- Born
- Birth nameJennifer Lynn Lopez
- Nicknames
- J. Lo
- La Lopez
- Lola
- Jenny from the Block
- La Guitarra
- La Diva del Bronx
- Jen
- Height5′ 4½″ (1.64 m)
- Jennifer Lynn Lopez was born on July 24, 1969 in The Bronx, New York City, New York to teacher Lupe López and computer specialist David López. The two Puerto Ricans were brought to the continental United States during their childhoods and eventually met while living in New York City. Their daughters would have a stable, middle-class upbringing.
Jennifer always dreamed of being a multi-tasking superstar. As a child, she enjoyed a variety of musical genres, mainly Afro-Caribbean rhythms like salsa, merengue, and bachata, and mainstream music like pop, hip-hop, and R&B. Although she loved music, the film industry also intrigued her. Her biggest influence was the Rita Moreno musical, West Side Story (1961). At 5, Jennifer began taking singing and dancing lessons. Aside from being a budding entertainer, Jennifer was also a Catholic schoolgirl, attending eight years at a Catholic elementary school named Holy Family, located in The Bronx, before graduating from all-girls prep school Preston High School after a four-year stay. At school, Jennifer was an amazing athlete and participated in track and field and tennis. She spent most of her upbringing in a two-story house in the Castle Hill neighborhood.
At 18, Jennifer moved out of her parents' home. After high school, she briefly worked in a law office and took dance classes at night. During this time, she continued dance classes at night. Her big break came when she was offered a job as a fly girl on Fox's hit comedy In Living Color (1990). After a two-year stay at In Living Color (1990) where actress Rosie Perez served as choreographer, Lopez then went on to dance for famed singer-actress Janet Jackson. Her first major film was Gregory Nava's My Family/Mi familia (1995), and her career went into overdrive when she portrayed late Tejana singer Selena in Selena (1997).- IMDb Mini Biography By: John Sacksteder < jsack@ka.net> and GinaL
- SpousesBen Affleck(July 16, 2022 - present) (filed for divorce)Marc Anthony(June 5, 2004 - June 16, 2014) (divorced, 2 children)Cris Judd(September 29, 2001 - January 26, 2003) (divorced)Ojani Noa(February 22, 1997 - June 1, 1998) (divorced)
- Children
- Parents
- RelativesLeslie Scholl(Sibling)Lynda Lopez(Sibling)Lucie Lopez-Goldfried(Niece or Nephew)
- Often has dance sequences in her music videos
- Incredible work ethic
- Secretly married Marc Anthony on June 5, 2004; all the guests were invited to an "afternoon party", and they were never told that they were going to a wedding.
- Began her career as a dancer for Janet Jackson.
- Has 4 stepchildren: stepdaughter, Arianna Muñiz (b. June 26, 1994), adoptive stepson, Alex "Chase" Muñiz (b. June 9, 1995) and stepsons, Cristian Marcus Muñiz (b. February 5, 2001) & Ryan Adrian Muñiz (b. August 16, 2003) with ex-husband, Marc Anthony.
- (April 9, 2012) Her third husband of 7 years Marc Anthony filed for divorce from her following a 9-month-long separation.
- She moved to Manhattan to learn how to dance and used to sleep in the studio where she was practicing.
- I thought she'd offer me some sympathy. Instead, she said, "Don't you ever call me crying again! You wanted to be in this business, so you better toughen up!". And I did. [to Redbook magazine August 1999, on the lesson in tough love she got from her mother]
- You laugh it off, you get upset for a little while, you're human and you let it go. [on the "outrageous" tabloid stories she hears about herself, at a press conference to discuss her movie, The Cell (2000) in August 2000]
- (on The Cell (2000)) This film certainly is not meant for the girls who sing along with my songs.
- I was always a singer and a dancer, and I always wanted to be an actress. For me, it's all just one thing.
- (upon being asked what she got on her SAT's) Nail polish.
- Hustlers (2019) - $9,000,000
- An Unfinished Life (2005) - $4,000,000
- Monster-in-Law (2005) - $15,000,000
- Shall We Dance? (2004) - $14,000,000
- Jersey Girl (2004) - $4,000,000
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