanaiara18
- Let’s get that script going! ✍🏼 – divoandthecity
Directed by Wayne Wang and written by John Hughes (under a pseudonym) and Kevin Wade, Maid in Manhattan centers around hotel maid and single mother Marisa (Jennifer Lopez), who falls in love with senatorial candidate Chris (Ralph Fiennes). Marisa ultimately manages to convince Chris that she’s a wealthy socialite but must jump through hoops to keep up the ruse. While the film’s reviews were lackluster, it hit it big at the box office, earning $154.9 million worldwide against a reported $55 million budget.
Some may argue that the movie isn’t in the top five when it comes to JLo’s best rom-coms, but it has certainly managed to charm audiences over the years. While the prospect of a sequel would apparently be exciting to some, one still has to consider what the film would be about. I’m honestly not sure what Marisa and Chris would be up to today, though I’m sure some producers could come up with an idea.
Of course, this is all just an idea right now, though it’s possible that a sequel to Jennifer Lopez and Ralph Fiennes’ film could come to fruition. After all, the past several years have seen multiple films receive follow-ups, and some of the sequels no one asked for have proved to be quite good. We’ll have to wait and see if Lopez and Fiennes receive the opportunity to reprise their roles. However, in the meantime, it’s just lovely to see the two reconnect amid awards season.
Maid in Manhattan is currently available to stream with a Netflix subscription. Also, be sure to keep your eyes peeled on the 2025 movie schedule, as it’ll feature new releases from both Mr. Fiennes and Ms. Lopez.