J.Lo Preps to Re-Team with Marc Anthony

By Stephen M. Silverman

Tuesday June 25, 2002 11:00 AM EDT

It's getting so that one needs a scorecard to keep track of Jennifer Lopez's upcoming movie projects. This morning's revelation from Variety is that J.Lo, 31, will produce and costar in an as-yet-untitled feature for Sony Pictures based on the life of bad-boy salsa legend Hector Lavoe. Marc Anthony, 33, is in discussions to star as Lavoe, says the trade paper. (Anthony and Lopez previously teamed to sing "No Me Ames," which appears on her multiplatinum album "On the 6.") Born dirt poor in Puerto Rico, the golden-voiced Lavoe (1946-1993) struggled with drug addiction and depression until his death from AIDS. Production is due to begin later this year, says Variety. Only 20 days ago, PEOPLE.com reported that Lopez would star in a comedy to be called "Shrink," based on an Internet character created by former Marvel Comics illustrator Rob Liefeld. In it, J.Lo would play a retired superheroine who swaps her cape for a therapist's couch so she can counsel psychologically troubled Supermen and Wonder Women. The "Enough" star has already finished shooting two upcoming movies, "Gigli," with Ben Affleck, and "Uptown Girl" (formerly titled "The Chambermaid"), a Cinderella-like comedy with Ralph Fiennes. Previously announced future projects also include "Jersey Girl" for writer-director Kevin Smith ("Dogma"), again costarring Affleck, and "Carmen," an update of Prosper Merimee's 19th-century short story that in 1875 became the classic George Bizet opera.