Indaba News

"I love my tent!" pop star Jennifer Lopez would shout as she opened the flaps and took a flying leap onto her queen-size bed.

Lopez had the option of staying in a hotel while shooting scenes in Namibia for the movie The Cell. But she refused to budge after seeing the 4m x 8m tent provided for her by Felix Unite Production Support—Tented Camps, in the Sessriem area of Namib Naukluft National Park. The spacious tent, with African themed decor, also had "wall-to-wall" carpeting and air conditioning. A television was installed to view the "rushes" after each day's filming. The en-suite bathroom had a glass shower cubicle and a flush toilet.

"Some people said Jennifer would never stay in a tent. In fact, she didn't come out for the first half an hour. She just loved it," said Linzi Thomas of Beth and Linzi Productions, the South African line producer on the movie. "She was charmed by the entire tented village erected by Felix Unite Tented Camps. She called it Jennifer's City."

Feilx Unite Catering team leader Andre Palmer was delighted to be assigned the task of seeing to the culinary preferences of Lopez, who is dubbed 'the sexiest woman in the world'. "Her best was French toast served with egg whites," said Andre. "Otherwise she ate everything we served. She said she didn't eat fish but we recommended she try our kingklip. She was sold on it and sent her tray back twice for more. She used tomato ketchup on everything."

And would Andre rate Lopez among the world's sexiest woman? "Totally so," he said, "She's very beautiful. She was just great—chatted to the guys in the pub and happily signed autographs for everyone."

Linzi praised the teams from Felix Unite Tented Camps, Production Support's Unit Services, and Catering. "They were exceptional. We had an average of two hours sleep a night for two weeks as we were shooting in six different locations, some up to 20km away. The logistics were difficult and the conditions rough. They really helped make it happen," she said.

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