Singer-actress Jennifer Lopez fired her manager of five years, Benny Medina, last week, and has now filed a petition with the California Labor Commission against him as well.
The screen diva accuses her former employee of acting as her agent without the appropriate license, and stealing $100,000 from her. Lopez wants that amount in damages, plus 10 percent interest.
The parting of ways is the latest in what has become something of a pattern for Lopez over the last year or so. She’s switched agents and managers, and has been sued by a former director for alleged improprieties. She’s also convinced fiance Ben Affleck to rotate his staff, as well.
The next film for both actors will be Gigli, a drama about two rookie gangsters (Affleck and Lopez) who are charged with the task of kidnapping the younger brother of a competing crime family’s boss. It appears in theaters on July 30.
After that, Affleck and Lopez will star together again, in the romantic comedy Jersey Girl, which has already wrapped.
Despite her growing litigious reputation, Jennifer Lopez thinks she represents a good role model for young girls. “I think it’s nice that girls feel they have someone to look up to in me,” Lopez says. “And I don’t think I’m going to do anything in the near future that’s gonna disappoint anybody… I hope.”