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Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969), also known by her nickname J.Lo, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer and businesswoman. Lopez is regarded as one of the most influential entertainers of her time, credited with breaking barriers for
Latino Americans Hispanic and Latino Americans are Americans who have a Spaniards, Spanish or Latin Americans, Latin American background, culture, or family origin. This demographic group includes all Americans who identify as Hispanic or Latino (demonym), ...
in
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...
and helping propel the Latin pop movement in music. She is also noted for her impact on popular culture through fashion,
branding Branding may refer to: Physical markings * Making a mark, typically by charring: ** Wood branding, permanently marking, by way of heat, typically of wood (also applied to plastic, cork, leather, etc.) ** Livestock branding, the marking of animals ...
, and shifting mainstream beauty standards. Lopez began her career as a dancer, making her television debut as a Fly Girl on the
sketch comedy Sketch comedy comprises a series of short, amusing scenes or vignettes, called "sketches" or, "skits", commonly between one and ten minutes long, performed by a group of comic actors or comedians. While the form developed and became popular in ...
series ''
In Living Color ''In Living Color'' is an American sketch comedy television series that originally ran on Fox from April 15, 1990, to May 19, 1994. Keenen Ivory Wayans created, wrote and starred in the program. The show was produced by Ivory Way Productions ...
'' in 1991. She rose to fame as an actress, starring as singer
Selena Selena Quintanilla-Pérez (; April 16, 1971 – March 31, 1995) was an American singer-songwriter. Known as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Tejano Music", her contributions to music and fashion made her one of the most cel ...
in the film of the same name (1997), and established herself as the highest-paid Latin actress, with leading roles in ''
Anaconda Anacondas or water boas are a group of large boas of the genus ''Eunectes''. They are a semiaquatic group of snakes found in tropical South America. Three to five extant and one extinct species are currently recognized, including one of the l ...
'' (1997) and ''
Out of Sight ''Out of Sight'' is a 1998 American action comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Scott Frank, adapted from Elmore Leonard's 1996 novel. The first of several collaborations between Soderbergh and actor George Clooney, it was ...
'' (1998). Lopez successfully ventured into the music industry with her debut album, ''
On the 6 ''On the 6'' is the debut studio album by American singer and actress Jennifer Lopez. It was released on June 1, 1999, by the Work Group. Lopez worked with several producers on the album, including Rodney Jerkins, Cory Rooney, Dan Shea and her ...
'' (1999). In 2001, she became the first woman to simultaneously have a number-one album and a film released in the United States, with her second album, '' J.Lo'', and the
romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a sub-genre of comedy and Romance novel, romance fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount all obstacles. Ro ...
''
The Wedding Planner ''The Wedding Planner'' is a 2001 American romantic comedy film directed by Adam Shankman, in his feature film directorial debut, written by Pamela Falk and Michael Ellis, and starring Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey. Plot Ambitious Sa ...
''. She has since become known for starring in romantic comedies, including ''
Maid in Manhattan ''Maid in Manhattan'' is a 2002 American romantic comedy drama film directed by Wayne Wang and based on a story by John Hughes, who is credited using a pseudonym. It stars Jennifer Lopez, Ralph Fiennes, and Natasha Richardson. In the film, a ...
'' (2002), '' Shall We Dance?'' (2004), and ''
Monster-in-Law ''Monster-in-Law'' is a 2005 romantic comedy film directed by Robert Luketic, written by Anya Kochoff and starring Jennifer Lopez, Jane Fonda, Michael Vartan and Wanda Sykes. It marked a return to cinema for Fonda, being her first film in 15 ...
'' (2005). Lopez released two albums in 2002: ''
J to tha L–O! The Remixes ''J to tha L–O! The Remixes'' is a remix album by American singer Jennifer Lopez, released February 1, 2002 by Epic Records. It contains remixes from Lopez's first two studio albums: '' On the 6'' (1999) and '' J.Lo'' (2001). It features artis ...
'' and '' This Is Me... Then'', the former becoming the first remix album to top the US ''Billboard'' 200. Media scrutiny and the failure of her film ''
Gigli ''Gigli'' ( ) is a 2003 American romantic comedy crime film written, co-produced, and directed by Martin Brest, and starring Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Bartha, Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, and Lainie Kazan. Brest and producers di ...
'' (2003) preceded a career downturn. Her subsequent albums included ''
Rebirth Rebirth may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Film * ''Rebirth'' (2011 film), a 2011 Japanese drama film * ''Rebirth'' (2016 film), a 2016 American thriller film * ''Rebirth'', a 2011 documentary film produced by Project Rebirth * '' ...
'' (2005), ''
Como Ama una Mujer ''Como Ama una Mujer'' (English: ''How a Woman Loves'') is the fifth studio album and first Spanish album by American singer and actress Jennifer Lopez. It was released on March 23, 2007, by Epic Records. After including some Spanish songs on he ...
'' (2007), which broke first-week sales records for a debut Spanish album, as well as '' Love?'' (2011). Lopez returned to prominence as a judge on ''
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...
'' (2011–2016). Throughout the 2010s, she
voiced Voice or voicing is a term used in phonetics and phonology to characterize speech sounds (usually consonants). Speech sounds can be described as either voiceless (otherwise known as ''unvoiced'') or voiced. The term, however, is used to refe ...
Shira in the animated ''Ice Age'' franchise (2012–2016), starred in the
police drama The police procedural, police show, or police crime drama is a subgenre of procedural drama and detective fiction that emphasises the investigative procedure of police officers, police detectives, or law enforcement agencies as the protagonists, as ...
series ''
Shades of Blue Varieties of the color blue may differ in hue, chroma (also called saturation, intensity, or colorfulness), or lightness (or value, tone, or brightness), or in two or three of these qualities. Variations in value are also called tints and sha ...
'' (2016–2018), and served as a judge on '' World of Dance'' (2017–2020). In 2019, she garnered critical praise for her performance in the crime drama '' Hustlers''. Lopez continued her acting career, with leading roles in the films '' Marry Me'' (2022), '' The Mother'' (2023), '' This Is Me... Now: A Love Story'', ''
Atlas An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically a bundle of world map, maps of Earth or of a continent or region of Earth. Advances in astronomy have also resulted in atlases of the celestial sphere or of other planets. Atlases have traditio ...
'' (both 2024), and '' Kiss of the Spider Woman'' (2025). Lopez has sold over 80 million records worldwide, while her films have cumulatively grossed over US$3.1 billion. Her
accolades The accolade (also known as dubbing, adoubement, or knighting) () was the central act in the rite of passage ceremonies conferring knighthood in the Middle Ages. Etymology The term ''accolade'' entered English by 1591, when Thomas Lodge use ...
include a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
, the ''Billboard'' Icon Award, three
American Music Awards The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show produced by Dick Clark Productions since 1974. Nominees are selected on commercial performance such as sales and airplay. Winners are determined by a poll of the public and ...
, four
MTV Video Music Awards The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category ...
(including the
Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award The Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, is a merit given to Musician, recording artists and music video directors at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), a ceremony that was established in 1984. It is presented by MTV for "outstanding contributi ...
), and six ''
Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, list ...
''. She has been ranked among the 100 most influential people in the world by ''
Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'' (2018) and the World's 100 Most Powerful Women by ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...
'' (2012). Lopez has a large social media following, being one of the most-followed individuals on
Instagram Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...
. Her other ventures include a
lifestyle brand A lifestyle brand is a brand that is intended to embody the values, aspirations, interests, attitudes, or opinions of a group or a culture for marketing purposes. Lifestyle brands seek to inspire, guide, and motivate people, with the goal of maki ...
, beauty and fashion lines, fragrances, a
production company A production company, production house or production studio is a studio that creates works in the fields of performing arts, new media art, film, television show, television, radio, comics, interactive arts, video games, websites, music, and video ...
, and a
charitable foundation A foundation (also referred to as a charitable foundation) is a type of nonprofit organization or charitable trust that usually provides funding and support to other charitable organizations through grants, while also potentially participating d ...
.


Early life

Jennifer Lynn Lopez was born on July 24, 1969 in
the Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...
, a borough of New York City, and raised in its Castle Hill neighborhood. Her parents, Guadalupe Rodríguez and David Lopez, were born in
Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...
and met in New York City. After serving in the Army, David worked as a computer technician at Guardian Insurance Company. Guadalupe was a homemaker for the first ten years of Lopez's life and later worked as a
Tupperware Tupperware is an American company that manufactures and internationally distributes preparation, storage, and serving containers for the kitchen and home. It was founded in 1942 by Earl Tupper, who developed his first bell-shaped container and ...
salesperson and a kindergarten and gym teacher. They divorced in the 1990s after 33 years of marriage. Lopez is a middle child; she has an older sister, Leslie, and a younger sister,
Lynda Lynda is a spelling variation of the feminine given name Linda. Notable people with the name include: People Arts and entertainment * Lynda Adams (1920–1997), later Hunt, Canadian diver * Lynda Baron (1939–2022), British television actress * ...
. The three shared a bedroom. Lopez has described her upbringing as "strict". She was raised in a
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
family; she attended Mass every Sunday and received a Catholic education, attending Holy Family School and the all-girls Preston High School, a
private school A private school or independent school is a school not administered or funded by the government, unlike a State school, public school. Private schools are schools that are not dependent upon national or local government to finance their fina ...
. In school, Lopez
ran track Track and field (or athletics in British English) is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name used in North America is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a ...
on a national level, participated in gymnastics and was on the softball team. She danced in school musicals and played a lead role in a production of ''
Godspell ''Godspell'' is a musical in two acts with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by John-Michael Tebelak. The show is structured as a series of parables, primarily based on the Gospel of Matthew, interspersed with music mostly set t ...
''. She described herself as a "tomboy" and "very athletic". There was "lots of music" in the typically Puerto Rican household, and Lopez and her sisters were encouraged to sing, dance, and create their own plays for family events. ''
West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a Musical theatre, musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a Book (musical theatre), book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo an ...
'' made a particular impression on the young Lopez, who wanted to be an entertainer from an early age. As a teenager, she learned flamenco, jazz, and ballet at the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club and taught dance to younger students, including
Kerry Washington Kerry Marisa Washington (born January 31, 1977) SidebarCertificate of Live Birth: Isabelle Amarachi Asomugha(County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health). Gives Kerry Washington birth dateArchivedfrom the original on May 2, 2016.Note: Fil ...
. After graduating from high school, she had a part-time secretarial job at a law firm and studied business at New York's
Baruch College Baruch College (officially the Bernard M. Baruch College) is a public college in New York City, United States. It is a constituent college of the City University of New York system. Named for financier and statesman Bernard M. Baruch, the colle ...
for one semester. At age 18, she enrolled as a full-time student at Manhattan's Phil Black Dance Studio, where she had already taken night classes in jazz and tap dance. Her parents were unhappy with her decision to leave college to pursue a dance career. According to Lopez, her parents felt it was "foolish" because "no Latinas did that". Her mother asked her to move out of the family home and they stopped speaking for eight months. Lopez moved to Manhattan, sleeping in the dance studio's office for the first few months.


Career


1989–1996: Professional dancing and early acting roles

Lopez's first professional job came in 1989 when she spent five months touring Europe with the musical revue show ''Golden Musicals of Broadway''. She was upset at being the only member of the
chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song), the part of a song that is repeated several times, usually after each verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in whic ...
not to have a solo, and later characterized it as a pivotal moment where she had to "try harder and become that much more committed". In 1990, she danced alongside
MC Hammer Stanley Kirk Burrell (born March 30, 1962), better known by his stage name MC Hammer (or simply Hammer), is an American rapper known for hit songs such as "U Can't Touch This", "2 Legit 2 Quit", and "Pumps and a Bump", flashy dance movements, e ...
in an episode of ''
Yo! MTV Raps ''Yo! MTV Raps'' is an American two-hour television music video program, which first aired on MTV Europe from 1987 to mid-1990s and on MTV, MTV US from August 1988 to August 1995. The American version of the program (created by Ted Demme and Pe ...
'', and traveled around Japan for four months as a chorus member in ''Synchronicity''. When she returned to the United States, she was hired as a backup dancer for
New Kids on the Block New Kids on the Block (also initialized as NKOTB) is an American boy band from Dorchester, Massachusetts. The band consists of brothers Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. New Kids on the Block had ...
's performance of "
Games A game is a Structure, structured type of play (activity), play usually undertaken for entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an Educational game, educational tool. Many games are also considered to be Work (human activity), work (such as p ...
" at the 1991 American Music Awards. She also traveled around America with regional productions of the musicals ''
Jesus Christ Superstar ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' is a sung-through rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Loosely based on the Life of Jesus in the New Testament, Gospels' accounts of Passion of Jesus, the Passion, the work interprets ...
'' and ''
Oklahoma! ''Oklahoma!'' is the first musical theater, musical written by the duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs's 1931 play, ''Green Grow the Lilacs (play), Green Grow the Lilacs''. Set in farm country outside the town of ...
''. During this period, Lopez also danced in music videos including Doug E. Fresh's "Summertime", Richard Rogers' "Can't Stop Loving You",
EPMD EPMD is an American hip hop duo from Brentwood, New York. The duo's name is an initialism for "Erick and Parrish Making Dollars", referring to its members: emcees Erick Sermon ("E" a.k.a. E Double) and Parrish Smith ("PMD" a.k.a. Parrish Mi ...
's " Rampage", and
Samantha Fox Samantha Karen Fox (born 15 April 1966) is an English pop singer and former glamour model from Crouch End in North London. She has appeared on reality television shows and has occasionally worked as a television presenter and actress. Fox beg ...
's " (Hurt Me! Hurt Me!) But the Pants Stay On". Lopez stated: "I'd dance in a piece-of-garbage rap or pop video for 50 bucks and make the money last a whole month." Her most high-profile job as a professional dancer was as a Fly Girl jazz-funk dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''
In Living Color ''In Living Color'' is an American sketch comedy television series that originally ran on Fox from April 15, 1990, to May 19, 1994. Keenen Ivory Wayans created, wrote and starred in the program. The show was produced by Ivory Way Productions ...
''. The show's choreographer,
Rosie Perez Rosa Maria Perez (born September 6, 1964) is an American actress. Her breakthrough came at age 24 with her portrayal of Tina in the film '' Do the Right Thing'' (1989), followed by '' White Men Can't Jump'' (1992). Perez's performance in '' Fear ...
said she chose Lopez because "she had that look that I knew the audience would tune in to". Lopez moved to Los Angeles in late 1991 for the job; she filmed ''In Living Color'' during the day and attended acting classes taught by Aaron Speiser at night. Lopez felt ostracized by the other Fly Girls because of her "voluptuous figure", and also clashed with Perez. The head of
Virgin Records Virgin Records is a British record label owned by Universal Music Group. They were originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman (musician), ...
considered signing The Fly Girls as a girl group to rival the
Spice Girls The Spice Girls are an English girl group formed in 1994, consisting of Mel B ("Scary Spice"), Melanie C ("Sporty Spice"), Emma Bunton ("Baby Spice"), Geri Halliwell ("Ginger Spice"), and Victoria Beckham ("Posh Spice"). They have sold over 10 ...
, but the deal fell apart. After appearing as a Fly Girl in seasons three and four of ''In Living Color'', Lopez left to work as a backup dancer for
Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreogr ...
, and appeared in the music video for " That's the Way Love Goes". She was scheduled to tour with Jackson on her Janet World Tour in late 1993 but opted to pursue an acting career instead. Lopez hired ''In Living Color'' producer Eric Gold as her manager. He advised Lopez to lose weight if she wanted to succeed as an actress. Lopez's first professional acting job was a small recurring role on the television show '' South Central'' (1994). She was invited to audition for the pilot by a casting director who had seen her speak to camera during a behind-the-scenes ''In Living Color'' segment. She then acquired an agent and was cast in the
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
show '' Second Chances''; the series was quickly cancelled, but her popularity with viewers led to her being cast in its spin-off '' Hotel Malibu''. She subsequently appeared in the television film '' Lost in the Wild'' (1993). For her first major movie role, in
Gregory Nava Gregory James Nava (born April 10, 1949) is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Personal life Nava was born in San Diego, of Mexican and Basque heritage. Nava graduated from St. Augustine High School in San Diego and attended ...
's 1995 drama '' Mi Familia'', Lopez received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress. She then starred in the action comedy ''
Money Train A money train is one or more railcars used to collect cash fare revenue from stations on a subway system and return it to a central location for processing. This train was typically used to carry money bags guarded by transit police to det ...
'' (1995). The film was not a box office success, though her performance was reviewed positively, which led to her being further noticed in Hollywood. In 1996, Lopez had a supporting role opposite
Robin Williams Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951August 11, 2014) was an American actor and comedian known for his improvisational skills and the wide variety of characters he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on film, in dramas and comedie ...
in the comedy ''
Jack Jack may refer to: Places * Jack, Alabama, US, an unincorporated community * Jack, Missouri, US, an unincorporated community * Jack County, Texas, a county in Texas People and fictional characters * Jack (given name), a male given name, incl ...
'', which director
Francis Ford Coppola Francis Ford Coppola ( ; born April 7, 1939) is an American filmmaker. He is considered one of the leading figures of the New Hollywood and one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. List of awards and nominations received by Francis Ford Coppo ...
cast her in after seeing her performance in ''Mi Familia''. She next starred opposite
Jack Nicholson John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is an American retired actor and filmmaker. Nicholson is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of the 20th century, often playing rebels fighting against the social structure. Over his five-de ...
in the neo-noir thriller '' Blood and Wine'' (1996), where David Rooney of ''Variety'' felt she delivered in "juggling" the "smoldering and soulful sides" of the character.


1997–1999: Breakthrough with ''Selena'' and ''On the 6''

With her casting as the singer Selena Quintanilla-Pérez in the biopic ''
Selena Selena Quintanilla-Pérez (; April 16, 1971 – March 31, 1995) was an American singer-songwriter. Known as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Tejano Music", her contributions to music and fashion made her one of the most cel ...
'' (1997), Lopez became the first Latina actress to earn $1 million. She described her salary for the film as a "statement to the world", but expressed disappointment that other Latina actors were not being afforded the same opportunities. Despite having previously worked with the film's director Gregory Nava on ''Mi Familia'', Lopez participated in an intense auditioning process and spent time with the late singer's family in
Corpus Christi, Texas Corpus Christi ( ; ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat and largest city of Nueces County, Texas, Nueces County with portions extending into Aransas County, T ...
before filming began. ''Selena'' was a box office hit, and Lopez's performance received critical acclaim.
Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert ( ; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American Film criticism, film critic, film historian, journalist, essayist, screenwriter and author. He wrote for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. Eber ...
of the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' described it as "a star-making performance" and wrote: "She has the star presence to look convincing in front of 100,000 fans." Lopez received her first
Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Januar ...
nomination for the performance. Nava asked the heads of Warner Bros. to fund an Academy Award campaign for Lopez but was told the Academy would "never nominate a Latina." Later in 1997, Lopez starred opposite
Ice Cube O'Shea Jackson Sr. (born June 15, 1969), known professionally as Ice Cube, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor, and film producer. His lyrics on N.W.A's 1989 album '' Straight Outta Compton'' contributed to gangsta rap's widespread popu ...
in the horror film ''
Anaconda Anacondas or water boas are a group of large boas of the genus ''Eunectes''. They are a semiaquatic group of snakes found in tropical South America. Three to five extant and one extinct species are currently recognized, including one of the l ...
'', which received negative reviews from critics but was a box office success.
Joe Leydon Joseph Patrick Michael Leydon (born August 22, 1952) is an American film critic and historian. A critic and correspondent for '' Variety'' since 1990, he is the author of ''Joe Leydon's Guide to Essential Movies You Must See'' (Michael Wiese Pro ...
of ''Variety'' found the film "silly" but said it deserved "a little credit" for being "the first movie of its kind to have a Latina and an African-American" as its stars. In the crime film '' U Turn'' (1997), Lopez appeared topless in a sex scene that was added by director
Oliver Stone William Oliver Stone (born ) is an American filmmaker. Stone is an acclaimed director, tackling subjects ranging from the Vietnam War and American politics to musical film, musical Biographical film, biopics and Crime film, crime dramas. He has ...
during filming. Speaking in 2003, Lopez said it was not something "I would have chosen to do" and that she and Stone fought over it: "It's hard being the only woman on a set." Lopez starred opposite
George Clooney George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor, filmmaker, and philanthropist. Known for his leading man roles on screen in both blockbuster and independent films, Clooney has received numerous accolades, including two Ac ...
in the crime caper ''
Out of Sight ''Out of Sight'' is a 1998 American action comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Scott Frank, adapted from Elmore Leonard's 1996 novel. The first of several collaborations between Soderbergh and actor George Clooney, it was ...
'' (1998),
Steven Soderbergh Steven Andrew Soderbergh ( ; born January 14, 1963) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, and editor. A pioneer of modern Independent film, independent cinema, Soderbergh later drew acclaim for formally inventiv ...
's adaptation of the
Elmore Leonard Elmore John Leonard Jr. (October 11, 1925August 20, 2013) was an American novelist, short story author and screenwriter. He was, according to British journalist Anthony Lane, "hailed as one of the best crime writers in the land". His earliest no ...
1996 novel. Cast as a deputy federal marshal who falls for a charming criminal, she won rave reviews for her performance.
Janet Maslin Janet R. Maslin (born August 12, 1949) is an American journalist, who served as a film critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1977 to 1999, serving as chief critic for the last six years, and then a literary critic from 2000 to 2015. In 2000, M ...
of ''The New York Times'' described it as her "best movie role thus far, and she brings it both seductiveness and grit; if it was hard to imagine a hard-working, pistol-packing bombshell on the page, it couldn't be easier here." Turan of the ''Los Angeles Times'' described Lopez as "an actress who can be convincingly tough and devastatingly erotic" and said the film solidified "her position as a woman you can confidently build a film around." In 2021, Peter Bradshaw of ''The Guardian'' named Lopez and Clooney's partnership as one of the best examples of on-screen chemistry in cinema history. Also in 1998, Lopez provided the voice of Azteca in the animated film ''
Antz ''Antz'' is a 1998 American animated adventure comedy film directed by Eric Darnell and Tim Johnson from a screenplay written by Todd Alcott and the writing team of Chris and Paul Weitz. It was produced by DreamWorks Pictures, DreamWorks An ...
'', and ventured into product endorsement, becoming a national spokesperson for
Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a cola soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. In 2013, Coke products were sold in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, with consumers drinking more than 1.8 billion company beverage servings ...
and
L'Oréal L'Oréal S.A. () is a French multinational personal care corporation registered in Paris
. Lopez decided to pursue a music career after working on ''Selena'', realizing that she had missed "the excitement of the stage". Her new manager
Benny Medina Benny Medina (born January 24, 1958) is an American record executive, talent manager, and television producer. Early life and education Medina was born in East Los Angeles, California, into a poor family. The death of his mother and abandonment ...
sought to position her as "a brand name that will cross over into all media." Lopez, who was "really feeling erLatin roots", recorded a Spanish-language demo for circulation among prospective labels. With Lopez being a high-profile personality, a bidding war ensued.
Tommy Mottola Thomas Daniel Mottola (born July 14, 1948) is an American businessman, record executive, television producer, theater producer, film producer, investor, and serial entrepreneur. Mottola is the chairman of Mottola Media Group, co-founder of Nter ...
, the head of
Sony Music Sony Music Entertainment (SME), commonly known as Sony Music, is an American multinational music company owned by Japanese conglomerate Sony Group Corporation. It is the recording division of Sony Music Group, with the other half being the ...
's
Work Group The Work Label (stylized as The WORK Group) was an American record label. Its major album releases included ''Tidal (album), Tidal'' (1996) by Fiona Apple and ''On the 6'' (1999) by Jennifer Lopez. History In July 1999, founders Jeff Ayeroff ...
, signed her but suggested that she sing in English instead. Her record deal with Sony was described as "lucrative", having outbid other offers from
Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007), and simply known as Capitol, is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-base ...
and
EMI Latin Capitol Latin (formerly EMI Latin) is a brand of Universal Music Latin Entertainment, a division of Universal Music Group. Previously, it was a subsidiary of EMI. History In 1989, José Behar, the former head of CBS Discos, signed Selena t ...
. While Lopez worked on her debut album, Sony "began a major push" to feature her with other high-profile entertainers, leading her to appear in the
Sean Combs Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), better known by his stage name Diddy, and formerly Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, record producer, and record executive. Born in Harlem and raised in Mount Vernon, New York, Mount Ve ...
music video "
Been Around the World "Been Around the World" is a song by American rapper Puff Daddy, featuring the Notorious B.I.G. and Mase and included on Puff Daddy's debut studio album '' No Way Out'' (1997). The song samples David Bowie's 1983 hit song " Let's Dance", and co ...
" (1997). Her debut album, ''
On the 6 ''On the 6'' is the debut studio album by American singer and actress Jennifer Lopez. It was released on June 1, 1999, by the Work Group. Lopez worked with several producers on the album, including Rodney Jerkins, Cory Rooney, Dan Shea and her ...
'' (1999), named after the 6 Subway line which connected her childhood home in the Bronx to Manhattan, was met with positive reviews and further propelled her public profile. The album was a success and Lopez's debut single, "
If You Had My Love "If You Had My Love" is the debut single by American actress and singer Jennifer Lopez from her first studio album, '' On the 6'' (1999). The song was written by Lopez, LaShawn Daniels, Cory Rooney, Fred Jerkins III, and its producer Rodney Jer ...
", topped the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks, with another single, " Waiting for Tonight", reaching number eight and becoming a celebratory anthem for the new millennium. Other singles from the album included "
Let's Get Loud "Let's Get Loud" is a song by American singer Jennifer Lopez from her 1999 debut studio album, '' On the 6''. Originally written by the song's co-writer Gloria Estefan for herself, she felt as if the song was too similar to her previous materia ...
", which became one of Lopez's signature songs, and "
No Me Ames "No Me Ames" (English: "Don't Love Me") is a Latin pop duet recorded by American singers Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony for Lopez's debut studio album, '' On the 6'' (1999). It is a Spanish cover version of the Italian song "Non amarmi", writte ...
", a duet with future husband
Marc Anthony Marco Antonio Muñiz (born September 16, 1968), known professionally as Marc Anthony, is an American singer and actor. He is the top selling salsa artist of all time. A four-time Grammy Award, eight-time Latin Grammy Award and twenty-nine-tim ...
. In July 1999, she performed "If You Had My Love" and "Let's Get Loud" at the
1999 FIFA Women's World Cup The 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup was the third edition of the FIFA Women's World Cup, the world championship for List of women's national association football teams, women's national association football, soccer teams. It was hosted as well as ...
closing ceremony. It was watched by over one billion viewers worldwide, exposing Lopez's music career to a larger international audience.


2000–2002: International success

In February 2000, Lopez and then-boyfriend
Sean Combs Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), better known by his stage name Diddy, and formerly Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, record producer, and record executive. Born in Harlem and raised in Mount Vernon, New York, Mount Ve ...
attended the
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
, with Lopez wearing a plunging green Versace silk chiffon dress. The dress generated worldwide attention and became the most popular search query in Google's history, leading to the creation of
Google Images Google Images (previously Google Image Search) is a search engine owned by Gsuite that allows users to search the World Wide Web for images. It was introduced on July 12, 2001, due to a demand for pictures of the green Versace dress of Jennif ...
, while boosting Lopez's album and movie ticket sales. Later that year, Lopez starred in the psychological thriller '' The Cell'', for which she received a $4 million salary. The film, where Lopez played a psychologist who uses radical experimental therapy to enter the mind of a killer, received mixed reviews but was a box office success. David Edelstein of ''Slate'' remarked that the "imperious" Lopez was "trying to look waifishly expectant" while Amy Taubin of ''The Village Voice'' noted that she appeared to be engaged "in some kind of pouting competition" "in lieu of acting." Lopez became the first woman to have a number-one film and album simultaneously in January 2001, with the release of her second album, '' J.Lo'', and her romantic comedy ''
The Wedding Planner ''The Wedding Planner'' is a 2001 American romantic comedy film directed by Adam Shankman, in his feature film directorial debut, written by Pamela Falk and Michael Ellis, and starring Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey. Plot Ambitious Sa ...
'', which co-stars
Matthew McConaughey Matthew David McConaughey ( ; born November 4, 1969) is an American actor. He achieved his breakthrough with a supporting performance in the coming-of-age comedy '' Dazed and Confused'' (1993). After a number of supporting roles, his first su ...
. ''The Wedding Planner'' received highly negative reviews but became a box office success. Jessica Winter of ''The Village Voice'' found Lopez miscast as a "buttoned down, celibate" woman in the film. Lopez titled her album ''J.Lo'' after the nickname which her fans and the media had been increasingly referring to her as. She also adopted J.Lo as her stagename. ''J.Lo'' received polarized reviews from critics but became the most successful album of her career, selling 12 million copies worldwide. It included the singles " Love Don't Cost a Thing", which reached number one in various countries, "
I'm Real "I'm Real" is the name of two songs recorded by American actress and singer Jennifer Lopez, both primarily for her second studio album, ''J.Lo (album), J.Lo'' (2001). The original song was released as the album's third single; Ja Rule of Murder ...
" featuring
Ja Rule Jeffrey Bruce Atkins (born February 29, 1976), better known by his stage name Ja Rule (), is an American rapper, singer, and actor. Born and raised in New York City, Ja Rule became known for blending gangsta rap with pop rap, pop and contempo ...
, which peaked atop the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, "
Ain't It Funny "Ain't It Funny" is a song by American singer Jennifer Lopez. It was written by Lopez and Cory Rooney for the Adam Shankman-directed romantic comedy '' The Wedding Planner'' (2001). Shankman, however, felt that the song had too much of a Lati ...
", and "
Play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * P ...
". In support of the album, Lopez performed two-concert residency in Puerto Rico, which was later broadcast in November 2001 as an
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
special, ''Jennifer Lopez in Concert''. It was one of the most-watched concert specials of the year in the United States, with an audience of almost 12 million. In other 2001 work, Lopez launched her first business venture, the clothing line
J.Lo by Jennifer Lopez J.Lo by Jennifer Lopez is an American lifestyle brand founded by Jennifer Lopez. Since the release of her debut fragrance Glow in 2001, the line expanded to include clothing, watches, accessories, bedding and perfume, becoming a huge success i ...
. The line catered to women of all sizes, as Lopez felt "the voluptuous woman asalmost ignored" in the fashion industry. She also founded her production company,
Nuyorican Productions Nuyorican Productions, Inc. is an American production company founded by Benny Medina and Jennifer Lopez. The name “Nuyorican” reflects Lopez's Puerto Rican heritage and her upbringing in New York. In other words, the name is a portmanteau ...
, with manager Benny Medina. Her next film was the romantic drama '' Angel Eyes'', starring opposite
Jim Caviezel James Patrick Caviezel Jr. ( ; born September 26, 1968) is an American actor. He played Jesus in ''The Passion of the Christ'' (2004), Tim Ballard in Sound of Freedom (film), ''Sound of Freedom'' (2023), and starred as John Reese (Person of Inte ...
. Lopez's performance was well-reviewed, though the film was a critical and commercial disappointment. She was slated to star alongside
Ricky Martin Enrique Martin Morales (born December 24, 1971), known professionally as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter and actor. He is known for his musical versatility, with his Ricky Martin albums discography, discography incorporati ...
in a remake of
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...
's ''
Viva Las Vegas ''Viva Las Vegas'' is a 1964 American rock and roll musical film directed by George Sidney, written by Sally Benson, choreographed by David Winters, and starring Elvis Presley, Ann-Margret, Cesare Danova, William Demarest and Nicky Blair ...
'', but this did not eventuate. Lopez released two albums in 2002. The first was ''
J to tha L–O! The Remixes ''J to tha L–O! The Remixes'' is a remix album by American singer Jennifer Lopez, released February 1, 2002 by Epic Records. It contains remixes from Lopez's first two studio albums: '' On the 6'' (1999) and '' J.Lo'' (2001). It features artis ...
'', which became the first remix album in history to debut at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200. Its singles included "
Ain't It Funny (Murder Remix) "Ain't It Funny (Murder Remix)" is a song by American singer Jennifer Lopez for her remix album '' J to tha L–O! The Remixes'' (2002). The song was marketed as a remix of " Ain't It Funny", but is actually an entirely different song with the sa ...
" and "
I'm Gonna Be Alright "I'm Gonna Be Alright" is a song by American singer Jennifer Lopez from her second studio album, '' J.Lo'' (2001). It was written by Lopez, Lorraine Cheryl Cook, Ronald LaPread and producers Cory Rooney and Troy Oliver. "I'm Gonna Be Alright" ...
", which reached number one and ten on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, respectively. Lopez's third studio album, '' This Is Me... Then'', was released in late 2002, and was heavily influenced by her relationship with then-fiancé
Ben Affleck Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and three Golden Globes. Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS educatio ...
. It received mixed critical reviews; ''Billboard''s Michael Paoletta noted the "considerable growth she reveals as a performer and tunesmith" on the album, while
Jon Caramanica Jon Caramanica (born 1975) is an American journalist and pop music critic who writes for ''The New York Times''. He is also known for writing about hip hop music. Biography Born in Brooklyn, New York, Caramanica received his bachelor's degree ...
called it "the least interesting music on the pop charts today." The album became a commercial success, achieving the highest opening sales week of her career. The album's lead single, "
Jenny from the Block "Jenny from the Block" is a song by American singer Jennifer Lopez, which features American rappers Jadakiss and Styles P, both members of the Lox. It was released by Epic Records on September 26, 2002, as the lead single from her third studio al ...
", which peaked at number three on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, was viewed as a response to the notion that Lopez had alienated her "core fan base: the black and Hispanic hip-hop community." The album also spawned the number-one single " All I Have". Lopez starred as an abused wife who fights back in the thriller ''
Enough Enough may refer to: Film and television * ''Enough'' (film), a 2002 film starring Jennifer Lopez * "Enough" (''CSI: NY''), an episode of the TV series * "Enough" (''Not Going Out''), a 2017 TV episode *"Enough", an episode of ''Tru Calling'' ...
'' (2002), a role which required her to learn
Krav Maga Krav Maga ( ; , ; ) is an Israeli Hand-to-hand combat, self-defence system. Developed for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), it uses techniques derived from aikido, boxing, judo, karate and wrestling. It is known for its focus on real-world situat ...
. An overworked Lopez suffered a
nervous breakdown A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness, a mental health condition, or a psychiatric disability, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. A mental disorder is ...
in 2001 while filming it. The film received negative reviews; Ebert of the ''
Chicago Sun-Times The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily nonprofit newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has long held the second largest circulation among Chicago newspaper ...
'' felt it was "tacky material" and was surprised to see "an actress like Jennifer Lopez" involved with the project. Her next film was the romantic comedy, ''
Maid in Manhattan ''Maid in Manhattan'' is a 2002 American romantic comedy drama film directed by Wayne Wang and based on a story by John Hughes, who is credited using a pseudonym. It stars Jennifer Lopez, Ralph Fiennes, and Natasha Richardson. In the film, a ...
'' (2002), in which Lopez starred opposite
Ralph Fiennes Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes (; born 22 December 1962) is an English actor, film producer, and director. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Ralph Fiennes, various accolades, including a British Academy Film ...
as a maid and single mother from the Bronx. It became the highest-grossing film of her career. Reviewing ''Maid in Manhattan'', A. O. Scott of ''The New York Times'' enjoyed Lopez as a romantic lead and said "her greatest skill as an actress" was "her ability to melt without cracking the hard shell of composure she wears." In 2002 business ventures, Lopez opened Madre's, a Los Angeles restaurant serving Latin cuisine, and released her first fragrance, Glow by JLo. It became the top-selling fragrance in the U.S.


2003–2009: Media scrutiny and career downturn

Lopez became the subject of widespread media criticism in 2003 due to her public relationship with Ben Affleck and the tabloid depiction of her as a demanding diva. She fired both her personal manager Benny Medina and her publicist in mid-2003; ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' reported that movie executives had become frustrated by having their communications with Lopez "largely filtered" through Medina. That year, Lopez starred opposite Affleck in the romantic comedy ''
Gigli ''Gigli'' ( ) is a 2003 American romantic comedy crime film written, co-produced, and directed by Martin Brest, and starring Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Bartha, Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, and Lainie Kazan. Brest and producers di ...
'', which was a
box-office bomb A box-office bomb is a film that is unprofitable or considered highly unsuccessful during its theatrical run. Although any film for which the combined production budget, marketing, and distribution costs exceed the revenue after release has te ...
and is considered one of the worst films of all time. Rex Reed of ''
The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. First published in 1791, it is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper. In 1993 it was acquired by Guardian Media Group Limited, and operated as a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' ...
'' criticized the lead actors, calling them "pathetically incompetent" in both "craft and talent".
Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert ( ; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American Film criticism, film critic, film historian, journalist, essayist, screenwriter and author. He wrote for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. Eber ...
agreed that the movie "doesn't quite work", but found Lopez and Affleck "appealing in their performances" and noted the couple's chemistry. Later in 2003, she released her second fragrance Still Jennifer Lopez, and became the face of
Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton Malletier SAS, commonly known as Louis Vuitton (, ), is a French Luxury goods, luxury fashion house and company founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton (designer), Louis Vuitton. The label's LV monogram appears on most of its products, ...
's fall advertising campaign. Lopez had a minor role opposite Affleck in the film '' Jersey Girl'' (2004). Following test audiences' negative reactions to the onscreen couple, her screen time was halved. Lopez later described this as the lowest point of her career and admitted she felt "eviscerated" by the media coverage surrounding ''Gigli'': "I lost my sense of self, questioned if I belonged in this business, thought maybe I did suck at everything. And my relationship self-destructed in front of the entire world. It was a two-year thing for me until I picked myself up again." Months later, she starred opposite
Richard Gere Richard Tiffany Gere ( ; born August 31, 1949) is an American actor. He began appearing in films in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in ''Looking for Mr. Goodbar (film), Looking for Mr. Goodbar'' (1977) and a starring role in ''Days of Hea ...
in the romantic comedy-drama '' Shall We Dance?'', which was a box-office success. Lopez's clothing lines and two fragrances generated over $300 million in revenue throughout 2004. The marketing for the romantic comedy ''
Monster-in-Law ''Monster-in-Law'' is a 2005 romantic comedy film directed by Robert Luketic, written by Anya Kochoff and starring Jennifer Lopez, Jane Fonda, Michael Vartan and Wanda Sykes. It marked a return to cinema for Fonda, being her first film in 15 ...
'' (2005), in which Lopez starred opposite
Jane Fonda Jane Seymour Fonda (born December 21, 1937) is an American actress and activist. Recognized as a film icon, Jane Fonda filmography, Fonda's work spans several genres and over six decades of film and television. She is the recipient of List of a ...
, played up her "''Gigli''-and-tabloid tarnished image", and it became a box office success. She released her fourth studio album, ''
Rebirth Rebirth may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Film * ''Rebirth'' (2011 film), a 2011 Japanese drama film * ''Rebirth'' (2016 film), a 2016 American thriller film * ''Rebirth'', a 2011 documentary film produced by Project Rebirth * '' ...
'', in early 2005. Its title was symbolic of Lopez's hopes for "a new professional beginning". It was recorded during a period where Lopez felt "a little bit lost, trying to get my footing in a new life", "I had just gotten married [to singer
Marc Anthony Marco Antonio Muñiz (born September 16, 1968), known professionally as Marc Anthony, is an American singer and actor. He is the top selling salsa artist of all time. A four-time Grammy Award, eight-time Latin Grammy Award and twenty-nine-tim ...
] ... I wasn't with Benny [Medina]." In a review of ''Rebirth'', journalist Alexis Petridis remarked that the title "suggests even Lopez has realised that something is amiss with her career ... Despite the highlights, you're still left pondering the question: what happened to Jennifer Lopez?" The album reached number two on the ''Billboard'' 200, but failed to replicate the sales of her previous albums. Its lead single, "Get Right (Jennifer Lopez song), Get Right", however, reached number twelve on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, becoming one of her most successful songs. Also in 2005, Lopez launched her second fashion label, Sweetface, which was geared towards "high fashion" in comparison, and appeared in a ''Kill Bill: Volume 1, Kill Bill''-inspired Pepsi commercial with Beyoncé and David Beckham. The next year, she returned to the top five of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 as a featured artist on "Control Myself", the lead single from LL Cool J's Todd Smith (album), twelfth studio album. Lopez's next three movie projects were box office failures. She starred alongside Robert Redford and Morgan Freeman in the drama ''An Unfinished Life'' (2005). Ebert of the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' predicted that the typical review would be unkind: "It will have no respect for Jennifer Lopez, because she is going through a period right now when nobody is satisfied with anything she does ... Give Lopez your permission to be good again; she is the same actress now as when we thought her so new and fine." In 2006, she reunited with director Gregory Nava to star in the crime drama ''Bordertown (2006 film), Bordertown'' as a journalist investigating female homicides in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. The film was negatively reviewed and received a direct-to-video release. David D'Arcy of ''Screen Daily'' found Lopez "unconvincing" as a journalist. In 2007, she starred opposite her then-husband
Marc Anthony Marco Antonio Muñiz (born September 16, 1968), known professionally as Marc Anthony, is an American singer and actor. He is the top selling salsa artist of all time. A four-time Grammy Award, eight-time Latin Grammy Award and twenty-nine-tim ...
in the music biopic ''El Cantante'', which told the story of Puerto Rican salsa music, salsa singer Héctor Lavoe and his wife Puchi. It did not perform well at the box office and received mixed reviews from film critics; Lopez's performance, which she expressed pride in, drew both praise and criticism. Lopez released two studio albums in 2007. Her fifth album, ''
Como Ama una Mujer ''Como Ama una Mujer'' (English: ''How a Woman Loves'') is the fifth studio album and first Spanish album by American singer and actress Jennifer Lopez. It was released on March 23, 2007, by Epic Records. After including some Spanish songs on he ...
'', was her first to be recorded entirely in Spanish. Chris Willman of ''Entertainment Weekly'' acknowledged that the album offered "fairly persuasive proof" that Lopez can sing, but was unimpressed by the "flaccid torch songs." It became the fifth Spanish album to debut in the top ten of the ''Billboard'' 200, and achieved the highest first-week sales for an artist's debut Spanish album at the time. The lead single, "Qué Hiciste", reached number 86 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 while the second single, "Me Haces Falta", failed to chart. Lopez's sixth studio album, ''Brave (Jennifer Lopez album), Brave'', released later that year, was her lowest-charting album worldwide. Jonathan Bernstein of ''Entertainment Weekly'' was disappointed that Lopez had returned to "listless vocals" for her "back-to-the-dance-floor album." The album debuted at number 12 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and produced two singles, "Do It Well" and "Hold It Don't Drop It". The first peaked at number 31 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart, while the latter failed to chart. While pregnant with twins, Lopez embarked upon her first ever concert tour, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony en Concierto, a show co-headlined by Anthony, in September 2007; the tour was well received. She also created, produced and was featured in the MTV show ''DanceLife'', which she described as a "passion project". After giving birth to twins in February 2008, Lopez took a career break. Her restaurant Madre's closed permanently, as did her two fashion lines. After rehiring former manager Medina, Lopez released two songs in late 2009, "Louboutins (song), Louboutins" and "Fresh Out of the Oven". The songs were intended for her seventh studio album but failed to make an appearance on the ''Billboard'' charts, leading to her departure from Sony Music and Epic Records.


2010–2015: ''American Idol'' and career revival

Lopez's first theatrical role in three years was in the romantic comedy ''The Back-up Plan'' (2010). Manohla Dargis of ''The New York Times'' was unimpressed by the movie and described Lopez as "an appealing screen presence with a disappointing big-screen track record. That's probably not all her fault: romantic roles for women often are the provenance of the bland or the blonde." A "big turning point" in Lopez's career came when she joined the judging panel of the singing competition series ''
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...
'' for its American Idol season 10, tenth season, replacing Simon Cowell. Despite being advised that it was a "huge gamble", she accepted the job, as she was "not getting offered a whole bunch of movies". Lopez's appearance on ''American Idol'' in 2011 returned her to prominence. Hannah Elliot of ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...
'' described it as "a remarkable comeback", writing: "''Idol'' humanized her. Viewers who knew only an attention-grabbing siren met a hardworking, self-made, empathetic single mother, who got emotional when contestants did well and when they failed." Lopez subsequently experienced what ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' called "the most impressive reality-TV-based rejuvenation of a music career ever." After signing a new recording contract with Island Records, her seventh studio album, '' Love?'', was released in early 2011. While the album itself was a moderate commercial success, the single "On the Floor" was the year's highest-selling single by a female artist. It reached number three on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, becoming her highest-charting single as a lead artist since "All I Have". The album produced two more singles, "I'm Into You" and "Papi (song), Papi", which did not achieve similar success . Around this time, Lopez became a brand ambassador for
L'Oréal L'Oréal S.A. () is a French multinational personal care corporation registered in Paris
, Gillette Mach3, Gilette Venus, Tous (company), Tous and Fiat. She also launched the Jennifer Lopez Collection, a clothing and homeware line with Tommy Hilfiger for Kohl's; the collection generated an estimated $3 billion in sales during its first year. Lopez returned as a judge for ''American Idol''s American Idol season 11, eleventh season in 2012, earning a reported $20 million. That year, she released her greatest hits album, ''Dance Again... the Hits'', to fulfil her contractual obligations with her former label Epic Records. Lopez, who was divorcing Anthony and navigating the "breakup of a family", felt as if the album's sole single, "Dance Again", had come to her at the "perfect moment". "Dance Again" reached number 17 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Lopez launched the Dance Again World Tour, her first headlining concert tour, in mid-2012. It grossed over $1 million per show. Also that year, she launched Teeology, a luxury T-shirt brand. Lopez returned to the big screen in 2012, starring alongside an ensemble cast in the film ''What to Expect When You're Expecting (film), What to Expect When You're Expecting'', which is based on the 1984 book ''What to Expect When You're Expecting''. Lopez voiced Shira, a saber tooth tiger, in the animated film, ''Ice Age: Continental Drift'', the fourth film in the ''Ice Age (franchise), Ice Age'' franchise. Also in 2012, a talent show, ''Q'Viva! The Chosen, ¡Q'Viva! The Chosen'' followed Lopez, Anthony, and director-choreographer Jamie King as they travelled across 21 countries in Latin America to find new talent for a Las Vegas show. In 2013, Lopez starred alongside Jason Statham in the crime thriller ''Parker (2013 film), Parker'', in which she played Leslie. Her performance earned positive reviews, with the ''Chicago Tribune'' commending the role for giving Lopez "an opportunity to be dramatic, romantic, funny, depressed, euphoric and violent. The audience stays with her all the way". That year, Lopez released the single "Live It Up (Jennifer Lopez song), Live It Up", founded the mobile phone retail brand Viva Móvil, and was named chief creative officer of NuvoTV. She also served as an executive producer of the television series ''The Fosters (2013 TV series), The Fosters'' (2013–2018), a show about a lesbian couple raising a family. Lopez's desire to work on the series was driven by her late aunt, who was gay. After a one-season absence, Lopez returned to ''American Idol'' for its American Idol season 13, thirteenth season, earning a reported $17.5 million. Her eighth studio album, ''A.K.A. (album), A.K.A.'', was released in mid-2014 through
Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007), and simply known as Capitol, is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-base ...
, experiencing lacklustre sales, becoming her lowest-selling album in the U.S. The album produced three singles: "I Luh Ya Papi", featuring French Montana, "First Love (Jennifer Lopez song), First Love", and "Booty (Jennifer Lopez song), Booty", featuring Iggy Azalea. They reached 77, 87 and 18 respectively on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Also that year, Lopez released "We Are One (Ole Ola)", the official song for the 2014 FIFA World Cup along with Pitbull (rapper), Pitbull and Claudia Leitte. Lopez partnered with Endless Jewelry on a range of jewelry, and released a book, ''True Love (book), True Love'', which became a The New York Times Best Seller list, ''New York Times'' best-seller. 2015 saw the release of ''The Boy Next Door (film), The Boy Next Door'', an erotic thriller that Lopez both co-produced and starred in as a high school teacher who becomes involved with a student, which eventually leads to his dangerous obsession with her. The film received negative reviews from critics. Despite this, it became her most successful opening at the box office for a live action film since ''Monster-in-Law''. Lopez had a voice role in the animated feature ''Home (2015 comedy film), Home'' and contributed the single "Feel the Light" to the film's official soundtrack. She also starred in the independent drama film ''Lila & Eve'', alongside Viola Davis.


2016–2021: Television work, ''Hustlers'' and Super Bowl LIV

In January 2016, Lopez commenced a concert residency show, All I Have (residency), All I Have, at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Planet Hollywood's Zappos Theater in Las Vegas. She performed 120 shows during the three-year run, grossing over $100 million in ticket sales. At the beginning of the residency, Lopez signed a multi-album deal with her former label Epic Records, and released "Ain't Your Mama", one of her most successful singles during the 2010s. Despite signing a multi-album deal, she did not release any albums under the label. Also in 2016, she began starring in
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
's crime drama series ''
Shades of Blue Varieties of the color blue may differ in hue, chroma (also called saturation, intensity, or colorfulness), or lightness (or value, tone, or brightness), or in two or three of these qualities. Variations in value are also called tints and sha ...
'', which she also executive produced. She played Harlee Santos, a single mother and police detective who goes undercover for the FBI to investigate her own squad. The series' premiere brought NBC its most-watched Thursday debut in seven years. Starring alongside Ray Liotta, Lopez's performance received critical praise. That year, she also reprised her voice role as Shira in the animated film ''Ice Age: Collision Course'' (2016), and designed a capsule collection of shoes and jewelry in collaboration with Giuseppe Zanotti. Lopez was executive producer and judge on NBC's dance competition series '' World of Dance'', which was a ratings success upon its May 2017 premiere. That year, Lopez released the singles "Ni Tú Ni Yo" and "Amor, Amor, Amor", which were intended to be included on her second Spanish-language album, ''Por Primera Vez'', which was ultimately shelved. In late 2017, she was announced as the new face of clothing company Guess (company), Guess, becoming the oldest spokeswoman in the company's history. In 2018, Lopez released a string of Spanish and Spanglish singles: "Se Acabó el Amor", "El Anillo", "Dinero (Jennifer Lopez song), Dinero" featuring DJ Khaled and Cardi B, and "Te Guste" with Bad Bunny. ''Forbes'' noted that the songs were unable to "completely connect on a crossover, mainstream level", but were more successful on US-based Latin charts, nearly all of them reaching number one on the ''Billboard'' Latin Airplay chart. In collaboration with Inglot Cosmetics, she launched a limited-edition makeup collection. She later starred in and executive produced the comedy film ''Second Act (film), Second Act'' (2018), directed by Peter Segal; she also recorded the single "Limitless (Jennifer Lopez song), Limitless" for its soundtrack. ''Second Act'' earned mixed reviews from critics, but performed well at the box office, grossing $72.3 million during its theatrical run. In the first half of 2019, Lopez embarked on an international concert tour, It's My Party (tour), It's My Party, to celebrate her 50th birthday. The tour grossed an estimated $54.7 million from thirty-eight shows. ''Variety'' reported that most shows were sold out. She also signed with new label Hitco, Hitco Entertainment and released the single "Medicine (Jennifer Lopez song), Medicine" featuring French Montana. In other 2019 activities, she became the global face of the Coach New York, Coach brand, launched a collection of sunglasses with the brand Quay Australia, and modeled an updated version of her Green Versace dress of Jennifer Lopez, Green Versace dress at Milan Fashion Week. She also became executive producer of two television series, ''Good Trouble (TV series), Good Trouble'' and ''Thanks a Million (TV series), Thanks a Million''. Lopez executive produced and starred in the crime drama film '' Hustlers'' (2019). Directed by Lorene Scafaria, the film is inspired by a true story, following a group of Manhattan strippers who con wealthy male Wall Street clientele. Lopez's portrayal of a veteran stripper in ''Hustlers'' garnered acclaim from critics, with some deeming it the best performance of her acting career. The film also gave Lopez her highest opening weekend at the box office for a live action film, grossing $33.2 million. Her performance received nominations for Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Globe Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Critics' Choice Movie Awards and Independent Spirit Awards. The success of ''Hustlers'' was regarded by various media outlets as a comeback as an actress for Lopez. In February 2020, Lopez co-headlined the Super Bowl LIV halftime show in Miami, Florida alongside Shakira; the performance included an appearance by her child Emme Muñiz. The performance was widely praised and became the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show to date. Later that year, Lopez released the singles "Pa' Ti + Lonely, Pa' Ti" with Maluma―which became her most successful song since 2017―and "In the Morning (Jennifer Lopez song), In the Morning", before headlining the 2021 ''Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest'' special live from Times Square on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. In January 2021, she performed at the Inauguration of Joe Biden, 2021 inauguration of President Joe Biden in Washington, D.C. In business, Lopez focused on investments and creating her own brands. She launched her skin care line, JLo Beauty, released a shoe collection in partnership with Designer Shoe Warehouse, DSW, and invested in companies including Hims & Hers Health, Bodyarmor SuperDrink, Goli nutritional supplements and meal delivery service Wonder Group, Wonder. In mid-2021, she signed a multi-year deal with Netflix to produce a range of films and television shows through her own Nuyorican Productions, and released the reggaeton Spanish single "Cambia el Paso" with Rauw Alejandro.


2022–present: Focus on film and ''This Is Me... Now''

Lopez co-produced and starred opposite Owen Wilson and Maluma in the romantic comedy '' Marry Me'', which was released in February 2022. The film grossed over $50 million at the box office while becoming the most-streamed day-and-date film on Peacock (streaming service), Peacock, and received generally mixed reviews from critics. Lopez also released a Marry Me (soundtrack), soundtrack for the film, with Maluma, which generated the singles "On My Way (Jennifer Lopez song), On My Way" and "Marry Me (Jennifer Lopez and Maluma song), Marry Me". In March 2022, Lopez was appointed as the chief "entertainment and lifestyle" officer of the cruise line, Virgin Voyages. Her next project was the documentary ''Jennifer Lopez: Halftime'', which focuses on her life following the release of ''Hustlers'' and in preparation for her Super Bowl performance. Released on Netflix in June 2022 following its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, it garnered generally positive reviews from film critics. In September, Lopez was announced as the global ambassador of Italian lingerie label Intimissimi. The following month, Jimmy Fallon and Lopez released a children's book, ''Con Pollo: A Bilingual Playtime Adventure'', which became a The New York Times Best Seller list, ''New York Times'' best-seller. Lopez co-produced and starred opposite Josh Duhamel and Jennifer Coolidge in the action-comedy ''Shotgun Wedding (2022 film), Shotgun Wedding'', which was released on Amazon Prime Video in January 2023. It became one of the top-streamed films on Prime Video that year. She also led and co-produced the action thriller feature '' The Mother'', directed by Niki Caro and released on Netflix in May 2023. The film received mixed reviews, but became the most-watched film on the platform in 2023 and one of the List of most-watched Netflix original programming, most-watched original films on the service of all time. That September, she entered a "recording and publishing" partnership with BMG Rights Management, in conjunction with her Nuyorican Productions. Lopez's business ventures in 2023 included: launching a Spritz (cocktail), spritz brand named Delola, a collaboration between her lifestyle brand
J.Lo by Jennifer Lopez J.Lo by Jennifer Lopez is an American lifestyle brand founded by Jennifer Lopez. Since the release of her debut fragrance Glow in 2001, the line expanded to include clothing, watches, accessories, bedding and perfume, becoming a huge success i ...
and fashion retailer Revolve, and a footwear line, JLO Jennifer Lopez, which was released as three collections in March, May, and June. Lopez's ninth studio album, ''This Is Me... Now'', a sequel album to ''This Is Me... Then'' (2002), was released by Nuyorican and BMG on February 16, 2024. The album formed part of a "three-part multimedia project" which included a companion musical film, '' This Is Me... Now: A Love Story'' directed by Dave Meyers (director), Dave Meyers, and a documentary, ''Greatest Love Story Never Told, The Greatest Love Story Never Told'', both of which were released on Prime Video. Lopez plays a fictionalized version of herself in ''A Love Story'', which was described as an "autobiographical musical rom-com action sci-fi"; Tim Jonze of ''The Guardian'' suggested that Lopez had possibly invented the "therapy-musical biopic" genre. After potential partners backed out, Lopez financed the film herself for $20 million before Amazon subsequently purchased it. "Can't Get Enough (Jennifer Lopez song), Can't Get Enough" was released as the album's lead single, followed by "Rebound" featuring rapper Anuel AA. To promote the album, Lopez performed "Can't Get Enough" with Latto and Redman (rapper), Redman, and the album's title track on ''Saturday Night Live'' on Saturday Night Live season 49#ep959, February 3, 2024; she also conducted an exclusive concert at the Orpheum Theatre (Los Angeles), Orpheum Theatre in LA, which was recorded and released as a concert film on Apple Music and Apple TV+ on February 21. Additionally, she released a lingerie collection with Intimissimi which was inspired by the album. In May 2024, Lopez co-hosted the annual Met Gala in Manhattan, marking her 14th attendance at the haute couture event. Also that month, she and Australian music producer Fisher (musician), Fisher released a "contemporary" remix of "Waiting for Tonight", 25 years after the song's release. Lopez was set to embark on the This Is Me... Live North American tour beginning June 2024, but cancelled it in order to spend more time with her family. Lopez co-produced and starred in the sci-fi thriller ''
Atlas An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically a bundle of world map, maps of Earth or of a continent or region of Earth. Advances in astronomy have also resulted in atlases of the celestial sphere or of other planets. Atlases have traditio ...
'', the third project under her Netflix deal. Released in May 2024, ''Atlas'' received negative reviews from critics, but was successful on Netflix where it was the most-watched movie in 71 countries on its first day. In a positive review of the film, ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' praised Lopez's performance and called the film "an intriguing concept." Lopez starred alongside Jharrel Jerome in the biographical wrestling drama ''Unstoppable (2024 film), Unstoppable,'' based on the life of wrestler Anthony Robles, produced by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. The feature premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, followed by a limited theatrical release in December 2024. Lopez portrayed Judy, Robles's mother, in the film; Owen Gleiberman of ''Variety'' called it "the fullest screen performance she has ever given". Lopez starred in and executive producer, executive produced the Bill Condon-directed '' Kiss of the Spider Woman'', a film adaption of the Broadway theatre, Broadway Kiss of the Spider Woman (musical), 1993 musical of the same name. It is her first role in a full-fledged musical.


Upcoming projects

Lopez will co-produce and star opposite Brett Goldstein in Netflix's ''Office Romance''. She will also co-produce a series adaptation of Emily Henry's 2023 novel Happy Place (novel), ''Happy Place'' for Netflix. She has also committed to lead and co-produce Netflix's film adaptation of the bestselling novel, ''The Cipher''. Lopez has several projects in the works as a producer. Through her continued partnership with Netflix, she will also star in an adaption of the novel ''The Last Mrs. Parrish'', directed by Robert Zemeckis. In April 2025, she announced the Up All Night: Live in 2025, Up All Night Tour; it will commence on July 8.


Personal life

Lopez was in a nearly decade-long relationship with David Cruz, her high-school boyfriend, until the mid-1990s. They were engaged at one point, and Cruz relocated to Los Angeles to be with her when she began pursuing her career. She later said of Cruz, "You get lucky, you have a first love like that." She was married to Cuban waiter Ojani Noa from February 1997 to January 1998. In subsequent court cases, Noa was prevented from publishing a book about their marriage and from using private honeymoon footage of Lopez in a documentary. Lopez was in an on-again, off-again relationship with record producer and rapper
Sean Combs Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), better known by his stage name Diddy, and formerly Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, record producer, and record executive. Born in Harlem and raised in Mount Vernon, New York, Mount Ve ...
(then known as "Puff Daddy") from 1999 to early 2001. On the night of December 27, 1999, Lopez, Combs and rapper Shyne were arrested and charged with criminal possession of a weapon and possession of stolen property, after leaving the scene of a shooting at a Times Square nightclub. Charges against Lopez were dropped within an hour while Combs was acquitted of all charges at trial in March 2001. They broke up shortly thereafter. Shyne was sentenced to ten years in prison. Lopez later said that, while she had "cared very much" about Combs, their "crazy, tumultuous" relationship "was always something I knew would end." She was married to Cris Judd, her former backup dancer, from September 2001 to January 2003. Before her divorce with Judd was finalized, Lopez was in a relationship with actor and filmmaker
Ben Affleck Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and three Golden Globes. Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS educatio ...
from mid-2002 to early 2004. Although they had crossed paths several times before (including at the 70th Academy Awards and at the premiere of ''Armageddon (1998 film), Armageddon'', both in 1998), their first major meeting was on the set of ''Gigli'' (2003) in December 2001. They later worked together on the music video for "Jenny from the Block" and the film ''Jersey Girl'' (2004). Her album ''This Is Me... Then'' was dedicated to and inspired by Affleck. Their relationship was extensively publicized. Tabloids referred to the couple as "Bennifer", a portmanteau ''Vanity Fair'' described as "the first of that sort of tabloid branding". They became engaged in November 2002, but their planned wedding on September 14, 2003, was postponed with four days' notice because of "excessive media attention". They ended their engagement in January 2004. Years later, Lopez said Affleck's discomfort with media scrutiny was one reason for their split and described it as her "first real heartbreak": "I think different time, different thing, who knows what could've happened, but there was a genuine love there." After her relationship with Affleck, Lopez stopped discussing her personal life in interviews. She was married to singer
Marc Anthony Marco Antonio Muñiz (born September 16, 1968), known professionally as Marc Anthony, is an American singer and actor. He is the top selling salsa artist of all time. A four-time Grammy Award, eight-time Latin Grammy Award and twenty-nine-tim ...
from June 2004 to June 2014; they had previously worked together and dated for a few months in the late 1990s. Their wedding took place five months after the end of her relationship with Affleck. During their marriage, they collaborated on music and performed together, as well as co-starring in ''El Cantante'' (2006). Lopez gave birth to fraternal twins, a boy and a girl, on Long Island in February 2008. ''People'' magazine paid a reported US$6 million for the first photographs of the twins, making them List of most expensive celebrity photographs, the most expensive celebrity pictures ever taken at the time. In 2009, Anthony and Lopez purchased a stake in the Miami Dolphins. They announced their separation in July 2011. Anthony filed for divorce in April 2012 and it was finalized in June 2014. Lopez retained primary physical custody of the two children. Lopez occasionally performs with her daughter. Lopez had an on-again, off-again relationship with her former backup dancer Casper Smart from October 2011 to August 2016. She dated New York Yankees baseball player Alex Rodriguez from February 2017 to early 2021. They became engaged in March 2019 but postponed their wedding twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to tabloid speculation about the state of their relationship, they released a statement in March 2021, saying they were "working through some things". They announced the end of their relationship in April 2021. In April 2021, Lopez and Affleck were reported to be dating again, with Lopez publicly confirming their rekindled relationship that July. In April 2022, Lopez announced their second engagement, 20 years after the first proposal. They were married in Las Vegas on July 16, 2022, and held a wedding celebration for family and friends the following month. On August 20, 2024, Lopez filed for divorce from Affleck, citing April 26, 2024, as the date of their separation. She also requested that her legal name be changed back to Jennifer Lynn Lopez. On January 6, 2025, the divorce was finalized.


Other ventures


Philanthropy

Following the September 11 attacks, Lopez was heavily involved in charitable organization, charitable activities. Joining other artists, she was featured on charitable singles such as "What's Going On (remix album), What's Going On" and "El Ultimo Adios (The Last Goodbye)", which benefited people affected by the tragedy. In February 2007, Lopez was honored with the Artists for Amnesty prize by Amnesty International for her work in ''Bordertown (2006 film), Bordertown'', which shed light on the hundreds of feminicides in Ciudad Juárez. Lopez described it as "one of the world's most shocking and disturbing, underreported crimes against humanity". That year, one dollar from each ticket sold at Lopez and Anthony's Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony en Concierto, co-headlining North American concert tour, which grossed an estimated $10 million, was donated to the Run for Something Better program, which fights childhood obesity. Lopez has been a long-time supporter of the Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Her album ''
Rebirth Rebirth may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Film * ''Rebirth'' (2011 film), a 2011 Japanese drama film * ''Rebirth'' (2016 film), a 2016 American thriller film * ''Rebirth'', a 2011 documentary film produced by Project Rebirth * '' ...
'' (2005) is dedicated to Paige Peterson, an eleven-year-old cancer patient she befriended at the hospital who died in 2004. Lopez stated that "[she doesn't] like to do ercharity work in public. That's not what you do it for." In 2009, Lopez launched the Lopez Family Foundation (originally known as the Maribel Foundation) alongside her sister, Lynda. The organization works to increase healthcare access for underprivileged women and children, including through a telemedicine program in partnership with the Children's Hospital Los Angeles. The foundation has facilitated the expansion of medical facilities in Panama and Puerto Rico, and created the Center for a Healthy Childhood at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. In December 2012, Lopez held a charity drive to benefit her three favorite charities: the Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club, the Children's Hospital Los Angeles and the American Red Cross, mainly benefiting victims of Hurricane Sandy. In May 2015, she became the first celebrity spokesperson for the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and the BC Children's Hospital Foundation (BCCHF), appearing in a campaign entitled "Put Your Money Where the Miracles Are". That September, she became the first Global Advocate for Girls and Women at the United Nations Foundation. This role sees her mobilizing action to address issues including maternal health care programs, education and violence against women. In September 2017, following Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria, Lopez donated $1 million from the proceeds of her Las Vegas residency to humanitarian aid for Puerto Rico. Along with
Marc Anthony Marco Antonio Muñiz (born September 16, 1968), known professionally as Marc Anthony, is an American singer and actor. He is the top selling salsa artist of all time. A four-time Grammy Award, eight-time Latin Grammy Award and twenty-nine-tim ...
, she launched a humanitarian relief campaign entitled Somos Una Voz (English: We Are One Voice), an effort supported by various celebrities to rush supplies to areas affected by Hurricane Maria. Lopez and Anthony presented a subsequent concert and telethon for disaster relief, "One Voice: Somos Live!", which raised over $35 million. She was also among various artists featured on Lin-Manuel Miranda's charity single "Almost Like Praying", which benefits Puerto Rico. As of 2021, Lopez continues to regularly donate to and support charities. In September 2021, she launched her own philanthropic organization, Limitless Labs, that supports and empowers Latina entrepreneurs and business owners. Lopez announced a partnership between the venture and the 10,000 Small Businesses initiative. In June 2022, Lopez and Limitless Labs partnered with nonprofit Grameen America as a national ambassador to empower women-led Latina businesses with $14 billion in business loans and "6 million hours of financial education and training by 2030." Lopez has performed at charity concerts throughout her career, including the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation's Blue Diamond Gala in 2022, which raised $3.6 million for education, health care, homelessness and social justice causes.


Political views and activism

A supporter of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Lopez has a long history of backing Democratic candidates for public office. She endorsed President Barack Obama in his Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2012, 2012 presidential campaign, speaking in television advertisements and attending fundraising events for Obama. She endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016, headlining a free concert in Florida in support of her that October. Lopez has been critical of President Donald Trump. During her Super Bowl LIV halftime show, Super Bowl halftime show performance in 2020, she performed her song "
Let's Get Loud "Let's Get Loud" is a song by American singer Jennifer Lopez from her 1999 debut studio album, '' On the 6''. Originally written by the song's co-writer Gloria Estefan for herself, she felt as if the song was too similar to her previous materia ...
" while cloaked in a large Puerto Rican flag, with children in metal cages displayed on the field. It was interpreted as a statement about the Mexico–United States border crisis and Trump's Immigration policy of the first Donald Trump administration, immigration policy. The NFL attempted to remove the cages from the performance but Lopez refused. She endorsed President Joe Biden in his Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign, 2020 presidential campaign. She later performed at Biden's Inauguration of Joe Biden, 2021 inauguration, where she sang "This Land Is Your Land" and "America the Beautiful", while reciting the last phrase of the Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish. She also worked "Let's Get Loud" into the performance as a "reprise" to her political message at the Super Bowl. Lopez endorsed Kamala Harris during her Kamala Harris 2024 presidential campaign, 2024 presidential campaign. She spoke at a Las Vegas rally for Harris, pushing back on remarks made at Trump's 2024 Trump rally at Madison Square Garden, rally at Madison Square Garden which were deemed offensive to Puerto Ricans. Lopez is an avid supporter of LGBTQ rights, and has raised millions of dollars for HIV/AIDS research. In June 2013, amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, amfAR presented her with its humanitarian award for her philanthropic work. That September, she was awarded the Ally for Equality award presented by the Human Rights Campaign, for her support of the LGBTQ community. The following year, she received the GLAAD Vanguard Award. In July 2016, Lopez released a single entitled "Love Make the World Go Round", a collaboration with Lin-Manuel Miranda, which benefits victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting. She was also featured on the song "Hands (2016 song), Hands" along with numerous other artists, also benefiting those affected by the Orlando shooting. Lopez signed an open letter from Billboard (magazine), ''Billboard'' magazine to the United States Congress in 2016, which demanded action on gun control. In June 2020, Lopez attended a Black Lives Matter movement protest in Los Angeles, in connection with the broader George Floyd protests. Lopez has also been an active advocate for the Time's Up (organization), Time's Up movement. In January 2022, she became one of the co-chairs for Michelle Obama's When We All Vote. She expressed solidarity with the people of the Gaza Strip during the Gaza war. As part of a group called Artists4Ceasefire, she signed a letter urging President Joe Biden to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.


Artistry


Influences

Lopez has cited Madonna as her "first big musical influence", explaining "It was all about Madonna for me. She inspired me to want to sing, to dance, to work hard." Her other major influences include Tina Turner, James Brown, and Michael Jackson. Another major influence on Lopez is Barbra Streisand, stating that, "watching her career over the years, watching her sing and act and direct, was very inspiring to me." Lopez has cited
Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreogr ...
as a major inspiration for her own dance and videos, stating that she "probably started dancing" because of Jackson's music video for "The Pleasure Principle (song)#Music video, The Pleasure Principle". She also looked to the careers of Cher, Bette Middler and Diana Ross, and has been inspired by younger artists such as Lady Gaga. Growing up, she was influenced by Latin music styles ranging from salsa (music), salsa to Bachata (music), bachata, and artists including Celia Cruz and Tito Puente. However, it was the hip hop song "Rapper's Delight" (1979) by The Sugarhill Gang that she said changed her life. Another key inspiration for Lopez in her youth was Puerto Rican actress Rita Moreno's performance in the musical film ''West Side Story (1961 film), West Side Story'' (1961). Moreno was the only performer Lopez was able to identify with, at a time when Latinos were rarely on television.


Musical style

Musically, Lopez is described as a "chameleon" by outlets like ''Variety (magazine), Variety'' and ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...
'', having been known to experiment and jump between genres. Her music strongly identifies with hip hop while exploring the "romantic innocence" of Latin music. ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' observed that she has "never been one to downplay her Latinidad, and always makes sure to display it" in her music, "regardless of genre". ''On the 6'' and ''J.Lo'', described by Lopez as Latin soul, fuse a wide range of Latin genres with contemporary R&B, R&B and hip hop, while also containing dance-pop. While mostly English, the albums include some Spanish and bilingual songs such as "Cariño (song), Cariño", with Lopez also speaking in Spanish and asserting her Latin identity on songs like "
Let's Get Loud "Let's Get Loud" is a song by American singer Jennifer Lopez from her 1999 debut studio album, '' On the 6''. Originally written by the song's co-writer Gloria Estefan for herself, she felt as if the song was too similar to her previous materia ...
". A departure from her previous work, ''This Is Me... Then'' blends 1970s soul music, soul with "streetwise" hip hop. ''Rebirth'' was noted for its "relaxing" atmosphere, while ''Como Ama una Mujer'' was characterized as "silkily Spanish Sade (singer), Sade worship". Described as autobiographical, much of Lopez's music has centered around the "ups and downs" of love. Lyrically, ''This Is Me... Then'' is largely focused on her relationship with
Ben Affleck Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and three Golden Globes. Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS educatio ...
, with the song "Dear Ben" being described as the album's "glowing centerpiece". Its sequel album, ''This Is Me... Now'', was informed by her reunion and marriage with Affleck; Lopez called it an "emotional, spiritual, and psychological journey of the past two decades". ''Como Ama una Mujer'' features introspective lyrics about romance, heartache and self-loathing. Regarding ''Love?'', Lopez stated: "There's still so much to learn and that's why the question mark." Other recurrent themes in Lopez's music have included her upbringing in the Bronx, social class and women's empowerment. Lopez has received mixed reviews for her "light" soubrette voice, which critics have deemed limited, "radio-friendly" and overshadowed by her music's production. With ''On the 6'', ''The Baltimore Sun'' regarded Lopez as having a "breathy" stylistic range but lacking personality, while ''Rolling Stone'' remarked: "Instead of strained vocal pyrotechnics, Lopez sticks to the understated R&B murmur of a round-the-way superstar who doesn't need to belt because she knows you're already paying attention ... She makes a little va-va and a whole lot of voom go a long way." In reviewing ''Love?'', AllMusic called her voice "slight" and wrote: "Lopez was never, ever about singing; she was about style". ''Pitchfork (website), Pitchfork'' described her "notoriously serviceable, airy and light" voice as being "stronger than ever" on ''This Is Me... Now'', while noting that "the thinness of the voice has often been beside the point, if not a boon to her early career", which was marked by "Bronx regularness". Lopez has been criticized for her use of background vocals from demo (music), demo singers, prompting rumors of playback singer, ghost singers' vocals being used in place of her own. The rumors have been debunked by producers and background singers who worked with Lopez. Christina Milian, who is credited as a writer and background singer on "
Play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * P ...
", called the controversy "funny" and said: "It's no different than Michael Jackson having background singers on songs or Britney Spears. This is what music is made of."


Dance, videos and stage

Considered one of dance's "greatest success stories", Lopez has received praise for her highly choreographed dancing, and is noted for her technical skill. Lopez, who felt an emotional connection to dance since her youth, has been trained in a range of dance styles, including ballet, jazz, flamenco, ballroom, pole dancing, breakdancing, street dance, and hip hop. A dominant figure on MTV since early in her career, she is known for her body-emphasizing music videos and provocative choreography. CNN's Holly Thomas stated that "Lopez's years of professional dance experience gave her a captivating, commanding presence in her videos." Madeline Roth of MTV wrote: "Her diverse videography encompasses some of the most memorable visuals of the 21st century", with ''Rolling Stone'' writer Brittany Spanos observing that her "dancing skills and ability to toy with her own celebrity have made her videos an important part of the new millennium's pop canon". Her videography has sometimes attracted controversy for its sexual suggestiveness, and has been noted for its influence on 2000s in fashion, 2000s fashion trends. On stage, Lopez is recognized for her showmanship, sex appeal, and costumes, which often include bodysuits. Author Priscilla Peña Ovalle stated in ''Dance and the Hollywood Latina: Race, Sex and Stardom'' (2011) that Lopez was one of the Latin stars who "used dance to gain agency as working performers with mainstream careers, yet many of their roles paradoxically racialized and sexualized their bodies". Troy Patterson of ''Entertainment Weekly'' also observed that she used her body for emphasis on stage, "She turned herself out as the fly girl hyperversion of postfeminist power, flaunting her control by toying with the threat of excess. In consequence, her star went supernova." Her signature movements include "clock-wise pivoting with salsa hip circles and sequential torso undulations". While being noted to lip sync in the early stages of career, Lopez's Dance Again World Tour was praised for showcasing live vocals and choreography synchronously. In a review of her Las Vegas residency All I Have, ''Los Angeles Times'' writer Nolan Feeney remarked that her dancing is "undoubtedly the centerpiece of the show". Her provocative stage performances have also drawn scrutiny at times. Robin Givhan of ''The Daily Beast'' criticized Lopez's performance at the American Music Awards of 2011, 2011 American Music Awards where she wore a nude bodysuit, stating that it "cried out for attention in all the wrong ways" and was "banal exhibitionism". In May 2013, her performance on the finale of the television series ''Britain's Got Talent'' was deemed inappropriate for family-friendly television, and drew viewer complaints to Ofcom. Following her controversial performance at the musical festival Mawazine in 2015, Moroccan Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane called it "indecent" and "disgraceful", while an education group claimed that she "disturbed public order and tarnished women's honor and respect".


Acting and screen

Lopez's films often see her playing "relatable everywomen", with Cady Lang of ''
Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'' writing: "A longtime hallmark of Lopez's filmography is her penchant for stories about survivors. Her characters are never shrinking violets." Discussing the roles she is drawn to, Lopez said in 1998: "I don't think of them as strong women ... I like characters that are really part of the story as opposed to window dressing, but I think the interesting thing is that they are real people. Nobody walks around being strong all the time." Film critic Stephanie Zacharek described Lopez as "one of the most gifted and appealing performers of the past two decades ... and yet the movies have rarely known what to do with her and her significant gifts as an actor." While Lopez received acclaim for her early film work, ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' writer Kyle Buchanan noted that her tendency to star in romantic comedies, and her pop music career, "lowered her critical bona fides". Taylor Hackford, who directed Lopez in ''Parker'', said she "can really act": "She knows how to transmit nuances, to make the subtlest of shifts. Does she have humor? Yes. But at the same time she can get into the deepest dramatic areas." Lopez, who identifies the romantic comedy as her favorite film genre, has been referred to as the "Patron Saint of Romantic Comedies" and the "Queen of Romantic Comedies". In her early films, Lopez played stereotypical roles which signified her as a "racialized, exoticized" Other (philosophy), other. In films such as ''Blood and Wine'' and ''U Turn'', her body is fetishized "through extreme close-ups" and "framed as animalistic, primitive, and irresistibly dangerous to the Anglo American male characters." This shifted with her role in ''Selena'', which "affirmed her Latinx identity, and won her the loyalty of that significant section of the U.S. and global audience." She has also been criticized for playing ethnically ambiguous parts and tapping into "the ability to perform a panethnic other" to commodify herself. Her role as an Italian woman in ''The Wedding Planner'' has been described as "a case of classic Hollywood whitewashing."


Public image

Lopez has been a polarizing figure in popular culture. Andrew Barker of ''Variety (magazine), Variety'' writes that she "exhibits a plethora of contradictions", observing: "Despite a carefully cultivated image as an imperious pop empress in ludicrously expensive outfits, her signature hits bear the titles 'I'm Real' and 'Jenny From the Block'." In 2002, Lynette Holloway of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' described Lopez's image as including "a dash of ''ghetto fabulousness''" and "middle-class respectability" for mass appeal. The media discerned a shift in her public image upon joining ''American Idol'' in 2011, with ''Entertainment Weekly'' writing: "Gone was her old cut-a-bitch swagger; J. Lo 2.0 is an all-embracing, Oprah Winfrey, Oprahfied earth '." ''People (magazine), People'' editor Peter Castro said ''American Idol'' made Lopez "a celebrity of the people" whereas before, "there was a huge distance with the American public." Lopez is widely celebrated for her curvaceous hourglass figure, which earned her the nickname ''La Guitarra'' (the guitar). ''Vanity Fair (magazine), Vanity Fair'' described her buttocks as "in and of themselves, a cultural icon". Recounting her experience on early films, Lopez stated: "I've always had costume people looking at me a little weary and immediately fitting me out with things to hide my bottom." She often wears revealing outfits to accentuate her curves. Author Mary Beltrán opined that for Lopez to "unashamedly display her well-endowed posterior during this time period" could be viewed as "a revolutionary act with respect to Anglo beauty ideals". However, she was also criticized for perceived changes in her image upon launching her music career, which included "weight loss and lightening her hair". Considered a fashion icon, Lopez is known for her sense of style and "breaking fashion rules". She is recognized for both her "bold" red carpet fashion, including fourteen appearances at the haute couture Met Gala in New York City, and her everyday street style, which is "discussed ad infinitum by the fashion press." ''British Vogue'' said she "added megawatt glamour to every outfit she wore", with ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' describing her style as "scantily clad". Lopez's style has been influenced by "women who epitomize old Hollywood glamour like Rita Hayworth", as well as her Bronx upbringing and Nuyorican identity. Described as the "ultimate sex symbol" of the early 21st century, various publications have ranked her as the most beautiful or sexiest woman in the world, including ''People'', ''People en Español'', ''Vibe (magazine), Vibe'', ''Details (magazine), Details'', and ''FHM'', with Lopez topping the latter's FHM's 100 Sexiest Women (UK), 100 Sexiest Women list twice. Lopez has criticized "this funny notion in America that you can't be a mom and be sexy", stating: "The truth is that women can be sexy until the day they die." She has a large following on social media, being the List of most-followed Instagram accounts, 14th most-followed individual on Instagram and having one of the List of most-followed Twitter accounts, 50 most-followed accounts on Twitter. On the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)'s "Music Fuels" ranking, Lopez is the eighth-most-followed musician across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. She is the richest Latin actress, with an estimated net worth of US$400million. Described as "one of the most photographed women in the world", Lopez has long been a tabloid fixture, and admits to having a "less-than-perfect" public image. Frances Negrón-Muntaner wrote that by 1999, "Internet chat rooms exploded with anti-Lopez babble" and she became "one of the easiest moving targets for cheap laughs as well as anxieties about working-class 'loud' sexuality and specifically Latino visibility." Much of the media coverage surrounding Lopez in the 2000s "focused on her dramatic private life", with several writers describing her as overexposed at the time, despite her continued success. Media outlets often liken her to actress Elizabeth Taylor, due to her numerous failed relationships and glamorous public persona. Her high-profile relationship with Combs was described as having "defined an age", with ''Vanity Fair'' writing that they entered "the pantheon of slightly notorious celebrity couples: Elizabeth Taylor, Liz and Richard Burton, Dick, Frank and Ava." Throughout her career, she has also received a bad reputation as being a demanding and outspoken "diva", something which she denies, stating: "I've always been fascinated by how much more well-behaved we have to be than men." Some of the backlash and fabricated tabloid stories surrounding Lopez have been attributed to her 1998 interview with ''Movieline'', in which she was quoted as criticizing various actors and directors. Lopez, who "cried for hours" after the article was published, said the comments were made in jest and she was "so misquoted and so taken out of context". In 2003, Lawrence Donegan of ''The Guardian'' posited that "indefensible" misogyny and racism were to blame for her position as "the most vilified woman in modern popular culture". In 2021,
Ben Affleck Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and three Golden Globes. Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS educatio ...
said: "People were so fucking mean about her; sexist, racist, ugly vicious shit was written about her in ways that if you wrote it now, you would literally be fired for saying some of the things you said."


Legacy and cultural impact


Entertainment industry

Lopez is regarded as one of the most influential Latin entertainers of all time, credited with breaking racial barriers in the entertainment industry. She was described as "the first Latina superstar" by writer Ned Zeman, and the "embodiment of the American Dream" by Robert C. Cottrell in ''Icons of American Popular Culture'' (2009). Often dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Dance", she is considered a Triple threat (entertainer), triple threat performer, and was one of few actors to successfully cross over into music. Rachel Sklar of ''The Huffington Post'' called Lopez a trailblazer, writing: "Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, Miley, Gaga, any actress who's ever released an album — they are all standing on the shoulders of J.Lo. She was a true triple threat — actress, singer, dancer ... and packaged it sometimes outrageously but always sexily." Lopez is considered a pop icon, with VH1 ranking her at number 15 on their list of The Greatest (VH1 TV series), 200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons, number 16 on 100 Greatest Women In Music, and number 21 on 50 Greatest Women of the Video Era. The highest-paid Latina actress in history, Lopez's film career has been credited with paving the way for greater representation of
Latino Americans Hispanic and Latino Americans are Americans who have a Spaniards, Spanish or Latin Americans, Latin American background, culture, or family origin. This demographic group includes all Americans who identify as Hispanic or Latino (demonym), ...
in Hollywood, which was historically a "whites-only preserve". Biographer Kathleen Tracy opined that "Lopez blazed a trail no openly Latin actress had gone before", noting that previous Latina stars cosmetically downplayed their ethnicity and changed their names. With ''Out of Sight'' (1998), she achieved "ethnic 'blind' casting", making her an "anomaly in the traditionally white space" of mainstream Hollywood. By deliberately avoiding stereotypical roles, biographer James Robert Parish said Lopez "helped minimize racial boundaries in show business." Her perceived Academy Award snub for ''Hustlers'' (2019) was referenced by Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti when announcing a new initiative for Latino representation in Hollywood. With her musical debut, Lopez contributed to the 1990s "Latin American music in the United States#1990s Latin explosion, Latin explosion" in entertainment; The Recording Academy called her the "breakout female star" of the Latin pop movement in American music. Historian Roger Bruns considered her "an influential force in driving a growing Latin cultural influence in popular music" at the time. Her career ascent has been credited with paving the way for American-born Latina pop artists including Selena Gomez and Becky G, and for Latin American pop artists to venture into English music, including Shakira, Thalía and Paulina Rubio. Along with
Ricky Martin Enrique Martin Morales (born December 24, 1971), known professionally as Ricky Martin, is a Puerto Rican singer, songwriter and actor. He is known for his musical versatility, with his Ricky Martin albums discography, discography incorporati ...
, she helped increase the visibility of Latin music in international markets including East Asia and Canada. Due to her "multi-tasking career", she has been described as "the next-generation Madonna", and "the first woman to demonstrate that a Madonna could be a Latina". Lopez's music has been credited with helping influence the trajectory of 2000s in music, 2000s music, including dance music, Latin music, R&B, and pop rap collaborations. ''Billboard'' named her the Billboard's Greatest Pop Stars#By year, Greatest Pop Star of the year 2001. Scholar Miriam Jiménez Román suggested that Lopez, who represents the "often-suppressed" history of Puerto Ricans in hip hop culture, was "able to traverse the difficult racial boundaries". In 2011, following her return to prominence, Lopez was deemed the "world's greatest musical comeback act", based on a study which analysed over one billion Google searches since 2004. In 2019, she was named among the most powerful people in entertainment by ''The Hollywood Reporter''. From 2022 to 2024, Lopez was included in the magazine's Power 100 list, as one of the most powerful women in entertainment. In July 2023, Madame Tussauds New York unveiled a wax figure of Lopez inspired by her performance at the Super Bowl LIV, Super Bowl LIV halftime show. In 2024, ''Billboard'' included Lopez among the honorable mentions of its Billboard's Greatest Pop Stars#21st century, 25 Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century listicle; the magazine stated that "no one defined celebrity at the beginning of the 21st century quite like [Lopez]" and that she "helped define an era where hip-hop, R&B and pop all got more cuddly together than ever before".


Cultural influence

Lopez was named one of ''
Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
''s 100 most influential people in the world in 2018. In 2012, ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...
'' ranked her as the Celebrity 100, world's most powerful celebrity and the Forbes list of the World's 100 Most Powerful Women, 38th most powerful woman. ''Latina (magazine), Latina'' magazine founder Christy Haubegger attributed Lopez's influence to her being "the first icon that generationally fits" young Latino Americans who followed celebrity culture. Lopez was featured on the first cover of ''Latina'' in 1996, with editor Galina Espinoza writing in 2011 that there is "no recounting of modern Latina history without Jennifer". Jonathan Van Meter of ''Vogue (magazine), Vogue'' described Lopez as having "changed the face of modern celebrity." Her ability to start trends has prompted the usage of the phrase "the J.Lo effect" in popular culture, which has been used in various different contexts, including the trend of networks hiring "big name" judges for reality competition programs after Lopez's successful casting on ''American Idol''. With her moniker J.Lo, Lopez started a trend of celebrities being given abbreviated nicknames, while "Bennifer" began the convention of celebrity couple name blending. Described by scholar Helene A. Shugart of the University of Utah as "arguably the most visible Latina in contemporary mainstream popular culture", Lopez has been the subject of considerable Academic writing, academic analysis, including in relation to ethnicity, class, "body politics", race, Latin culture, and gender. While credited with opening "the door to [Latino culture having a] broader appeal", Lopez has also been a polarizing figure, generating "often vehement disagreement about what is and isn't Latino." As a result of the #Public image, public emphasis on her curvaceous figure, Lopez has been credited with influencing a shift in cultural Feminine beauty ideal, beauty standards. The surge in popularity of buttock augmentation surgery in the early 2000s was attributed to Lopez. In ''Latin Sensations'' (2001), Herón Marquez wrote: "Because she wasn't rail thin, Lopez had broken the mold ... Suddenly, it was okay for women to have hips, curves, and a big backside." This has been considered a sign of Lopez's social power in "changing cultural standards within the mainstream media as a whole". In 2014, scientists named a species of aquatic mite found in Puerto Rico, ''Litarachna lopezae'', after Lopez. In Tok Pisin, a language spoken in Papua New Guinea, the term palopa is used to describe non-heteronormative people whose identities may correlate with western definitions of homosexual men or trans women; its etymology is derived from the name Jennifer Lopez. In 2019, she was presented with keys to the city of Miami Beach, Florida, Miami Beach, with July 24 being declared "Jennifer Lopez Day".


Fashion and branding

The Council of Fashion Designers of America presented Lopez with its Fashion Icon Award in 2019 for her "long-standing and global impact on fashion". Her Green Versace dress of Jennifer Lopez, green Versace "Jungle Dress" was voted the fifth most iconic red carpet dress of all time in a poll run by ''The Daily Telegraph''. The dress had a significant impact on the fashion industry, celebrity endorsements, and the evolution of red carpet fashion. The images of Lopez wearing the dress became the most popular search query of all time at that point, and subsequently led to the creation of Google Search, Google's Image retrieval, image search. Lopez has been credited with popularizing various fashion and beauty trends throughout her career. In 2003, she inspired a trend of curvier mannequins being designed, which fuelled a rise in sales for manufacturers and retailers. Lopez's personal style and brand deals have had a considerable effect on sales in the fashion industry. The success of
Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton Malletier SAS, commonly known as Louis Vuitton (, ), is a French Luxury goods, luxury fashion house and company founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton (designer), Louis Vuitton. The label's LV monogram appears on most of its products, ...
's fall 2003 campaign, for which Lopez was the brand's model, led to more Hollywood stars "becoming image models of fashion and cosmetic labels". In 2021, ''The Daily Telegraph'' reported that she was among ten celebrities whose personal style choices drove the greatest spikes in searches and news coverage for brands. Her appearance at Milan Fashion Week in 2019 generated over $31.8 million in total media impact value. Described as a "branding pioneer", Lopez has been credited with ushering in a new era of celebrity branding. Her first fragrance, Glow by JLo, influenced the rise of celebrity fragrances in the 2000s. Her fragrance line became the most successful celebrity line in the world, with sales exceeding $2 billion . Lopez's J.Lo by Jennifer Lopez, clothing brand was one of the first celebrity fashion lines; scholars have credited her with redefining "how fashion is produced and entwined with other artistic endeavors", and popularizing a trend of utilizing racial ambiguity for branding purposes in fashion and cosmetics. As of 2022, her business ventures have cumulatively earned over US$5 billion in sales globally.


Achievements

, Lopez has sold more than 80 million records worldwide and amassed over 15 billion streams; her films have grossed a cumulative total of while her business ventures have cumulatively made over in consumer sales. She remains the only female entertainer to have a number-one album and film simultaneously in the United States. With ''J.Lo'' (2001), Lopez became the first female solo recording artist under Epic Records to achieve a number-one album in the United States since its inception in 1953. ''J to tha L-O! The Remixes'' (2002) was acknowledged by the ''
Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, list ...
'' as the first number-one remix album on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200. Lopez's single "On the Floor" is among the List of best-selling singles, best-selling singles of all time, and its music video was recognized as the "Highest Viewed Female Music Video of All Time" by ''Guinness World Records'' in 2012. ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' named Lopez the top Billboard Hot 100, Hot 100 female artist and the greatest pop star of 2001. In 2009, the magazine ranked her number 50 on its Billboard Decade-End, Decade-End listicle, signifying the most successful artists of the 2000s decade. ''Billboard'' ranked Lopez as the ninth-greatest dance club artist of all time in 2016, having scored 18 number-one songs on its Dance Club Songs chart. She was named the top Latin touring artist of the decade by ''Pollstar'' in 2021. In 2010, Lopez was honored by the World Music Awards with the Legend Award for her contribution to the arts. In 2013, she was presented with the prestigious landmark 2,500th star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
for her musical contributions, and Univision presented her with the World Icon Award in its 2013 Premios Juventud, Premios Juventud. In 2014, she became the first female recipient of the ''Billboard'' Icon Award. In 2017, she was awarded the Telemundo Star Award at the Billboard Latin Music Awards, ''Billboard'' Latin Music Awards. In 2018, Lopez received the
Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award The Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, is a merit given to Musician, recording artists and music video directors at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs), a ceremony that was established in 1984. It is presented by MTV for "outstanding contributi ...
at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards, making her the first Latin performer to receive the honor since its introduction in 1984. In 2022, she received the MTV Movie & TV Awards#Generation Award, Generation Award at the MTV Movie & TV Awards for her contributions to film and television, and the iHeartRadio Music Awards#iHeartRadio Icon Award, Icon Award at the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards, iHeart Radio Music Awards.


Discography

* ''
On the 6 ''On the 6'' is the debut studio album by American singer and actress Jennifer Lopez. It was released on June 1, 1999, by the Work Group. Lopez worked with several producers on the album, including Rodney Jerkins, Cory Rooney, Dan Shea and her ...
'' (1999) * '' J.Lo'' (2001) * '' This Is Me... Then'' (2002) * ''
Rebirth Rebirth may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Film * ''Rebirth'' (2011 film), a 2011 Japanese drama film * ''Rebirth'' (2016 film), a 2016 American thriller film * ''Rebirth'', a 2011 documentary film produced by Project Rebirth * '' ...
'' (2005) * ''
Como Ama una Mujer ''Como Ama una Mujer'' (English: ''How a Woman Loves'') is the fifth studio album and first Spanish album by American singer and actress Jennifer Lopez. It was released on March 23, 2007, by Epic Records. After including some Spanish songs on he ...
'' (2007) * ''Brave (Jennifer Lopez album), Brave'' (2007) * '' Love?'' (2011) * ''A.K.A. (album), A.K.A.'' (2014) * ''This Is Me... Now'' (2024)


Filmography

Films starred * ''Nurses on the Line: The Crash of Flight 7'' (1993) * ''My Family (1995 film), My Family'' (1995) * ''
Money Train A money train is one or more railcars used to collect cash fare revenue from stations on a subway system and return it to a central location for processing. This train was typically used to carry money bags guarded by transit police to det ...
'' (1995) * ''
Jack Jack may refer to: Places * Jack, Alabama, US, an unincorporated community * Jack, Missouri, US, an unincorporated community * Jack County, Texas, a county in Texas People and fictional characters * Jack (given name), a male given name, incl ...
'' (1996) * '' Blood and Wine'' (1996) * ''
Selena Selena Quintanilla-Pérez (; April 16, 1971 – March 31, 1995) was an American singer-songwriter. Known as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Tejano Music", her contributions to music and fashion made her one of the most cel ...
'' (1997) * ''
Anaconda Anacondas or water boas are a group of large boas of the genus ''Eunectes''. They are a semiaquatic group of snakes found in tropical South America. Three to five extant and one extinct species are currently recognized, including one of the l ...
'' (1997) * '' U Turn'' (1997) * ''
Out of Sight ''Out of Sight'' is a 1998 American action comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Scott Frank, adapted from Elmore Leonard's 1996 novel. The first of several collaborations between Soderbergh and actor George Clooney, it was ...
'' (1998) * ''
Antz ''Antz'' is a 1998 American animated adventure comedy film directed by Eric Darnell and Tim Johnson from a screenplay written by Todd Alcott and the writing team of Chris and Paul Weitz. It was produced by DreamWorks Pictures, DreamWorks An ...
'' (1998) (voicing) * '' The Cell'' (2000) * ''
The Wedding Planner ''The Wedding Planner'' is a 2001 American romantic comedy film directed by Adam Shankman, in his feature film directorial debut, written by Pamela Falk and Michael Ellis, and starring Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey. Plot Ambitious Sa ...
'' (2001) * '' Angel Eyes'' (2001) * ''
Enough Enough may refer to: Film and television * ''Enough'' (film), a 2002 film starring Jennifer Lopez * "Enough" (''CSI: NY''), an episode of the TV series * "Enough" (''Not Going Out''), a 2017 TV episode *"Enough", an episode of ''Tru Calling'' ...
'' (2002) * ''
Maid in Manhattan ''Maid in Manhattan'' is a 2002 American romantic comedy drama film directed by Wayne Wang and based on a story by John Hughes, who is credited using a pseudonym. It stars Jennifer Lopez, Ralph Fiennes, and Natasha Richardson. In the film, a ...
'' (2002) * ''
Gigli ''Gigli'' ( ) is a 2003 American romantic comedy crime film written, co-produced, and directed by Martin Brest, and starring Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Bartha, Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, and Lainie Kazan. Brest and producers di ...
'' (2003) * '' Shall We Dance?'' (2004) * ''
Monster-in-Law ''Monster-in-Law'' is a 2005 romantic comedy film directed by Robert Luketic, written by Anya Kochoff and starring Jennifer Lopez, Jane Fonda, Michael Vartan and Wanda Sykes. It marked a return to cinema for Fonda, being her first film in 15 ...
'' (2005) * ''An Unfinished Life'' (2005) * ''El Cantante'' (2006) * ''Bordertown (2007 film), Bordertown'' (2007) * ''The Back-up Plan'' (2010) * ''What to Expect When You're Expecting (film), What to Expect When You're Expecting'' (2012) * ''Ice Age: Continental Drift'' (2012) (voicing) * ''Parker (2013 film), Parker'' (2013) * ''The Boy Next Door (film), The Boy Next Door'' (2015) * ''Lila & Eve'' (2015) * ''Home (2015 film), Home'' (2015) (voicing) * ''Ice Age: Collision Course'' (2016) (voicing) * ''Second Act (film), Second Act'' (2018) * '' Hustlers'' (2019) * '' Marry Me'' (2022) * ''Shotgun Wedding (2022 film), Shotgun Wedding'' (2022) * '' The Mother'' (2023) * '' This Is Me... Now: A Love Story'' (2024) * ''
Atlas An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically a bundle of world map, maps of Earth or of a continent or region of Earth. Advances in astronomy have also resulted in atlases of the celestial sphere or of other planets. Atlases have traditio ...
'' (2024) * ''Unstoppable (2024 film), Unstoppable'' (2024) * '' Kiss of the Spider Woman'' (2025) * ''Office Romance'' (2026) * ''The Last Mrs.Parrish'' (2026)


Bibliography

Lopez has written a memoir and co-written a children's book. * Lopez, Jennifer. ''True Love (book), True Love''. Celebra, 2014. . * Lopez, Jennifer and Jimmy Fallon (authors). ''Con Pollo: A Bilingual Playtime Adventure''. Feiwel & Friends, 2022. .


Tours and residencies

Headlining tours * Dance Again World Tour (2012) * It's My Party (tour), It's My Party Tour (2019) * Up All Night: Live in 2025 (2025) Co-headlining tours * Jennifer Lopez & Marc Anthony en Concierto (2007) * Enrique Iglesias & Jennifer Lopez Tour (2012) Residencies * Jennifer Lopez: All I Have (2016–2018) * Jennifer Lopez: Up All Night Live in Las Vegas (2025-2026) Cancelled tours * This Is Me... Live (2024)


See also

* History of women in Puerto Rico * List of artists who reached number one in the United States * List of dancers * List of Puerto Ricans * Mami (hip hop) * Nuyorican * List of most-followed Instagram accounts


Explanatory notes


References


Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


External links

* – official site * – official beauty site * * *
Jennifer Lopez
at Rotten Tomatoes * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lopez, Jennifer Jennifer Lopez, 1969 births Living people 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American actresses 21st-century American women singers 21st-century American women philanthropists 21st-century American philanthropists Activists from New York City Actresses from the Bronx American actresses of Puerto Rican descent American businesspeople in retailing American choreographers American company founders American cosmetics businesspeople American dance-pop musicians American expatriates in Japan American businesspeople in fashion American fashion designers American female dancers American Latin pop singers American LGBTQ rights activists American musicians of Puerto Rican descent American philanthropists American sopranos American television actresses American voice actresses American women choreographers American women company founders American women fashion designers American women film producers American women pop singers American women record producers American women television producers Businesspeople from New York City Capitol Records artists Catholics from California Catholics from New York (state) Dancers from New York (state) Epic Records artists Film producers from New York (state) Hispanic and Latino American musicians Hispanic and Latino American television people Hispanic and Latino American women singers Hispanic and Latino American writers American HIV/AIDS activists Island Records artists Judges in American reality television series Krav Maga practitioners MTV Europe Music Award winners MTV Video Music Award winners Musicians from the Bronx People from Brookville, New York People from Castle Hill, Bronx People from Hidden Hills, California Record producers from California Record producers from New York (state) Singers from New York City Sony Music Latin artists Spanish-language singers of the United States Television producers from California Television producers from New York City Women in Latin music World Music Awards winners Writers from the Bronx