J.Lo on movie, man, marriage

(CNN) -- She is a movie star, a singer, and to some at least, a style icon.

Her new movie "Maid in Manhattan" opens nationwide on Friday. Her new album, "This is Me... Then," is climbing the charts -- not bad for a girl who calls herself "Jenny from the Block."

CNN anchor Bill Hemmer sat down with J.Lo and talked about life -- and love, too.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: What did you think of the movie?

JENNIFER LOPEZ, ACTRESS/SINGER: I liked it very much. I'm very critical when I watch [myself], and it's hard for me to tell right off the bat because I'm in it.

HEMMER: Do you find yourself being more critical as you watch it?

LOPEZ: I didn't do that so much as I [said], "Do I act like that?" It was kind of funny.

HEMMER: How much did you have to say in the script? How much did you have to go into the writers and say, "I want this story to go this way?"

LOPEZ: It was [a] pretty collaborative process. There were a lot of people who were involved creatively. They came to me a lot for guidance on what somebody from this background would think about this, and so I actually had a lot of say in what my character was doing.

HEMMER: How much do you think this storyline reflects your own life?

LOPEZ: It's funny, I feel like there [are] parallels, but at the same time, I feel like we're so different. I [also] feel our backgrounds are exactly the same.

HEMMER: Was that intentional?

LOPEZ: When they decided to make a Puerto Rican and from the Bronx, there is no way to act like that's not me; that is who I am.

HEMMER: What more do you want?

LOPEZ: Me? Right now? Oh, tons.

HEMMER: Early 30s -- films, music. What's missing?

LOPEZ: I want to keep doing what I'm doing. If I can do that, then I'll be really happy.

The sexy man in J.Lo's life

HEMMER: So, listen, what do we make of this? Sexiest man alive? [Hemmer shows Lopez the cover of a People magazine where her fiance, actor Ben Affleck, is named "Sexiest Man Alive."]

LOPEZ: I like it. It's a beautiful cover. They picked the right guy, I think.

HEMMER: Does it make you happy?

LOPEZ: Yes.

HEMMER: If he were sitting here today what do you think he would say about you, why he likes you?

LOPEZ: I don't know, I think he'd say, if I know him, he'd probably say something about me having a big heart or something like that.

HEMMER: What will you say about him?

LOPEZ: The same, just that he's a really great person, a good person, in every sense of the word.

HEMMER: Listen, your relationship is public. Do you ever try to conceal that relationship, or do you find it impossible?

LOPEZ: We're not trying to do anything except be two people in love. I mean, we're not trying to do anything; we're just being ourselves. People catch pictures and they want to publish them -- that's a whole other animal that we can't control.

HEMMER: There is a part in the movie where you get caught by a photographer, walking through Central Park. Is this life imitating art?

LOPEZ: Absolutely.

HEMMER: I'm not here to be your counselor. But been married twice.

LOPEZ: Yes.

HEMMER: Thirty-three now?

LOPEZ: Yes.

HEMMER: Any reservations, any apprehension going a third time?

LOPEZ: No. Say that I've been married two times, but I haven't had a marriage yet. I'm hoping that this time that's what I get.

HEMMER: What do you think you learned from numbers one and two that might help you out now?

LOPEZ: There's a lot more to making a marriage work than just love and caring about someone. It's compromise, and it's support and communication; it's a lot of different things.

HEMMER: Valentine's Day? Is that the day?

LOPEZ: No.

HEMMER: Do you want to be a mother?

LOPEZ: Of course.

HEMMER: How do you think he'd make as a father?

LOPEZ: He'd be the best.

HEMMER: Do you get offended when people call you a diva?

LOPEZ: I think it is silly, yes.

HEMMER: What would you call yourself?

LOPEZ: I would call myself more than anything passionate and hard working, and things like that. I'd like to think so anyway.

HEMMER: Good luck to you.