Jennifer Lynn Muñiz (née Lopez; born July 24, 1969) is an American entertainer. Listed as the most influential Hispanic performer in the United States,Lopez is one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood and is the highest paid actor of Latin descent, making up to US$15 million per film role.Lopez has sold over 11.8 million albums in the United States and over 70 million records worldwide.She became interested in pursuing a career in the entertainment industry following her small role in the 1986 film My Little Girl, to the dismay of her Puerto Rican parents, who believed that it was an unrealistic career route for a Latino. Following a move from The Bronx to Manhattan, Lopez performed in regional stage productions, before touring with musicals in Europe and Japan. She gained her first regular high-profile job as a Fly Girl dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color in 1991, where she remained a regular cast member until 1993 when she decided to pursue a full-time acting career.

 

Lopez received her first leading role in the Selena biopic of the same name. Following subsequent roles in the films Anaconda (1997) and Out of Sight (1998), Lopez ventured into the music industry in 1999 with the release of On the 6. With the simultaneous release of her second studio album J.Lo and her film The Wedding Planner in 2001, Lopez became the first person to have a number one album and film in the same week. Lopez's 2002 remix album, J to tha L–O! The Remixes, became the first in history to debut atop the U.S. Billboard 200. Between the release of her third and fourth studio albums – This Is Me... Then and Rebirth – Lopez took a break from her music career to focus on acting, starring in the films Maid in Manhattan (2002) and Shall We Dance? (2004). Lopez's Spanish-language album, Como Ama una Mujer (2007), received the highest first-week sales in the United States for a Spanish album. Her commercial success was severely damaged after the release of her sixth studio album, Brave (2007). The set, which showcased a different musical prospective from the singer, failed to attain the success of her previous efforts and removed Lopez from the music scene until 2011, when she became a judge on the singing competition American Idol. This venture allowed her to regain media attention and improved her success on the music charts, with her single "On the Floor", showcased and released during such timespan, becoming a worldwide hit and her best-selling single to date.

 

With her production company, Nuyorican Productions, Lopez produced the films Bordertown (2006) and El Cantante (2007), in which she also stars. The company entered into a premier partnership with television network nuvoTV in 2012, which will see Lopez working on the creative side of the network, managing marketing and program production, as well as appearing in programming. Using her celebrity status, Lopez ventured into creating a retail empire which began with her lifestyle brand J.Lo by Jennifer Lopez. This was followed by the release of her fragrance, Glow by JLo, which set a trend in celebrity endorsement of fragrances and became the highest-selling bottle in the American market.

 

Lopez's public image and personal relationships have attracted worldwide media attention. Her marriage to actor Ojani Noa from 1997 to 1998 was proceeded by a series of lawsuits by Lopez, resulting from Noa's attempts to sell private details of Lopez and their relationship. Following her marriage to Noa, Lopez dated producer Sean Combs, a relationship that became the inspiration for her 2000 single "Love Don't Cost a Thing". Combs accompanied Lopez to the 42nd Grammy Awards in 2000, where she wore her infamous Green Versace dress. Lopez became romantically involved with actor Ben Affleck, while still married to her second husband Cris Judd, during shooting of Gigli (2003), a film that has been considered one of the worst of all time. Their relationship, dubbed as Bennifer, ended as a result of media overexposure, which caused a negative impact on both of their careers. After rekindling her relationship with recording artist Marc Anthony, the two wed in a private ceremony in 2004. Lopez gave birth to the couple's twins, Max and Emme, in February 2008. They were introduced in the March 11, 2008 issue of People, for which the magazine paid a reported $6 million; the photographs of the twins became the most expensive celebrity picture taken at the time.

 

Life and career

1969–94: Childhood and early work

Lopez was born on July 24, 1969 in the Castle Hill neighborhood of The Bronx, New York.The middle child of Puerto Rican parents Guadalupe Rodriguez and David Lopez, she has an elder sister, Leslie, and a younger sister, Lynda (born June 14, 1971).David worked the night shift at the Guardian Insurance Company, before becoming a computer technician at the firm, while Guadalupe was a homemaker. When Jennifer was born, the Lopez family was living in a small apartment. A few years later, her parents had saved up enough money to be able to purchase a two-story house, which was considered a big deal for the relatively poor family.By the age of five, Lopez began taking singing and dancing lessons. She toured New York with her school when she was seven years old. Her parents stressed the importance of work ethic and being able to speak English. They encouraged their three daughters to put on performances at home, singing and dancing in front of each other and their friends so that they would stay "out of trouble".Lopez spent her entire academic career in Catholic schools, finishing at the all-girls Preston High School.In school, Lopez did gymnastics, ran track on a national level and was a member of the school's softball team.She excelled athletically rather than academically, competing in national track championships.In 1984, at the age of fifteen, she began dating David Cruz, her first boyfriend.

 

While attending her final year of high school, Lopez learned about a film casting that was seeking several teenage girls for small roles. She auditioned and was cast in My Little Girl (1986), an low-budget film co-written and directed by Connie Kaiserman.Lopez acted as Myra, a young woman at a center for troubled girls. After she finished filming her role in the film, Lopez knew that she wanted to become a "famous movie star". To please her parents, though, she enrolled in Baruch College, only to drop out after one semester. She told her parents her dream of becoming a movie star, but they ensisted that it was a "really stupid" idea and that "no Latinos did that". The differences in opinions led Lopez to move out of their family home and into an apartment in Manhattan. During this period, Lopez performed in regional productions of the musicals: Jesus Christ, Superstar! and Oklahoma. From there, she was hired for the chorus in a Golden Musicals of Broadway, which toured Europe for a period of five months. She was unhappy with the role, as she was the only member of the chorus not to have a solo. She later got a job on the show Synchronicity in Japan, where she acted as a dancer, singer and a choreographer.

 

In 1991 Lopez was selected as a backup dancer for the New Kids on the Block and performed with them during their performance of "Games" at the American Music Awards. Shortly after, Lopez gained her first regular high-profile job as a Fly Girl dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. She applied for the job after one of the cast members was unavailable to continue with the show. Out of two thousand applicants, Lopez made it to the finals; becoming the runner-up, but eventually received the role when the winner was unable to accept the job. She moved with Cruz to Los Angeles to film the series and remained a regular cast member until 1993 when she decided to pursue an acting career. Prior to leaving the show, Lopez briefly worked as a backup dancer for American recording artist Janet Jackson.Lopez was set to tour with Jackson on her Janet World Tour in late 1993, but backed out as she wanted to do her "own thing."Lopez received her first professional acting gig in the direct-to-video drama film Lost in the Wild (1993), co-starring alongside Lindsay Wagner and Robert Loggia.Later in 1993 Lopez signed a deal with CBS to co-star in the television series Second Chances. The show was cancelled after airing only six episodes, due to its set being destroyed by the 1994 Northridge earthquake.A spin-off of the series, entitled Hotel Malibu was launched later that same year. It also ran for only a brief period of time and, like Second Chances, received negative reviews.

 

1995–98: Selena and subsequent film roles

Lopez's received her first high-budget film role in Gregory Nava's 1995 drama My Family, playing the character of Young Maria in the 1920s.After starring alongside Jimmy Smits and Edward James Olmos in My Family, which earned her a Independent Spirit Award nomination, Lopez starred in the action film Money Train, opposite Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson.Lopez reportedly beat out Ashley Judd and Lauren Holly for the supporting role in Francis Ford Coppola's 1996 comedy Jack starring Robin Williams. She then starred opposite Jack Nicholson in Bob Rafelson's well-received noir thriller Blood and Wine (1996).Lopez's first big break came in 1996, when she was chosen to play the title role in Selena, a biopic of the Tejano pop singer Selena.Despite having previously worked with the film's director on My Family, Lopez was subjected to an intense auditioning process before she was cast in the film.Lopez played Selena in her twenties, while Rebecca Lee Maza played Selena in her younger years.During pre-production, Mexican-American activists were highly critical that Lopez was selected to play Selena, preferring to have an actress with Mexican roots to play Selena. Lopez earned widespread outstanding reviews and praise from critics for her portrayal of Selena. Kenneth Turan from Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan while giving the film a mixed review, he wrote that Selena was not just a celebration of Selena's life, but the actress who played her.She garnered multiple awards and nominations, including a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.

 

Lopez married Cuban actor Ojani Noa on February 22, 1997.Later that year, Lopez appeared in two major films. She starred in the horror film Anaconda alongside Ice Cube and Jon Voight, playing the role of Terri Flores, a director who is shooting a documentary while traveling through the Amazon River.Despite being a modest box office hit, the film was panned by film critics.Lopez then starred as the leading actress in the neo-noir film U Turn, which is based on the book Stray Dogs, starring alongside Sean Penn and Billy Bob Thornton.

 

After filming Selena, Lopez was "really feeling [her] Latin roots" and cut a demo in Spanish.Lopez's manager then sent the song, entitled "Vivir Sin Ti", to Sony Music Entertainment's Work Records, who showed an interest in signing Lopez. Tommy Mottola, the head of the label suggested to her that she sing in English instead.She complied and began recording her debut studio album On the 6. During production of the On the 6, Lopez was aware of the fact that she received her recording contract on the premise of her looks and having an already established name in the entertainment industry, and wanted to prove that she had musical talent.Prior to the debut of her music, critics wondered why she would take the risk of launching a music career. It was noted that: "If the album was a flop, not only would it embarrass Lopez, but it might even damage her career."In April 1998, it was announced that Lopez would be launching a clothing line, entitled J.Lo by Jennifer Lopez, in time for the holiday season. The line, which would eventually also include eyewear, swimwear, accessories and a fragrance, was to be backed up by an investment group led by Andy Hilfiger and Larry Stemmerman.In June, she had one of her most acclaimed roles, starring opposite George Clooney in Out of Sight, Steven Soderbergh's adaptation of the Elmore Leonard novel.Cast as a deputy federal marshal who falls for a charming criminal, Lopez won rave reviews for her performance and in the process she became the first Latina actress to earn over $1 million for a role.She additionally provided the voice of Azteca on the computer-animated film Antz (1998).

 

1999–2001: On the 6, J.Lo and The Wedding Planner

Lopez's debut album On the 6 was released on June 1, 1999 in the United States. It achieved commercial success, peaking inside the top ten of the Billboard 200.It was proceeded by the May release of her debut single "If You Had My Love". The song was a success worldwide, and became her first number one on the Billboard Hot 100.A ballad with fellow Latin singer Marc Anthony entitled "No Me Ames" was released as a B-side to "If You Had My Love" and the album's second single.The song was promoted by Sony Discos, who released a salsa and a ballad version of the song on their respective radio formats.Dance track "Waiting for Tonight" served as the album's third single. It became her second top-ten single on the Hot 100, and became an anthem for the new millennium.Two further singles were released in from the album. The fourth was "Feelin' So Good" and fifth was "Let's Get Loud", each attained moderate success."Waiting for Tonight" (2000) and "Let's Get Loud" (2001) each received Grammy Award nominations in the Best Dance Recording category.The surprising success of On the 6 made the "popular actor even more popular". Both the music industry and the public became intrigued by "this woman who seemed to have so many different talents".Lopez had successfully converted herself from a film star to a pop star over the course of twelve months. On December 27, Lopez and Sean Combs were at Club New York, a midtown Manhattan nightclub, when gunfire erupted between Combs' entourage and another group. Lopez and Combs were being driven away from the scene when they were chased and stopped by the police. A gun was found in the front seat of their vehicle. Combs was charged with felony gun possession. Stress over Combs' trial and pursuit by the press multiplied their problems and Lopez terminated her involvement with Combs a year later.

 

Lopez controversially arrived at the 42nd Grammy Awards on February 22, 2000 wearing a plunging exotic green Versace silk chiffon dress, which became known as the Green Versace Jungle Dress. The dress, known for its low cut neck that extended below her navel and its open back, generated much controversy and media attention. Images of Lopez in the green dress were downloaded from the Grammy website 642,917 times in just 24 hours after the event.Lopez was surprised by the enormous media coverage, declaring that: "It was a nice dress. I had no idea it was going to become such a big deal".Returning to film, Lopez starred opposite Vincent D'Onofrio, in the psychological thriller film The Cell, released on August 18, 2000.She portrayed Catherine Deane, a child psychologist who uses virtual reality to enter into the minds of her patients to coax them out of their comas. The Cell achieved Box Office success.

 

Lopez's second studio album J.Lo was released on January 22, 2001 in the United States. Prior, Lopez felt that it was important to stay fresh and innovate the music industry. She decided to alter her image to keep fans "guessing", so she dyed her hair and renamed herself J.Lo, a nickname which her fans began to call her on the streets after she began her recording career in 1999.J.Lo was an instant commercial success. It sold 272,000 copies in its opening week and debuted atop the Billboard 200—the same week her romantic comedy film The Wedding Planner led box office receipts—making Lopez the first female to have a film and album number one at the same time.This was proceeded by the release of "Love Don't Cost a Thing" as the album's lead single. It topped the UK Singles Chart, and reached the top three of the Hot 100."Play" was released as the second single, charting in the top twenty of the Hot 100 and reached three on the UK Singles Chart. The album's third single "I'm Real" reached number one on the Hot 100, as well as spending over a year on the chart, with a total of 62 weeks."I'm Real" was controversial for using a sample of the song "Firecraker"—which singer Mariah Carey had wanted to sample first. It was later shockingly announced that Carey's ex husband, Tommy Mottola had instructed record executive Irv Gotti to give Lopez the sample before Carey, and Lopez was unaware of this."Ain't It Funny" was released as a single from J.Lo, however it didn't receive a promotional release in the US and was ineligible to chart on the Hot 100. Lopez next film role was in a supernatural romance film, Angel Eyes which disappointed at the box office and garnered mixed reviews.Lopez married former back-up dancer Cris Judd on September 29, 2001, at a home in the L.A. suburbs.The following month, along with several other popular artists, Lopez was featured on an album featuring verses of the song "What's Going On" under the name Artists Against AIDS Worldwide, to benefit AIDS foundations in Africa.Produced before the September 11 attacks, after the attacks the proceeds were given to American Red Cross.The same month, Lopez was featured on the song "El Ultimo Adios (The Last Goodbye)" along with 60 other Latin artists, in memory of the September 11 attacks to help raise money for families and charities involved or affected.

 

2002–04: J to tha L–O! The Remixes, Bennifer and This Is Me... Then

"There was a time when I was very overworked and I was doing music and movies and so many things. I was suffering from a lack of sleep. And I did have a kind of nervous breakdown. I froze up on set. Well, not on a set, but in my trailer. I was like – I don't want to move, I don't want to talk, I don't want to do anything. It was on that movie, Enough. Yeah, I did. I had a nervous breakdown."

—Jennifer Lopez

 

Lopez's first remix album, J to tha L-O! The Remixes, was released on February 5, 2002.It debuted at the summit of the Billboard 200, making it the first remix album in history to do so.It also became the third-highest-selling remix album in history, after Michael Jackson's Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix and Madonna's You Can Dance.The album spawned two commercially successful singles; the murder remix version of "Ain't it Funny" featuring Ja Rule reached number one, followed by the Track Masters remix version of "I'm Gonna Be Alright", which peaked at ten.Another single written by Lopez and her then-husband Cris Judd, "Alive", served as the album's third single.In May, Lopez starred in the thriller film Enough as Slim, a woman abused by her husband who goes on the run. With a production budget of $38 million, the film grossed $52 million at the box office worldwide.While dubbed as a "kick-butt, female empowerment" movie,the film's reviews were negative,although a fight scene between Slim and her husband at the film's conclusion was praised.Despite being at the height of her fame, Lopez admitted to having a nervous breakdown while filming Enough.In June, Lopez filed for divorce from Judd and began publicly dating actor Ben Affleck.In November, Affleck proposed to Lopez and the couple became engaged.The media began to refer to them as "Bennifer" and they became a prominent supercouple in the media and popular culture. Bennifer became a popular term, which was eventually entered into urban dictionaries and neologism dictionaries as notable,and the name blend started the trend of other celebrity couples being referred to by the combination of each others' first names.In September, Lopez released her first fragrance, Glow by JLo. It performed strongly despite predictions that it would fail, and became America's top-selling fragrance.Lopez was credited with bringing back celebrity endorsement of fragrances and setting the trend of other celebrities endorsing them.

 

Lopez's third studio album This Is Me... Then was released on November 25.The album's content reflected upon her relationship with Affleck; a song entitled "Dear Ben" detailed her relationship with the actor.The album was proceeded by the release of lead single "Jenny from the Block". The next two singles released from This Is Me... Then were "I'm Glad" and "Baby I Love U!". Both failed to attain the success of her previous singles. The video for "I'm Glad" recreated scenes from the 1983 film Flashdance, leading to a lawsuit over copyright infringement, which was later dismissed.This Is Me... Then has sold 2.6 million copies in the United States and has been certified double platinum by RIAA.In December, Lopez starred opposite Ralph Fiennes in the romantic comedy film Maid in Manhattan. She played Marisa Ventura, a struggling single mother who lives in the Bronx and makes her living cleaning rooms in a super-luxurious Manhattan hotel. Marisa gets mistaken for a socialite by a princely politician, who she falls in love with.[96] With a production bugdet of $55 million, the film grossed $155 million at the box office worldwide.The New York Times compared the film's storyline to her song "Jenny from the Block".

 

In January 2003, Lopez and Judd's divorce was finalized.In August, she starred opposite Affleck in the romantic comedy film Gigli as a lesbian. With a hefty production budget of $54 million, the film only grossed $7 million at the box office worldwide.It was considered a failure and one of the worst films ever made.In September, Lopez released her second fragrance Still Jennifer Lopez. Later, Affleck and Lopez canceled their wedding which had been scheduled for September 14 on the Californian Coast, citing the media's interference with the event as the reason.In January 2004, Lopez and Affleck broke up. Their split has been cited as being due to overexposure from the media, which caused public interest in their romance to result in less admiration and resulted in a negative impact on their careers.In March, Lopez had a minor role in the film Jersey Girl, alongside Affleck. Her character, Gertrude Steiney, dies during childbirth within the first 15 minutes of the film. From the intense media scrutiny following the couple's break-up, it was noted that "they may need to put Lopez in a coffin on the poster if they want anyone to come".With a production budget of $35 million, the film was a commercial failure, earning a total of $36 million at the box office. The film, however, received generally positive reviews from critics, despite being "full of cloyingly sentimental cliches".Lopez then began dating singer Marc Anthony, whom she had previous been involved with years ago. The couple wed on June 5, at her Beverly Hills mansion, one week after Anthony's divorce from Dayanara Torres was finalized.Two men attempted to ransom a private wedding video which was stolen from the couple for one million dollars; however they were arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on charges of conspiracy, attempted grand larceny and possession of stolen property.In October, Lopez co-starred alongside Richard Gere in the drama Shall We Dance?, a re-make of the 1996 Japanese film of the same title. With a production budget of $50 million, the film grossed a total of $170 million worldwide. It received generally positive reviews from critics, although it was noted that it "loses the nuances of the original", with the loss of cultural context and the addition of high-profile celebrities.Lopez starred in a Pepsi commercial featuring Beyoncé Knowles and David Beckham entitled "Samurai".

 

2005–07: Rebirth, television production, Como Ama una Mujer and Brave

Lopez's fourth studio album Rebirth was released on March 1, 2005 in the United States. The album was preceded by the release of two singles: "Get Right" and "Hold You Down". "Get Right" was a commercial success, reaching the top spot in Hungary, Ireland, Italy and the United Kingdom and the top ten in various other countries, such Australia, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand and Spain. "Hold You Down" was a moderate success, peaking at number six in the United Kingdom and in the top twenty in most other countries. In May, Lopez starred alongside Jane Fonda in the romantic comedy Monster-in-Law. She received $15 million for her role as Charlie, an artist who is pitted against her fiance's mother when she does not accept her as being the right woman for her son.With a production budget of $43 million, the film grossed a total of $155 million worldwide.The film received generally negative reviews from film critics, who stated although Fonda "steals the show" in her "return to the screen", the "tired" script and "flimsy performances" make Monster-in-Law fall "flat".In August, Lopez starred alongside Robert Redford and Morgan Freeman in An Unfinished Life, a drama film based on the novel of the same name. The film was a commercial failure, only grossing $18 million worldwide with its production budget of $30 million.

 

Lopez acted as the executive producer of South Beach, a primetime television drama that aired from January 6 to February 11, 2006 on UPN.The series, which stars Vanessa L. Williams, follows three young adults "trying to get ahead in Miami".The show experienced low ratings and received generally negative reviews from critics.With UPN shutting down and moving its programming to The CW that fall, South Beach was one of many shows that weren't moved over to the new network.In February, Lopez was featured on "Control Myself", the lead single from LL Cool J's eleventh studio album Todd Smith (2006). The song was a commercial success, peaking at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and within the top ten internationally. Screenwriter Jack Bunick filed a lawsuit in April stating that the plot for South Beach was copied from South Beach Miami, a script he wrote in 1999. Bunick claimed that he pitched the idea to UPN, but he was never contacted back.The lawsuit named Lopez, UPN, CBS Television and others as defendants. It was dropped in April 2008 by U.S. District Judge Richard Berman, who stated that there's inadequate evidence to take the case to trial.On May 18, Lopez's film Bordertown made its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. The film is based on the Female homicides in Ciudad Juárez, a series of unsolved murders in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, a maquiladora border city across the Río Bravo del Norte (Rio Grande) from El Paso, Texas. Lopez, who also acts as the film's producer, stars as Lauren Adrian, an American news reporter for the Chicago Sentinel who wants to be assigned to the Iraq front-lines to cover the war.The film received a limited release in theaters throughout Europe in 2007 and a direct-to-video release in many other countries in 2008, including the United States. Bordertown was a commercial failure, grossing a total of $8 million worldwide, with its $21 million production budget.

 

DanceLife, a reality series following the lives of seven dancers trying to break into the world of professional dance, aired on MTV from January 15, 2007 to March 5, 2007. Lopez produced, created and was featured in the show.Lopez's fifth studio album Como Ama una Mujer was released on March 27, 2007 in the United States.According to Estéfano, the album's co-producer, the album will "prove critics wrong" from its "big songs that require a voice"; referring to the critics about Lopez having a "limited" vocal tone.The album was a natural and large success within the Latin community, reaching number one on Billboard Top Latin Albums chart, where it remained for seven weeks.Additionally, the album marks the highest first-week sales in the United States for a Spanish album and the highest digital sales.Como Ama una Mujer was preceded by the release of two singles: "Qué Hiciste" and "Me Haces Falta". "Qué Hiciste" peaked at number one on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs and Hot Dance Club Play, while peaking at number eighty-six on the Billboard Hot 100.Internationally, the song was a commercial success, peaking atop the charts in Switzerland and Italy, and the top twenty in Austria, Belgium and Germany. "Me Haces Falta" failed to match the success of "Qué Hiciste", failing to chart on any national charts.

 

In August, Lopez released "Do It Well", the lead single from her sixth studio album Brave. The song received positive reviews from music critics, who noted it to be a classic Lopez song, featuring dance elements and sassy lyrics.It was a moderate commercial success, reaching the top twenty in almost every country it was released. On September 28, Lopez and Anthony launched their co-headlining North American concert tour. The tour grossed an estimated $10 million, with one dollar from each ticket sold being donated to Run for Something Better—a charitable organization supporting physical fitness programs for children.Brave was released on October 9, 2007 in the United States, peaking at number twelve on the Billboard 200 and becoming her lowest-charting album worldwide.A five-part miniseries, Jennifer Lopez Presents: Como Ama una Mujer, based on the lyrics of Como Ama una Mujer aired on Univision from October 30 to November 27, 2007. The miniseries follows Sofia (portrayed by Leonor Varela), a famous singer and actress whose rise to superstardom happened overnight, who finds her private life to be constantly under attack by the paparazzi.On November 7, during the final night of their tour, Lopez and Anthony officially confirmed that they were expecting their first child together.The announcement ended months of speculation over the pregnancy, which was deemed by the media to be the worst kept secret of the year."Hold It Don't Drop It" was released as the second and final single from Brave; peaking atop the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, giving Lopez her third consecutive number one single on that chart.

 

2008–11: Motherhood, Love? and American Idol

On February 6, 2008, it was revealed that Lopez and Anthony were expecting twins. Her father announced the news, stating: "Yes, twins. The thing is in my family, my sister also had twins, so it's a hereditary thing". Later that same month, Lopez released her seventh fragrance Deseo.On February 22, Lopez gave birth to a son, Maximilian David, and a daughter, Emme Maribel, in Long Island, New York.The twins were introduced in the March 11, 2008 issue of People, for which the magazine paid a reported $6 million—the photographs of the twins became the most expensive celebrity picture ever taken at the time.While pregnant with her children, Lopez began working on new music for a future project.Lopez's next musical project was kept under wraps until February 2009 when a new song from the recording sessions leaked online.Following this, several other songs were leaked online, that were, at the time, meant to appear on a greatest hits album; that would later turn into a studio album.In May, Lopez publicly launched The Maribel Foundation, a non-profit charitable foundation with her sister Lynda. It is dedicated to the health and well-being of women and children, specifically infants.In June, Lopez told MTV's Larry Carol that the songs which leaked earlier hinted at the musical direction of her then-upcoming seventh studio album. She also stated that she was keen to finish the album and several singles, with a potential release date for the end of 2009.In late summer, Lopez released Sunkissed Glow, the fourth flanker fragrance of Glow by JLo.On October 7, Lopez released her twelfth fragrance My Glow. Described as a "feminine, skin floral fragrance", My Glow contains notes that create a "subtle, yet fresh scent". The shape of the bottle is inspired by soaps from Lopez's nursery and the cherub cap is dual-sided to represent each of her twins: one side a baby boy and the other a girl.Later that same day, a song entitled "Fresh Out the Oven" featuring Miami rapper Pitbull surfaced online. Following the leak, the song was issued as a buzz single and managed to peak atop the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart.Lopez released "Louboutins", a song written and produced by The-Dream and Tricky Stewart, as the project's lead single in November 2009.However, upon release, the song failed to garner enough airplay to chart, despite topping the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart.

 

Lopez parted ways with Epic Records in February 2010, citing that she had fulfilled her contractual obligations and now wished to release her seventh studio album, Love?, under a new label. Her departure from the label temporarily halted production on the album, however upon signing a new contract with Island Records, recording resumed on the album.The New York Daily News revealed that Lopez would be taking some of the records recorded under Sony Music Entertainment to her new label so that they could be included on the album.In March 2010, Lopez guest starred on an episode of How I Met Your Mother as Anita Appleby, a no-nonsense author of self-help books that teach women how to mold men into "relationship machines" through the power of denial.Later that same month, Lopez launched Blue Glow, the fifth flanker to Glow by JLo. It was described as a "fresh, sexy and enticing" fragrance. The perfume is made of fruits, florals and woods with many different ingredients. The fragrance was initially available exclusively at HSN and was later made available at Sears, Macy's and Sephora.In April, Lopez starred in the romantic comedy The Back-up Plan, her first theatrical role in three years.With a $35 million production budget, the film grossed $77 million worldwide.While Lopez's acting in the film was praised, the film was criticized for for its "unrelatable characters" and "predictable plot".In June, following the departure of Ellen DeGeneres from American Idol, it was reported that Lopez was in talks to join season ten's judging panel.During this same time, Lopez and Anthony were being considered for a role on The X Factor for their appeal to Latin and International markets.It was officially announced in September that Lopez would be joining the tenth season of American Idol. MTV stated that the deal was "mutually beneficial to all those involved", while CNN reported that Lopez was viewing it as a decision to revive her career, while American Idol producers believed that Lopez and Steven Tyler's appointments would strengthen viewing figures.In October, Lopez released her fourteenth fragrance, Love and Glamour. The perfume was inspired by Lopez's "return to the spotlight".L'Oreal Paris named Lopez their new Global Ambassador and the face of their brands, including EverPure hair care, Preference hair color and Youth Code skin care, in December 2010. Her ads for EverSleek hair care made their debut in early 2011, to coincide with the release of Love? and her debut as a judge on America Idol.To further promote her comeback, in February 2011, Venus chose Lopez as their new Global Ambassador. She appeared in their Gillette Venus ads, which featured Lopez covering the Venus theme song "Yeah Baby, She's Got It" for the commercials.

 

 

Lopez released her first single with Island Records, "On the Floor", featuring Pitbull. The song topped the charts across the globe; peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, her highest peaking song on that chart in over eight years. The song became one of the most successful singles of the year.Love? was finally released on May 3, 2011 in the United States.The album was a moderate commercial success, and viewed as a humble comeback from Lopez, as many had considered her recording career over.

 

Love? produced two more singles: "I'm Into You" featuring Lil Wayne and "Papi", which became her tenth and eleventh chart-toppers on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart.In July, Lopez launched Love and Light, a flanker fragrance to Love and Glamour, exclusively on HSN. According to Lopez, the woody, floral scent is "less about the world around you" and "more about your inner light". She concluded by stating that: "It's about how you feel inside, it's not about your outside world".51,000 bottles of the fragrance were sold at its premiere, becoming Lopez's most successful fragrance launch to date, making over $2.9 million.On July 15, following seven years of marriage, Lopez and Anthony's representatives announced that the couple were separating. In September, Lopez launched the Jennifer Lopez Collection, a clothing and accessories line for Kohl's with Tommy Hilfiger. The line includes contemporary sportswear, dresses, handbags, jewelry, shoes and sleepwear. In addition to the clothing line, she also launched the Jennifer Lopez Home Collection, featuring bedding, towels and luggage.Later that same month Fiat, an Italian automobile manufacturer, enlisted Lopez to promote their products, including the 2012 Fiat 500 Cabrio. Olivier Francois, the Chrysler chief marketing officer, said in a statement that: "Jennifer fits perfectly with the brand not because of who she is but because of what she is — authentic, passionate, modern and a fighter determined to stand out from the rest".Controversy arose for one of her commercials for Fiat, "My World", that depicts Lopez leaving Manhattan and driving through The Bronx neighborhood where she grew up. It was reported that Lopez did not return to The Bronx to shoot the commercial, but instead filmed her close-up shots in Los Angeles, while a body double was used for the car scenes through The Bronx.

 

2012: Dance Again World Tour and eighth studio album

In January 2012, Lopez returned as judge on the eleventh season of American Idol, earning a reported $20 million.The season was not as successful as its previous ten seasons and for the first time in the show's history, it was not the most-watched primetime television show.Later that same month a new talent show, ¡Q'Viva! The Chosen, created by Simon Fuller premiered on Univision and was a hit for the channel.It followed Lopez, Anthony and director-choeographer Jamie King as they travelled across 21 countries in Latin America to find new talent for a Las Vegas show. On May 18, Lopez returned to the big screen co-starring alongside an ensemble cast consisting of Cameron Diaz, Elizabeth Banks, Matthew Morrison and Dennis Quaid in the film What to Expect When You're Expecting.Based on the book of the same name, Lopez plays Holly, a woman who adopts a baby from abroad with her husband after difficulty conceiving. With a budget of $40 million, the film grossed a total of $74 million worldwide, becoming a moderate commerical success.The film, however, received generally negative reviews from film critics.In late May, Lopez released her fragrance Glowing by JLo, which she described as an "evolution" of Glow by JLo.

 

In early June, Lopez released "Goin' In", a song that promoted the dance film Step Up Revolution (2012).On June 14, Lopez launched the Dance Again World Tour, her first headlining concert tour. The tour began in Panama and traveled across Latin America, ending in Brazil on July 1. Later that same month, Lopez launched Teeology, a Los Angeles-based luxury T-shirt e-commerce.Lopez voiced Shira, a saber tooth tiger, in the animated film, Ice Age: Continental Drift, the fourth film in the Ice Age franchise.The film debuted at number one at the US Box Office, having grossed $46 million in its opening weekend, becoming Lopez's highest opening weekend figure.With a $95 million production budget, the film has since grossed $880 million worldwide.On July 14, Lopez launched her co-headlining concert tour with Spanish recording artist Enrique Iglesias. The tour, an extension of the Dance Again World Tour, traveled across nineteen North American cities during the months of July, August and September.

 

Lopez's first greatest hits album, Dance Again... the Hits, was released on July 24, 2012 in the United States.The album was released by Epic Records, as Lopez owed them one final album to end her contract, despite previously announcing in 2010 that she had fulfilled her contract with the label.It was preceded by the release of its sole single, "Dance Again", in April. Lopez, at the time of the single's release, was unsure if it would be the lead single from a greatest hits album or her eighth studio album.The song was a moderate commercial success, peaking within the top ten in almost all of the countries where it was released. "Dance Again" and "Goin' In" both reached the top of the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs, giving Lopez her twelfth and thirteenth number one on that chart, respectively. Additionally, "Goin' In" became her tenth consecutive number one on the chart, tying Katy Perry for having the most consecutive numbers one on the chart.In September, nuvoTV, a small English-language network aimed at Latino viewers, announced plans for a "marketing and programming partnership" with Lopez that will make her a part-owner of the channel. Lopez will produce programming for the network through her production company, Nuyorican Productions and will appear occasionally on-air. She will also act as a promotional ambassador for the network. In November, RedOne revealed that he is the executive producer of Lopez's upcoming eighth studio album. He told MTV News that the album is "mixed styles. It's everything about Jennifer Lopez." He elaborated by stating that "It's a very special album. It feels like this album, has to have everything about her" and will contain multiple genres including "urban/hip-hop and the commercial, like the way she did with Ja Rule. It's everything you love about her [including] the dance, the rhythmic, the Latin".

 

Artistry

Musical style

 

Over the course of her musical career, Lopez's music and the genre which it has been perceived as, has ranged from pop and Latin pop, to dance, funk and R&B. On the 6 saw Lopez work with producers Rodney Jerkins, P. Diddy, Emilio Estefan and Ric Wake, while collaborating with rappers Big Pun and Fat Joe and Marc Anthony.The album showcases Lopez's "sultry, versatile" voice in a "number of settings", including pop ballads, Latin pop and R&B. The wide array of producers make a "perfectly polished and varied album", with a musical blend that Lopez calls "Latin soul". Smooth ballads such as "Could This Be Love" and "No Me Ames", a duet with Anthony, dominate the first half of the album; showing off the "gentler side" of Lopez's voice. Along with the album's first single, "If You Had My Love", "Feelin' So Good" and "Let's Get Loud" contain a fiery, soulful sound that is in "Lopez's public persona". The second half of On the 6 capitalizes on Lopez's "spicy, upbeat side", as heard on "Waiting for Tonight" and "Open Off My Love", which draws inspiration from rap, R&B and Latin styles with its arrangement of horns, keyboards and beats.J.Lo saw Lopez collaborating with the same people that she had worked with on On the 6, with some critics citing the two to be essentially "the same album".

 

Lopez's musical style saw a change with the release of This Is Me... Then, which saw her continue working Rooney, who produced the majority of the album.The music was described as having a mature contemporary R&B sound that was not present in her previous work. The album, which has been described as more unified than its predecessors, is ripe with live instrumentation and stripped of the Latin pop songs that "never seemed quite authentic". This Is Me... Then contains a mix of "the old with the new": Lopez and LL Cool J interpolate Debra and Ronnie Laws' "Very Special" on "All I Have", while "Jenny from the Block" is structured around several samples, including the Beatnuts' 1999 hit "Watch Out Now", Herbie Mann's "Hijack" and KRS-One's "South Bronx". On This Is Me... Then, Lopez makes references to her boyfriends of the past and present, as heard in "Still" and the vintage-sounding "Baby I Love U!", respectively. "Dear Ben", an ode to Affleck, has been described as the album's "glowing centerpiece", in which Lopez sings: "I love you / You're perfect / A manifestation of my dreams".For Rebirth Lopez re-teamed up with frequent collaborators Jerkins and Rooney and also worked with new producers, such as Big Boi and Timbaland.It is a "straight-ahead" dance album, that alternates between "sweet, breezy pop" tunes, such as "Still Around", and "hard-driving" club tracks, such as "Cherry Pie".

 

Como Ama una Mujer was produced by husband Anthony, with additional production from Estéfano and Julio Reyes. For Brave, Lopez collaborated solely with producers she had not previously worked with, including J. R. Rotem and Ryan Tedder, as well as production teams Bloodshy & Avant, The Clutch and Lynn & Wade LLP.The album's opening track, "Stay Together", is an anthem of monogamy where she declares that heartbreak and dating are overrated and that "toughing it out is the new trend". The rest of the record plays off that theme, "as nights out on the town are traded for cozy nights at home". Brave, a dance album, is filled with bright beats and happy hooks, that isn't meant for clubbing: "it's dance music for home, maybe background music for some chores".Her seventh album Love? saw Lopez go further in the dance music direction,working with producers D'Mile, RedOne, Tricky Stewart and The-Dream.On the album, Lopez covers topics such as her past loves in her songs, "One Love" and "(What Is) Love?" which she goes into details through lyrics about her remaining an optimistic about love.

 

Influences

Lopez, who has always loved a "good lyricist", has been most influenced by the "different" performers, such as Tina Turner, James Brown, Michael Jackson and Madonna.From a musical perspective, Lopez has viewed Madonna as her greatest influence.In an interview with NY Rock, when asked who was her first biggest musical influence, Lopez stated: "I think Madonna. For my era growing up, [she] was the quintessential performer, and a push-the-envelope type of person. I don't think that I'm a push-the-envelope type of person. But I think Madonna was so visionary. And in her shows, she was so expressive. So that was very inspiring for me as a young girl. I remember seeing a lot of her shows". According to Fouz-Hernández, female pop performers like Lopez were like "Madonna's daughters" in the "very direct sense that they grew up listening to and admiring Madonna" and decided they wanted to "be like her".Lopez considers Janet Jackson a big influence on her dancing and music videos. She has lauded Jackson's videography, stating her music videos "had such an impact on me as a fan but also as an artist."

 

Growing up, Lopez looked up to Puero Rican actress Rita Moreno, stating that there were: "Zero Latinos on TV, so Rita Moreno was the only one I identified to".She has named Barbra Streisand as her idol, saying that she felt that she "graduated" from music when she sang Streisand's music. Other musical influences for Lopez include Latin performers Selena and Gloria Estefan.

 

Lopez has also stated that newer artists have also more inspired her, rather than influenced her as an artist, such as American singer-songwriter Lady Gaga.After motherhood, Lopez credited her twins as an influence in the direction of her music.

 

According to Lopez, who has been publicly criticized for her "limited" soubrette vocal type, she has always been insecure about the strength of her voice.She cited Anthony as giving her the confidence to sing. She said in an interview with Vogue in 2012: "He always told me what a beautiful voice I have [sic] He was like, ‘It’s in there; you just gotta let it out. It’s a confidence thing with you.’ Then all of a sudden one day I was like, ‘I’m good at this!’" Lopez is also greatly influenced by the culture of her hometown, The Bronx.

 

Choreography and music videos

videos

Lopez, who is a professionally training dancer, specializing in ballet, jazz and flamenco, is well known for her Latin pop influenced dancing abilities.Lopez has stated that: "I feel sexiest when I'm dancing [...] I'm a dancer, so dance and choreography have always been a way to express myself. Anything you do with music or a song, or even playing a character, is a way of expressing yourself. Dance just happens to be a very sensual way of doing it".She has worked with well known choreographers such as Dave Scott, Judd, Brian Friedman, Wade Robson, Tyce Diorio, Travis Payne, Jeri Slaughter, Laurie Ann Gibson, Mia Michaels and Tina Landon.

 

Lopez is well known for her music videos, which often incorporate themes and dance breaks. The clip for Lopez's debut single "If You Had My Love" caused a stir for it's use of internet surveillance and voyeuristic themes.It received a heavy amount of airplay on the MTV Network.A writer from Billboard wrote that Lopez "isn't too far behind Ricky Martin as the leading light of Latin Music in Asia"—and that the song had skyrocketed Lopez from an unknown to superstar status internationally, reaching music markets as diverse as India and the Philippines. Jeff Selamutu, a programming manager from Channel V, said that "Up to now, it's only been Janet Jackson and Madonna." Selamutu said that people were "enjoying her hot, sexy dancing on the video [for If You Had My Love]."The music video for "Waiting for Tonight" has been considered her best. The song was used frequently as a celebratory anthem for the dawn of the new millenium. The music video was well-known for featuring a Y2K dance party.

 

Lopez's video for "Jenny from the Block" remains her most controversial to date; it starred her then-fiancé Ben Affleck and included several racy scenes of her. Two years later, Lopez tried to have it pulled from television and ban it from airing.The music video for "I'm Glad" was described as one of he more "complicated" videos. It recreated scenes from a 1983 film Flashdance.In the music video for "Get Right" directed by Francis Lawrence, Lopez sports several different characters.The music video for "Do It Well" directed by David LaChapelle was set in an S&M nightclub on Union Street."On the Floor" was praised for it's sex appeal which was compared to a previous video from almost a decade earlier, "I'm Gonna Be Alright" (2002).Matthew Perpetua from Rolling Stone said it was "classic Lopez tweaked for 2011."The music video for "Dance Again" also became one of her most controversial. It featured Lopez's real-life boyfriend, Casper Smart. John Mitchell from MTV News looked back on Lopez's previous videos, saying that she had a "history" of flaunting her men in videos.Throughout her music videos, she has worked with several directors and choreographers, including working with Paul Hunter, Francis Lawrence and Dave Meyers several times.

 

She is considered a sex symbol through her music videos.

 

Celebrity status and image

"She's a rarity. One of the few Hollywood stars you can actually admire. And when you meet her she's just as gorgeous, just as likeable, as she is on screen. I'm talking about J-Lo. Or for the uninitiated, Jennifer Lopez, a showbiz phenomenon who's up there with Madonna [...] she's been in more than 25 movies with leading men like George Clooney, Robert Redford and Jack Nicholson. And, she's a merchandising marvel."

— Ray Martin of 60 minutes

 

Lopez has been said to have epitomized the definition of America's sweetheart, having crept into millions of homes with her music, movies, accessories and clothing lines.Lopez is described as the most influential Hispanic performer in the United States; she became the first Latin actress or singer to be so commercially successful in the limelight.Nobel Prize recipient José Ramos-Horta called Lopez a remarkable woman and true inspiration after seeing her work on the film Bordertown.Cindy Pearlman from The Record said that Lopez is responsible for welcoming a "Latina presence to a film industry"; considering that for much of its history it had been a "whites-only preserve."In Icons of American Popular Culture (2009), author Robert C. Cotrell described Lopez as being a Latina Oprah Winfrey and the embodiment of the American dream, "Boasting a far more authentic rags-to-riches tale". Cotrell stated that she is a "multidimensional artist who had turned into a financial powerhouse" while demonstrating that a could still be successful as "a top recording artist, and operate as a major player in the corporate world, with her perfumes alone pulling over $500 million annually."

 

Having been of Latin descent and crossed over to mainstream music market, Lopez is considered "crossover royalty". Mark Guarino of Daily Herald discussed Lopez and fellow Latin artists such as Ricky Martin, he wrote: "judging from their records, their cultural identity was identified as cultural baggage by their record companies and those suitcases were shucked en route to stardom."She is also considered an icon and "royalty" of pop culture.

 

Lopez has changed her personal appearance multiple times, scoring several different hairstyles over the years.She has been described as a sex symbol and having a reputation as "one of the most desirable women on the planet." She has also been described as a "siren" and "Bronx Barbie".Despite her fashion, which Lauren Savage of Billboard noted was "stunning" and "albeit scantily-clad", Lopez has stated: "I know how to fight! [...] I can take a lot of punches and still keep going. I've been trained like a boxer to go 15 rounds."Lopez is noted in the media for her curvaceous figure, in particular her buttocks, and was called "original doyenne of derriere" by Katherine Ormerod of Grazia. In a survey by Nutrisystem Diet Index, it was revealed that most American females would have her legs and butt. Lopez has been criticized by the animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals for her use of fur in her fashion lines.Celebrities such as Pink and Pamela Anderson also have criticized her for this, too.Lopez has changed her personal appearance multiple times, sporting numerous different hairstyles over the years.In November 1998, Lopez was named "Sexiest Woman of the Year" by Details magazine.Lopez appeared on FHM's "100 Sexiest Women" list multiple times, leading the list for two consecutive years. In 2011, Lopez was first on People magazine's list of "100 Most Beautiful People".

 

American record producer Randy Jackson stated that although she doesn't have the "biggest voice in the world", "she can sing. It's the (complete) package [...]".Daniel Chang from The Spectator said that: "Lopez will achieve more success as an actress than she will as a singer."In 2007, The York Press said that Lopez's Spanish album Como Ama Una Mujer "proved that she is a major musical force" and commented that Lopez's voice had a greater depth and that she was "at last" making "great records" which were far stronger.The York Press also complimented Lopez for not needing as much "digital enhancement" on her voice compared to singers like Britney Spears.A writer from The Sun said On the 6 "makes it clear she can sing" commenting that she has "a lot of talent and stylistic range" but instead ends up doing "impressions" of other more distinctive performers.Tom Sinclair of Entertainment Weekly commented on Lopez's vocals stating that: "There's no way to know if Jennifer Lopez's voice is mechanically altered or not, but on the recorded evidence of her sophomore album, J.Lo, her singing seems to be in key".

 

Legacy

Since the beginning of her career, Lopez has been honored with numerous awards and recognition. In 1998, Lopez received a Golden Globe nomination for her role in Selena. She has been present on The Hollywood Reporter's Annual Actress Salary List three times consecutively from 2002–04.She remains the only Latin actress to accomplish this.Lopez was paid over $2 million for her role in the critically acclaimed film Out of Sight, becoming the highest-paid Latin actress.Having sold over 70 million units worldwide, she is recognized as one of the best selling musical artists in the history of contemporary music.Numerous albums and songs of hers have been certified by the Recording Industry Association of America.In December 2009, Billboard ranked Lopez as the 27th Artist of the 2000s decade.At the 2010 World Music Awards, Lopez was honored the legend award for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts.Additionally, she has garnered six ALMA Awards, three American Music Awards, ten Billboard Music Awards, eight Teen Choice Awards, six MTV Awards and two World Music Awards, among several others. In 2012, she was ranked 16th on VH1's list of "100 Greatest Women In Music."Lopez's return to the musical spotlight in 2011 was considered the best comeback of the year, and among the greatest comebacks ever.The music video for "On the Floor" was lauded by critics, and became YouTube's highest-viewed video for the year; while also becoming the second most viewed video of all time, and most-viewed by a female.Los Angeles Times named her the "World's Greatest Comeback Act" of the decade; a ranking from an accuracast—a digital search that analyzed over a billion Google searches since 2004.Billboard Reader's Poll also named her the best comeback of the year. Also in 2011, she was the 3rd most-searched artist on the internet and 5th most searched human.Lopez's album J to tha L-O! The Remixes (2002) is the first number one remix album on the Billboard 200.It appeared in the 2004 Guinness World Records as the most successful remix album.

 

Us Weekly named her Style Icon of the 2000s decade.Lopez's most memorable Fashion moment in her career was the Green Versace "Jungle Dress" that she wore at the 42nd Grammy Awards In 2000.A poll by Debenhams, published in the Daily Telegraph, voted it the fifth most iconic dress of all time.For her Fashion sense, Lopez has earned several awards including a VH1 Award and Vogue Fashion Award in 1999 for "Most Fashionable Female Artist", achieving multiple other awards since for outstanding achievements and recognition. People en Español listed her atop their "100 Most Influential Hispanics" list on their February 2007 addition.In May 2012, Forbes placed Lopez first on the Celebrity 100 list, naming her the most powerful celebrity for the past year, having earned $52 million in the past year.Dorothy Pomerantz of Forbes said that it was due to her role as judge on American Idol, endorsement deals and her much publicized personal life.

 

Lopez has received much praise over the course of her career, with several entertainers having acknowledged her as an influence. She has influenced music artists such as Fergie,Thalía and Kat DeLuna.Kerry Washington has cited Lopez as the reason for her career, she explained: "I grew up blocks away from Jennifer Lopez. She and I went to the same Boys & Girls Club. She was like the dancer who made it big and moved to Hollywood. I don't know if I would've taken a risk in my career if it weren't for [Jennifer]."DeLuna has stated: "Jennifer helped pave the way for Latinas like myself. I love her."Britney Spears stated: "Jennifer Lopez is my idol – she's so beautiful and even though she's gotten older, she hasn't aged at all. She looks more amazing than ever and I really admire and respect that."Raquel Castro—her co-star from the film Jersey Girl (2004)—said that she has a strong bond with Lopez, who was her main role model for her career.Castro said: "Jennifer Lopez has been my role model from the start. I wore out my VCR tape of the movie Selena, probably watching it a million times; when I found out I had been chosen to play her daughter in a feature-film, OMG I was screaming like crazy." Jessica Mauboy has said stated that she is a big fan of Lopez.Michael Doughty said that Lopez was a key inspiration for reviving his music career as a solo artist after leaving his band, Soul Coughing. He explained: "One of the key moments was seeing a Jennifer Lopez video [...] She's a year older than me and she's in this video and she's in the Bronx and going out clubbing and going to the beauty salon. I'd thought, well I'm 29, my life's over, I'm elderly. And I looked at her and thought, she's 30, how is she walking? [...] the revelation came watching a Jennifer Lopez video."Nicki Minaj stated: "I love J-Lo. I love what she's done for pop culture I have nothing but respect for her."Selena Gomez stated that seeing Lopez's performance in the film Selena was a "life-changing moment." Gomez talked about emulating Lopez’s attire that she wore in the film during the same interview with Elle Magazine. Kelly Rowland and Kim Kardashian have credited her as their major style icon and inspiration.Singer Nicole Scherzinger said that when she was in her early twenties, she wanted to be like Lopez, stating: "I was in my early twenties and I was trying to look like J-Lo. It didn't work!"

 

Filmography

Top billing roles

• 1997: Selena, Selena Quintanilla-Perez

• 1997: Anaconda, Terri Flores

• 1997: U Turn, Grace McKenna

• 1998: Out of Sight, Karen Sisco

• 2000: The Cell, Catherine Deane

• 2001: The Wedding Planner, Mary Fiore

• 2001: Angel Eyes, Sharon Pogue

• 2002: Enough, Slim Hiller

• 2002: Maid in Manhattan, Marisa Ventura

• 2003: Gigli, Ricki

• 2004: Shall We Dance?, Paulina

• 2005: Monster-in-Law, Charlotte Cantilini

• 2005: An Unfinished Life, Jean Gilkyson

• 2006: Bordertown, Lauren Adrian

• 2007: El Cantante, Puchi

• 2010: The Back-up Plan, Zoe

• 2012: What to Expect When You're Expecting, Holly

• 2013: Parker, Leslie

 

Discography

Studio albums

• 1999: On the 6

• 2001: J.Lo

• 2002: This Is Me... Then

• 2005: Rebirth

• 2007: Como Ama una Mujer

• 2007: Brave

• 2011: Love?