Iconic
‘90s icon of the week: Jennifer Lopez
From Selena, her 1999 arrest, and more, take a look about at our ‘90’s icon of the week
Jennifer Lopez is a household name and it all started back in the ‘90s when she was truly just “Jenny from the Block.” In honor of manic Monday, J.Lo is our ‘90’s icon of the week. Born Jennifer Lynn Lopez on July 24, 1969, in New York City the triple threat was raised in the Castle Hill neighborhood of the Bronx. Her parents, David López and Guadalupe Rodríguez were born in Puerto Rico and emigrated to the United States as children. After starting her career as a dancer, they watched their little girl go from appearing in stage musicals and various music videos to a global superstar. Her career slowly took off after she won a national competition and earned a spot dancing on the popular Fox comedy television series In Living Color as one of the “Fly Girls,” per Biography.
What followed were some small parts in two more series and the TV movie, Nurses on the Line: The Crash of Flight 7, in 1993. Her first feature film came two years later with the critically acclaimed, “Mi Familia” (1995). That same year she appeared in Money Train opposite Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrison. But her first big break came in 1997 when she was chosen to play the one and only Selena Quintanilla-Perez in the biopic based on her life, “Selena.” Lopez was nominated for a Golden Globe and garnered widespread attention after the release of the film. From then on, Lopez started taking over every avenue of the entertainment industry.
During that time she became a fashion icon by wearing whatever she wanted. She refused to be anything but her glamorous self and wore whatever gown she wanted with a pair of signature hoops.
In 1997 Lopez starred in Blood and Wine, opposite Jack Nicholson, and her role as a federal marshal “Karen Sisco” in Steven Soderbergh‘s Out of Sight, co-starring George Clooney, further solidified she was a bankable movie star. She was married to model and actor Ojani Noa in 1997 and they split in 1998.
Lopez worked on her music career, releasing her hit single “If You Had My Love” and her debut Latin pop album, On the 6, in June 1999. The album went platinum within two weeks and made J.Lo one of the most influential Latin artists in pop music. That same year she started dating Diddy after meeting on the set of her music video and they became Hollywood’s most fashionable “it” couple.”
Everyone was shocked to find out she was arrested with Diddy after fleeing the scene of a nightclub shooting with a gun in the trunk of the Lincoln Navigator they were driving. The charges against J.Lo were eventually dropped but Diddy had to see his day in court. They called it quits a month before his trial. Thankfully the scandal had little effect on her career and in 2000 she played a child psychologist in the science fiction thriller The Cell. The unforgettable film Enough was released that same year and is still one of the most iconic movies of the time.
Lopez became the first woman to have a number-one album and film in the same week after the simultaneous release of her second studio album J.Lo and her romantic comedy opposite Matthew McConaughey,The Wedding Planner in 2001.
Following her split from Diddy Lopez began dating her second husband Chris Judd. The “Love Don‘t Cost a Thing.” And announced their engagement in August and were married in September 2001. They separated Nine months later.
All you can see when it comes to Lopez lately is her reunion with ex-fiance Ben Affleck. Their relationship took off in 2002 and they starred opposite each other in Gigly and Jersey Girl. They announced their engagement in 2002 but called it quits early 2004. She married Marc Anthony in June 2004 in a private ceremony at her LA mansion. She gave birth to their twins in 2008 and despite their split in 2011, the world is still fascinated with their relationship hoping they get back together. Lopez didn‘t reveal the cause of the breakup, but told Vanity Fair, “I loved myself enough to walk away.” With a new hit song out, the superstar refused to be stopped. “I am positive, determined to move forward with my life, bring up my babies, and do the best job I can as a mother, entertainer, and person.”
J.Lo moved on to her backup dancer after her split from Anthony in 2011 and they dated for 5 years. The next year Lopez began dating Alex Rodriguez. She told Vanity Fair in their 2017 December issue “I understand him in a way that I don’t think anyone else could, and he understands me in a way that no one else could ever.” They announced their engagement in 2019 and of course, announced their split this year in April 2021. Now, the world has been watching as she rekindles her love with Affleck.
But it’s not just about her exes. Since the ‘90’s Lopez has made incredible achievements like acting as a judge on the 10th season of American Idol. She returned for its 11th season and reportedly earring $20 million, almost double that the first season, per Biography. She continues to act and starred on the NBC police drama Shades of Blue in 2010 and the unforgettable 2019 film Hustlers. She received a Golden Globe nod and many believe she was snubbed by the Academy Awards that year.
Lopez will never be constrained to one industry and release JLO Beauty this year on January 1st, 2021. The successful beauty and skincare line has been one of the biggest lances in the beauty world and is a testament to her success with anything she sets her eyes on.
