At the age of thirty, it is
amazing how much Jennifer Lopez has accomplished. Born in The
Bronx, New York, on July 24, 1970, to Puerto Rican immigrants,
Lopez knew from the start that she wanted to be an entertainer.
She is a triple threat (singer/actress/dancer) and exudes a confidence
no other woman in Hollywood can come close to. She draws attention
from the media and from fans not only for her talent and sex appeal,
but her determination and attitude of "do it or die."
(5) Growing up as a Puerto Rican in the Bronx gave Lopez the skills
and experiences necessary to become a leader and accomplish her
dreams.
Daughter of David, a computer specialist, and Guadalupe, a kindergarten
teacher, Lopez was enrolled in dance classes at the age of five
under her mother's influence. Lopez attended Catholic school for
twelve years of her life, where she says she "was always
into sports. I did gymnastics, competed nationally in track, and
was on the school softball team." (1) On top of her extracurricular
sports, she continued taking dance lessons and voice lessons,
taking the number six train to and from New York City daily. In
her early teenage years, Lopez toured in Europe and Japan with
musicals like Synchronicity and Golden Musicals of Broadway.
When asked about her childhood behavior, Jennifer says, "I
was very close to my grandparents and I listened to my mother
and didn't do bad things. I didn't curse and I didn't run around.
My mother was very strict." (2) Lopez attributes her upbringing
at home as well as her contacts outside of the house as factors
in what makes her the person she is today. "I had a very
Puerto Rican upbringing. But then growing up in the Bronx around
all different kinds of people, African-American and Italian and
Irish, forms a different kind of person." (4) Jennifer got
her first small acting gig at the age of sixteen in My Little
Girl.
In 1990, Lopez got her first big break when she auditioned to
be a dancer for the TV show "In Living Color," and was
chosen by Rosie Perez, the choreographer. From here, she was chosen
to be in a dance video with Janet Jackson ("That's the Way
Love Goes") and also became one of her tour dancers. Lopez
quit one week before the tour started when she was offered a small
role on a TV show. She made the decision here that if she wanted
to pursue an acting career, she would have to start then. She
appeared on the shortly lived Second Chances, then later
on Malibu. These two small roles led her to her first big
screen role in Money Train, followed by Jack, Blood
and Wine, Mi Familia, and Selena, the role which set her as
Hollywood's highest paid Latina actress. The movie Selena
made a mark for all Latina actresses and in Lopez's life directly,
as she was determined to pursue a career in music later. "Though
I'm Puerto Rican from the Bronx and she [Selena] was a Mexican
in Texas we've both been treated the same way as minorities and
as women," (9) Lopez says about the lack of role models growing
up.
Her role in Selena landed her more roles in U-Turn,
Out of Sight, and Antz. Her most recent movie is The Cell,
and she has two more movies underway (The Wedding Planner and
Angel Eyes). She has also appeared in music videos such
as "Been Around the World," by Puff Daddy, and "No
Me Conoces," by Marc Anthony. The latter was a trade off:
Lopez agreed to be in his video if he agreed to do a duet on her
album. With the release of her debut album, On the 6, in
1999, Lopez got to show the world more of who she was by her freedom
of expression through music. Her album is a mix of Latin, hip
hop, r & b, and pop. Lopez says about her album, "Now,
the world is starting to see what it's like to grow up in a Latin
family: the flavor and the culture and the passion and the music.
We're a very passionate people."
Now, in the year 2000, Jennifer Lopez continues to push herself
past the stereotypes set for Latino actors. Already, she has portrayed
four different ethnic groups in her movies: a Cuban in Blood
& Wine, a Chicana in Selena, a Native-American
in U-Turn, and an Italian in Out of Sight. She has
two new movies set for release and an album set for release in
January. Lopez makes such a mark in society because she does not
allow anyone to stop her from accomplishing her dreams. When asked
if she feels she has to be careful about her career moves, Lopez
says, "I don't look at things like that, what society says.
It means nothing to me." (6) With such a strong personality
and determination, Lopez shows no signs that she is going to slow
down in the years to come.
"A big Latina star is just a great point of pride for
the whole community." -Gregory Nava, director of Selena.
"How can I live my life in fear like that? The winners
take risks. That's the only way to be." -Jennifer Lopez
"Jennifer represents all the things that we [Latinos]
are: beautiful, voluptuous, intelligent, proud." -Big Pun.
"If you inspire [people] to go after something that maybe
they wouldn't have done cause they're not use to seeing people
of their culture in that position, that's all just icing on the
cake for me." Jennifer Lopez
"Lopez has already broken cultural ground by becoming
not just a Latina movie star (the highest paid, too- she was the
first Latina actress to get more than $1 million, for 1997's Selena;
she received $2 million for Out of Sight, and her current
fee has been reported to be as high as $5 million), but the first
Latina to achieve pop iconhood."
"This girl has it all: vibe, talent, sex appeal and the
ability to use the sex appeal. Black people identify with her;
white people identify with her. Some women cross all boundaries,
and Jennifer is one of them." -Jeff Ayeroff
"She's got this great combination of control and invulnerability-
she came from the Bronx and had to hold her own there- and also
a certain sort of sensualness that's hard to come by." Eric
Darnell
"I'm just being who I am. I don't try to be nice. I don't
try to be not nice. I'm not trying to show you I'm a nice person
either." Jennifer Lopez
Film & Television
Angel Eyes, (2001)
The Wedding Planner, (2001)
The Cell, (2000)
Antz, (1998) (Voice) (Animation)
Out of Sight, (1998).....Karen Sisco
U-Turn, (1997).....Grace Mckenna
Anaconda, (1997).....Terri Flores
Selena, (1997).....Selena Quintanilla
Jack, (1996).....Miss Marquez
NCLR Bravo Awards. (1995).....TV Special, Host
Money Train, (1995).....Grace Santiago
My Family, Mi Familia, (1995).....Maria Sanchez
Coming up Roses, (1994).....TV Special, Host
Hotel Malibu, (1994) (TV).....Melinda Lopez
Second Chances, (1993) (TV).....Melinda Lopez
Nurses on the Line: The Crash of Flight 7, (1993) (TV).....Rosie
"In Living Color", (1990) (TV).....Fly Girl
My Little Girl, (1986).....Myra
Music & Video
On the 6, (1999).....Music CD
Feelin' So Good, (2000).....Music Video(On the 6)
Will 2k, (1999).....Music Video(Cameo)
Waiting for Tonight, (1999).....Music Video(On the 6)
If You Had My Love, (1999).....Music Video(On the 6)
No Me Ames, (1999).....Music Video(On the 6)
Been Around the World, (1997).....Music Video(Cameo w/ Puff Daddy)
That's the Way Love Goes, (1994).....Music Video(Cameo w/ Janet Jackson)
Endorsements
2000
MTV Video Music Awards - Best Dance Video (Waiting for Tonight)
Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards - Favorite New Music Artist
American Latino Media Arts - Female Entertainer of the Year
1999
MTV Video Awards - Best Dance Video
Teen Choice Awards - Best Song of the Summer "If You Had
My Love"
1998
Imagen Foundation Awards - Lasting Image Award - "Selena"
American Latino Media Arts - Best Actress - "Selena"
Lone Star Film & Television Award - Best Actress - "Selena"
Other Note Worthy Honors
Chosen by "FHM" magazine as "The Sexiest Woman
in the World 2000"
Chosen by "People" magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful
People in the World in 1997
Jennifer's World-- The Jennifer lopez Syndicate Has a biography, every magazine article she has been in, and many pictures.
Official Site for Jennifer Lopez Appearances, News (Local and International), Contests, Pictures, Behind the Scenes, Contact Information.
MTV News on her music, movies, and some personal life. See her videos and live interviews online.
1. Gardner, Elysa. "She's All That: Having conquered Hollywood, Jennifer Lopez kicks her career up a notch with her sizzling first album. How does she keep it together? Workouts, family, prayer-- and more workouts." In Style. June 1999: 276-7.
2. Hoskyns, Barney. "Selena." Interview. April 1997: 50-52.
3. "Lovin' La Vida Loca." Newsweek. 5/31/99.
4. Levin, Jordan. "Jennifer Lopez and the Rhythm Method." Ocean Drive.
5. Martinez, Jose. "Jennifer Lopez On the 6." Latin Style Teen.
6. "Boomin' System." Vibe. August 1999.
7. Case, Jeremy. "Curves of Steel." Sky. August 1999.
8. Noguera, Anthony. "Jennifer Lopez Interview." FHM.
9. Stoynoff, Natasha. "Fallen Star." Toronto Sun.
10. Ponce, Brian. "A Few Words About Jennifer." Jennifer's World--The Jennifer Lopez Syndicate. Don Mega Productionz.
10 November 2000. <www.jennifer-lopez.org/bio.htm>
11. Pener, Degen. "From Here To Divanity." Entertainment Weekly. 9 October 1998: 28-29.