From a back-up dancer to Pop Empress, this curvaceous Latina has turned into a financial powerhouse— three multi-million-selling albums, Hollywood pay checks breaking the $12 million mark.
Termed “really stupid†by her parents, she had to move out of her family home to pursue her dream of becoming a movie star.
Using her position as a global icon of pop culture, she has her own business empire, consisting of various clothing lines, accessories, fragrances among other business interests. In 2011, she was named the “The Most Beautiful Woman” by People.
Childhood
Jennifer Lynn Lopez was born on July 24, 1969 in New York City to Puerto Rican parents. Lopez spent her entire academic career in Catholic schools, excelling athletically rather than academically.
Growing up, she specialized in ballet, jazz and flamenco dance genres.
Career
After small stints as backup dancer and Fly Girl dancer, Lopez received a major big-screen role in the 1995 drama My Family.
Lopez’s first big break came in 1997, when she was chosen to play the title role in ‘Selena’. She earned widespread praise for her performance, including a Golden Globe nomination. Her role in ‘Out of Sight’ further enhanced her image as a bankable movie star.
Lopez’s musical career also began to take off, as she released her debut Latin pop album, ‘On the 6’ in June 1999. The album, fueled by the success of her hit single, “If You Had My Love,” went platinum within two weeks, making Lopez—one of the most influential examples of the growing Latin cultural influence in pop music.
The popularity of Lopez reached new heights in early 2001, when her album, ‘J. Lo’ debuted at No. 1 on the pop charts, while her film, the romantic comedy ‘The Wedding Planner’, shot to the top spot at the box office in its first week of release.Â
In 2010, she entered into a new phase in her career as she became the judge on the tenth season of American Idol.
Awards
ACE Fashion Icon of the Year 2006
Billboard Icon Award in 2014
World Music Legend Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts in 2010
MTV Europe Music Award for Best R&B