At 56 years old and with a career spanning three decades in the entertainment industry, Jennifer Lopez is one of the most outstanding representatives of Latin culture in the United States. This singer, actress, songwriter, and businesswoman knows no limits, and over the years, she has remained in the eye of pop culture thanks to her ability to consistently reinvent herself.
Jennifer Lynn Lopez was born on July 24, 1969, in the Bronx, New York. Although born in the United States, the singer is strongly connected to her roots, as her parents, David Lopez and Guadalupe Rodríguez, are Puerto Rican. JLo has always expressed pride in her origins, repeatedly speaking about them, even when being a Latino in Hollywood was much less common and comfortable than it is today.
© Redferns“I think my mother and my family raised me to be proud of who I was. When I went into these worlds, like Hollywood, where we were not represented at all, I almost felt like a unicorn. And I was just like, ‘You know what? I’m Latina. I’m Jennifer Lopez from the Bronx, and my parents are Puerto Rican. I’m Puerto Rican.’"
Her film debut was with a small role in "My Little Girl" in 1986. In 1991, she began her career as a professional dancer, taking a leap of faith by leaving college. That decision didn't please her parents, and JLo even distanced herself from them in pursuit of her dreams.
She eventually landed a job as a dancer in Europe and later moved to Los Angeles, where she set her dreams in motion. She began working as a backup dancer for other artists, including Janet Jackson. After a few small television appearances, in 1995, she landed her first film role in Gregory Nava's "My Family." It was in that project that she began to gain recognition. She got her big break two years later, when she was cast to portray the late Selena Quintanilla in her beloved biopic.
"Selena" grossed a total of $65 million in the United States in record time, making Lopez a star overnight. She also became the first Latina actress to earn a million dollars for a film in Hollywood. She was also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical. Although she didn't take the award home, her performance as the "Queen of Tex-Mex" opened the doors of the industry to her.
© Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty IIt was there that Lopez's career in films kicked off in high gear, having roles in films of various genres and critical acclaim, including titles like "Anaconda," "U-Turn," and "Out of Sight." All the while, Lopez also continued to nourish her musical skills, releasing her first album in 1999, titled "On the 6." In 2001, she followed the record with "J.LO," while also releasing "The Wdding Planner in 2001, one of the seminal rom-coms of the early aughts.
With her career established as a singer and actress, Lopez began exploring her entrepreneurial side, launching her first fragrance, Glow by JLo, in 2002. She has continued to venture into the beauty and clothing industry with JLo Beauty and J.Lo by Jennifer Lopez. She has also served as an ambassador for major global brands like Intimissimi, L'Oréal Paris, Coach, and Guess.
"My mother and I used to argue constantly because she didn't accept that I wanted to become a professional artist. One day, we had such a strong argument that I slammed the door and left home. We separated for a while, and in the meantime, I was forced to sleep on the couch at the dance studio I attended. Overnight, I became homeless, but with my pride intact."
Throughout her career, JLo has balanced singing and acting, becoming the queen of romantic comedies with films such as "Maid in Manhattan," "Shall We Dance?," "The Back-Up Plan," "What to Expect When You're Expecting," "Marry Me," and many more. She has made around 38 films in her career and nine studio albums, the most recent being "This Is Me... Now" (2024). She has also judged reality shows like "American Idol" and "¡Q'Viva! The Chosen."
Her value as an actress has not only been tied to romantic films. She has also showcased her talent in police dramas such as "Shades of Blue (NBC)," where she starred alongside the late Ray Liotta and she served as the lead actress and executive producer. Thanks to her role as Harlee Santos, she won the People's Choice Award for Favorite TV Crime Drama Actress in 2017.
© GettyImagesHer explosive energy took her to perform "We Are One (Ole Ola)," the official theme of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, alongside Pitbull and Claudia Leitte. From 2016 to 2018, she had a Las Vegas residency titled "All I Have," presented at the Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood. She performed 120 shows over three years, grossing over $100 million in ticket sales.
In 2018, TIME magazine recognized her as one of the 100 most influential people. Over the years, she has received awards such as the Billboard Music Awards' Icon Award, the CFDA Fashion Icon Award, and recognition at the American Music Awards and Billboard Latin Music Awards. In February 2020, she and Shakira were the headliners of the Super Bowl LIV halftime show, one of the most successful in the event's history.
In 2025, Jennifer Lopez returned to the stage after canceling a series of concerts in 2024. With "Up All Night: Live," she toured Europe and Asia, including Madrid, Barcelona, Cádiz, Málaga, and Pontevedra. After the success of her European tour, the singer announced a Las Vegas residency titled "Up All Night: Live in Las Vegas." The residency will begin on December 30, 2025, at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace and run until March 2026.
In her personal life, Jennifer is the mother of twins Emme and Max, from her former marriage to Marc Anthony.
