Jennifer Lopez, who was born on July 24, 1969, is a multi-talented American artist known by her nickname J.Lo. She has made a name for herself as an actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, fashion designer, and television producer. Her career began on the popular TV show In Living Color as a dancer. She then ventured into acting, gaining recognition for her role in the 1995 action-thriller Money Train. Her first major leading role was in the biographical film Selena (1997), where she received an ALMA Award for her outstanding performance. She later earned another ALMA Award for her role in Out of Sight (1998). Lopez has since starred in various successful films such as The Wedding Planner (2001), Maid in Manhattan (2002), Shall We Dance? (2004), Monster-in-Law (2005), and The Back-up Plan (2010).
Lopez also rose to fame in the music industry with the release of her debut studio album, On the 6 (1999), which produced the number one hit single “If You Had My Love”. Her second studio album, J.Lo (2001), was a commercial success, selling eight million copies worldwide. Her third and fourth studio albums, This Is Me… Then (2002) and Rebirth (2005), both peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 chart. In 2007, she released two albums: her first full Spanish-language album, Como Ama una Mujer, and her fifth English studio album, Brave. After signing with a new record label, Lopez released her album Love? on April 19, 2011. She also released her greatest hits album, Dance Again… the Hits, in 2012, followed by A.K.A. in 2014.
Lopez’s contributions to the music industry have earned her numerous accomplishments, including two Grammy Award nominations, two Latin Grammy Award nominations, three American Music Awards, and over 55 million records sold worldwide. Billboard even ranked her as the 27th Artist of the 2000s decade. In addition to her successful career, Lopez has also been a judge on the popular reality TV competition American Idol. She was named the most influential Hispanic by People en Español in February 2007. Lopez has also used her fame to launch a fashion line and various perfumes with her celebrity endorsement. Apart from her work in the entertainment industry, Lopez is also an advocate for human rights and vaccinations, and she supports the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Currently, she is the executive producer and star of the TV show Shades of Blue, where she plays the character of Harlee Santos, a corrupt police officer who supports her daughter through bribes and protection payments.