Ralph Fiennes Admits Feeling “A Little Bit Lost” Opposite Jennifer Lopez in Maid in Manhattan

From Voldemort to Rom-Com

Ralph Fiennes has played everything from Shakespearean kings to one of cinema’s most feared villains, but in a recent interview, the Oscar-nominated actor admitted that one of his lighter roles left him feeling unexpectedly adrift. Speaking to People in December 2024, Fiennes reflected on his experience filming the 2002 romantic comedy Maid in Manhattan alongside Jennifer Lopez, revealing he sometimes felt “a little bit at sea” and “kind of sometimes a little bit lost.”

The reason wasn’t a lack of chemistry with his co-star — by all accounts, Lopez and Fiennes got along well — but rather his struggle to fully inhabit the character of Christopher Marshall, a charming Republican senate hopeful caught up in a case of mistaken identity.

Political Fish Out of Water

“I didn’t really understand the nuances of a Republican senator in America,” Fiennes explained, noting that the character’s political background was far removed from his own frame of reference. The script’s “rom-com” tone, he added, made it harder to ground Marshall in the way he was used to in his more dramatic work.

The admission sheds light on a curious chapter in Fiennes’ career. Maid in Manhattan, directed by Wayne Wang and released in December 2002, was a commercial hit — earning $154 million worldwide — but met with mixed reviews, holding a 38% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. For Fiennes, who had just a decade earlier stunned audiences in Schindler’s List, the project was a sharp genre pivot.

Cultural Learning Curve

Looking back, Fiennes views the role as part of his professional growth. “My understanding of American things has improved since then,” he told People, suggesting the experience was a learning curve rather than a misstep. His career since has spanned everything from The Grand Budapest Hotel to his iconic turn as Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter series, proving his range — even if rom-com politics proved a bit of a blind spot in 2002.

On set, Fiennes found support from friends and colleagues, including the late Natasha Richardson, who played a supporting role. Off set, he was even roped into serving as a “decoy” for Lopez’s then-relationship with Ben Affleck, a tidbit he’s shared in past interviews, highlighting the uniquely surreal aspects of working on a high-profile Hollywood romance.

A 22-Year Reunion

Time, it seems, has softened any awkwardness from the experience. On January 4, 2025, Fiennes and Lopez reunited at Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch and Creative Impact Awards brunch in Palm Springs. Fiennes offered a nostalgic nod to their on-screen love story during the event, suggesting that while he may have once felt out of his depth, he now looks back with fondness.

Out of His Comfort Zone

Fiennes’ candor underscores a reality often overlooked in romantic comedies: for actors more accustomed to heavy drama or historical epics, the genre’s breezy tone can be its own challenge. Playing opposite Lopez in a modern Cinderella story may have been worlds away from portraying Nazi commandant Amon Göth or Shakespeare’s Coriolanus, but the role remains a reminder of Fiennes’ willingness to experiment — even when it means feeling a little lost.

And, as the film’s enduring popularity on streaming platforms suggests, audiences didn’t seem to mind. In fact, Maid in Manhattan stands as proof that sometimes stepping outside your comfort zone can lead to work that endures far beyond the critics’ first impressions.