About
Jennifer Lopez, also known by the nickname J. Lo, is an actress, singer, dancer, fashion designer, producer and businesswoman. She is known for appearing in the 2019 film Hustlers and for her singles “Jenny from the Block” and “On the Floor.” Lopez served as a judge on American Idol in its tenth and eleventh seasons.
For her first leading role in the 1997 Selena biopic of the same name, Lopez received a Golden Globe nomination and became the first Latin actress to earn over US$1 million for a film.
With a cumulative film gross of US$3 billion and estimated global sales of 80 million records, Lopez is regarded as the most influential Latin performer in the United States. In 2012, Forbes ranked her as the most powerful celebrity in the world, as well as the 38th most powerful woman in the world. Time listed her among the 100 most influential people in the world in 2018.
Lopez’s debut studio album, 1999’s On the 6, launched the Latin pop musical movement in the United States. With the simultaneous release of her second studio album J.Lo and her romantic comedy The Wedding Planner in 2001, Lopez became the first woman to have a number one album and film in the same week.
For her contributions to the music industry, Lopez has received a landmark star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Billboard Icon Award, and the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award among other honors. Her other ventures include clothing lines, fragrances, a production company, and a charitable foundation.
Lopez is an involved philanthropist, having raised millions of dollars for HIV/AIDS research. In June 2013, amfAR (the American Foundation for Aids Research) presented Lopez with its humanitarian award for her philanthropic work. She is an avid supporter of LGBTQ rights. Along with her sister, Lynda, Lopez launched the Lopez Family Foundation in 2009 to increase the availability of healthcare for underprivileged women and children.
In September 2015, Lopez was announced as the UN Foundation’s first Global Advocate for Women and Girls, a role in which she mobilizes action to address challenges faced by women and girls around the world, including maternal health care programs, education and violence against women.
Following Hurricane Irma and Maria, Lopez helped raise millions of dollars to benefit Puerto Rico in their rebuilding efforts.
She was born on July 24, 1969, to Puerto Rican parents who lived in the Bronx borough of New York City. She attended Catholic schools for the entirety of her education, competing in gymnastics and track and playing on the softball team.
