Jennifer Lopez Said She Has a List of Journalists Who She Has ‘Marked for Death’

Jennifer Lopez struggled to adjust to fame. She said one of the worst parts of fame was the way some journalists talked about her.

Early in Jennifer Lopez’s career, she worked to adjust to her newfound fame. She said she found it uncomfortable to see people discussing her personal life, and she particularly disliked seeing people critique her work. She said she paid close attention to journalists who wrote negative reviews about her.

Jennifer Lopez said there were some journalists she despised

When Lopez became a bigger celebrity, she grew accustomed to seeing her name in the press. Just because she was used to it didn’t mean it was easy on her, though. She said she kept track of journalists who wrote negatively about her.

“There are certain people that are marked for death already,” she told Movieline in 1998. “I have my little list of journalists that have treated me unfairly.”

She said she even confronted the colleague of one critic who didn’t like her performance in Selena.

“Like, I was totally happy, totally confident with my work in Selena, but out of the 700 reviews — and I read every single one — I can quote the one who said, The one thing you don’t do when you walk out of this movie is say, ‘Who’s that girl?’ I was like, ‘You lying b****!’ When another person from that same magazine came up to me, the first thing I said to her was, ‘You tell that other b**** that writes for your magazine that I’m never talking with her again.’ I definitely have my list of people that are going to get their justice.”

She shared why negative comments about her acting stung so much

Lopez was so angry about the journalist who criticized her acting because of how much she valued her craft. She was very confident in her abilities as an actor.

“I’m the best,” she said. “I feel I can do anything — any kind of role. I’m fearless … I work really hard. I’ll just get better as I go along because I’m open to getting better. If you have the goods, there’s nothing to be afraid of. If somebody doesn’t have the goods, they’re insecure. I don’t have that problem. I’m not the best actress that ever lived, but I know I’m pretty good.”

Jennifer Lopez said adjusting to fame was not easy

Lopez said that early in her career, even positive attention was a challenge.

“It gave me a lot of anxiety when I began to get so much more recognized,” she said. “It was like, ‘What the hell have I done? Have I made a deal with the devil here?’ This stuff of people invading your life, like when you’re eating at a restaurant or just walking around, it freaks you out. You’re like, ‘I don’t want that person coming up to me to ask for an autograph.’”

She said she quickly learned to accept that it was going to be a part of her life, though. It was easier to handle when she wasn’t fighting it.

“But if you’re stressed, you attract it even more. It’s just easier not to fight things so much,” she said. “Just f***ing go with the flow. It’s easier to just sign the autograph quick instead of turning it into a bigger thing. Now I step back and go, ‘Hey, I’m from the Bronx, I’m tough and I’m not going to let this get to me.'”