Principal photography commenced in New York City in April , just months after the September 11 attacks , and concluded by June 2002 . Filming was carried out at both New York 's Roosevelt Hotel and the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel . Filming also took place in the Morris Heights section of the Bronx on E 175 Street between the Grand Concourse and on Jerome Avenue . John Hughes wrote the story , but was credited as Edmond Dantes . On the film 's first day of production in The Bronx , paparazzi and spectators forced filming to stop , and police were called as a result of the pandemonium . Wayne Wang said " No one in the production was prepared for it . " '' Maid in Manhattan '' opened at 2,838 theaters in the United States , reaching number one at the box office in its opening weekend with $ 18.7 million , beating out '' Star Trek : Nemesis '' , by less than $ 200,000 . It earned a total of $ 94,011,225 domestically , and $ 60,895,468 in other countries , for a total gross of $ 155 million worldwide
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Maid in Manhattan