LOS ANGELES, Calif.–The girlfriend of the first husband of Jennifer Lopez filed suit against the actress today, alleging she interfered with a motion picture contract.
Telenovela actress/singer Claudia Vazquez of Covina brought the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court. She is currently representing herself and seeking at least $10 million in damages.
Lopez’s lawyer, John H. Lavely, did not immediately return a call for comment.
The lawsuit is related to an invasion of privacy action filed in November 2009 by Lopez in connection with a film proposed by her first husband, Ojani Noa, and filmmaker Ed Meyer.
According to the court papers filed by Lopez, who married Noa in 1997 and divorced him 11 months later, the movie was to be called “How I Married Jennifer Lopez: The J. Lo and Ojani Noa Story.”
The Lopez lawsuit, which seeks $10 million in damages, alleges the film would show video footage of Noa and Lopez and contain private and disparaging information about the entertainer.
Although Vazquez also is contracted with Noa and Meyer to work on the project, Lopez did not sue her.
Noa and Meyer have denied it is a tell-all movie and say it would not have the title listed in the lawsuit.
According to Vazquez’s complaint, the film project she, Noa and Meyer are putting together is “a movie about Ojani Noa’s life” and was “developed in part with significant funds advanced to (Vazquez) by NBC and Telemundo,” which is an affiliate of NBC.
The Vazquez complaint also alleges Lopez provided “false and misleading facts to the court to obtain a restraining order” against Noa and Meyer preventing them from distributing or publishing the materials intended for use in their film.
Vazquez said today she felt forced to sue Lopez because she believes the actress is intentionally dragging out her lawsuit and that it could detrimentally affect her commitment to Telemundo. She said she would rather resolve the case amicably, but is not getting any cooperation from Lopez.
Lopez, 41, is appealing a ruling in January by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge William F. Fahey denying her attempt to force arbitration of her dispute with Noa and Meyer.
Fahey said the arbitration argument concerning Meyer was particularly weak because the producer never signed an agreement saying he would arbitrate any disputes he and Noa might have with Lopez, nor did he ever say he would give up his right to a jury trial.
