Jennifer Lopez

Photo Gallery

• Genre: Pop
• Hometown: Bronx
• Jennifer Lopez Website

About

She's been called a lot of things: J-Lo, Jenny from the Block, Mrs. Anthony. Just don't call La Lopez a diva, although she deserves it -- and not just for her alleged outlandish demands-making, entourage-rocking, fur-wearing behavior. Love her or hate her, you have to respect a woman who went from being a "Fly Girl" on In Living Color to a captain of the movie, music and fashion industries.

Born in the Bronx to Puerto Rican parents, Jennifer Lopez dabbled in musical theater as a child before moving on to small roles in film and television and backup dancing gigs for artists like New Kids on the Block and Janet Jackson. Several small movie roles followed, but it was her portrayal of beloved Tejano singer Selena in the 1997 film of the same name that catapulted Lopez to true stardom. After co-starring with George Clooney in 1998's well-received Out of Sight, Lopez recorded her first album, 1999's On the Six. All of which left people asking: sure, she can dance, act and sing, but can she design a fashion line? Yes, yes, she can. In 2001, Lopez founded Sweetface Fashion Club, home to her J.Lo and Sweetface lines.

Four more studio albums and a series of high-profile relationships (one word: Bennifer) later, Lopez settled down with hubby No. 3, Marc Anthony. The two of them produced and starred in 2007's El Cantante, a biopic about Puerto Rican salsa singer Hector Lavoe. That same year, Lopez put out two albums: Como Ama Mujer and Brave.

- Rachel Devitt