28 FEBRUARY 2003
Staff at a swish London hotel were delighted when Jennifer Lopez jetted in for the premiere of her new film Maid In Manhattan. The actress' movie star behaviour seems to have raised quite a few eyebrows, however, as her extravagant demands left employees amazed.

In the movie Jen plays a lowly chambermaid who falls for a wealthy politician. But it's unlikely workers at the British capital's upmarket Metropolitan Hotel felt they had much in common with the star, as they were ordered not to talk to her.

The 32-year-old also enlisted a convoy of seven limousines to escort her just 200 yards when she went to lunch at the Dorchester. And staff at the Metropolitan were equally bemused when the singer requested thousands of pounds worth of lemon-scented candles.

Despite her lavish requests, Jen's co-stars from the film were quick to defend her from criticism. "She's terrific," insisted veteran British actor Bob Hoskins. "She doesn't come on like the big diva at all."

Ralph Fiennes, who plays her beau-to-be in the flick, was also eager to praise the Bronx-born beauty, saying: "She's a very gentle person, very open, and very easy to work with. She's very sweet."