Jennifer Lopez

Born on: July 24, 1969

Born in: South Bronx, New York

Nationality: American

Career: Actress, Singer, Songwriter, Record Producer, Dancer, Fashion Designer and Television Producer

 

Jennifer Lopez, more popularly known as J.Lo, is one of the most famous pop-singers of America. Being a multi-talented individual, she also plays the role of an actress, singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer, fashion designer, and television producer, with effortless ease. She made her debut, as a singer, in 1999, with the album ‘On the 6’, while her acting career had started much earlier, in 1987, with the movie ‘My Little Girl’. Her success has won her the title of the ‘richest person of Latin American descent in Hollywood’, by Forbes. Apart from that, People en Español has named her as the ‘most influential Hispanic entertainer in America’.

 

Jennifer Lopez was born as ‘Jennifer Lynn Lopez’ on 24^th July 1969, in the South Bronx, New York. She is one of the three children of Puerto Rican parents, David Lopez, a computer specialist, and Guadalupe Rodríguez, a kindergarten teacher. She has two siblings, Lynda and Leslie. Throughout her early years, Lopez went to Catholic schools and completed her education from there only. She even graduated from the all-girls Preston High School, in the Bronx. Since the age of 19, she started financing singing and dancing lessons for herself.

 

Lopez attended Baruch College for graduation and after completing one semester, started working in a legal office, along with attending dance classes, and giving dance performances in Manhattan night clubs. Her first major break, as a dancer, came in 1990, when she was selected as a dancer for an episode of ‘Yo! MTV Raps’. She also bagged the role of a backup dancer, for the ‘New Kids on the Block’ and their performance in the 1991 American Music Awards. Her first regular high-profile job was as a "Fly Girl" dancer for ‘In Living Color’ in 1990. J. Lo also appeared in Janet Jackson’s video ‘That's the Way Love Goes’ (1993).

 

In 1993-1994, Jennifer Lopez starred in a number of short-lived television programs, like ‘South Central’, ‘Second Chances’ and ‘Hotel Malibu’. She was also seen in the film ‘Nurses on the Line: The Crash of Flight 7’, which was made for television viewing. It was in the year 1995 that she got her first break in a commercial film, when she starred first, in ‘My Family’ and then, in ‘Money Train’. The next year saw Lopez appearing in Francis Ford Coppola's 1996 comedy film, ‘Jack’.

 

In 1997, Lopez starred in ‘Selena’, the film that won her a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for "Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy". The success of the movie made her the ‘first Latin actress’ to be paid $1 million or more for a film role. She is also remembered for her excellent performance in the movies, ‘Out of Sight’, ‘The Cell’, ‘The Wedding Planner’ and ‘Maid in Manhattan’. In the year 2004, she was seen in ‘An Unfinished Life’, followed by ‘Shall We Dance’ (2005). 

 

In 2004, she also starred in the sixth season finale of ‘Will & Grace’ and then again came for the seventh season. Lopez turned a producer with ‘El Cantante’ and ‘Bordertown’, both of which were well-received at various film festivals. The year 2007 saw Lopez making cameo appearances in ‘DanceLife’, her executively-produced reality show. She was also seen as a mentor on the ‘American Idol’. The same year, she worked as an executive producer of a miniseries in Univisión, which premiered in October 2007.

 

Jennifer Lopez made her debut in the music industry in 1999, with the album ‘On the 6’. It reached the top ten of the Billboard 200 and one of its songs ‘If You Had My Love’ featured on the Billboard Hot 100. She came out with ‘J. Lo’ in 2001; the album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. The year 2002 saw her taking out 'J to tha L-O!: The Remixes' and 'This Is Me... Then'. Lopez took a break and released her next album ‘Rebirth’ in 2005. Her latest releases have been ‘Como Ama una Mujer’ and ‘Brave’, both of which came out in 2007.

 

Apart from being involved in the entertainment industry, J. Lo has ventured into a number of businesses. In 2002, she opened ‘Madre's’, a Cuban restaurant in the South Lake district of Pasadena, California. The same year, she ventured into the perfume industry and launched ‘Glow by J. Lo’, followed by ‘Still’ (2003), 'Live by Jennifer Lopez (2005), 'Love at First Glow by J.Lo'(2006), 'Live Luxe' (2006) and ‘Desire’ (2007). Lopez launched a clothing line in 2003, named ‘JLO by Jennifer Lopez’, followed by ‘Sweetface’ (2005) and ‘JustSweet’ (2007). She also owns a film and television production company, ‘Nuyorican Productions’.

 

The first marriage of Jennifer Lopez took place in Ojani Noa, in 1997, but the couple divorced the following year. Next, she became involved with Sea Combs, but the affair lasted only two and half years. J. Lo married backup dancer, Cris Judd, in 2001. The couple separated one year later and got divorced in 2003. Her next relationship was with Ben Affleck and the couple had even announced their engagement in 2002. Their marriage, scheduled for September 2003, was called off hours before the event and the couple broke up in 2004. She is recently involved with Marc Anthony and the couple also has two kids (twins).

 

1999 - On the 6

2001 - J. Lo

2002 - J to tha L-O!: The Remixes

2002 - This Is Me... Then

2005 - Rebirth

2007 - Como Ama una Mujer, Brave

 

1987 - My Little Girl

1993 - Nurses on the Line: The Crash of Flight 7

1995 - My Family/Mi Familia, Money Train

1996 - Jack

1997 - Blood and Wine, Selena, Anaconda, U Turn

1998 - Out of Sight, Antz

2000 - The Cell

2001 - The Wedding Planner, Angel Eyes

2002 - Enough, Maid in Manhattan

2003 - Gigli

2004 - Jersey Girl, Shall We Dance

2005 - Monster-in-Law, An Unfinished Life

2007 - El Cantante, Feel the Noise

 

1993 - In Living Color, Second Chances

1994 - South Central, Hotel Malibu

2004 - Will & Grace

2007 - American Idol, Como Ama Una Mujer (producer), Dancing with the Stars