Jennifer Lopez

For the meteorologist of The Weather Channel, see Jennifer Lopez (meteorologist).

Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24 1969), popularly nicknamed J.Lo, is an American Golden Globe Award-nominated actress, Grammy Award-nominated singer, songwriter, dancer, and fashion designer. She is the richest Latin-American in Hollywood.

Early years

Lopez was born and raised in the Castle Hill neighborhood in The Bronx, New York City, New York to Puerto Rican parents Guadalupe Rodríguez and David Lopez. Many have contested her given birthday, reporting that a girl with the same exact birthday and place of residence was issued a birth certificate several years previous to Lopez' reported birthday of 1969. The issue of her true age was further debated when several of her own publicists insisted that the singer was several years younger than her previously reported age. She has two sisters, Lynda and Leslie. Lopez' parents also stressed cultural assimilation, especially the need to speak English. Consequently, Lopez did not learn to speak Spanish until she underwent a series of intense tutoring. Lopez spent much of what she called "the boyfriend years" secretly meeting with first-love, Davíd Cruz, with whom she remained in a relationship between the ages of 16 and 25. "I was always climbing out windows, jumping off roofs, and he was sneaking up," she said. "It was crazy." Lopez spent her entire academic career in Catholic school and acknowledges that she still prays regularly. Lopez financed singing and dancing lessons for herself from the age of 17. After leaving a one semester-long career at Baruch College, Lopez divided her time between working in a legal office, dance classes, and dance performances in Manhattan clubs at night. After months of auditioning for dance roles, Lopez was selected as a dancer for various rap artists' music videos, and was given a guest spot on the American Music Awards. After being rejected for the role twice, Lopez gained her first regular high profile gig as a "Fly Girl" dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color in 1991. Soon after Jennifer Lopez became a back-up dancer for famed singer Janet Jackson and made an appearance in her 1993 video "That's The Way Love Goes." Scheduled and contracted to go on Janet Jackson's World Tour, she asked the superstar to be let out of her contract to pursue her acting dreams.

Acting

Lopez has appeared on the short-lived television programs South Central, Second Chances, and Hotel Malibu, the television movie Nurses on the Line: The Crash of Flight 7. Lopez broke into the big screen in 1995, in the drama My Family and then appeared opposite Wesley Snipes in the action film Money Train. Lopez has also played roles in Francis Ford Coppola's 1996 comedy Jack starring Robin Williams, and the 1997 thriller Blood and Wine with Jack Nicholson. Lopez played the lead role in the 1997 film Selena for which she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for "Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy." She also became the first Latina actress to get paid $1 million or more for one film, the role.

Lopez guest-starred in the sixth season finale of Will & Grace in 2004.

In May 2006, MTV gave the greenlight on her executively produced reality show, Moves. The show will follow the lives of six aspiring dancers as they struggle to make it in the competitive world of professional dance. Lopez, who took an active role in selecting the show's participants, is also slated to make cameo appearances over the course of the season and the show's eight-episode run is scheduled to begin this winter.

In early 2006, she lost the role of Kelli for Katie Cassidy in the horror remake Black Christmas, in which she would have played a sorority sister.

Lopez has not enjoyed frequent positive reviews from film critics.

Music

File:Onthe6.jpg

On The 6 (1999)

Lopez' debut album On The 6, a reference to the 6 subway line she used to take growing up in Castle Hill, was released on June 1, 1999, and reached the top 10 of the Billboard 200. The album featured the multi-week number-one lead single, "If You Had My Love," as well as the top 10 hit "Waiting For Tonight." It also contained the Spanish-language, Latin-flavored duet "No Me Ames" with Marc Anthony. Though "No Me Ames" was never released as a single in the United States, the tropical remix was included on the "If You Had My Love" single as a B-side. Despite this, the music video for "No Me Ames" received moderate airplay on the U.S. music channels VH1 and The Box. On The 6 also featured guest artists such as Big Pun and Fat Joe on the track "Feelin' So Good." It failed to make the top 50 of the Billboard Hot 100. "Let's Get Loud," the final single, earned Lopez a Grammy Award nomination in the "Best Dance Recording" category in 2001. "Waiting For Tonight" was nominated for the same category the previous year.

Lopez' second album, J. Lo, was released in January 2001 and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. The lead single, "Love Don't Cost A Thing," was her first number-one single in the United Kingdom and took her into the top 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Her next two singles were "I'm Real" and "Ain't It Funny" which were quickly rising up the charts. To capitalize on this, Lopez asked Murder Inc. to remix both songs, which featured rap artists Ja Rule (on both) and Caddillac Tah (on "Ain't It Funny" remix). Both remixes reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for several weeks. She re-released J. Lo on her 32nd birthday with the remix of "I'm Real" as a bonus track. Following the success of the album re-release, Lopez decided to devote an entire album to the remixing effort, releasing J To Tha L-O!: The Remixes, on February 5, 2002. This album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming the first remix album in history to debut at the top on the chart. Featured artists on J To Tha L-O!: The Remixes included 50 Cent and Nas, and also included rare dance and hip-hop remixes of past singles. On November 26, 2002, at age of thirty-three, Lopez released her third studio album, This Is Me... Then, which reached number two on the Billboard 200 and spawned four singles: "Jenny From The Block" (featuring Jadakiss and Styles P), which reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100; "All I Have" (featuring LL Cool J), which spent multiple weeks at number one; "I'm Glad"; and "Baby I Love U!." This album included a cover of Carly Simon's "You Belong To Me." In 2004, Lopez once again participated in a duet with Marc Anthony, called "Escapémonos," this time on his albums Amar Sin Mentiras and Valió La Pena.

File:Lopez-rebirth.jpg

Rebirth (2005)

After a year away from the music scene, Lopez released her fourth studio album, Rebirth, on March 1, 2005, at age of thirty-five . Debuting and peaking at number two on the Billboard 200 to decent sales success, the album quickly fell off the charts. The album spawned one hit in "Get Right," which reached the top 20 and became her second Platinum hit, after "If You Had My Love." "Get Right" was also a huge hit in the UK, becoming her second number-one single there. The second single, "Hold You Down," which featured Fat Joe, made it into the top 75 in the U.S., peaking at number sixty-four. It reached number seventeen in Australia with little promotion and peaked at number six in the UK. Later in 2005, Rebirth was certified Platinum in the U.S. by the RIAA.

In general, the album was criticized due to her weak vocal range and that the production was nowhere near the original quality of Harrison or Timbaland's earlier work. Lopez was featured in the LL Cool J song, "Control Myself," which was released on February 1, 2006. It reached number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the UK Top 75 Singles.

Lopez is to release her first full Spanish-language album, titled Como Ama Una Mujer, in early 2007. The lead single, the ballad "Qué Hiciste" (Spanish for "What Did You Do"), is scheduled to be released to radio stations soon. It is said to be rock-tinged. She is also working on her fifth English studio album, in which she is working with producer Swizz Beats. "It's coming out incredible," he said. "We're putting together some great things, and not what everyone's expecting. Think a little Jamiroquai, a little Sade. It's real feel-good music." Other producers are Timbaland, Cory Rooney, and Jermaine Dupri. There is no year or date set for this English album.

Business

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File:Glowafterdarkbyjlo.jpg

"Glow After Dark," an unisex fragrance coming January 2007

- Lopez owns a clothing line, JLO by Jennifer Lopez, whose brand has been licensed for a term by Warnaco Group.^[6] Her line includes different types of clothing for young women, including jeans, T-shirts, coats, belts, purses, and lingerie. In 2005, she launched a new clothing line called Sweetface. She is planning to launch a jewelry line, as well as an accessory line that includes hats, gloves, and scarve. Lopez has also done photoshoots to represent the Louis Vuitton Winter 2003 campaign.

On April 12, 2002, Lopez opened an elegant Cuban restaurant in the South Lake district of Pasadena, California named Madre's. A media sensation was creating when during a press shoot for the fancy restaurant a mysterious man appeared out of the sidelines and gave Lopez a floral arrangement from Ben Affleck, even as then-husband Cris Judd stood next to her. Lopez was widely criticised for what appeared to be infidelity on her part.

File:Liveluxe.jpg

Upcoming fragrance called "Live Luxe"

Lopez has also dabbled in the perfume industry, with her debut "Glow by J.Lo" which broke numerous records in sales. In October of 2003, Lopez introduced a perfume called "Still." Before launching another completely new fragrance, she revisited 2002's "Glow" by creating a limited edition spin-off entitled "Miami Glow by J.Lo," in homage to her adopted hometown of Miami. Around the same time, Lopez came up with a "Glow" body line, which featured different body lotions and bronzers. For the Christmas season of 2005, she launched another fragrance, "Live by Jennifer Lopez." Most recently, for Valentine's Day 2006, "Miami Glow" was replaced by yet another "Glow" spinoff – "Love at First Glow by J.Lo." Her latest fragrance is called "Live Luxe" and was released August 2006, with "Glow After Dark" following its release in January 2007. "Glow After Dark" will be her first unisex fragrance.

Lopez also pitches Lux shampoo in Japan, appearing in the product's television commercials.

Personal life

It is thought that Lopez has been married three times. However, she may have had a brief marriage to long-term boyfriend David Cruz. Her first publicized marriage was to Cuban-born Ojani Noa on February 22, 1997. Lopez met Noa while he worked as a waiter at a Miami restaurant. They divorced in March of 1998. They remained on such good terms that Lopez employed Noa as the manager of her Pasadena restaurant Madre's in April 2002. However, their friendship soured in October 2002 when Lopez fired Noa from the role.

She then had a two-and-a-half year, stormy relationship with Sean Combs. On December 27, 1999, Lopez and Combs were at Club New York, a midtown Manhattan nightclub, when gunfire erupted between Combs' entourage and another group. Lopez and Combs were being driven away from the scene when they were chased and stopped by the police. A loaded gun was found in the front seat of their vehicle. Lopez was charged with felony gun possession, but the charges were dropped, as she was riding in the back seat at the time. At the time Combs was involved with current partner, Kim. He would eventually completely reconcile with Kim, and terminate his involvement with Lopez. Lopez had hoped to begin a family with Combs.

Her second marriage was to her former backup dancer, Cris Judd. She met Judd while filming the music video for her single "Love Don't Cost A Thing." The two were married on September 29, 2001, at a home in a Los Angeles suburb. The marriage ended in June 2002, during which time she had reportedly started dating actor Ben Affleck.

Lopez and Affleck's relationship was highly publicized, with the media dubbing them "Bennifer." Lopez announced her engagement to Affleck in November 2002, after Affleck gave her a pink diamond ring worth a reported $1.2 million. Lopez promised interviewers that Affleck was indeed the "one," and that they would soon have a family. The marriage, planned for September 14, 2003 in Santa Barbara, California, was called off just hours before the event. During the week before the sceduled nuptials Affleck had been seen by press carousing at a strip club with friends. The media blitz intensified when it was Lopez' own sister who called in live-radio to tell Jennifer where her fiancé had been the previous night. Lopez would only respond by saying it was a terrible way to begin the day, finding out about Affleck's behavior in that manner. Publicists announced a permanent split on January 20, 2004. Affleck has refused to speak of his relationship with Lopez, only giving intense media attention as the cause of the breakup. It has been suggested by Affleck's friends, however, that Affleck was very uncomfortable with Lopez, and that his mother had strongly disapproved of her. Lopez was reportedly heartbroken, while Affleck appeared to recover quickly. Their relationship was parodied on the South Park episode, "Fat Butt and Pancake Head" that aired in April 16, 2003. There was a media furor as to whether Lopez would give Affleck back his ring after the breakup. Lopez did belatedly return it, though not eagerly. Ben Affleck has since married and has a daughter, Violet, with actress Jennifer Garner. A former casino buff and playboy, Affleck has become a very devoted husband and father.

Jennifer Lopez had also received extensive criticism over her continued and heavy use of genuine animal fur in her clothing line. Actual video coverage surfaced on the internet of what was described as extremely cruel treatment of the animals who were slaughtered for Lopez' clothing line, Sweetface.

Lopez and Marc Anthony at the 2006 Time 100 gala, as covered by vlog Rocketboom.

Shortly after her breakup with Affleck, Lopez was seen out with singer Marc Anthony, who at that time was still married to his wife, former Miss Universe, Dayanara Torres with whom he had a toddler and infant. Lopez and Anthony married in a secret wedding on June 5, 2004, less than a week after his divorce from Torres was finalized on June 1. It was reported that Dayanara discovered her ex-husband's new marriage while reading online news reports. Dayanara described a period of severe depression after her divorce from which she has since recovered.

Lopez' guests had been invited to an "afternoon party" at Lopez' house unknown to them that they were actually going to her wedding. Days after the wedding, Anthony refused to comment on it during interviews. Lopez confirmed the marriage in February 2005, but admitted that "everyone knows. It's not a secret." Marc's daughter, Ariana, appeared in Jennifer's music video "Get Right" as her little sister. Marc would not admit to his marriage with Lopez for a very extended period. He maintains a very defensive and private stance regarding his marriage to Lopez. Almost immediately after the surprise wedding Lopez was dubbed an extremely unflattering nickname by the American as well as Latin American press. Cindy Adams had written in her gossip column that Jennifer Lopez was a "sick pig." The spanish term for pig "La Puerca" was dubbed for Jennifer Lopez. Marc soon issued a statement saying that Jennifer had no blame in the dissolution of his marriage to Dayanara Torres.

Marc himself had been the target of intense media gossip and sensational reports. A Spanish-speaking teenager had sued him with a paternity lawsuit, while he was still married to Torres. Several DNA tests were conducted, but the results are to this day a source of controversy. The matter has never come to a final resolution.

Accomplishments

• Lopez is the first actress and singer to have a movie (The Wedding Planner) and an album (J. Lo) at number one in the same week.
• Lopez' perfume, "Glow," made history in 2001, by being the number-one perfume in more than nine countries in less than four months.
• Lopez is the first woman who has been placed #1 two years in a row (2000, 2001) in FHM magazine's list of the 100 Sexiest Females in the World and 100 Sexiest Females in the U.S.
• Lopez made the 2004 Fortune list of the wealthiest entertainers under the age of 40. Her wealth is estimated at $255 million.
• Lopez has five number-one hits in the U.S. and a combined 20 weeks at number-one
• Lopez is one of the top 10 highest paid actresses in Hollywood.
• Lopez' album J To Tha L-O!: The Remixes is the first remix album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200. It is also the all-time biggest-selling remix album in the world.

Discography

Further information: [[:Jennifer Lopez discography]]

Albums

Release dates and sales certifications are from United States data.

• On The 6 June 1, 1999 #8 U.S., #8 U.S. R&B, #6 UK, #11 AUS, #5 CAN 3x Platinum
  On The 6
  June 1, 1999
  #8 U.S., #8 U.S. R&B, #6 UK, #11 AUS, #5 CAN
  3x Platinum
• J. Lo January 23, 2001 #1 U.S., #1 U.S. R&B, #2 UK, #2 AUS, #1 CAN 4x Platinum
  J. Lo
  January 23, 2001
  #1 U.S., #1 U.S. R&B, #2 UK, #2 AUS, #1 CAN
  4x Platinum
• J To Tha L-O!: The Remixes February 5, 2002 #1 U.S., #1 U.S. R&B, #4 UK, #11 AUS Platinum
  J To Tha L-O!: The Remixes
  February 5, 2002
  #1 U.S., #1 U.S. R&B, #4 UK, #11 AUS
  Platinum
• This Is Me... Then November 19, 2002 #2 U.S., #5 U.S. R&B, #7 UK, #14 AUS, #5 CAN 2x Platinum
  This Is Me... Then
  November 19, 2002
  #2 U.S., #5 U.S. R&B, #7 UK, #14 AUS, #5 CAN
  2x Platinum
• Rebirth March 1, 2005 #2 U.S., #2 U.S. R&B, #8 UK, #10 AUS, #12 CAN Platinum
  Rebirth
  March 1, 2005
  #2 U.S., #2 U.S. R&B, #8 UK, #10 AUS, #12 CAN
  Platinum
• 
  Como Ama Una Mujer
  November 28, 2006
  TBR

Number-one singles

Year	Single	Chart positions
		U.S.	U.S. dance	U.S. Latin	UK	AUS	CAN	MEX
1999	"If You Had My Love"	1	5	27	4	1	1	1
1999	"No Me Ames" (with Marc Anthony)	—	—	1	—	—	—	—
1999	"Waiting For Tonight"	8	1	—	5	7	13	1
2000	"Feelin' So Good" (featuring Big Pun and Fat Joe)	51	1	—	15	11	17	5
2001	"Love Don't Cost A Thing"	3	9	—	1	4	1	1
2001	"I'm Real"	1	—	—	4	3	6	1
2001	"I'm Real" (Murder Remix) (featuring Ja Rule)	1	—	—	4	3	—	—
2002	"Ain't It Funny" (Murder Remix) (featuring Ja Rule and Caddillac Tah)	1	8	—	4	—	12	1
2003	"All I Have" (featuring LL Cool J)	1	—	—	2	2	1	1
2005	"Get Right"	12	1	—	1	3	3	1

Awards and nominations

Main article: Jennifer Lopez' awards and nominations

Selected filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role
1986	My Little Girl	Myra
1990	Lambada	Booker
1995	My Family/Mi Familia	María Sánchez, in the '20s
1995	Money Train	Grace Santiago
1996	Jack	Miss Márquez
1997	Blood and Wine	Gabriela "Gabby"
1997	Selena	Selena Quintanilla-Pérez
1997	Anaconda	Terri Flores
1997	U Turn	Grace McKenna
1998	Out of Sight	Karen Sisco
1998	Antz	Azteca
2000	The Cell	Catherine Deane
2001	The Wedding Planner	Mary Fiore
2001	Angel Eyes	Sharon Pogue
2002	Enough	Slim Hiller
2002	Maid in Manhattan	Marisa Ventura
2003	Gigli	Ricki
2004	Jersey Girl	Gertrude Steiney
2004	Shall We Dance?	Paulina
2005	Monster-in-Law	Charlotte "Charlie" Cantilini
2005	An Unfinished Life	Jean Gilkyson
2006	Bordertown	Lauren Fredericks
2006	El Cantante	Puchi

Upcoming films:

• Bridge & Tunnel (2006) playing Sidney Farris [pre-production]
• America's Darlings (2006) [in production]
• The Governess (2008) [announced]

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1993	In Living Color	"Fly Girl"	Season 4, Episode 15 Season 5, Episode 3
1993	Nurses on the Line: The Crash of Flight 7	Rosie Romero	Made-for-television film
1993	Second Chances	Melinda Lopez	Episodes "Pilot," "Save the Last Dance for Me," "Coincidence or Conspiracy," and "I Can't Get No Satisfaxion"
1994	Second Chances	Melinda Lopez	Episodes "Swimming Through Mud" and "Living in Between"
1994	South Central	Lucille	"Co-op" (episode 4)
1994	Hotel Malibu	Melinda Lopez	"The Bed, the Bribe and the Body" (episode 1)

See also

• List of Puerto Ricans
• List of best-selling music artists
• List of number-one hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)
• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart
• List of artists who reached number one in Ireland

External links

• Official website
• Jennifer Lopez at IMDb
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• Template:MySpace-music